89 replies to this topic

[Echolight]

Oops..... It was the SP, I think.... that inspired my trespass.

[Fiske]

  

 

I don't think EB is going to give us a variance on that. Don't worry, I've got a solution in hand. Wait for it...

 

Fiske

[Fiske]

Happy news concerning the 10x70 SP -- a DHL tracking notice arrived this evening stating that the binocular has shipped. Plus I received an email message from Tsutomu Sakabe, Kyoei General Manager, explaining that while Kyoei employees worked shifts during the Golden Week holidays (April 29 to May 5), DHL employees did not.   I'm sorry Kyoei didn't close for the holidays too, honestly. 

 

What an excellent company Kyoei is. Courteous, reliable, and professional.

 

Fiske

Edited by Fiske, 05 May 2021 - 09:06 PM.

[nowhere]

Happy news concerning the 10x70 SP -- a DHL tracking notice arrived this evening stating that the binocular has shipped. Plus I received an email message from Tsutomu Sakabe, Kyoei General Manager, explaining that while Kyoei employees worked shifts during the Golden Week holidays (April 29 to May 5), DHL employees did not.   I'm sorry Kyoei didn't close for the holidays too, honestly. 

 

What an excellent company Kyoei is. Courteous, reliable, and professional.

 

Fiske

I enjoyed my email exchanges with them. I got the impression it would be nice to visit them and spend some time looking around and talking in person with the people there (you know, if I spoke Japanese and could travel across the Pacific and the International Date Line casually).

 

Their selection is putting my wallet in a bit of danger. I seem to get along better with traditional porro binoculars and I also prefer to go with high quality items of all sorts - if I can afford to. Until I asked for help with the Prostars I didn't know Nikon was still making anything along those lines, with the exception of the 18X70 that list for near $1,800 US so as far as I knew the only new options were Fujinons (which are all in the 50mm and 70mm class) and the Swarovski Habichts (which aren't offered in Canada and which are quite expensive). Now I know there are quite few Nikon high quality porros available from Japan in 30mm, 35mm, 50mm and 70mm sizes. Combine this with my late-dawning realization that binoculars are kind of like eyepieces in that it's very nice to have different types for different uses all of a sudden I have a growing "wish-list!" Now I find myself looking through the Nikon global site and Kyoei's pages and thinking "Hmm.. both EII's look like they would be great for nature watching use... and it might be nice to have 10X70s as well as 18X70s..."

[Fiske]

Combine this with my late-dawning realization that binoculars are kind of like eyepieces in that it's very nice to have different types for different uses all of a sudden I have a growing "wish-list!" Now I find myself looking through the Nikon global site and Kyoei's pages and thinking "Hmm.. both EII's look like they would be great for nature watching use... and it might be nice to have 10X70s as well as 18X70s..."

 

I have been busily adding my "wish list" to my equipment signature, with no regrets.  

 

And binoculars are like eyepieces. Having multiple instruments to use regularly and compare helps one understand their various characteristics and appreciate the different views they are able to provide.

 

Fiske

[Fiske]

The Nikon 10x70 SP has landed.  A day ahead of schedule and only three days from when it shipped from Osaka, albeit with a bit of help from the international date timeline. Still, it is remarkable to me how prompt shipping is from Japan to the US.

 

As Mr. Sakabe stated, it shipped in the original packaging container from Nikon. 

 

 

Shipped with sufficient peanuts, for sure.

 

 

My cat Wren helped with the initial inspection. The magazines look like fun. All in Japanese, of course. 

 

 

The 7x50 and 10x70 shown together.

 

 

We are totally socked in by clouds tonight, naturally. But I did some trial focus tests on a distant tree this afternoon and if anything, the 10x70s have more focus travel to spare with my uncorrected vision (-5.50 sphere in both eyes) than the 7x50s, so no worries there. At least for now.  The 10x70 is very comfortable to hold and to look through. Eye relief is about perfect for me.

 

Fiske

Edited by Fiske, 09 May 2021 - 09:42 PM.

[Erik Bakker]

Good news that they arrived in suit your eyes so well Fiske!

 

Together, they will keep you busy and happy for many a clear night 

[ECP M42]

I did some trial focus tests on a distant tree this afternoon and if anything, the 10x70s have more focus travel to spare with my uncorrected vision (-5.50 sphere in both eyes) than the 7x50s, so no worries there. 

Great! I'm glad that everything is the way you wanted and that it arrived intact.

 

Just for technical curiosity: how many degrees of rotation do the 7x50 and 10x70 eyepieces have, compared to zero dioptric?

[j.gardavsky]

 

The Nikon 10x70 SP has landed.  A day ahead of schedule and only three days from when it shipped from Osaka, albeit with a bit of help from the international date timeline. Still, it is remarkable to me how prompt shipping is from Japan to the US.

 

As Mr. Sakabe stated, it shipped in the original packaging container from Nikon. 

 

 

 

Shipped with sufficient peanuts, for sure.

 

 

 

My cat Wren helped with the initial inspection. The magazines look like fun. All in Japanese, of course. 

 

 

 

The 7x50 and 10x70 shown together.

 

 

 

We are totally socked in by clouds tonight, naturally. But I did some trial focus tests on a distant tree this afternoon and if anything, the 10x70s have more focus travel to spare with my uncorrected vision (-5.50 sphere in both eyes) than the 7x50s, so no worries there. At least for now.  The 10x70 is very comfortable to hold and to look through. Eye relief is about perfect for me.

 

Fiske

 

Hello Fiske,

 

that's looking great, a pair of Nikon pairs of binoculars.

Looking forward to your reports,

JG

[Fiske]

Thanks everyone for your encouragement and kind comments. 

 

Here is a close-up showing the diopter scale, which goes to 4. The binocular is adjusted for my uncorrected vision, so I guess it's approximate for 5.50.

 

 

This shows the limit. The left eyepiece (in this image) rotates farther than the right.

 

 

Also, it occurred to me that the SP binoculars might be more comfortable for me using the bare eyecup adapter, designed for the batwing eyecup, presumably. (Top image.) I guess using the bare adapter without either eyecup is one of the possible configurations? Quick test views this morning seemed to confirm that, so I will be using them sans rubber eyecups on the next clear evening.

Edited by Fiske, 10 May 2021 - 09:55 AM.

[ECP M42]

The binocular is adjusted for my uncorrected vision, so I guess it's approximate for 5.50.

 

This shows the limit. The left eyepiece (in this image) rotates farther than the right.

If I understand correctly,

 

you even have 2 or 3 diopters in excess, in the rotation of the eyepiece (?). Better for you!

 

I find the enveloping eye rubbers very useful at night, so if you can have them it's a plus.

[j.gardavsky]

Hello Fiske,

 

just my curiosity about Nikon 10x70 SP for the U.S. markets,

can you post a pic of the front cover on the hinge.

It has the product code and the series number.

For the sake of your privacy, you can blacken the last digits of the series number.

 

Thanks,

JG

[Fiske]

Sorry I haven't gotten a picture for you yet, JG. 

 

The binocular isn't really for the U.S. market -- it was ordered from Kyoei Sango in Japan and delivered from Osaka. I paid in yen.   The code on the front cover of the 7x50 is JP and the serial number series is 251###. Same code on the 10x70, JP, and the serial number series is 650###. The only other printing on the cover is Nikon and Made in Japan.

 

Fiske

Edited by Fiske, 10 May 2021 - 09:26 PM.

[j.gardavsky]

Hello Fiske,

 

and thank you for the clarification.

Yours Nikon 10x70 are evidently the new version.

My old pair with the red rings indicates on the hinge:

Nikon

6226xx

JAPAN

TP

 

manufactured around 2005,

see also https://www.cloudyni...identification/

 

Best,

JG

[nowhere]

I just tried out using only the plastic snap-on eyecups on my Prostars after reading your post Fiske. It didn't work for me because my IPD is too narrow. My nose gets in the way! For anyone with a 60mm or wider IPD it might be a viable option though.