Zen Ray Big Eyes

[Matt_Palmquist]

This question was asked at the end of the lengthy ZR debate thread, but there hasn't been a response.

Has anyone used any of the 20+ power binoculars offered by ZR? If so, what are your thoughts?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[SteveC]

These are big, heavy and cumbersome, and designed more for a dedicated astronomy binocular. I have no idea how they would do for terrestrial observation.

 

[Matt_Palmquist]

Ok. I have used the Doctor 30X80s which are also large and heavy, but when glassing at long distances for long periods of time they are awesome. My eyes get very blurry after looking through a spotting scope for long periods, and the with the big binoculars you can avoid this.

The Doctors start around $3200 so I am guessing that a several hundred dollar pair of bins isn't going to compare...

Anyone else?

 

[SteveC]

The eye fatigue with a spotter is fairly common. It has to do with using just one eye (we are a binocular vision species). Some can counter that with a patch, some by putting some sort of a extension over the eyepiece to block the off eye, and some just are not bothered by it. I'm seriously considering a Big Eye binocular. I am very likely going to start by getting one of CameralandNY's $529.00 Minox 15x58 ED's from Doug. I have no extreme or hard usage for them otherwise, I'd be looking at the Vortex 15x56, or the Swaro 15x56.

The 15x58 Minox got some real good comparative reviews alongside Leica and Swaro high magnification glass, and that was before the current ED edition Doug got Minox to make for him. They will be a heck of a lot easier to transport than a big porro.

 

[NJS]

I have a pair of the MINOX 15x58 ED binos and I love them! The Ed glass are brighter than the non ED Porros by Docter and Zeiss. They are a great glass for the money. NJS

 

[mesquitehunter]

I was looking at the 25 powers but I think they are discontinued.
I'm looking for a big glass that I can glass at 3+ miles for sheep here in AZ. A lot of the sheep country I hunt is wilderness and requires 4 mile walk across the desert flats to the base of the moutains. I would rather find the rams with the big glass in which case I have a broader view of the whole mountain face then go in for a closer look.