Leupold Acadia

I recently purchased this binocular to replace my terribly made Swift Ultra Lites. In terms of the build quality, these are very sturdy without being bulky or excessively heavy. The eyecups appear as though they'll hold up for years to come; this is not always the case, however, as other lower end roof prisms have a similar eye cup design that is prone to malfunctioning after a few months of steady use. Also, the focus wheel is robust and well placed. At just under 23 ounces, they weigh in very comparably to other optics in this class. The multi-coated lenses do yield a very bright and clear image, and the close focus is pretty decent. The biggest pro I can see with these is the rugged design. If you intend on putting your binocs to the test and don't intend on jumping to the $300-$500 price class, these are a good bet.

There are a few negatives, however. The strap, as one might expect for binocs in this price range, is far from adequate. It is thin and does not provide the support needed for a long day of use. If you are considering purchasing these for more occasional use, don't let the strap deter you. It does what it was designed to do. Another small gripe I have is that the focus wheel is rather slow; this is not atypical of binoculars in this price class though, so it really shouldn't be a deal-breaker either. Also, the diopter adjustment is prone to being bumped as it is located along side the focus knob. One other concern I have is that Leupold's warranty does not seem to be as iron-clad as those of say, Vortex or Eagle Optics.

In short, for this price these are well made and provide a sharp, bright image. For under $200 there probably aren't many binocs that can compete with these.

Leupold Acada

From Jonathan in Texas:
The Acadia is definitely a better optic than binoculars from other manufacturers at the same price point. Contrast is superb, lens flare is well suppressed (considering the price); the only downside is sharpness from center to edge. Indoors and in low light, you'll notice a slight halo around the very edge but not outdoors in broad daylight. The twist-up eyecups are especially comfortable, albeit a tad loose. Twice I've pressed the binoculars firmly against my face (I do that to steady my hands) and had one of the eyecups give out on me. I even exchanged them but the replacements do the same thing. Ah well. I'm partial to the Golden Ring series or Swarovski's SLC series but these were purchased to withstand abuse, which they do well.

Eagle Optics 8x42 SRT

From Justin in S. Carolina:
These are my first 'pro' bins, although I've used a number of different brands. For the price these are great for general birding. Images are quite sharp, even in low-light conditions. I debated getting these of the Nikon Monarchs. In side-by-side comparisons, they are quite similar, but the no questions asked lifetime guarantee of the Eagle Optics clinched it for me. I plan to buy a second one for my wife!

Eagle Optics Triumph 8-24x50

From Frank in Arizona:

The Triumph is a great value for the price. It is a great bargain and less stressful if it get lost or stolen. I like it because it is easy to carry. Compact and light, it has been with me around the world. Optics are reasonably sharp, more so on the lower power but not edge to edge. The lower power is useful because I often hand hold it on a tripod or monopod for field spotting, then zoom in if needed. I like the sight hole-it does help to aim.

Fujinon FMT SX 16x70

The Fujinon FMT-SX binocular has outstanding light gathering capablity and resolution for astronomical use. M57 (ring nebula) appears as a tiny round ball of fuzz surrounded by a fairly rich star field. The carbon star T Lyra appears as a brilliant red ember glowing against a pitch black sky under my magnitude 5 rural location. Double stars are easy right down to a separation of 8 arcseconds. At 7 arseconds double stars of equal brightness begin to touch each other. All stars are pinpoint out to 3/4 from the center of the field of view. Only at the very edge of the field of view do star images become unusable.

The only reason I gave this binocular a four star rating is because of its short eye relief. I don't use glasses for binocular observing, but still have to unscrew the rubber eyepiece cups to get close enough to the eyepieces to see the full field of view.

This binocular is light enough to be hand held for short periods of viewing, but its awsome capablity can only be gained when mounted on a tripod.

Atlas Radian 8x42

From Becky in New York: I have started birding with my 2 sons, aged 11 and 9. My older son and I have been fighting for my Eagle Optics Ranger 10x42's when we go. The other old, cheap bins we were using were not that good. I wanted something that was as clear as the Rangers which I love, but less expensive, given his age and commitment. We both think these are fabulous-- very clear, easy to focus, great light,and being 8x-- easy to find the birds. They're comfortable to hold, but feel a little heavier than the Rangers (though only 2 oz more). Still for $200 less,they're perfect for our needs and I think the high quality will keep him more interested in birding.

Vortex Viper 6x32

From Christopher in Australia:

Years ago, my first pair of binoculars was a pair of standard 6x30 porro prism binoculars that came to me in a shoebox - in pieces. After head scratching and hours of torture I began using them and did all the standard things that people with more powerful and expensive bins do - Moons of Jupiter, albatross at sea miles away and lots of local birds. I eventually moved on to a very fine pair of Leica binoculars built with the same ethos which was utility combined with ruggedness. Recently I bought myself a pair of 6x32 Vortex Vipers. They are sharp, with fine abilities when pointed towards bright lights. They are now a permanent fixture when biking and they take to bicycle crashes with a vengeance. They are also nice to use in a rocking boat. Low magnification and a sharp image is a huge plus when I get off the bike puffing and use these bins to look at wildlife. My idea was I needed less magnification, not more and these little gems fill the bill exceptionally well. I was prepared to put up with a loss of quality in many areas to fill a need but I need not have worried. These are not merely good binoculars. They are extremely useful binoculars. 6X is cool.

Pentax 80 ED

From Ric in Alabama:

I shoot high power rifle matches and need a scope that is capable of seeing the mirage clearly at 300-1000 yards. The close stuff doesn't matter much. I used a Kowa 821 and 823 for 3 years. Both were excellent scopes but I didn't see much improvement in seeing the mirage under less than idea conditions with the purchase of the Kowa 823. It has their fluorite crystal lenses and I had three of the fixed focal length eyepieces, two are the newer design.

I purchase a Pentax PF-80 with the zoom and the contrast and sharpness were slightly better than my Kowa 823. I confirm this by reading newspapers taped to a fence at rather long distances. I insured that the field of view was the same on both scopes. I did notice the eye relief was less, so scope placement was important. I later purchase the fixed W20 eyepiece...WOW. I have super field of view, contrast and sharpness. The mirage is visible under some cloud cover situations when the Kowa showed nothing. Being able to see and respond to those changes allowed me to maintain high 600 yard scores when others just as capable as myself would drop points. As a high master service rifle shooter sometimes you have to experiment with different equipment and not follow the crowd. Little advantages can and do lead to wins. As a note I had to have my Kowa 823 replaced under warranty, the first had a defect, most likely caused during shipping and wasn't as sharp as my Kowa 821. The second scope was super. So even when you upgrade, look, compare, test and be honest with yourself. The higher end European scopes are sharper than my Pentax, so budget should dictate your choices.

Eagle Optics Ranger 8x32

From Vicki in Nebraska:

I've owned the Ranger SRT 8x32 binos for six years and believe they are a great value in good quality binos. They are fairly lightweight but durable and the optics are excellent. They go in the kayak, on long walks, to the blinds to watch the cranes or sit on the table so we can get a close look at birds at our feeds. I especially like to 3 foot close focus length.

I would by another of this binocular in a minute and regularly recommend them to people looking for a great value in quality glass.

Nikon Monarch

From Stacy in Ohio:

These are the best binoculars I have ever owned. They can be used easily with or without glasses. They are extremely easy to focus quickly. They are portable and fit perfectly in my backpack. For the size and comfort level I feel these are the best. I read many reviews and tried out a bunch and am thoroughly satisfied with these. They are everything the good reviews said they were and more because I can easily use them whether I have my eyeglasses off or on - so much fun, too.

Fujinon 14x40 TechnoStabi

From Larry in Oregon:

I have an osprey's nest about 200 yds off shore, right in front of my house. I can see them fine with my scope on a tripod, but that is inconvenient for watching the osprey hunt, soar, and now roost. I researched all the better binoculars, including the IS ones. I am used to an expensive set of 10 x 50 SMCs that are great, but the nest is right at the limit of what my old eyes can discern. At 14x, the Fujinons might not seem like enough, but when you engage the gyro-stability, the image is incredible. It just pops into 3-D. Grass growing on the nest at 200+ yds, is clearly visible as blades. The female is darker and larger than the male of the pair, which I had not seen using my other glass. Within the first minutes, I spotted the three wharf cats living on the rocks of our east jetty who were invisible to me before. And I can now recognize our harbor seals on their rocks at 300yds just by their spots. The batteries have lasted for two weeks, and the carrying case is cool according to my grandkids. Yes, the price is steep, and they are heavy. I re-used a DSLR cushioned neck-strap with better results than the supplied strap.
The image for the price is outstanding.

Vortex Viper 8x42

From Stan in Michigan:
I purchased the Vortex Viper 8 X 42 several months ago and I am more than pleased with them. They are bright which is good for my aging eyes and the focus is crisp. The locking feature on the diopter is great because they stay adjusted to my eyes. The twist eyecups with stops keeps the eye relief where I put it. The feature that is the most impressive is the close focus which allows a fantastic look at dragonflies, butterflies and birds that are too close. I also got the Eagle bino system harness strap, which makes light work of carrying the binoculars all day. A more serious birder than I, tried my binoculars, and is ordering the same outfit for himself.