Pentax Papilio 6.5x21

From Dave in California:

These binoculars will put a whole new perspective on how you see things. It's like the first time you look at that distant bird through a quality spotting scope; but backwards. Have them strapped on your belt when the birding slows down in mid afternoon. To see a bumblebee on a flower from two feet at six power is just too awesome!!

Nikon Fieldscope 25-75x82 ED AN

From Ed in Hawaii:
So far this has been an excellent product. I've used this for viewing targets at a gun range, viewing Axis Deer, Mouflon Sheep, and various birds. The brightness and sharpness of the object are what stands out the most. The view is in focus even at the edges. There is very little re-focusing required when zooming in or out. The focusing and zoom rings are very smooth. Next up the moon & planets....

Fujinon 10x70 FMT-SX

From a customer in El Paso:

I received the Fujinon binoculars neatly packaged and on schedule.I anxiously awaited for the first clear night to use them. I quickly found out why so many other binoculars are compared to these. The pinpoint images of the stars was remarkable. In spite of their weight, it was difficult to put them down. I've never seen the night sky so clearly. Well worth the price!

No more mosquitoes!

I live along the Mississippi river in Winona, MN where mosquitoes can be unbelievable! Before we had the ThermaCell they drove us off the river numerous times. Now we just turn on the ThermaCell and they just seem to disappear (after about 10 minutes)!

In regards to IF a ThermaCell works: I now own 3 of them! One for the front of the boat, one for the back and one for the porch!

My wife has a very sensitive nose, and she does not find the smell from the unit offensive...in fact most of the time you can't smell it at all. The darn thing works like a charm!

One tip: To light the unit, hold it straight up and down. There is a small window in the top of the unit and you can look in it and see a small orange glow when it is lit.

Also, buy the holster to hold extra gas cartridges and pads.

Leica 8x32 Ultravid HD

From Scott in Colorado. I have owned many binoculars in the past. The Leica 8x32 HD binoculars are the best of the best. The Swarovskis are a very close second. I've used the Swarovski 8x32 this year on a brown bear hunt before I purchased the Leicas. For me size and weight put the Leicas ahead of the Swarovskis ELs. Once you own a pair of Leicas you will never buy anything else.

A Tempting Offer from Nikon!

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Leupold Yosemite

The quality for the price is unbeatable. I bought these to take on a trip to Alaska to use while fishing and site seeing. They performed beautifully. They are very crisp, comfortable to hold and use with or without glasses.I have a more expensive pair of Leupolds 10x50 and they are crisper but, cost more, heavier, bulkier.These are perfect for carrying around and when you need them they work giving you a very quality image. You can't beat them for the price.

Leupold Rogue

From Sangay in Washington:

I just purchased the leupold rogue 10x25 to replace my lost vortex spitfire binoculars. I could not recall whether my vortex were 8x25 or 10x25, but I wanted a good all-around pair that could be used for birding, wildlife viewing, backpacking. I decided that I wanted the magnification of a 10 and did a huge amount of research before buying the leupold. I was not disappointed after taking them on a recent backpacking trip. I really love the clarity and the ease of using the adjustments. I had hesitated on the weight but now feel that they are definitely worth the weight (just a bit more than my vortex had been) and the price. I am very very pleased.

Vortex 8x42 Fury

From Mary in California: After 20+ years of searching for satisfactory binoculars, I stumbled upon the Vortex Fury. When I am not using them for birding, I take them to concerts and am amazed at the clarity they allow. Having attached lens covers relieves me of the hassle of having to always locate them when I am finished viewing. The ease of focusing is also a plus. It is almost instantaneous enabling one to focus quickly on the performers. Thanks Eagle Optics for bringing quality to my distance viewing.

Eagle Optics Ranger 12x50

I recently purchased the Ranger SRT 12X50 binoculars through Eagle Optics. I was able to use them on a recent birding trip to Southeast Arizona and they performed phenomenally. They handled well for both distance and close range viewing of bird species and animals. The image view is always sharp and clear. I have used them daily on my bird hikes and I wished I had purchased them sooner. I never leave home without them. I would highly recommend the Eagle Optics Ranger SRT for anyone out in the field. For the price of the optics, I feel they are a great value. Thanks again!!

Nikon Monarch 10x36

I own several mid-price pairs of binoculars, but all are 8x. So I wanted a decent 10X, and I found the Nikon Monarch 10x36. I've nothing to complain about; these are very nice binos for the price. And with 36mm objectives they are surprisingly light and compact, which is what I was looking for. Field of Vision is also very good for a 10x at 6 degrees, so aiming these binos at small birds in the forest is not a problem. I've looked through some very high priced binos like the Leica Ultravids 10x42 (pried away from friends for 15 seconds at a time), but the prices on Leicas are way out of my league. I'm pleased at how good most mid-priced binos really are!
My only real irritation with the Nikon Monarch ATB 10x36 is the small Depth of Focus; it really does take a fine touch to focus these well. But again this in NOT a premium price bino. So, overall, I'm very pleased with this pair of Nikons. They produce good quality images, are very compact and lightweight, armored and waterproof. What's not to like?

Steiner Predator 8x30

This is an excellent binocular, especially for the demo price I paid. They compare favorably with a 40-yr old pair of Zeiss 8x30B Dialyts that have been my benchmark for many years. They are about equal to the Zeiss for brightness and resolution, but are not as sharp close to the edges as the Zeiss. However, the Steiners have noticeably higher contrast. This may be a benefit during dawn/twilight hours out elk hunting.

EO Newsletter: SLC 8x30 Sale!

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Kowa 77 Prominar

From Mike in Spokane:

The Kowa 77mm Prominar impressed me with its resolution and light gathering ability.In June 2010 vaction trip to Banff, Canada, I was able to see rock climbers on a sheer rock face repelling down at a distance of about three miles, the time was 9:15 pm. The detail was incredible. Later in the evening, I decided to look at the Moon, amazing resolution; the Moon was in it's full stage, the scope transmitted so much light that it was uncomfortable to continuously look through it. Being a Surveyor and having used all kinds of expensive optics, I was more than slightly impressed.

Vortex Raptor

After a call to Eagle Optics for a recommendation on which binoculars to purchase for our Education Outreach programs to area school kids (mainly 4th grade and up), we ordered the Vortex Raptor 6.5 x 32 binoculars on a Wednesday afternoon. By Saturday afternoon they were on our doorstep!

My husband and I are thrilled with these binoculars, designed specifically with Young Birders in mind. The optics are sharp, the bins are lightweight, and the eyepieces and binocular body are just right for smaller faces and hands. However, any small adult beginning birder wanting a lightweight alternative would find them perfectly serviceable as well.

Thanks to Eagle Optics and to Vortex for providing exactly what we need to "grow" some young birders at a price we could afford for the program. After a year of use, we will send feedback on how well the Raptors stand up to field use by lots of eager hands.

Patsy, Treasurer and Education Outreach Committee
San Antonio Audubon Society

Vortex Razor HD scope

From Russ in W. Virginia:

As a fan of Swarovski binoculars, I first tried the Swarovski HD 20-60x80 scope and was not convinced it was worth the price. I returned it to give the Vortex Razor a try and was very impressed with the edge-to-edge image clarity and colors in very low light. I have not had problems with eye relief (I also don't wear glasses), but agree with Clint that the scope case would be improved with a zip-opening eyecup. I also have noticed that the rubberized portion of the scope's body has started to peel off in one location, but not a big deal. Several months into owning the Razor, I am very pleased overall. I also find the viewing guide attached to the lens to be extremely useful for astronomy.

Meopta Meostar 8x32

First the bad news. The first pair I received had an obvious cloudy spot in the right ocular so I returned them. The second pair looked perfect out of the box and I began to test them. After a few minutes the image began to get cloudy and obscured. When I removed them from my eyes I realized that my eyeglasses were covered with grease. The culprit was the eyecups on the binoculars. They were saturated with the lubricant used to grease the eye cups. In addition, the tethered objective covers were useless! They were too big and fell off whenever the binoculars were in the vertical position. The center hinge was stiff and jerky making precise adjustment difficult. As stated earlier, I wear glasses when using binoculars and Meopta’s 15.4 mm of eye relief was not adequate for me. The supplied wool case is an oddly designed accessory that felt old and out of place with a modern optical instrument. Needless to say I was disappointed and returned the second pair.
On a positive note the view was bright, sharp and contrasty with very little chromatic aberration. The sweet spot was large, perhaps 80% of the large field of view. As is the case with all 8x32’s I’ve tried the depth of field was narrow and required frequent focus adjustment. The shape of these binoculars felt a little unusual at first but they are comfortable to hold and they are light.
I compared the Meopta’s to the Pentax 8x32 DCF SP and I kept the Pentax. The optical performance was excellent for both, actually to close to call. What tipped the scales was the fit and finish of the Pentax which just inspired confidence in a well built instrument. At the $800.00 price point I feel the Meopta's are overpriced. The Meopta Meostar 8x32 binocular is a good design that still needs refinement and Meopta needs to exercise better quality control.