Nikon Prostaff 7 10x42 Binocular Review

20th February 2012

When I first tried this model at Rainforest Discovery Centre last year during the Foresty Open Day, I could not believe my eyes how sharp and it has better contrast and well controlled Chromatic Aberration (CA) than the current Monarch series. Then I went to Fraser's Hill with the gang for the International Bird Race on the same year, tested it against the grey sky with Monarch III. It does confirmed my finding.

I have been using 8x binocular for many years and couldn't get better view with 10x binocular even though I have tried few models and different brands. But with Nikon Prostaff 7 10x42, it was different. There were one time I was at Raganan - Timbuk mudflat with Joe waiting for the White-browed Crake, from the other bank about 80 metres, there were a Sandpiper which looked either Marsh or Common Greenshank. The weather was cloudy that time.

I was thinking of detaching the Nikon FSA-L2 adapter from my Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 and replaced it with my favorite 25LER eyepiece. But the 10x42 I had really helped me in ID'ing the bird (Marsh Sandpiper). I am used with the habit of using my scope after getting the subject on my bino even when the birds was really close.

 

Other feature I like is the weight. Even though both is heavier than Nikon Monarch III for 8x42 and 10x42, from my daily usage, it was not a problem and sometimes I did not realized it was hanging on my neck ! No more shake on my hand too hahaha :)

I hope if Nikon could incorporate fast focus for all models in the Sport Optics lineup like the legendary HG L, that would be the trademark for Nikon compared with other competitiors. It is a bit slow for my taste the Prostaff 7 series because my favorite 8x32 SE a bit faster.

Overall,  I would recommend the Nikon Prostaff 7 10x42 for beginners in birding and for those who do not own a fieldscope because the extra 2x you get from the 10x42 will benefits you in getting those ID right especially for smaller Waders and Raptors. But you will get smaller Field Of View (FOV) than the 8x42. More info about FOV, click this link http://www.nikon.com/products/sportoptics/how_to/guide/binoculars/basic/basic_08.htm

Thanks to Irene Chong from Sandakan Foto for the demo unit. Selling price is around RM 1188 for 8x43 and RM 1288 for 10x42.

Link for Nikon Prostaff 7 at Nikon Vision Japan website.

On going discussion about this binocular at Birdforum :

• http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=192068
• http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=202792

 
Happy birding !

Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 VR Review

29th January - 11th February 2012

Nikon Vision Japan introduced the world's first Fieldscopes featuring Nikon's lens-shift type VR (Vibration Reduction) system for EDG 85 both angled and straight scope on the 6th October 2011. From my brief test at the previous Borneo Bird Festival in October 2011, the VR works when there were slight shake or vibration caused by wind and non-stable platform such as wooden walkway. Other methods tested by tapping on the tripod that hold the VR scope.

 Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 VR on Jobu BW Pro Gimbal head and Velbon 830 carbon fibre tripod. Estimated weight around 7.75 kg

Battery compartment under the EDG VR wording

Green LED when VR is ON

I did a test within 2 weeks for Nikon Malaysia and I was shooting mainly with my D300s and other D7000 body coupled with FSA-L2 adapter at my favorite mudflat concentrating on Waterbirds and Kingfishers.

With this EDG VR scope, it was possible to get sharp images while shooting around 1/60s at 500mm F/5.9 using Continuous High (CH) and with Timer modes. Out of 18 shots taken in sequence with CH, I got more than 9 sharp images which is almost impossible with my current EDG scope ! More with cable release on Timer mode.

EXIF : ISO 100, Shutter speed 1/60s, 500mm F/5.9 with FSA-L2 on D300s. Images were cropped 50% and resized only. No sharpening applied

Other usefulness of the VR, while focusing at 500mm up to 1750mm, it helped me in obtaining faster perfect focus while focusing on the helical through the viewfinder without getting back and forth. No shaking on the images and videos even at 1750mm ! This is one of the important aspect by having VR scope when recording videos at high magnification where a slight movement by wind etc could caused shaking and blurring on the recording itself.

The VR scope uses 4 x AA batteries and could last for 17 hours. After 30 minutes of non-active usage, the VR will turn off itself in order to save power consumption. I didn't really feel the weight differences between my EDG85 and EDG85 VR. Plus it looked like the EDG85 VR seems to have better better contrast than my EDG scope ...

Mike Freiberg and Bill Schmoker from Nikon Prostaff USA tested the VR scope on windy day at :

• http://blog.aba.org/2012/01/whole-lot-of-shakin-not-going-on.html

Summary : I like this scope very much ! Is it worth upgrading to EDG85 VR scope ? Yes and for those who wants to take Digiscoping and Videoscoping to another level plus for visual use especially when you do lots of sea watching !

Thanks to Tee at Nikon Malaysia for the loan unit.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 VR via FSA-L2 on D300s and D7000

 

 

Happy Digiscoping !

LOVE MOTHER NATURE - PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST 2012

Organized By : Sandakan AIDS Support Group Association

PRIZES FOR OPEN CATEGORY :

1st Prize --- RM500.00 cash + certificate.

2nd Prize --- RM350.00 cash + certificate.

3rd Prize --- RM200.00 cash + certificate.

5 Consolation Prizes

PRIZES FOR STUDENT CATEGORY :

1st Prize --- RM250 cash + certificate.

2nd Prize --- RM150.00 cash + certificate.

3rd Prize --- RM 100.00 cash + certificate.

5 Consolation Prizes

GETTING ENTRY FORM / PHOTOS COLLECTION

STATIONS :

1. SANDAKAN AIDS SUPPORT GROUP

ASSOCIATION.

Lot 7, 2nd floor, Block 40, Phase 7, Bandar Indah

Mile 4. Sandakan.

Tel : 089-226410.

2. SANDAKAN FOTO ( S ) SDN. BHD.

Town Center, Sandakan Tel : 089-218728.

Bandar Kim Fung (Mile 4), Sandakan

Tel : 089- 238728.

3. SAVANNA SIGNCRAFT & ENGRAVING.

Jalan Leila, Tanah Merah, Sandakan.

Tel : 089-612521.

4. AKEN MOBILE PHONE

Batu 4, Bandar Indah, 90000 Sandakan.

Tel: 0128067065

or Download entry form Here

Entrant Criteria

1. The competition is open to Sabah resident only.

2. Photo must be taken within Sabah ONLY.

3. Committee members of organizer cannot

participate in the contest.

4. The photographs, in its entirety, must be a single

work of original material taken by the competition

entrant.

5. For Open Category: RM10.00 per photo

submission.

6. For Student Category: RM5.00 per photo

submission.

7. Each participant may submit no more than 5

photos.

8. Photo-retouching, super imposition and photoshop

adding are not accepted. Only minor

adjustment of color, brightness, contrast and

cropping are allowed.

9. Model of camera, titles of work, participant’s name,

contact number and email address must be fully

stated on the back of the mounting board clearly

which must correspond to the entry form.

10. Photographs must have been developed on

quality photographic paper, without a date or other

imprint on the front, and with no border around

photograph. Photographs printed from home

printers are usually not to best standards for state

judging. Using a professional print shop is

recommended.

11. All photographs submitted must be in color print,

8R in size (8” x 12”) and must be mounted on

black color mounting board.

12. Each entry form must come with photos and a

CD/DVD-ROM containing all the image files. All

the image files must be in JPEG format with

minimum file size in pixels of 1800 x 2700/300 DPI

each.

13. The CD/DVD must be labeled with the serial

numbers and the participant’s details.

14. An esteemed panel of judges will determine the

winners. The judge’s decision is final and no

Correspondence will be entertained.

15. All entries must reach the collection center on or

before 5pm, 11th May 2012.

16. All photos will be exhibited and prizes giving

ceremony on 20th May 2012, 8.00am – 12.00pm at

Sabah Hotel Grand Ballroom, Sandakan.

17. The participant is entitled for 1 prize only.

18. SAGA will be the sole propriety of all image files

mounted in CD/VCD and photos which had been

handed over for the contest and will not be

returned back to the owner.

19. The organizers shall have the exclusive right to

disqualify any entries for any violation of the rules

set herewith or forthwith.

20. The organizers reserve the right to amend or

modify the terms and conditions of the contest as

require without prior notice.

Rights of the Organizer

SAGA as the organizer reserves the permanent

exclusive right to use the photos for any purpose

without obtaining prior permission of the owners and

without offering any further compensation in any form.