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ZenRay Binoculars
#5735299
05/08/15 11:28 PM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,376
nsmike
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
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OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,376 |
Has anyone had experience with the ZenRay 10X42 Prime HD or 10X43 ED3.
for every stereotype there's a prototype don't be the prototype
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Re: ZenRay Binoculars
[Re: nsmike]
#5739621
05/12/15 01:02 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,502
RiverRider
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,502 |
I think I asked this myself about six months ago. Evidently they just haven't penetrated the market enough to develop a reputation.
I read up on them a little, and it's been a while but I think I recall the guys who got together to form the company were more of the bird watching type. Not that I think of that as a liability at all...
What little I was able to find from folks who have reviewed ZenRay binoculars seemed to be very positive from a performance perspective. "Lots of bang for the buck" seems to have been on of the common themes in reviews.
My only reservation is the same that I hold toward Vortex optics...since they have everything built elsewhere they have no investment in production facilities. In my mind that makes it difficult to be confident that they are committed to a long-term presence as a quality optics source in the market. OTOH, binocs don't take the same kind of punishment a rifle scope does. When I find myself in a position to buy better binocs, ZenRay may well be my choice.
"Arguing with you always makes me thirsty." -Augustus McRae
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Re: ZenRay Binoculars
[Re: RiverRider]
#5739643
05/12/15 01:27 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,270
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,270 |
I think I asked this myself about six months ago. Evidently they just haven't penetrated the market enough to develop a reputation.
I read up on them a little, and it's been a while but I think I recall the guys who got together to form the company were more of the bird watching type. Not that I think of that as a liability at all...
What little I was able to find from folks who have reviewed ZenRay binoculars seemed to be very positive from a performance perspective. "Lots of bang for the buck" seems to have been on of the common themes in reviews.
My only reservation is the same that I hold toward Vortex optics...since they have everything built elsewhere they have no investment in production facilities. In my mind that makes it difficult to be confident that they are committed to a long-term presence as a quality optics source in the market. OTOH, binocs don't take the same kind of punishment a rifle scope does. When I find myself in a position to buy better binocs, ZenRay may well be my choice. Much of the Vortex line is made buy light optical. Light optical also makes upper end bushell scopes LHRS and also all the Nightforce parts and complete SHV scopes. Light optical is a very highly regarded optics mfg. I've never seen a bad review on zenray, but have never played with them.
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Re: ZenRay Binoculars
[Re: RiverRider]
#5739657
05/12/15 01:39 AM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,200
dawaba
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,200 |
I have owned a ZR ED1 and ED3 in 8x43. I gave the ED1 to my African tracker as a gift last August, and he was quite happy to finally own a good binocular. The ED3 lives in my home office and I use it to observe the goings-on at the two corn feeders behind my house.
The ED3 holds up pretty well along side my Leicas. The ZR has a bit of fringe fuzziness at the extreme edges of the field, whereas the Leica is crisp all the way to the edge. But my eyes are unable to appreciate any difference between the two binos in the center of the field, where we do all our field judging. And ergonomically, the ZR frankly fits me better than my Leicas. And the ED3 costs a fourth of what the German glass does.
The more expensive ED Prime HD is reputed to be equal to Euro binoculars in performance, but I can't comment, having never tried them. The birdwatchers really love them, and they're far more demanding than hunters.
The ZRs lack the snob appeal of Swarovski and Leica, but they perform all out of proportion to their price tag.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple.....and wrong." H. L. Mencken
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Re: ZenRay Binoculars
[Re: nsmike]
#5740607
05/12/15 05:37 PM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,376
nsmike
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
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OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,376 |
Thanks for the feedback it confirms what I've been able to find. I still have some looking to do but I am going to be upgrading my binoculars before fall.
for every stereotype there's a prototype don't be the prototype
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