ED2 8X43 used for birding and observing nature. Great in morning light and dusk. Solid construction. Positive feel to focus and diopter. No apparent optical aberration or distortions/flare. Highly recommended. (Posted on 3/9/12)

We love our binocs that we purchased from you guys. Wish you all made
scopes!!!
So much cheaper than our Swarvoskis, we like the Zen-Rays way better!!
Thank you!!
(Posted on 2/7/12)

The name 'Zen Ray' started to intrigue me recently, as I began to notice several well respected binocular & optics experts raving about them.
I decided to see what all the fuss was about, and managed to source a pair (8x43's) of probably what is only a handful of Zen Ray's presently in the UK.
I need to state that I have collected binoculars and optical instruments for more than 40 years and my initial interest was gained through my astronomical hobby. I also built one or two telescopes in my youth so gained a good insight into optical standards and how to test instruments for optical quality.
I have also owned and tested some of the best European,Japanese and American instruments as well as some WW2 binoculars including the famous '10x80' Flakfernohr and 7x50 German submarine binoculars.

To cut a long story very short, these Zen Rays are truly amazing for their price. In a direct comparison with my current reference optics(Zeiss 7x50/Swarovski 8x42EL) there is virtually no observable difference in brightness, clarity and definition with the Zen Rays. Astounding as it seems,these £300 Chinese sourced optics (USA company) are in many areas, on a par with their top end £1500+ European counterparts! In a comparison star test with my reference binoculars they also did very well, images being pin sharp up to about 70% of the field, with superb colour rendition-maybe not better than mine, but excellent all the same. These observations whilst purely subjective, are still astonishing!
They are very comfortable to use, and time will tell if they are as well built as my reference binos -maybe not but we will see!

I have nothing to do with Zen Ray(in fact I am retired) so I have no interests with Zen Ray other than my hobby.

Conclusion:
Go out and treat yourself to a pair of these outstanding binoculars before they become very expensive- which they surely will once their quality becomes well known and the slightly 'tacky' name is a household one! (Posted on 11/25/11)

The name 'Zen Ray' started to intrigue me recently, as I began to notice several well respected binocular & optics experts raving about them.
I decided to see what all the fuss was about, and managed to source a pair (8x43's) of probably what is only a handful of Zen Ray's presently in the UK.
I need to state that I have collected binoculars and optical instruments for more than 40 years and my initial interest was gained through my astronomical hobby. I also built one or two telescopes in my youth so gained a good insight into optical standards and how to test instruments for optical quality.
I have also owned and tested some of the best European,Japanese and American instruments as well as some WW2 binoculars including the famous '10x80' Flakfernohr and 7x50 German submarine binoculars.

To cut a long story very short, these Zen Rays are truly amazing for their price. In a direct comparison with my current reference optics(Zeiss 7x50/Swarovski 8x42EL) there is virtually no observable difference in brightness, clarity and definition with the Zen Rays. Astounding as it seems,these £300 Chinese sourced optics (USA company) are in many areas, on a par with their top end £1500+ European counterparts! In a comparison star test with my reference binoculars they also did very well, images being pin sharp up to about 70% of the field, with superb colour rendition-maybe not better than mine, but excellent all the same. These observations whilst purely subjective, are still astonishing!
They are very comfortable to use, and time will tell if they are as well built as my reference binos -maybe not but we will see!

I have nothing to do with Zen Ray(in fact I am retired) so I have no interests with Zen Ray other than my hobby.

Conclusion:
Go out and treat yourself to a pair of these outstanding binoculars before they become very expensive- which they surely will once their quality becomes well known and the slightly 'tacky' name is a household one! (Posted on 11/25/11)

I purchased these bins from Camerland a couple of weeks ago and have used them almost daily at work, out birding and to aid in my wildlife photography. After reading all the reviews, I haave to admit I was quite skeptical. After using them however, I'm sold! These are great bins! They are much better than my Minox or my friends Nikon Monarchs. Optically, I don't know how you could do much better. I did an in depth review on these bins at
http://peditocascabel.blogspot.com/2011/09/zen-ray-zen-ed2-8x43binocular-review.html
Well done Zen-Ray, these bins sell themselves. (Posted on 9/12/11)

Orvieto - Italy
(forgive my english ...) I just received my new ZEN RAY 8x43 ED2 and compared with my old (but glorious) Leica Trinovid 8x42 and my Pentax 10x42 DCF WP:
amazing! The ED2 won! excellent contrast, sharp, and no color dominated (the Trinovid is slightly "warmer").
surely the definition of the edges in the eye is better Trinovid... but for 85% of the field of view, the ZEN RAY is better!
other friends (birders) have seen my new glasses envy him.
(Posted on 9/12/11)

I thought my Pentax 7X35s were good until I tried these Zen-rays, they are very bright & wide, just what you need for birding.
These binoculars look exactly the same as the Hawke frontier HD! maybe they are the british version.

highly recomended (Posted on 8/19/11)

I bought the 8x43 ED2. This was my first purchase of a high end binocular and I am so impressed with both the optics and build quality. You would be hard pressed to better the performance at or near this price point. I'm very happy with my purchase. Highly recommended (Posted on 7/4/11)

I own a pair of Vortex Razor 10x50(non hd) and I decided to buy the 8x43 ED 2's because of the outstanding reviews and price. I compared them to my Razor's today in day light and low light. To my amazement the ED 2's are a lot better in both conditions. The low light comparison blew my mind. I can't belive these $400 bino's out perform my $1,000 Vortex Razor's. I am going to sell my Razor's and keep my new Zen Ray ED 2's. I'm also going to recommend the ED 2's to everyone I know. All I can say is WOW! (Posted on 6/22/11)

After using other brands that were in the £200 - £350 range, I can honestly say that these ZEN ED2s are in a different league.
The clarity of the image is superb. I have had the chance to compare them with my brothers Swarovski's and my conclusion is that there is very little difference between the performace.
I had to pay UK customs duty on these as they are not available in the UK, but it was certainly worth it. These are excellent Binoculars and extremely good value for money. Thank you from a satisfied customer.
(Posted on 6/17/11)

I first had the chance to get my hands on this at an archery tourn. I thought the binoculars I had were as good as you could get for the money. Boy was I wrong!!!!! I put the Zen-Ray's to look at the target I couldn't believe the BRIGHTNESS and CLEARITY. I will be selling my other pair to get me a pair of ZEN RAY. This are by far the best and well priced. I will be showing all my friends and I think Zen Ray are going to be very popular with anyone who looks through them. (Posted on 6/7/11)

I am going to buy a set of these, GREAT OPTICS (Posted on 5/24/11)

European binoculars are very expansive, too expansive for me.
Initial impressions: those ZR are optically fantastic, bright, clear, very wide field of view, natural colours, great comfort, high contrast...

I'm amazed, friends of mine, who spended more money, too.
Very fast and sure shipping to France.

Merci et felicitations. (Posted on 5/20/11)

I got the information from soeggl "Chris" from Austria. He is a great observer of the vicinity. He gave me the hint to your company and i had also the possibility to test his ED2 8x43. From the first look through these Binocular i was fascinated and I had to "have them" so I ordered these. The fast shipping (4 days to Austria!) and the exelent and Bright, clear, lightweight feel, and well made! are hard to beat for the money. I'm a hunter and will not miss my new fellow the ED2 8x43!
Great regards to Zen Ray
Horst from Austria (Posted on 5/15/11)

My friend compared his Swarovski's side by side with my ED2's and we were hard pressed to find any difference in the image quality. They are amazing and blow the doors off any binos I've owned before. Only problem was the lens caps don't stay on tight. I called and told the guys at Zen-Ray and they sent me another set from a different line of binos they sell and those work great (don't know which they are from). I use them for hunting and my mom loves hers for birding. Thank You Zen-Ray, i'll be sending all my friends your way. (Posted on 5/9/11)

Very good product. It's clear and easy to use. I'm hoping it's durable as I have only had the product for a couple weeks. (Posted on 5/8/11)

Best binoculars I have ever owned. Very clear and bright even compared to other brands at double the price. My only complaint is the method of attaching the lens covers. The covers can be easily lost when hunting. I wish I had not waited as long as I did to get a good pair of binoculars. (Posted on 4/30/11)

I ordered a pair of 10x43ED2's and the clarity was amazing but I wanted to try the 8x43 ED2 for the wider FOV. This was 100% hassle free and not a problem at all, within a week I had the best set of binoculars I have ever looked through. I spent many mornings as well as low light evenings comparing them to my dads pair of high dollar binoculars and these surpassed them in brightness and clarity in every situation I could find. Overall, I feel like a got better glass than I could have gotten elsewhere even at triple the price range. I can't wait to use these this hunting season. (Posted on 4/26/11)

Hello !
I am from Austria and i came across this Company over the Internet. I read every single Review and i thought: so many Customers cant be wrong, so i ordered the ED2 8x43!
The Shipping to Austria took 8 days (express!).
I'm no Birder or Hunter, only a Fan of great Optics!
These Bino's are the best i have ever owned!!! I looked through many Bino's like Swarovski, Zeiss or Leica, but they have ever been too expensive for me, i'm so happy with the Zen-Ray!
Recently i ordered the Pentax ED DCF 10x50 and sent it back - they were sharp from edge to edge, but not sharp in longer distance!
Pros:
superb Optics, top Handling, the case, top Price, top Customer-Service!, ....everything!
Cons: NONE!

chris
PS: thank you Zen-Ray! (Posted on 4/23/11)

I bought these for hunting. My hunting partners were extremely impressed with these binos. They are great in low light; clear, bright, and good colors. I used inexpensive binos previously and the Zen ed2 8x43 are so much better. They are great value for the price. They have really good low light performance; clear, bright, and good colors. I would (and do) recommend these to my friends. (Posted on 4/15/11)

They are brighter and clearier than brands costing way, way more. I feel a little guilty that I paid so little for a pair of binos that out perform binoculars that my friends have spent 3 or 4 times as much for. Dont believe me' buy a pair and see for yourself. You won't be dissapionted in them. (Posted on 4/8/11)

I got a great deal on the purchase of these bino's and love em, they are bright and clear and work very well in low light. With such a large exit pupil I can see quite well when its practically dark out !!

Customer Service is EXCELLENT as well, Charles is the best, Thank You !!! (Posted on 3/28/11)

After 18 months of regular use, I remain impressed with the Zen-Ray 8x43 ED2. I have used these in my work as a field biologist, and for weekend birding, and they have stood up to wear and tear, and the occasional downpour. As remarked by other reviewers, and elsewhere (e.g. Birdforum), these are the best waterproof optics currently available at this price point. Light transmission is particularly good, with better-than-naked-eye low-light visibility proving very useful for spotlighting and owling. In other optical parameters, the 8x43s stand up well to my Nikon EII 8x30 and Canon 10x42 IS L - both impressive bits of glass in their own right. I can recommend these to anyone seeking better views on a budget. (Posted on 3/28/11)

Great quality and performance (Posted on 3/28/11)

I still can't get over how bright and clear these bino's are! I've used them this week for hunting in both dense woods and field, I was amazed at how they allow you to penetrate the dense woods and pick out every detail.
Shipping was wicked fast!! (Posted on 3/24/11)

Best optics I've bought to date, bright and clear. At first I could not decide if I wanted to spend that much, but now I wish I hadn't waited so long. (Posted on 3/24/11)

Got my 10 x43 ed2 in the mail the other day, and wow! Not an expert by any means but the clarity is amazing the feel is awesome. First thing i noticed was how light they feel for 27 ounces.Then i got out in the dark timber to scan for sheds and was just so happy with my mail order puschase i could just #$%&.Being a blue collar worker never thought i could own the high dollar binos, but now i really think i own a pair just without giving up the high dollars! ordered mine through s and s archery, great guys to deal with fast and spot on!!! (Posted on 3/20/11)

I purchased the binos for archery and general outdoor fun. Looked through lots of glass and these are outstanding in both low light, bright snow and just normal. would select the ed2 over all midrange glass on the market today. (Posted on 3/19/11)

I just purchased the Zen Ray ED 2 8X43 for boar & deer hunting out here in California after some extensive research of medium to high end binoculars. I must say I was first skeptical of the brand but after reading countless reviews of the quality of these binoculars I decided to call the company and ask a few questions. Charles answered every possible question I gave him accurately and professionally. I was sold, so I ordered them. The binoc's arrived just a few days later and my first impression was that these were a pretty close design to the SWAROVSKI EL's that I looked at. Crisp, bright views with the new fast focus system. The diopler has tactile clicks to assure you that you
have locked the focus in for the right eye. I highly recommend either an Allen or Leupold strap for this binoc for it is a little heavier then my Leupold Cascade's but generally comfortable to wear with the supplied neck strap. I didn't notice any stray light issues as some early models suffered from. They did a great job making this binocular affordable and it really can hold it's own with the $2000+ big names.
I can attest that this is a awesome investment and you will not be dissatisfied with the quality and top notch customer service Zen Ray is offering. BUY ONE TODAY! (Posted on 3/19/11)

I used my Zen ed2 8x43 extensively in Costa Rica last week for the first time. I found them to be clear, bright and the colors were true. Amazing sights of scarlet macaws and toucans (and many other birds) along with howler monkeys and peccaries etc. in the darker parts of the forest. The are a little heavier than what I was used to and I used the very long strap to carry them on one shoulder and across my chest. They were very comfortable on hikes this way. Of course I lost one front lens cover. These binos are very bright, very sharp and are incredibly accurate on colors. I recommend them to anyone and every one. (Posted on 3/17/11)

The Zen ED2 gives great views. The wide FOV makes using them very natural. You do not get the "tunnel vision" effect. The image is bright and sharp, nearly all the way to the edge.

I've used them for astronomy, and the ED glass really helps out there. When viewing the moon, there is almost no false-color from chromatic abberation. Non-ED binoculars would show a yellow / purple ring around the moon, but not the Zen ED2's! (Posted on 3/17/11)

I am very impressed by the build quality and optical performance of this binoculars. Would definitely recommend to all my friends. (Posted on 3/17/11)

I recently returned from Costa Rica where I used my Zen ED2 8x43 binos extensively for the first time. I was very pleased at the clear, bright and true views of scarlet macaws, toucans, humming birds and other highly colorful birds as well as Howler Monkeys, snakes and peccaries in the denser and darker forests. Really, perfect views. As usual, the front covers slipped off and I lost one. Also, the bino is a little heavier than my former glass so after a while I used the overly long strap to good advantage over one shoulder and across my body (which solved that issue) . Love the look too. All in all, i'm thrilled with these binoculars and would recommend them to one and all. (Posted on 3/16/11)

I have used these for over a year now with nothing but absolute rave reviews for these binos. I have spent several hours a day on the sandhills of Nebraska glassing for speed goats to scouting out some of my tree stands from the road for signs of activity without alerting the wildlife.

I had a pair of Vortex Diamondback binos that up until I tried these I thought they were very clear. But once I got behind the ED2's with in 1 week I had ordered a pair of my own and sold off the Diamondbacks.

These bino's have a nice wide field of view, transfer lots of light for great low light viewing. The colors and images are so crisp and clear that it is like watching HDTV through these binos.

I have had nothing but great experiences with Zen ray and their optics. I have looked through several euro glass bino's and compared to the ED2s there was not much difference between them other then 3x-5x more expensive.

If you are looking for a great set of bino's for not a lot of money do yourself a favor and get a pair of these. I can tell you for the price you will not be afraid to actually take these out to the field and use them.

The fit and finish was pretty good I had one small issue and it was corrected by Zenray with a new pair being shipped out the same day. (Posted on 3/16/11)

For the price, you can't beat these! I used the binoculars in a mule deer and elk hunt and was spotting bedded deer under trees over a mile away! (Posted on 3/15/11)

I ordered a pair of the ED's a couple of years ago. I really had nothing to go by other than reviews like these. That said, I figured I could return them if they weren't what up to my standards.

I've still got 'em. I still love 'em! Best Bino's in this price range + or - several hundred dollars, hands down! (Posted on 3/12/11)

Top notch product with great customer service. (Posted on 3/11/11)

I purchased these binos for cougar, bear, and elk hunting. I was so impressed with the quality of glass and its crisp, clear image that I couldn't believe they didn't cost at least twice the list price!
I couldn't be any happier with them and I am sure you will feel the same. (Posted on 3/11/11)

I purchased the Zen-Ray ED2 8x43 binoculars prior to my Colorado bighorn sheep hunt. These binoculars performed wonderfully. In addition, Zen-Ray's customer service is fantastic. While scouting for my hunt, I experienced a problem with the binocular's focus. I sent them in and they were returned quickly, as good as new. I would recommend these binoculars to any birder, hunter or wildlife enthusiast. (Posted on 3/10/11)

Simply incredible how crisp and clear those bino's render, and that with an above than average fov (good for hunting). ZR's motto says 'A world closer' I would say 'A world revealed'! Those Zen ED2 clearly hit the spot. (Posted on 2/27/11)

This is by far the the clearest,and most crisp pair of bins i have looked thru and these thing really shine in low light my boss and his brother both had Leicas and his son was amazed at how much clearer the 8x43 ED2's were over the Leicas, and how bright these were right till dark,and the true colors these things bring out are unreal,we viewed turkeys till dark with snow on the ground and the colors were stunning looking thru these.I have had these around 1yr. now and these things are awesome,i know the eye caps are poor fit but thats minor these are nice in the woods scouting or glassing in the field and they pick browns out of green very well perfect for whitetails for the price of these why spend $1,500 ? you can buy a gun for the hunt also with the money saved (Posted on 2/20/11)

This is by far the the clearest,and most crisp pair of bins i have looked thru and these thing really shine in low light my boss and his brother both had Leicas and his son was amazed at how much clearer the 8x43 ED2's were over the Leicas, and how bright these were right till dark,and the true colors these things bring out are unreal,we viewed turkeys till dark with snow on the ground and the colors were stunning looking thru these.I have had these around 1yr. now and these things are awesome,i know the eye caps are poor fit but thats minor these are nice in the woods scouting or glassing in the field and they pick browns out of green very well perfect for whitetails for the price of these why spend $1,500 ? you can buy a gun for the hunt also with the money saved (Posted on 2/20/11)

These are awesome. what more can I say. I have killed two deer so far with these duct taped to my rifle a daisy lever action. (Posted on 1/21/11)

I still can't get over how bright and clear these bino's are! I've used them this week for hunting in both dense woods and field, I was amazed at how they allow you to penetrate the dense woods and pick out every detail.
Shipping was wicked fast!! (Posted on 12/30/10)

Primarily purchased for Whitetail hunting in Michigan,although the season is over now,after playing with these for a while,I'm wishing i woulda bought these 2 months ago!! Clarity is Astounding! Make my Steiner predator's look like kiddie binos......
They are a little heavier than i wanted, the lens covers are nice, but fall off rather easily,small price to pay for the quality of glass these beauties provide!! 5 stars easy! (Posted on 12/15/10)

Got these primarily for whitetail hunting in michigan,just opened them up yesterday,have played around with them a bit,my best pair of bino's prior to these were steiner predators ,zen-ray's make them look like my daughters play bino's!! Did a ton of research and zen-ray kept coming up in comparisons and since my budget was under 500 and not 2000 i decided on the ed2's,wise choice! Clarity is crazy,they are a bit heavy,and the lens caps fit crappy but small con's compared to whats important....the glass!!...Awesome.... (Posted on 12/14/10)

I had to let you know I finally talked the wife into leting me spend the big money for the best binoculars I could get, had purchased a pair of Swarovski EL had them 1 week when the offer to try these for 30 days no questions asked return policy if I did not like them. Well I compared them in all light conditions for 10 days there was just not much differance between the 2 as far as the glass quailty,sold my Swarovski. Now I have enough money left over to buy a gun or bow along with the great Binoculars of ZEN-RAY (Posted on 9/26/10)

A friend told me about these and I was like yeah....whatever...they can't be as good $1400 pairs. So I took the plunge, paid the $400 for the 8X43 ED2s, and they were at my door in 3 days without any expedited shipping charges. So I open them and the quality is great, the feel is great, and they are 99% as clear, sharp, and bright as my Swarovski's. This is absolutely the BEST deal on binoc's you will find. If you are looking for a great pair of used Swarovski's, mine are on EBAY right now for $1200 Reserve. Thanks, ZenRay.....I love these and I can use the extra cash! (Posted on 9/26/10)

I am a huge fan of my Zen Ray ED2 binos. After scouting and hunting this entire summer, I never once experienced any kind of eye fatigue or discomfort. These are incredible to look through for hours and hours!! There is no better value in a hunting binocular anywhere else on the market!! Highly reccommend these to anyone for hunting!! (Posted on 9/20/10)

Excellent Values.

Many people tout this model better than Swarovski. Well, I just had it for two weeks. I can tell it is very close to Swarovski. But some refinement is needed to get to that level. It is definitely better than other binoculars I have tried. Focus is smooth and fast. Plenty of eye relief for me since I wear glasses all the time. Nothing else is available at this price range. If 5 stars for quality if perfect, I would have given this pair a 4.5. (Posted on 8/27/10)

Pro: excellent resolution and brightness. The water-repellent coating really works. For $400, the only thing to outperform this will be at least $1500. Like the open hinge design

Cons: the objective lens covers could be a little tighter. But it is not really a big issue. I got a aftermarket covers for $5 and solved the problem. (Posted on 8/23/10)

I just bought a pair of Vortex Razor using my Cabela's gift card last week. A friend of mine showed me his ZEN ED2 8x43 last weekend. I was quite impressed and decided to order a pair for myself. It showed up today. Very fast service considering the coast to coast delivery. One thing I like the most is the clarity. When comparing with Razor, the ED2 is much sharper. It is also brighter, maybe because of its dielectric lens coating. The handling of ED2 is very comfortable. I don't like the finger inprint on the Razor's bridge area that actually interferes the placement of my hand. As a result, ZEN feels lighter in my hand. ED2 has three stage for eyecups positions, which is sufficient. Razor has more fine steps for eyecups. That is nice, but not necessary. The edge sharpness of ED2 really set this pair apart from Razor. The resolution is crisp till 70% FOV, then gradually softens to the edge that is still usable. The Razor is also good till 65-70% FOV. But there is significant amount of astigmatism on the right barrel. For $400, this really is a bargain, comparing to crazy $2000 european binoculars. Even to $700+ Razor, it is still much superb binoculars. Good job, Zen-Ray. Thank you! (Posted on 8/17/10)

Just got the tag for the late season hunt. I needed a new pair of binoculars. While trying different pairs in Cabela, a guy who was there to return a binoculars told me to try zen-ray. After some research online, I decided to pick up a pair of 8x43 ZEN ED2. It arrived in 3 days after i placed the order. It's brighter and sharper than any other binoculars I have tried in store. It's definitely the best deal for under $1000. The focusing is very smooth. The image just snap in without much guess work. The eyecups can extend to two different positions. It will be great for people wearing glasses. I have recommended and convinced a couple of friends of mine to get the same model. (Posted on 8/15/10)

Just got the tag for the late season hunt. I needed a new pair of binoculars. While trying different pairs in Cabela, a guy who was there to return a binoculars told me to try zen-ray. After some research online, I decided to pick up a pair of 8x43 ZEN ED2. It arrived in 3 days after i placed the order. It's brighter and sharper than any other binoculars I have tried in store. It's definitely the best deal for under $1000. The focusing is very smooth. The image just snap in without much guess work. The eyecups can extend to two different positions. It will be great for people wearing glasses. I have recommended and convinced a couple of friends of mine to get the same model. (Posted on 8/15/10)