Review of the NIKON 8×30 E II binoculars, 8.8° field of view, the classic and still competitive wide angle

PREMISE

Some readers, passionate about Porro prism binoculars, pointed out that I hadn't yet created a video review and a more specific article about the Nikon 8×30 E II binoculars. In truth, I had already covered the review of the 8×30 Anniversary A few years ago in a comparison against the Swarovski Habicht, and the review written by contributor Piero Pignatta has been well-known for years. However, I have to agree with the more attentive readers because I have never subjected a Nikon 8×30 E II, for example, to the USAF CHART test and the latest tests I've been carrying out since I've been doing this as my main job.

For this reason, thanks to the collaboration of Nital, official Italian distributor, I had the pleasure of reviewing a model of the Nikon 8×30 E II which It is currently available for purchase on Nikon Store at a price of 869 euros, including VAT. You can also take out a 10-month interest-free loan or pay in 3-4 installments with a specific credit card.

As always, in this article and video review, I'll outline the technical specifications, strengths, and weaknesses, but above all, my personal impressions, drawn, as always, from actual field testing. I confirm to readers that my impressions relate solely to the model I tested and may not necessarily represent the entire range.

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ACCESSORIES SUPPLIED

The binoculars arrive in a classic, simple bronze-colored cardboard box. A sticker detailing the ten-year Nital warranty has been added, offering after-sales service that goes far beyond the standard European warranty.

Inside the box, you'll find a synthetic leather pouch, a shoulder strap with the "Nikon since 1917" logo, a product guide, a multilingual instruction manual, the Nikon warranty certificate, and a document explaining how to utilize the binoculars' warranty. Of course, the box also includes lens caps and a large cover that protects both eyepieces.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

A few years ago, Nikon offered a mount for attaching binoculars to photographic tripods via the hinge joint. It is no longer in production, so for anyone wanting to mount them on a photographic tripod, I can suggest a universal mount. like that of Berlebach.

MECHANICS AND FOCUSING SYSTEM

As reiterated in the review of the Anniversary model, I can confirm to readers that the Nikon Classic Porro series was introduced in 1978. At the time, the models were the 8×30 and the 10×35, and later, six years later, a 7×35 was also introduced. The evolution to the E II series, however, only took place in 1999.. In this case, the 7×35 format was withdrawn from the market. The range currently offers the 10×35 II, tested a few weeks ago, and the 8×30 II format. Both boast one of the widest wide-angle fields.

The binoculars, as you can see in the images on Binomania and in the video review, are a classic “Porro prisms” and is equipped with a central window with a hinge. The ergonomics are excellent: thanks to the central window, it fits perfectly in the hand, and the natural shape of the Porro prisms also gives the lower part of the hull a shape that ensures absolute comfort.

The binoculars are not waterproof And it's not fully armored; there's only a small area covered in textured leatherette to improve grip and reduce scratches. However, these binoculars are a bit delicate to handle in adverse conditions, such as in dense forests with brambles or during a heavy downpour.

My electronic scale estimated a weight, without caps and shoulder strap, of 565 g. Like all Porro prisms, the width of the body minimizes muscle fatigue, allowing the shoulders and arms to be wider and allowing for more comfortable handling. At the bottom of the metal body housing the prisms are two very sturdy eyelets for attaching the shoulder strap. As mentioned, it does not have a thread for attaching to a photographic tripod.

The focusing system is equipped with a small knob. It is not very thick, but it has a fairly large diameter and its shape and position allow it to be used even with sweaty hands and to some extent with winter gloves, as long as they are not very thick. The minimum focusing distance I tested with this model is 190 cm.. From this distance, with my visual accommodation, I was able to reach infinity by rotating the dial a little more than a full turn, I'd say about 370 degrees.

The travel is obviously not among the shortest ones found in the best birdwatching binoculars. However, thanks to its low magnification and excellent depth of field, it is possible to track very fast subjects from 15 meters to infinity with just a few millimeters of travel. Furthermore, I enjoyed fully focused images starting from about 40-50 meters. This is obviously a very subjective performance..

The diopter adjustment on the right eyepiece is done with a ring embedded in the eyepiece. It has 9 notches (+-5) and the classic +0 – references. Since it does not rotate freely, there will be little difficulty in accidentally losing the custom setting. In fact, it does not have a safety lock.

Its particular shape, which encourages the distance between the objectives, allows you to obtain decidedly more three-dimensional images at least up to 150-200 m compared to a classic binocular with roof prisms of the same format.. Obviously, there may also be variations in proportion to one's interpupillary distance: for example, a person with an interpupillary distance of 57 mm will perceive less three-dimensionality than a person with an interpupillary distance of 70 mm.  

OPTICS

Goals

In the E II series, Nikon does not propose the use of ED lenses, however, thanks to the simple design, the use of Porro prisms and the high quality of the ECO glass used, I must admit, as you will read in the specific paragraph, that the chromatic residue is quite low. Images, in most lighting conditions, are neutral, without excessively invasive chromatic aberrations. Sharpness and contrast are also similar to significantly higher priced roof prism products.

The lenses are recessed into the optical body by approximately 12 mm; this partially protects the lenses from impacts, scratches, and stray light. The caps do not have a system to anchor them to the optical tubes, so you must be careful not to lose them, even though they snap into place without any play.

Eyepieces

The eyepieces of the Nikon 8×30 E II provide a field that can be described as ultra wide-angle. In fact, they frame 8.8 degrees of field, which with the classic formula corresponds to a full 70.4° of apparent field. However, Nikon with the more restrictive ISO formula declares 63.2°. At a thousand meters, the field of view is equal to 154 meters.

Although these are binoculars of oriental manufacture, I find it very comfortable to use thanks to the diameter of the eyepieces, just under 42 mm. I must also confirm that, with my interpupillary distance, the distance between the eyepieces is almost 21 mm, so I have no problem fitting my nose between the two small optical bodies. The field lens measures 20 mm. Nikon's stated eye relief for this model is 13.8 mm. Personally, I measured a distance between the field lens and the top edge of the lens hood, obviously near the eyepiece, of 10.46 mm, so just under Nikon's stated distance.

Of course, comfort will also depend on various factors, such as facial shape. For this reason, I recommend that enthusiasts who wear glasses test their own viewing comfort, perhaps by asking your trusted dealer to try the binoculars before purchasing.

Prisms

As previously mentioned, it uses Porro prisms made of BAK-4 glass. I didn't notice any invasive vignetting at the edges of the field. Because of its wide field of view, I have to rotate my eye around the edge to check the field stop, which at this point appeared to me to be quite nice and sharp.

Coatings

As I've reiterated in various reviews, Nikon rarely updates users on improvements to its binocular range. Again, going from memory, I seem to recall that the first Nikon 8x30 E II models I used had a green anti-reflective coating. The model I just reviewed has a pleasant purple color with a slight green tinge at times. This means that the binoculars direct most of the light in the green spectrum toward the exit pupil. I haven't had the chance to compare them to a model from a few years ago, but I must confirm that the images are decidedly bright, as a quality Porro prism should be.

CHROMATIC AND GEOMETRIC ABERRATIONS

Chromatic aberration at the center of the field

 At the center of the field, subjecting it to the selective "white gazebo" test (see video), it appears almost perfect in the sense that only by moving slightly from the center do you begin to perceive a slight chromatic aberration along the metal sphere and the white metal bars. At this point, a slight green-violet chromatic halo appears, which increases as you move toward the edge of the field.

Using the Zeiss 3×12 multiplier and observing at 24x, a very faint blue-violet halo appears in the center of the field, always with the white gazebo test, around the upper part of the sphere. The same goes for lunar observation.

It is not a binocular that can be defined as apochromatic, However, in the most common lighting conditions when observing natural scenes, I must confirm that the performance is decidedly very satisfactory, given that we rarely perceive the presence of residual chromaticism in the centre of the field.

I remind readers that the perception of chromatic aberration is very subjective and varies from person to person. 

Lateral chromatic aberration

Lateral chromatic aberration increases as you move from the center to the edge, always showing a violet-green halo around the outlines of high-contrast objects. Again, under common lighting conditions and when observing naturalistic scenes such as leaves, trees, branches, and so on, it is decidedly limited.

Field curvature

The Nikon 8×30 E II reveals minimal sharpness decay at the edges of the field starting from about the 75-80% from the center of the field. By trying to refocus towards the edge, you can notice that the image becomes almost completely correct again. For this reason, the edge aberrations that cause this slight "blur" depend mainly on the curvature of the field.

Angular distortion

You can see some pincushion distortion starting around the 60% in the center of the field, I'd say around the 5%.  

Coma and astigmatism

To verify geometric operations, in addition to curvature and distortion, I usually use two tests. The first, which I consider more precise, is with a 50 micron Geoptik artificial star. The second is the classic test that involves observing the starry sky at night.

With both the artificial star and the sky observation, I can confirm that the star images begin to lose their pointiness starting from about 75-.80% from the center of the field.. This factor is more or less evident depending on the brightness of the star being observed. I seem to notice some astigmatism without coma. I also performed a star test with the Zeiss mono 3×12 multiplier, which revealed some decidedly correct rings in the intrafocal range and some scattered light in the extrafocal range. Therefore, the presence of normal spherical aberration is noticeable, a completely natural occurrence in an optical instrument that should have a focal ratio just under f/4, I think f/3.8.

USAF CHART TEST AT 35 METERS

At the readers' request, I have inserted, in addition to the test with the classic real magnification, another test using the ZEISS 3×12 multiplier to reach 24x magnification. At 8x, the USAF CHART shows a slight green halo on the edge of the chart. There is also a slight chromatic cast on the black and blue lines, so it is not a perfectly achromatic or apochromatic instrument like, for example, the Nikon Monarch HG series or the Nikon ED 8x. I clearly perceived the numbered line 1, both horizontal and vertical; at times, I was even able to make out the number 1 at the top, although this could be a subjective issue due to atmospheric turbulence or personal perception. Using the 24x magnification, I clearly noted the next number 1 at the bottom, as you can see in the table.

“STRETCH LIGHT” TEST AND OBSERVATION AGAINST THE LIGHT

I observed with the sun nearing sunset, positioning it just outside the edges of the field. Compared to a top-of-the-line 8.5×42, the Nikon 8×30 E II showed less stray light. The same goes for observing a streetlight in the dead of night. With the streetlight perfectly centered in the field, there was very little reflection and scattered light, but it was significantly less than with a roof prism costing over €2,000. I can't say that it is totally insensitive to this type of test, but it undoubtedly passed the test compared to binoculars of a much higher cost, above all it lacks the classic "spike" invisible in binoculars with Porro prisms.

PRACTICAL IMPRESSIONS IN THE FIELD 

Birdwatching

The most commonly used Porro prism binoculars by birdwatchers in the past were the Nikon SE. Currently, only the Nikon 8×30 E II is available, which I don't consider to be binoculars specifically designed for this type of observation. However, it is a pleasure to observe wildlife with this instrument for several reasons. First of all, It offers a very wide-angle field of view. Images are almost always well-corrected, with good color rendition that almost always remains optimal when observing against the light and in poor lighting conditions., sometimes a little residual chromatism can be revealed when observing birds of prey against the light or when observing aquatic birds in very poor lighting conditions.

The focus is not among the shortest, however the excellent depth of field allows you to observe most of the details starting from 40 to 50 meters, for example from a height or a lookout, benefiting from a completely focused image. I find it perfect for embracing large portions of sky or land to observe birds of prey in flight, or flocks of birds. Obviously, forget about taking it with you in the rain, snow, or on beaches where there is wind, sand, or suspended salt particles.

Landscape observation

His “kingdom” is undoubtedly the observation of the landscape. The binoculars have an excellent field of view, almost nine degrees. When observing landscapes, a flat field all the way to the edge isn't essential, especially if the binoculars are used while panning. Landscape images are decidedly engaging, sharp and contrasted, benefiting above all from excellent three-dimensionality at short and medium distances., far superior to most roof binoculars I have used.

They're relatively compact, though they're not waterproof. As already noted in the birdwatching community, a rubber-armored version, similar to the Nikon SE, would have been preferable, but that would have completely compromised their vintage appeal.

Twilight observation

I always have a hard time when readers ask me if I can recall any differences in brightness compared to a particular model or one built a few years ago. I must repeat that I haven't had the opportunity to compare it to 20-year-old 8x30 E II binoculars. However, I seem to notice a bright image within the scope of its diameter. The anti-reflective coating has certainly been modified over the years.

Astronomical observation

As far as astronomical observation is concerned, as is well known, amateur astronomers love to observe stars as small points up to the extreme edges of the field of view. However, in the case of the Nikon 8x30 E II, which has a curved field, the stars fade due to astigmatism starting from about eighty percent from the center of the field. Despite this, the Its wide field of view and excellent sharpness in the center of the field make it very useful for astronomical observation too, not so much for its magnification factor or its diameter, which are decidedly small, but for its ability to show large portions of the sky with a fairly correct field.

With a field of 8.8 degrees, at least seven degrees are perfect, while the rest serve to provide a scenic wide-angle effect that, when panning, adds a very pleasant touch to the observation, giving the impression of literally sailing among the constellations. Under a dark, high-mountain sky, a galaxy like Andromeda (M31) will appear stunning and immersed in a sea of stars, the same goes for the Milky Way. Ultimately, these are not binoculars to buy for purely astronomical use, but they will satisfy you even in this very specialized and demanding field.

PROS AND CONS

Pros:

• Wide angle field
• Excellent quality leek prisms
• Good color processing containment under normal lighting conditions
• Nikon's latest-generation anti-reflective coatings
• Excellent mechanics
• Neutral colors
• Excellent three-dimensionality

Defects:

• Lack of waterproofing
• Lack of protective armor
• Check pupil extraction for spectacle wearers

Piergiovanni Salimbeni

Piergiovanni Salimbeni - Journalist and independent tester, founder of Binomania.co.uk, with over 25 years of experience in evaluating optical and digital instruments. It offers practical reviews and personalised advice for informed purchasing choices.