Kowa BD 8x25 Binocular (Green)

From Ellen in Wi:

4/5 Rating

I chose this binocular, after reading good reviews of its specs, for its light weight and compact size (and green color). It is exactly what I expected and wanted.

I use it for birding, both in my back yard and out in the field. The view is bright and reasonably clear (I don't have experience with high-end binoculars to compare it with).

Focusing takes a little practice due to the short travel of the focusing knob, but it is damped just the right amount for easy focusing with one finger. The binocular works very well for viewing birds in nearby trees as well as a good distance away.

In addition to its good optics, when folded it fits in one of the lens pockets of my mid-size SLR camera bag. This was important to me, as I want to have it with me all the time without carrying it around my neck. It adds negligible weight to the bag. I'm very happy with my choice.

Brunton Eterna 8x25 Roof Prism Binocular

From llburkh in CA:

5/5 Rating

I recently purchased these binoculars to pack with me on a bicycle journey in Africa. I wanted something compact, but also quality to help me ID birds on the road/trail, many of which were completely new species to me.

I knew that light gathering and field of view would be a challenge with a compact binocular. I was pleasantly impressed with the Brunton Eterna. I found the binoculars to be very easy to pack around during biking, light and durable enough for me to carry around my neck on very bumpy/technical dirt roads, and to perform exceptionally well, delivering a quality image throughout the day.

The binoculars are sturdy, easy to focus, and deliver a surprisingly sharp image for 25's. I have, and prefer, the 8x power. I have no trouble holding the image stable with the 8x. A 10x power of these binoculars may be difficult to hold steady.

An issue I often have with small binoculars is getting the eyecups in the proper position for both of my eyes. The Bruntons are easy to manipulate and stay in position while in use. The focus dial is also easy to use and stays put. There is a very fine line between in and out of focus, but after a few uses, I learned how to focus quickly.

Overall, I was very impressed with these binoculars and was not expecting such sharp image quality from a compact binocular. These binoculars are a great choice for hiking or biking trips where you need a portable pair of binoculars. Of course, a larger objective lens would produce a higher quality image and allow for more light gathering, but the trade-off of portability of the Brunton Eterna is a good compromise for general birding if you need to pack light. The light gathering was far superior to what I was expecting for such a small objective lens. I look forward to continuing to use these binoculars on all of my bike rides.

Atlas Optics Intrepid ED 10x42 Binocular

From Sean in NH:  

5/5 Rating

I've had these atlas intrepid 10x42 binoculars for over a year now, and I can say that they have held up very well. I carry them in the 10x42 eagle optics case (perfect size). The optics on these are simply the best I've found at the price by a large amount.

I've compared the eagle optics ranger ed, bushnell legend ultra hd, zeiss and even swarovskis. For the few hundred you pay you get close to the high end optically. The zeiss and swaros are better in many ways, but not by leaps and bounds. However, if you compare them to a $100 pair of binoculars these are better by leaps and bounds. The rangers are only very slightly better optically, but also a huge percent of the cost more. The others are much much more expensive.

The atlas optics are bright and clear with very little chromatic aberration. There is some if you know what to look for, but I haven't found a pair yet with zero CA. The colors are very true to life. There is a slight (very very slight) lean towards the orange spectrum, which is one area the rangers are more accurate in, but to an untrained eye, they probably wouldn't even know in a side by side comparison, but it is there at maybe a few percent at most. However, compared to lesser pairs this coloring is non existent.

The ergonomics are great. Very comfortable to hold and easy to hold steady. The thumb grooves are nice and the rubber is firm but not hard on the hands. The neck strap has a good amount of width for the neck unlike the common thin straps that come with most. The case is o.k., but I opted for the eagle optics case. It is a bit tougher and a better tighter fit and shape with a pocket for my lens cleaning pen.

The eye relief is very good. I have a problem with most that claim they are 19mm even, but these provide a comfortable range of relief. The twist eye cups work well and can even be twisted halfway if you're careful, but they slightly snap into a few main positions.

The only fault I've seen was the first pair that had a focus knob that failed and literally got stuck in place, but eagle optic's return/warranty is excellent and they didn't hesitate to replace them. A year later my pair sill works perfectly. This was probably more a problem with the chinese, mass produced quality control, but it is what it is. Otherwise, they seem fairly rugged.

Overall, you can't beat this value, truly. Great optics, great comfort, good size for basic stargazing, some hiking, all around viewing. The only problem is that you'll never want to look through cheaper binoculars again (really).

Eagle Optics Ranger ED 8x42 Binocular

From Evgeny in RUS:

4/5 Rating

I bought this binocular to complement my Minox BV BRW 10x42. I wanted wider field of view and 8x magnification to use it in forest for birdwatching. I received my package only today (a long way from US to Russia), so here are my first impressions.

Comparing my two binoculars hand to hand, I can clearly see the difference. Ranger ED has wider field of view, the image is brighter. I was surprised to see that the difference between 8x and 10x magnification is not that much, but the quality of the image is different (of course it's not only because of magnification, but also since Ranger ED uses better optics).

I also found handling of Ranger ED easier. According to specifications both binos are of the same weight, but Ranger ED feels steadier in hands. What I did not like? I agree with some other reviewers - the focusing ring is a bit too tight. I can focus with 1 finger, but I'd prefer this to be easier.

To summarize - the binoculars are really good. Although, I can't say I was blown away with the picture. Yes, it is better than on my Minox, but not dramatically. So, if you already own good mid-priced binoculars, don't expect that Ranger ED will be much better.

Meopta Meostar 10x42 HD Binocular

From Kevin in MD:

2/5 Rating

The optical performance of these binoculars is very good. They provide crisp and clear images. Compared with my Swarovski EL, they are pretty much equal in almost everything except the image brightness in a low light situation. They may be able to compete with the old generation of EL, but are not as good as the new generation of EL in the low light. However, the new EL costs about 2.5 times of the Meopta product. But if you look for the absolute best, the new EL or SLC HD are the best in the market so far.

My major complaint to Meopta products is the lens cover design and carry case as well as the strap. They are very poorly designed, and are difficult to use in the field. Unless you can find better replacement parts for those accessories or just don't need them, I really can not recommend this product.

Pentax DCF LV 9x28 Roof Prism Binocular

From Rick in MD:

2/5 Rating

I returned a pair of these, they work fine in low contrast situations, like diffused sunlight in the trees. They are sharp enough and, of course, there is the limitation of the 28 mm objective lens. They're light and well made.

But two problems: first, they have the problem that usually occurs in lower-end binoculars; that is, I could never quite get the diopter adjustment correct so that both eyes were equally sharp. I have noticed this usually is not a problem on more expensive binoculars.

But the biggest problem is the lens flare alluded to in the other reviews. Point these binoculars anywhere near the light or at right angles to the sun and the lens flare is extreme, making the view become very milky-looking. Another reason to buy binoculars with fully coated lenses. It was for this reason that I returned them, there was just way too much lens flare.

If you never pointed them anywhere near the sun, like for backyard birding under the trees, you'll be okay an
d probably never notice the flare. But otherwise, watch out.