Zen Ray ED's vs. Vortex Razor's?? (1 Viewer)

Has anyone seen/can anyone refer me to any comparisons between the Zen Ray 8x43 ED's and the Vortex Razor 8x42's?
Thanks in advance!
Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL

There is an exact thread, posted today even, to this one in the general forum just below. Let's keep everything there. FWIW, I posted and answer to this question there. I see no need to double up.

I have seen no direct comparative review anywhere.

Thanks, Steve- I found it!
I'm surprised the Zen Ray's are that good when they are significantly cheaper than the Vortex's.

MarTay6 said:

Thanks, Steve- I found it!
I'm surprised the Zen Ray's are that good when they are significantly cheaper than the Vortex's.

Click to expand...

Trust me, you were not the only one.

Yeah, there's a kind of disruptive change with the "Chinese EDs" of which the Zen Ray's are one (and the best priced one too) which have sort of moved the value/price ratio of bins.

The problem is being a older player in the field with existing product that is priced higher than is that this sort of change messes up the pricing of all of your bins

The newer entrants have been taking advantage of that pricing difference. Older ones will take a while to take advantage of these changes.

So then the question then becomes..."What will happen to the original Razors?" Will they be fazed out in favor of a newer, higher performing model?

Sell off the remaining stock through EO for a bit less?

Perhaps.

Aren't we already seeing $150 discounts on the original Razors?

Yeap, EO did do that, didn't they (I presume Vortex).

Still I don't think it's enough

I agree. At the price point the Zen EDs are currently selling at how do you justify spending more and not getting the same optical performance?

Sure, the warranty and proven reliability of the company count but for a $300 to $400 price difference?

Thanks for your advice- Zen Ray's on order!

Thanks for your inputs, folks- I ordered a pair of the Zen Ray ED's Friday, I should see them this week. Not sure how I'll like the case- never seen a plastic hardcase for bino's (I'm kind of anal about cases and eyepiece/objective covers!). Your advice was a big help. Found them for $349.00/free shipping from a reputable company out on the West Coast. Certainly a great price!
Wes

MarTay6 said:

Not sure how I'll like the case- never seen a plastic hardcase for bino's (I'm kind of anal about cases and eyepiece/objective covers!). Wes

Click to expand...

You might as well go to Eagle Optics and order two Quake Bushwhacker #6 objective covers and an eye guard. I doubt you will like what they come with. The objective covers tend to come off pretty easily because of the very short distance in the objective tube in front of the hinge, and the eye guard if a bit small in diameter. The case is OK. The optics will make up for these shortcomings. Enjoy!

Zen Ray bino's

Hi, Steve-
Thanks for the advice/comments. You were pretty much right on!
I received the Zen Ray's this week, day before yesterday- and am pretty happy with them. I have spent some time during the daytime comparing them with my Swift 804 HR-5's and Celestron Regal 8x42 LX's.
As you stated, the objective covers are lacking- I've had one fall off already... a shame, since they fit the objectives/body nicely. They're simply made too lightly. The loops would make good rubber bands. The case will probably have to be replaced, too- as while nice for the bino's, the case would be a little crowded when you attach a strap.
Which brings me to the biggest disappointment/forehead slap of all- the neckstrap! What WERE they thinking?????? I find it somewhat uncomfortable to have binoculars- when hanging from the strap- to bang against my knees! O.K., I'm exaggerationg to make a point- they hang at upper thigh!
Now I could simply shorten the strap ends- were it not for those horribly cheesy disconnects that are attached right about where you might want to have the bino's connected. So the strap also has to go. Which means most of what comes with the bino needs to go. A shame, when it's the easy stuff to fix/make right!
Now it would be easy to replace accessories, as I frequently do- but neckstraps usually are nicely embossed with the makers name... so it'd really be lousy to have, say- a pair of Zen Ray binoculars hanging off of a Vortex neckstrap!! That's not going to happen!
Of course, the bino's perform as advertised, and the wider fov is its most outstanding feature. Wider than either the Swift's or the Regal's. I do, however- notice a lack of "3-dimensionality" when comparing either of the roof's with the porro's... I guess this must be a characteristic of the porro's. The roof's views seem flatter when simultaneously viewing objects that are at different distances. That is a characteristic of the Swift's I really like. Now to get them out at night and see how the night sky looks in that wider FOV!
Wes

I look forward to seeing your further comments on them. It seems like you are quite satisfied so far.

MarTay,
All of the comments you made about Zen-Ray ED's neckstrap is telling me that I'll have to use a strap from one of 'my not too great' binoculars for it.
I've got a Promaster too and their objective covers are no good either and I don't bother using them. The neckstrap that came with them are OK though.
I should be getting my Zen-Ray next week too.

Or a harness ... a spot of superglue will keep the objective covers in place (or jsut pull them off in use and keep them in a pocket (they are hand in the field in dusty environments).

Or as I've pointed out before get a set of Bushnell Elite 8x43 objective caps from Bushnell spare parts (search the Bushnell thread). They're a tighter fit on these bins (perhaps a bit looser on the Zen because the armor is a bit thinner).