Nikon 10x35 E11 (1 Viewer)

[Dipperdapper]

Why don't you try E2's from a better dealer? I don't like Amazon, it's like Walmart, I never buy anything there. There's also a pair on sale here in the classifieds. (unfortunately I now have to shop at Amazon to buy groceries since they assimilated the Whole Foods grocery chain here in the US)

Thanks for the report Neil, so Loch Lomond is even bigger than Loch Ness. Beautiful! The focus action on the older E's is stiff from the grease congealing. I had my E's serviced, and with modern grease they're just as buttery smooth as the E2's if not moreso. I had the 10x35 E2 out for a look at the Moon last night - very clean view of it. It's a difficult target for binoculars - one that shows the difference with the older E's, they have more ghosting and reflection trouble. My 12x40 E had the best detail on the Moon but lots of distracting ghosts compared to the E2.

Tam Weir reminds of a guy we have here in New England...Willem Lange. Very similar, he does a PBS show "Windows to the Wild" about the mountains & other outdoor areas of New England. I will have to check online for some Weir's Way shows.

A Yankee Notebook by Willem Lange

Evening Scott,

Yep, Loch Lomond is the largest in terms of area. Loch Morar is the deepest at 310m(1,017 feet) and Loch Ness has the greatest volume of water of all the Scottish lochs. Indeed it has more fresh water within its confines than all of the lakes in England and Wales combined!

Interesting your mentioning about the focus wheel on the Nikon E; I had neglected to ask for that service when I had the instrument restored. The E II is much improved though, very similar kinetics to the smaller 8 x 30. I'm delighted with it!

Thanks for posting a link to Willem Lange's adventures: boy there's a lot of blogs to get through there, but I look forward to dipping in to them. Weir was obviously more old school; preferring more traditional means of communication before the digital age. I've seen all his old TV programs and have a few of his books on my reading list this summer. Here's a short piece on him;

Remembering Tom

Check out those beat-up Porros around his neck lol. That one looks more like an 8 x 40 or some such. He probably used these instruments to death, bless his soul. He certainly wouldn't have worried about their lack of weatherproofing. I would love to have learned about what he did with them during those freakish days stuck up a mountain somewhere. Here in Scotland, you can get four seasons in one day!

I'm confident my dry box methods( desiccant in sealed Tupperware containers) will keep my instruments fog proof. That, and a good waterproof jacket with deep pockets should keep them in tip top condition.

Cheers,

Neil.

 

[PatR]

If you did wanted to try again for the E2, Ndhunter here on Birdforum is selling a new one for a great price. I’d buy from Jerry every day of the week.

Good luck.

Paul

Thank you Paul, that is a ringing endorsement!

Were I living in CONUS then I would be more than interested. I think I will be visiting my local(ish) SW dealer to have a look through some Habichts.

 

[NDhunter]

Paul:
Thanks for the help. The 8x30 EII has a more friendly view than the 8x30 Habicht.
As far as what a friendly view means, it means an easier, more enjoyable way to observe.
I have compared them closely.
Jerry

 

[Paultricounty]

Paul:
Thanks for the help. The 8x30 EII has a more friendly view than the 8x30 Habicht.
As far as what a friendly view means, it means an easier, more enjoyable way to observe.
I have compared them closely.
Jerry

Lol, had them both out today, and with an SE.

Paul

 

[NDhunter]

Lol, had them both out today, and with an SE.

Paul

Paul:
That means you have the 3 best 8x30 porro's that are available. So how do you see it?
Jerry

 

[Paultricounty]

Paul:
That means you have the 3 best 8x30 porro's that are available. So how do you see it?
Jerry

They all have their own unique personalities with pros and cons. Personally to me the Habicht’s are the sharpest and brightest., but has the tightest FOV because of edge fall off. The SE’s (550xxx) are a very close second with a very nice FOV, sharp almost all the way to the edges, but I do get some blackouts and find the eye box less comfortable than both the E2 and Habicht’s. The E2’s are the most comfortable to use , but to my eyes I feel they are a step down optically from the others. I don’t get the pop (I know people hate descriptions like pop) that I get from the other two. The E2 and Ultravid 8x32 in that order are my wife’s favorites.

 

[Scott98]

Paul:
Thanks for the help. The 8x30 EII has a more friendly view than the 8x30 Habicht.
As far as what a friendly view means, it means an easier, more enjoyable way to observe.

maybe just use the Habicht on the days when it's in a good mood???

 

[Elpha8888]

After my disappointing experience with a pair of KOWA BD II 6.5X32's I decided to order a pair of Nikon E II 8x30's from Amazon. They turned up this afternoon in a brown unpadded envelope and on opening I was disappointed yet again with the condition of Amazon's so called "new" stock:


View attachment 1512497

The box looks as if it has been kicked around. It is torn and worn at the opening and torn at each corner, the inside bag plastic bag and the plastic sheath for the strap were both open with sellotape seals cut, and finger prints and smears were everywhere over the bino's themselves.

View attachment 1512498

Very suprised to see poorly applied grey glue or sealant inside both objective lenses.

Oh well back to the drawing board. Looks like a pair of Habicht 8x30's will be next.

I've had two pairs of eii and both have that glue inside, nothing to worry about.
My experience with Amazon is really the same, pretty dire. The Canon I bought turned up in a brown paper bag, the courier also dropped it on my doorstep.
Another binocular advertised as "like new" looked as if it had been on a recent jungle marathon
I gave up with Amazon.

 

[PatR]

I've had two pairs of eii and both have that glue inside, nothing to worry about.
My experience with Amazon is really the same, pretty dire. The Canon I bought turned up in a brown paper bag, the courier also dropped it on my doorstep.
Another binocular advertised as "like new" looked as if it had been on a recent jungle marathon
I gave up with Amazon.

Yes that pretty much mirrors my experience. It is such a shame but they seem to have taken the eco route to heart with simple brown envelopes that offer no protection and cannot be cost effective or eco friendly with the amount of returns. I suspect that I received a customer return that was given a cursory look over and sold as new.

I have seen the glue on two examples and it beats me why Nikon use grey. It was 'one stab at a first impression' for me and sloppy glue application that you can easily see makes you wonder on the finish on the bits that you cannot see.

But I have to say that they were lovely bino's to use, optically sharp in the centre with a slight fall off towards the edges , but they have been returned.

I now have a pair of Habicht 8x30's and couldn't be more delighted.

 

[John M Robinson]

Here's an example of the sidewalk test on astronomy eyepieces from Roland Christen - you can see the two oculars on the upper left have better coatings. They're from Zeiss and Astro-Physics, the other two are Tele Vue:

View attachment 1495552

Can you explain the “sidewalk test”? The darker, less reflective, the better coatings?

 

[Scott98]

Can you explain the “sidewalk test”? The darker, less reflective, the better coatings?

yes, that's the idea. very unscientific but interesting comparison to do. Just get the objectives lenses or eyepiece lenses next to each and look at how bright the light reflections are coming off each lens.

 

[Mikbul]

Not fair! Those are old Televue plossls and widefields with out of date coatings.

Here's an example of the sidewalk test on astronomy eyepieces from Roland Christen - you can see the two oculars on the upper left have better coatings. They're from Zeiss and Astro-Physics, the other two are Tele Vue:

View attachment 1495552

 

[Scott98]

Not fair! Those are old Televue plossls and widefields with out of date coatings.

True 'dat....the photo is at least 20 years old, I collect this stuff.....