Thinking about this for a bit, I can identify perhaps five times in my life when I have been really impressed by some optical instrument. These don’t count the “WOW” reactions to the initial phase corrected Leica and Zeiss binoculars of the late 1980’s. The price was too depressing.
I am now experiencing the fifth time with 8x and 10x42 ZRS HD. Previous $200 roof prism binoculars have never really impressed me as being any more than just OK. The ZRS is a whole new deal.
I have always demanded maximum value for the price I pay for anything I buy. I thought that the optical best bang for the buck had to be the Promaster/ZEN/Hawke ED binoculars. Now I’m not so sure maybe that honor is now at least to be divided three ways.
1; the Leupold Yosemite in the less than $100 class.
2; the above mentioned ED’s in the $400 class (Promaster ELX, Hawke Frontier, ZEN).
3; now there is the ZRS in the $200 class.
The upcoming $300 class Bushnell Legend Ultra HD and whatever siblings it may have, will find some competition in the ZRS. Maybe the ED component will favor them. Whatever the course, the new ED has its work cut out if it is to beat the ZRS. Even if they fit squarely in the middle of the difference between the ZRS and ZEN ED, it may be that most eyes won’t be able to pick up the differences. Competition at this price level might get ferocious.
Among the binoculars I have for comparison, the ZRS whacks the 8x42 Monarch. The fov is bigger, the edge to edge sharpness you will have to see for yourself, the depth of field is far better on the ZRS over the Monarch. The color and sharpness also go to the ZRS.
The more equal comparison is to the Vortex Viper, which now carries a price of over $500. The ZRS are less than half of that. The image quality is for all appearances equal. Color about the same, clarity, sharpness, depth of field, are so close to the same that most will not tell the two apart. Your bank account will however be able to figure it out in short order. Advantage here goes to the ZRS because it has more fov and significantly better across the field and edge of field sharpness. I have never regretted buying the Viper, but as of right now, there is no way I would not take the ZRS.
How does the ZRS compare to the ZEN ED? The ZRS is not quite at that level. The ED glass does show better color (the chief advantage of ED glass), and has a bit better resolution and sharpness. It also has the wide angle advantage.
Zen-Ray advertises its efforts to achieve a flat field in the ZRS, and it appears they have pretty well done that. As I understand this, the HD glass in the ZRS is high density LaK glass used in the 5-lens eyepiece. Zen Ray credits the eye piece design for the flatness, edge to edge sharpness and twilight brightness the ZRS shows.
These have very good build quality for the price, certainly on par with the ZEN ED. The hinge tension is nice and tight. It should stay where it is put unless you move it. When you move it, it does not need to be forced. The focus tension is just right for me. There is no hint of dead spots that take up slack before the focus actually changes. It is smooth, no sticky or hard spots, and mirrors the hinge tension in that it should stay where you put it and it moves quite easily when needed. The focus is backwards from the ZEN ED. The ZRS goes counter clockwise to infinity, with not quite 1/2 turn of focus left past infinity. The focus turns through a bit over 1½ turns. Close focus is as specified, right at 6 feet.
Color fringing, chromatic aberration, and stray light control are quite frankly better than might be expected from a $200 binocular. There are some stray light issues when looking under the bright noon time sun, but that was about the only way I could induce any. Stray light is tad bit better controlled in the ZEN ED and Promaster.
The review comments apply to both 8x and 10x ZRS and the 8x and 10x ZEN ED. I have all four.
The ZEN ED review I posted here and reviews of the binocular in other forums focus on the degree of image similarity between the ZEN ED and the alpha binoculars. So, it seems to me what we have here is a $200 binocular that rates against the $500-700 class in the same relationship the $400 ZEN ED types relate to the $1,000+ binoculars. Don't need to rush out and get rid of the Vipers and the SP's. But if you want an equivalent at less money, then here is what you want.
As a disclaimer, I have no association with Zen Ray. I’m just somebody who has optics as a hobby.
