OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Other Optics > Binoculars
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Zen Ray ED2 7x36 vs. ED3 7x43
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

Zen Ray ED2 7x36 vs. ED3 7x43

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
woods1124 View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: June/28/2010
Location: NW Oklahoma
Status: Offline
Points: 23
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote woods1124 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Zen Ray ED2 7x36 vs. ED3 7x43
    Posted: June/19/2013 at 10:26
I do a lot of bow hunting and I know a guy who has a pair ox the 7x36 and he loves them.  Would it be money better spent to get the older models or to go ahead and purchase the 43mm.  How do they compare to each other?
 
Thanks
Back to Top
woods1124 View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: June/28/2010
Location: NW Oklahoma
Status: Offline
Points: 23
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote woods1124 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/19/2013 at 10:28
And how would both 7x's compare to the 8x43 ED2.  This is what I currently use.
Back to Top
Klamath View Drop Down
Optics Master
Optics Master
Avatar

Joined: May/20/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1308
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/19/2013 at 15:11
OK

Side by side with the ZEN ED 2 7x36 and the ED 3 7x43.

The ED 3 is larger, but not very much.  It is about a half inch longer and about 4 oz heavier.  The x36 does feel smaller than the visual difference would indicate there is.  Most of that is  because the barrels are of a smaller diameter, making it feel smaller in the hand.

The ED 2 has a wider fov, but the central sweet spot is about the same.  The edges of the x43 are better than the x36.

The image of the x43 is a little sharper, but not a lot.

The contrast is a little better on the x43.  Again not a lot.

Low light performance sees an edge to the x43, again not a lot, but it's there.

The x43 have too much eye relief for me, and not many binoculars I can say that about.  I need something like the winged eye guards for the Nikon EDG to get the eye placement right.,  The eye relief is perfect for me with the x36, which is why I kept the x36 and not the x43.

Both are very good binoculars and there is really nothing to compete with the ZEN ED 3 7x43 at 7x.

Side by side with the ZEN ED 3 8x43 and 7x43.

If you did not know which was which, you might not be able to tell Big Smile.

The difference is, IF you have the two side by side, you will see a better depth of field with the 7x, as depth increases with decrease in magnification.  That is a nice function for close in, like with bow hunting.  There is a extra almost porro like 3-D dimension that really helps sort out deer from layers of vegetation.  For me there is no detail advantage with the 8x at distance.  If it were me I'd keep the 8x if that is what I had, but if buying one fresh, I'd do the 7x 43 and never look back.  As it is my 7x36 is one of three binoculars I have that will never go anywhere other than me.

Hope that helps some. Big Smile


Edited by Klamath - June/19/2013 at 15:22
Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.775 seconds.