Nikon WX binocular

[883]

Hi everybody,
yesterday I was lucky enough to try the Nikon WX binocular, 10x50 version.

In fact, at one of my local star parties, I incredibly found a lucky owner of this precious pair of binoculars and together with 3 friends we asked the owner to let us try it.
Obviously, we only had a few minutes each to observe and therefore my judgment is extremely limited. Actually, what shocked me the most, more than visual quality, contrast and sharpness (the seing of the evening wasn’t exceptional) was the monstrous field of view. Really huge and above all the high AFOV has created a unique and extraordinary sensation of immersion. I hope to have still in the future the possibility to observe with this wonderful instrument.

I would therefore like to know if anyone is lucky enough to own this super binocular or if, at least, someone has been able to carry out a longer visual session and can therefore share his/her feelings about it. There are not many reviews of this binocular out there and I also read somewhere that WX has already been discontinued by Nikon (not sure about that).

Thank you

883

Edited June 23, 2019 by 883

[Ruud]

Interesting! They look very unusual with their Abbe-Koenig prisms.

I found this review.

[883]

6 minutes ago, Ruud said:

Interesting! They look very unusual with their Abbe-Koenig prisms.

I found this review.

Thanks Rudd, I already read that Allbinos review and they put the WX as the number 1 in the 10x50 group binoculars.

Yes, they are unique and exceptional binoculars but terribly expensive, I think about 6000 euros. And there is also a limited version of the same WX for the 100th anniversary of Nikon which I believe costs 8-9000 euros. Actually too much... But the visual rendering seemed exceptional to me.

883

[plyscope]

Great review here from Holger Merlitz.

 

http://www.holgermerlitz.de/nikon_wx/nikon_wx2.html

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Undoubtedly outstanding bins, but for that money I could get myself something with much more aperture. For a bit more than the anniversary version I could even get myself a pair of Miyauchi BR-141 (25x141mm fluorite) with extra EPs and tripod from ABS-UK.   

[883]

I forgot, they are terribly good but also terribly heavy ... I have not been able to keep them for more than two minutes before leaving. This, in addition to the price, is the real problem with these binoculars. I think one will need a mount if wants to complete a real observing session. And this could make the pleasure to own these extraordinary binoculars less attractive... Of course, to understand that I would need much longer time with them!

883

[Ruud]

I read the thing about the weight. That may not be all that relevant because to use binoculars to their full potential you need at least a monopod anyway. Or some other support, especially for astronomy where the binoculars need to be above your head.

For nature observation you regularly need to change focus. For that purpose, a central focus mechanism would definitely have been better than individual focusing.

A general drawback is the 85% transmission of the Nikon WX. That is disappointing. 

But if anyone offered me a pair of WXs I would immediately accept them. I'd love to have these binoculars.

[mark81]

Wow, they look amazing and the reviews look great too... But the cost?  Ouch. I don't think i could ever pay that amount of money out for a pair of 10x50s no matter how much money I had..... Although, I have never looked through a pair...

Just think about what you could buy instead and have thousands left over.....but like I've said, I've never looked through a pair....

[DirkSteele]

I would not fixate too much on the transmission.  Given the glass path length (glass absorbs light as it passes through) in the WX and the number of air to glass surfaces, it was unavoidable that transmission would be in the 80s.  From what I have read of performance, no one has complained about image brightness.

 

I would love to try them but given they weigh so  much, I am not sure they would be for me as they defeat what I see as the primary advantage of bins, that they are truly grab and go in a way no telescope can be.

 

They certainly feel like an exercise of “because we could” rather than “whether we should” but that does not make the achievement any less amazing.

[PeterW]

Wide angle definitely rocks, especially if it’s effectively sharp to the edge. I have several (fairly) wide bins and have Naglers in my larger bins. It’s a shame Nikon has stopped making several of their best bins.. WX and E2 series.

Peter

[Peter Drew]

10x magnification doesn't come close to utilising the light grasp and resolution of a 50mm binocular for daytime use. I experimented once by gradually stopping down a 10x50 on a sunny day, I got down to 10x10mm before there was a noticeable drop off in the image brightness.     😀