I have tightened it as far as it will go and they are still loose. I will check out Suddarth, thanks

I think previously you mentioned the Prime is a Leupold McKinley clone, do you know what version was cloned? BX-4?

Are the ED3's a clone of anything?

I need to check if some sheared in the focus knob or just a screw backed out.

Caladan said:

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Oruc Reis said:

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Caladan, unrelated question. Is zen-ray belly up? I have a set or primes (loose hinge) and ed3's (broken focus wheel) I need to send in for repairs. If they are defunct, is there a place that does general repairs?

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It does indeed seem to be that Z-R has gone t-u. No one can get ahold of them, and their website no longer works.

You might be able to tighten the hinge of the Prime yourself. Many binos have a screw-in plastic cover over the hinge bolt. You might see if yours has a removable cover, and if so, try tightening the nut or screw yourself.

For the ED3 - you might contact Suddarth Optical Repair. He is well-known in the bino repair world.

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As a very satisfied owner of 10x43 ED3's, this makes me sad. Such good glass. Best in class for the price, at the time.

Oruc Reis said:

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I think previously you mentioned the Prime is a Leupold McKinley clone, do you know what version was cloned? BX-4?

Are the ED3's a clone of anything?

I need to check if some sheared in the focus knob or just a screw backed out.

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I don't know the BX number for the McKinley line. All I can say is that the Z-R Prime was considered to be the same bino as the first-generation McKinley.

Also can't say what other brands sell the same bino as the ED3. It's just not a model I have looked into. Certainly there is something out there, since it would be highly unusual for an OEM bino manufacturer to sell one particular model to just one particular vendor.

Loose hinges are typically an easy fix, and therefore shouldn't be expensive to have done. Focus wheels however are not always fixable. Last year I had to send in a Leupold Hawthorne that had it's focus wheel go inop, and rather than fix it, they sent me a new bino. Sadly, the Hawthorne was replaced with an 8x42 Pro Guide HD, which in most cases is an upgrade, but in my case was not since my Hawthorne was a 7x42, and a really good but inexpensive 7x42 is almost non-existent........

WC87 said:

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Caladan said:

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Oruc Reis said:

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Caladan, unrelated question. Is zen-ray belly up? I have a set or primes (loose hinge) and ed3's (broken focus wheel) I need to send in for repairs. If they are defunct, is there a place that does general repairs?

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It does indeed seem to be that Z-R has gone t-u. No one can get ahold of them, and their website no longer works.

You might be able to tighten the hinge of the Prime yourself. Many binos have a screw-in plastic cover over the hinge bolt. You might see if yours has a removable cover, and if so, try tightening the nut or screw yourself.

For the ED3 - you might contact Suddarth Optical Repair. He is well-known in the bino repair world.

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As a very satisfied owner of 10x43 ED3's, this makes me sad. Such good glass. Best in class for the price, at the time.

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Makes me sad too, as for a time it was a pretty good company to deal with. And certainly the ED3 was one of the best - if not *the* best - in it's price range.

I had a $200 Z-R ED2 a long time ago when they first came out. A year after I got it, I came into a Steiner Peregrine, a bino that at that time cost about $1k. The ED2 was sharper in the central area than the Steiner that cost five times as much. Sad to see the owner of Z-R just let that company go like that..........

It's a beautiful thing to see such a knowledgeable person helping others like this. Enjoy these threads.

Btw, does your optics expertise extend into hunting scopes?

Thanks!

Ok good to know, thanks. Looking at the ED3's, the focus wheel center post is sheered off. Is that even repairable if parts we available?

Apache said:

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It's a beautiful thing to see such a knowledgeable person helping others like this. Enjoy these threads.

Btw, does your optics expertise extend into hunting scopes?

Thanks!

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Thanks for the comments!

Although I do know a bit about hunting scopes, I am not into the types of scopes that are so popular today. To give you an example - I really like the Bushnell Elite 4200 line of scopes for their optical excellence and toughness, but no one today wants to buy one. I am just a bit too old-fashioned to provide much useful info on hunting riflescopes.

C

Oruc Reis said:

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Ok good to know, thanks. Looking at the ED3's, the focus wheel center post is sheered off. Is that even repairable if parts we available?

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Probably so, but the hard part would be finding parts. Definitely give Suddarth optical a call. I think that if anyone can repair them, they can.

I have reached out, thanks for the info

Oruc, the owner (or rep) of Zen Ray used to post fairly regularly on this birding forum. Might be worth a shot to reach out there to him. He posts as user ZEN-RAY


Zen Ray (Charles) posts on Birdforum.Net

Here is also some information I found on how to contact Zen Ray from that forum.

(503) 360-5352

charles@zen-ray.com

support@zen-ray.com

Also, there are others on that forum that have Zen Ray glass, and also know Charles personally (based upon their posting history) and they might could assist. I don't post there at all but reviews of ZR on that forum and a few others is what led me to buying my ED3s.

I have emailed and called. Seems to be the norm recently based on the forum posts is was looking at. Thanks for the info though.

Can I tag on?

I'm going to South Africa this summer. One day we will be at a National Park. I was there 2 years ago on the same trip. We got to the hippos late and they were several 100 yards off. This time I'd like to have some binos with me. But, I don't want to spend too much as things can disappear quickly there. $200-$300 is all I'd like to spend. Would you recommend 8x32, 8x42 or 10x? Small would be nice too, but no deal killer.

Tx95 - I have a pair of Vortex Diamondback's in 10x42 - see photo here:

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2914597

It may fit exactly what you're looking for - good general use binos, not too expensive to worry about if they lost in the shuffle over seas.

Just got them back from Vortex back at the end of 2017 - all cleaned up and in great shape. Let me know if interested and we can swap e-mails.

Tx95Ag said:

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Can I tag on?

I'm going to South Africa this summer. One day we will be at a National Park. I was there 2 years ago on the same trip. We got to the hippos late and they were several 100 yards off. This time I'd like to have some binos with me. But, I don't want to spend too much as things can disappear quickly there. $200-$300 is all I'd like to spend. Would you recommend 8x32, 8x42 or 10x? Small would be nice too, but no deal killer.

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If you will be glassing during daylight hours only, and in a fairly bright place (like, say...Africa?), then 8x32 is what I would go with. The reasons are:
8x vs 10x -- The difference in magnification is noticeable when viewing, but rarely does this difference make a practical difference in whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. 8x is easier to hold steady, especially when your pulse rate is elevated and you are breathing heavily. 8x will give you wider and brighter view, which is something especially important for me.

32mm vs 42mm -- In most cases, a 32mm bino will give you more FOV than a 42mm bino of the same magnification. Most 42mm binos weight 24 ounces and often more, especially in your price range. You can get very good 32mm binos under 20 ounces. Some well under 20 ounces. A 17-18 ounce bino is very unobtrusive in your carry-on bag, and can dangle from your neck all day without being tiring. The difference in bulk should be obvious. BTW, I don't recommend any low-priced 10x32. That configuration is a tough nut to crack, and no one does a low-priced 10x32 very well.

I have very good binos in 8x20, 8x25, 10x25, 6.5x32, 8x32, 10x32, 7x42, 8.5x42, 10x42, and 10x50. The bino I use more often than any other is my 8x32 Swarovski EL.

The 8x32 I would recommend is not well-known. Look at the Sightron SII Blue Sky. You can see them at the Opticsplanet website. These are the best 8x32 under $250. They only weigh about 17 or maybe 18 ounces, and have enough eye-relief for most eyeglass wearers. The only downside is that it's neckstrap is pretty narrow. If you get one, you might consider getting an extra neoprene strap from Vero Vellini. Opticsplanet Is always giving out 10% off coupon codes too, so you should be able to buy one for well under $200. If you live in the B/CS area and want to try one out, you can try mine. Post your email here and I will get in touch.

The Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 is even smaller in bulk than the Blue Sky, and performs ever better too. You might look at that one too, but these will cost a bit over $300. I do prefer the M7 over the Blue Sky, but also be aware that the M7 has a rather short eye-relief, which won't work well for eyeglass wearers. There might also be another alternative too, which is the Zeiss Terra 8x32. At their normal price it is not the best buy, but I think I saw a place recently that had them for $199. At that price, I could get on board with them. I will see if I can find it tomorrow, and if so I will post it here. But at their normal prices, the Nikon M7 is a better buy than the Zeiss Terra.

If you are going to be glassing in the early morning or late evening, then you should go with 8x42. If this is what you want, let me know and I can put up some about that configuration.

C

Another thing to consider - if you would consider a porro-prism bino, you can get several good ones for around $100. Take a look at the 8x32 Kowa YF and the Vortex Raptor 8.5x32, and see what you think.

hth,
C

Thanks guys. Not sure when I'll be in BCS again.

I'm glad you mentioned glasses. I tried some of the Nikon Monarch 7's at Academy, 10x42 I think, but they didn't want to play nice with the glasses. I never could get them to focus as clear as I expected them to be.

I'm leaning towards the porro-prism binos, simply for the low cost. Any opinion on how these would work with the glasses?

Tx95Ag said:

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Thanks guys. Not sure when I'll be in BCS again.

I'm glad you mentioned glasses. I tried some of the Nikon Monarch 7's at Academy, 10x42 I think, but they didn't want to play nice with the glasses. I never could get them to focus as clear as I expected them to be.

I'm leaning towards the porro-prism binos, simply for the low cost. Any opinion on how these would work with the glasses?

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The Nikon you tried should have been able to focus clearly whether or not you were wearing eyeglasses. If they didn't, then there was something wrong with it, or something wrong with the way you were using them.

A low-cost porro such as the Kowa YF would be a very reasonable place to start, and a good porro such as the YF is a very reasonable choice for a trip. The Kowa 8x version is listed on their website as having a 20mm eye-relief. That is much more than is typically seen in a porro, and even more than average for binos as a whole. If the ER is truly 20mm (optics companies don't always publish correct info), then they should make an excellent choice for you.

PSA/Question:
Rudolph 10x42s on Camofire today for $199. They call them HD. Are these comparable to the vortex viper, Leupold mojave HD, and/or the Kowa Prominar? Weight is right there with the Kowa and Leupold.

Caladan,

I am headed to SW Colorado to hunt deer this October. I need to upgrade my glass badly. I was curious of what you would recommend currently in the Hopefully sub-$500 range. I would consider sub-$1000 I do have some time so I can wait for sales and things. I was thinking 10x42.

I typically wear classes but I often wear contacts when hunting due to the glass issue. My vision is not terrible and I often do without either when hunting. Located in BCS.

TIA

CTGilley said:

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Caladan,

I am headed to SW Colorado to hunt deer this October. I need to upgrade my glass badly. I was curious of what you would recommend currently in the Hopefully sub-$500 range. I would consider sub-$1000 I do have some time so I can wait for sales and things. I was thinking 10x42.

I typically wear classes but I often wear contacts when hunting due to the glass issue. My vision is not terrible and I often do without either when hunting. Located in BCS.

TIA

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For a sub-$500 bino, I would go with a Kowa BD XD from CameralandNY.com. They are at $399 right now. I haven't used the 10x42, but have used other BD's and found them to be a very well-constructed bino. They are listed as having an 18mm ER, so using them with your eyeglasses will most likely not be a problem.

For $499, you could consider the Meopta Meopro. Meopta also makes a sturdy product, so I think you cannot go wrong with one of these either. But it is $100 more than the Kowa, so not as good a buy overall unless you are a Meopta fan.

Camerlandny.com also has the green Hawke Sapphire ED on sale for $299. I've read good things about them, but I have not ever used any Hawke bino. I have a feeling however that at the $300 price level, it would be one of the better choices. Still though, I would go with the Meopro or the BD XD, if the extra cash were available.

There is always the Zeiss Terra too. I was never impressed with them, and remain w/that opinion. Many people like them however, and you might as well. I would be worth your time to look through one the next time you are in an Academy Sports store.

I have noticed that Vanguard has finally released the latest edition of the Endeavor, which is number IV (there is still I and II, but there was never a III). It is listed at $499. I think that given how good the I and II were at their respective price points, it is a very good chance that the IV will become the new king of the ~$500 group. But, it is new, and I have not read or heard anything about it. I think that it should be a consideration.

If you are going to the ~$1k level, then you have the Zeiss Conquest HD, Vortex Razor (not the Chinese-made one), Leica Trinovid, Meopta Meostar, and Nikon Monarch HG. No bad choices here at all. Just choose the brand that you would like to have hanging around your neck the most, or at least the one with enough ER to suit you.

Lastly - Tract Optics is coming out with a 2nd generation Toric. The first version was quite good, and it's performance was so close to the binos at the $1k level that it doesn't make much sense to spend $300 more. No one knows just yet how well the new version will perform, but it just might be worth waiting a few more weeks to find out. Supposedly, they are soon to be released.....

hth,
C

Thank you.