Nikon 8x30 E II. (1 Viewer)

[NDhunter]

I was just watching an auction here on the auction site, and a mint
used example just sold for $525.
Seems to be a solid value on these. Maybe someone here got them.

Jerry

 

[JanPB]

I was just watching an auction here on the auction site, and a mint
used example just sold for $525.
Seems to be a solid value on these. Maybe someone here got them.

Jerry

In a certain sense nothing beats them (in the roughly 8x30 category).

--
Jan

 

[ceasar]

Highest price I've seen for them.

 

[Pinewood]

Hello,

I regret selling mine for $225, six years, ago, only because of their appreciation. I am doing very well with the Zeiss 8x32, with which I replaced it.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:

 

[brocknroller]

In a certain sense nothing beats them (in the roughly 8x30 category).

--
Jan

Jan,

I agree. That "certain sense" for me is birding in thick brush. The extra wide FOV combined with good depth perception helps me find the birds more easily and "pull" them out from the background. The contrast and color are also superb.

My only rub was the stubby barrels, which made the bin somewhat awkward to balance for my large hands, but a pair of #5 Bushwackers solved that problem.

Considering what alphas cost these days, and that the EII provides an alphaesque view, $525 seems worth it, particularly if it's the newer black body version with the peel-proof armor.

I'd like to get a pair of the 8x EII BB's as a back-up to my gray body version before the price goes even higher, but I think I'll wait until the dollar rebounds against the yen.

<B>

 

[Jonathan B.]

Considering what alphas cost these days, and that the EII provides an alphaesque view, $525 seems worth it, particularly if it's the newer black body version with the peel-proof armor.

Brock,

Do we really know that the black armor is peel-proof?

 

[Sancho]

EII 8x30 still available from the shop in Hong Kong. Just ordered a replacement pair (I know, I know!) for 295 sterling, delivered by Fedex. This is about 370 dollars. I've bought from this dealer before and they're excellent.

 

[JanPB]

Jan,

I agree. That "certain sense" for me is birding in thick brush. The extra wide FOV combined with good depth perception helps me find the birds more easily and "pull" them out from the background. The contrast and color are also superb.

My only rub was the stubby barrels, which made the bin somewhat awkward to balance for my large hands, but a pair of #5 Bushwackers solved that problem.

Considering what alphas cost these days, and that the EII provides an alphaesque view, $525 seems worth it, particularly if it's the newer black body version with the peel-proof armor.

I'd like to get a pair of the 8x EII BB's as a back-up to my gray body version before the price goes even higher, but I think I'll wait until the dollar rebounds against the yen.

<B>

And a Nikon EDG I just went for $633.

BTW, what's your opinion about 10x35 as far as image steadiness goes? I have 14x stabilised Fujinons which are quite difficult to use with the stabilisation off and 10x is somewhere in-between...

Note there is a difference between the image being seemingly steady and actually seeing all the fine details properly.

--
Jan

 

[brocknroller]

Brock,

Do we really know that the black armor is peel-proof?

Yes, I have a black body 10x35 EII. The armoring is a hard, synthetic rubber, similar to the old Bakelite finishes on the original "E" series, and not like the flimsy layer of armoring on the gray body version, which tends to peel or bubble in heat and humidity.

Attached is a photo of the 8x30 EII gray body and 10x35 EII BB side by side. If you look close at the 8x EII, you can see some peeling in the upper inside corner of the right barrel (on your left) and separation of the armoring in the lower left barrel near the inside corner (on your right).

It actually doesn't look too bad after I used some Super Glue on it, but it still bubbles when it gets really hot or humid, so I tend not to take it on in hot and humid whether and use the 8x32 SE instead.

<B>

 

[David Swain]

Just ordered a replacement pair (I know, I know!)

How many times have you re-bought EIIs? :king:

Truth be told, although my SEs are stellar, I miss my EIIs ... :-C

It is so cliche, but I might have to have both.

David

 

[Sancho]

How many times have you re-bought EIIs? :king:

Truth be told, although my SEs are stellar, I miss my EIIs ... :-C

It is so cliche, but I might have to have both.

David

This is my fourth in ten years. Every time I get my 'collection' down to three or four by selling off unused bins, I get severe EII Withdrawal. Oddly, I never suffer from SE Withdrawal, although I've owned two pairs.

 

[Jonathan B.]

Yes, I have a black body 10x35 EII. The armoring is a hard, synthetic rubber, similar to the old Bakelite finishes on the original "E" series, and not like the flimsy layer of armoring on the gray body version, which tends to peel or bubble in heat and humidity.

Attached is a photo of the 8x30 EII gray body and 10x35 EII BB side by side. If you look close at the 8x EII, you can see some peeling in the upper inside corner of the right barrel (on your left) and separation of the armoring in the lower left barrel near the inside corner (on your right).

It actually doesn't look too bad after I used some Super Glue on it, but it still bubbles when it gets really hot or humid, so I tend not to take it on in hot and humid whether and use the 8x32 SE instead.

<B>

Thanks. I have a black 8x30, and though I haven't seen a report of peeling, I've been hesitant to use it in the field much. I never handled the earlier gray version.

 

[brocknroller]

Thanks. I have a black 8x30, and though I haven't seen a report of peeling, I've been hesitant to use it in the field much. I never handled the earlier gray version.

Jonathan,

I think all the posts about the peeling and bubbling spooked you, but the BB version has completely different armor (where it is armored, the entire body isn't armored like the SE, as shown in the photos above).

Most disconcerting is the fact that the metal objective housings aren't armored on either version. You do have to be careful about not banging them and setting them down carefully if you want to avoid dents in the housings. They can also screw off accidentally from resting your pinkies on them or from putting on and taking off Bushwacker covers, but this isn't a major problem. It takes lots of use before this happens, and then screw right back on easily.

I wouldn't worry about taking the BB version out in the field unless rain was forecast. They will hold up well in hot and humid weather unlike the original version.

<B>

 

[postcardcv]

EII 8x30 still available from the shop in Hong Kong. Just ordered a replacement pair (I know, I know!) for 295 sterling, delivered by Fedex. This is about 370 dollars. I've bought from this dealer before and they're excellent.

That sounds like a good deal, if I wasn't having to sell stuff off at the moment I'd be very tempted to get a pair. I guess the easiest way is to wait a year or so until you sell them

 

[Sancho]

I guess the easiest way is to wait a year or so until you sell them

:-O

 

[[email protected]]

:-O

I have had two pairs of Nikon 8x30 EII and I decided I prefer the 8x32 SE. The EII really has marginal ER for me and I prefer the flat field and sharper edges of the SE. I also like the armouring on the SE and the ergonomics and shape of the binocular. I feel the new SE has better contrast also and is sharper on-axis than the EII. In fact I feel the SE is the sharpest binocular you can buy. You don't have to worry about the armour peeling off either and it is a little tougher than the EII.

 

[Alexis Powell]

To anyone worried about peeling armor on the Nikon EII or any other binocular, camera, or similar, please read my post here
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1879965&highlight=vhb+adhesive#post1879965

This stuff is easy to work with, allows for a completely clean fix (looks like new), and is a permanent (but reversible) solution. Way better than epoxies and super glues.

--AP

 

[Stet]

I was just watching an auction here on the auction site, and a mint
used example just sold for $525.
Seems to be a solid value on these. Maybe someone here got them.

Jerry

I bid $501 on those and lost! :C About four months ago I bid $550 on a mint pair and also lost! They went for $560! People are willing to pay money for these. I thought for sure I would win with the $550 bid. I was not as commited this last time around, after aquiring some very nice glass recently.

 

[JanPB]

I bid $501 on those and lost! :C About four months ago I bid $550 on a mint pair and also lost! They went for $560! People are willing to pay money for these. I thought for sure I would win with the $550 bid. I was not as commited this last time around, after aquiring some very nice glass recently.

At that price range you might as well consider buying them new at the Japanese Amazon. There is also that Hong-Kong store the name of which I forget which used to advertise with a photo showing a large stack of those nice gold boxes. AFAICT they were requested off the web by a certain manufacturer |!|

--
Jan

 

[brocknroller]

At that price range you might as well consider buying them new at the Japanese Amazon. There is also that Hong-Kong store the name of which I forget which used to advertise with a photo showing a large stack of those nice gold boxes. AFAICT they were requested off the web by a certain manufacturer |!|

--
Jan

Jan,

Chinaarts in Hong Kong was the name of the store on eBay with the stack of EIIs (pic below). My 10x35 EII came from that store. According to a chinnarts salesperson, Nikon told them to stop selling EIIs abroad.

As I recall, someone on BF who later contacted them directly was told the store was out of EIIs.

The EII's scarcity in the US is probably driving up prices, and then there's the strong yen against the dollar issue that's been partially blamed for the EDG's high prices.

Curiously, the price of the Japanese-made Pentax EDs hasn't changed. In fact, they dropped from $999 to $946 at EO. So go figure!

<B>