I get quite a few emails from people asking me about what are the best long distance binoculars or which binoculars to get for long distance observation and so when I saw these Fujinon HB 12×60 binoculars being offered at such a good price, I thought I would pass it onto you:

Fujinon HB 12X60 Binoculars

Looking for some great quality long distance binoculars? Don’t want to spend a fortune getting them? – Eagle Optics are offering an amazing deal on these Fujinon HB 12X60 Binoculars.

Because I haven’t had the chance to review these Fuji binoculars yet, I can’t comment as to them being the best binoculars for distance observation, but what I can say is that they come with plenty of really high quality features and components that should mean that they perform really well.

But the main reason I am suggesting them here is because they are currently on sale at an incredibly low price at Eagle Optics:

Eagle Optics Sale Price: $299.99
List Price: $1,140.00

This means you you Save an whopping: $840.01 (73%) on the list price and if you take a look other sites, like B&H, they are being offered at around $680, which means you are still saving a huge amount on their current market value.

Features & Highlights
The 12x magnifications on these Fuji binoculars is powerful enough to get you much closer to the action than most “standard” optics, but is not so powerful that it means you have to use them with a tripod, although if you wish they come with an included tripod adapter and can be mounted using standard 1/4 inch threading.

Their large 60mm objective lenses will also let in plenty of light, this is a very important feature when using higher magnifications as the thicker glass needed for the lenses to magnify the image will also let through less light than thinner lenses. Gathering light is one thing, but for a bright image, as much of it as possible needs to get all the way to your eyes and this is where the quality of the glass and coatings used is very important:

These Fujinon Binoculars come with Fully Multi-coated Lenses, which means they have multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces which plays a huge part in increasing the light transmission on a pair of binoculars.

As well as this, these roof prism binoculars use BaK-4 prism glass as opposed to the far inferior (and cheaper to make) BK-7 glassed roof prisms. Fujinon have also gone a few steps further and added a Silver coating to the prisms that further increases light transmission and they have also added phase correction coatings on the prism glass that keeps light in correct color phases with the result of producing clearer images and better color reproduction.

Adding to this, waterproofing, rubber armoring, and the nitrogen-purged housing meeting military specifications for temperature and moisture resistance means you have a more than decent pair of optics and all at an unbeatable price. One last thing, Eagle Optics provides a limited lifetime warranty on them.

Best Binoculars for Safaris

Pocket-lint Says:

Nikon Sporter EX 10X50 (£125/$150)
Rather large and weighty at 825g, these Nikon Sporter EX binoculars are ideal for game viewing from the comfort of a Jeep. Used in daylight, the Sporter EX proves ideal for wildlife spotting; images are bright and have plenty of stability, and the rugged design is one reason why you’ll find this kind of bins in the hands of safari guides all over Africa and India.

Not particularly portable, but easy to operate and thoroughly advanced in terms of what you’ll see, our only criticism is the separate lens caps which could be easy to lose. If you want to get away from a safari vehicle and deep into the bush on a guided walk, we have two pieces of advice – always take a man (or woman) with a gun, and aim for a pair of binoculars no heavier than 400g.

Best Binocular Reviews Says:

The choice of any large and heavy binoculars like the 10X50 Nikon ones above that Pocket-lint say are the best binoculars for safaris that money can buy is a very interesting choice for me!

Whilst it is true that the larger objective lenses will let in more light than a smaller pair of optics and therefore have the potential to produce a brighter and better quality image and it is true that whilst you are “game viewing from the comfort of a Jeep” the size of your binoculars is not important. But what they fail to remember is that you have to get there first and for most people this means a lot of travelling that will most probably include one or more flights. It is for this reason that I highly recommend that you consider a more compact pair of binoculars that is much easier to travel with.

As for the brightness of the image, if you really are after the best that money can buy, the quality of the lenses, prisms and coatings on the very best binoculars will more than make up for the slightly larger objective lenses on a inferior binocular.

So my choices for the Best Binoculars for Safaris would be:

• Money No object:
  Swarovski EL 8×32 W B Traveler Binoculars
• Winner: Best Safari & Travel Binocular 2011
  Kowa 10×33 Genesis XD Binoculars

• Winner: Best Safari & Travel Binocular 2010
  Minox 8×33 BL Binoculars

• Women’s Safari Binoculars
  Nikon 10×36 SHE Safari Monarch ATB Binoculars

For more information on making the right choice on your exact needs, take a look at my guide the the Best Binoculars for Safari Holidays

Best Binoculars for stargazing

Pocket-lint Says:

Canon 18X50 IS (£969.98/$1400)
If you’re hand-holding binoculars, we’d normally recommend you stay with a pair that offers a maximum of 12x magnification. We were tempted to find some mountable bins for this one but instead settled on this tech-heavy pair that is much more portable. The real trick of the Canon 18X50 IS is its Optical Image Stabilisation tech which at a stroke makes it ideal for serious stargazers with money to burn.

If you’re willing to put up with the bulk of propped-up bins – most likely carted around in the boot of your car – go for something with a whopping aperture like the Celestron SkyMaster 25×100 astronomy binoculars.

Best Binocular Reviews Says:

For my money the Canon 18X50 IS binoculars are another very “interesting” choice for the best handheld astronomical binoculars. Sure they are a great pair of optics and the 18x magnification is very powerful alowing you to see more detail and resolve more stars (though it still is not powerful enough to turn your binocular into a telescope for observing planets). The large 50mm objective lenses will also let in plenty of light (which is an important feature at night) and the Image Stabilization will help you keep them still enough to prevent excessive image shake meaning you can use them without a tripod.

A problem with these is that they are fairly heavy, meaning that with the IS you can use them without the need of a tripod, but it will not take very long for your arms to become tired, especially looking upwards.

The other downside with this choice however is their high magnification also means they have a very small field of view – it is only 65m wide at 1000m (3.7° – Real Field of View). What this means is that unless you know the sky at night very well, it will be really easy to get “lost” with these and not know where you are looking or what cluster or constellation you are looking at especially because you will be seeing far more stars that you can with the naked eye.

A pair of 10×50′s is ideal, but any good pair of binoculars with a magnification of between 7x an 12x and a large objective lens will still show you hundreds of star clusters, nebulae and even some galaxies, yet you will still have a reasonably wide field of view making it easier to find objects in the sky and you wont need to carry the extra weight and bulk needed for the Image Stabilization.

For me hand holding binoculars for stargazing should not be looked at as a substitute for a telescope, they compliment each other and provide you with a different experience, so play to each of their strengths. A pair of binoculars will give you a good view of a wider area, and then when you want to see details, use a pair of giant binoculars mounted on a tripod or a telescope.

So my selection for the best hand held binocular for stargazing that money can buy:

Swarovski EL Swarovision 10X50 Binocular
Check Prices:
US Shoppers: Eagle Optics
UK Shoppers: Warehouseexpress.com

If you do want a very high powered pair of binoculars, get something that is specifically designed for viewing the stars: a pair of giant binoculars like the Celestron SkyMaster 25×100′s that Pocket-Lint suggest or the very popular Celestron 15×70 SkyMaster’s and mount it on a tripod which is actually really simple to do.

For more, read my article on Binoculars for Astronomy

Best for travelling light

Pocket-lint Says:

Leica Monovid 8×20 (£299)
The bigger the objective lens, the brighter the image you’ll see – which generally means bigger binoculars are better. That’s not good news for those in the habit of travelling light but there are some great options nonetheless, such as the Leica Monovid 8×20. It’s a pricey option, but build quality is awesome. Lightweight (it weighs just 122g) though waterproof to 5m, the eyepiece cuts out the residual light and it’s quick to set-up and easy to focus. It comes with a magnetic closing leather pouch complete with belt clip and a separate close-up lens.

Stored in the lid and attaching to the end of the Monovid, the close-up lens enables close-ups from around 20cm and it’s the kind of add-on that only a monocular design allows. You won’t find this on any pair of binoculars we know of. The monocular idea does takes a bit of getting used to and keeping it steady isn’t always easy, but this quick-draw option is perfectly suited to travellers after something for watching wildife or even for outdoor gigs, though it’s not suitable for stargazing.

Best Binocular Reviews Says:

If you had to be really pedantic, I guess you would say that the Leica Monovid’s are not actually binoculars, but to be fair they are VERY compact and lightweight. As Pocket-lint says, using a small monocular does take a bit of getting used to and in my opinion the view you get is nowhere as good as using a pair of binoculars. For that reason I would opt for a pair of compact binoculars for travelling light.

But when it comes to size, not all compacts are made equal and what you really need is a pair that can fold away small enough to fit into your shirt or jacket pocket when not in use. So look out for roof prism compacts that have a duel hinge design that makes them far smaller than standard single hinge or porro prism compacts when folded. For more details take a look at my article on the Best Compact Pocket Binoculars.

My selections for the best binocular for travelling light:

• Leica 10×25 Trinovid Binoculars
• Steiner 10.5×28 Wildlife Pro Binoculars
• Kowa 8×25 BD Binoculars

Best for wet conditions

Pocket-lint Says:

Kathmandu Waterproof 10×25 binoculars (£39.99)
As well as weight – these from Kathmandu weigh a mere 290g – another thing to consider is how hard-wearing your binoculars are. You’ll be using them outdoors, at dawn and dusk when moisture level can be high, possibly during the rain and perhaps on-the-go during a walking safari with a guide.

These good value binoculars, which come complete with nylon pouch and cleaning cloth, have twist-up eyecups and a very grip-able rubber-like coating. With decently high magnification, this durable pair is waterproof – technically for five minutes in a metre of water (any deeper and the pressure will force water in). That’s just enough time to dive into the Zambezi River after them, then. A good-value candidate for backpackers and hikers.

Best Binocular Reviews Says:

Here I totally disagree with the advice that Pocket-Lint are giving out. Can they really believe that these cheap binoculars are the very best waterproof binoculars that money can buy?!

If you are looking for a rugged and waterproof binocular then it is well worth spending a little more getting a higher quality product that because of the fact that it uses higher quality components and higher precision engineering it will be far more watertight, more rugged and most probably much longer lasting. On top of this most will also be fogproof unlike the Kathmandu Waterproof 10×25 binoculars listed above!

So make sure that the binoculars have also had their internal air replaced with a dry gas like nitrogen making which will also protect the optics from fogging up when you get rapid temperatures or in places where there are very high humidity levels. This dry gas will also have the side benefit of protecting the inner workings from corrosion because there is no internal moisture.

As well as being waterproof and fogproof, also look out for binoculars that have a “hydrophobic coating” coating applied to their lenses that have water repelling properties, that not only repel water, but they are have more resistance to abrasions and make it much easier to remove your fingerprints and dirt particles from the lenses. Lenses treated with the hydrophobic coating allow water to just roll off them. Many Zeiss Binoculars have this coating on their lenses, which they call their LotuTec coating and Leica binoculars have something similar which they call their AquaDuraTM-Coating.

These days most of the mid to high end binoculars on the market are both water and fogproof so my advice would be first look at all the other features you require and then just check if they are, removing any that are not from your short-list. So for my selections for the best binoculars for wet conditions, take a look at my favourite binoculars:

• 2011 Best Binocular Reviews Awards
• 2010 Best Binocular Reviews Annual Binocular Awards

Marine Binoculars
If you are wanting a completely waterproof binocular designed for using on the water in all the worst conditions then my advice is to go for a proper marine binocular, many of which are designed to float on the water should they fall overboard and can safely be submerged in fairly deep water. For more take a look at my section on Marine Binoculars.

Best for bird watching

Pocket-lint Says:

Pentax 8-16×21 UCF Zoom II (£96)
Thoroughly compact and ultra-lightweight at just 280g, these hand-held binoculars from Pentax are ideal for wildlife. While the standard 8x magnification lenses are ideal for close-ups in the foreground, it could be a bit limiting for some situations, so Pentax has niftily included a 16x magnification option.

It’s not at the cost of brightness or glare, both of which are boosted and reduced, respectively, though it is more difficult to focus in 16x mode. Easy to align, its double magnification status does mean it’s slightly trickier to operate and the need to switch between modes does mean more tinkering with the focus. Scratch-proof and well made, its faux leather pouch is the strongest of all its price competitors here.

Best Binocular Reviews Says:

Phew… where to start! Firstly the Pentax 8-16×21 UCF Zoom II binoculars are definitely NOT and never will be the best binoculars for bird watching that money can buy. I would even go as far to say that even Pentax would agree with me that they have better birding binoculars in their range and there are litterly thousands of binoculars that would be better than these for birdwatching.

If you are considering getting a pair of binoculars with variable magnifications, please first read my article on Zoom Binoculars, or at least be aware of their drawbacks.

Field of View
Then one of the most important features to look for in a great birding binocular is their field of view (FOV) which is basically the width of the image that you can see at a particualr distance. The Pentax Zoom II binoculars above have a FOV that varies from only 52m to 87m at 1000 meters which is not great. A wide FOV makes it far easier to spot small objects like birds in the first place and then it is easier to keep them in your view as they dart about a tree or bush. Take a look at my guide to Wide Angle Binoculars which also lists some of the many binoculars that have fields of view of more than 130m at 1000 meters.

Image Brightness
Birds like many other animals are mostly active in the early mornings and evenings when the light is not at its best and so it makes sense that you get a binocular that not only captures plenty of light, but also transfers as much of possible to your eyes. So reasonably large objective lenses are important, but even more important are good quality anti reflective coatings on the lenses as well as on the prisms.

For more please ready my guide to Birdwatching Binoculars.

My selection of the best Birding binoculars that money can buy:

• Full Size: Eagle Optics 8×42 Ranger ED Binoculars
  Winner of the Best Birding Binocular 2011
• Full Size: Swift 8.5×44 Audubon ED Binoculars
  Winner of the Best Birding Binocular 2010
• Mid Size: Swarovski 8×32 EL W B Traveler Binoculars
  Winner Binocular of the Year 2011
• Mid Size: Minox 8×33 BL Binoculars
  Winner Best Safari & Travel Binocular 2010

Last week when I sat down to write my full review of the Kowa 8X30 YF Binoculars, I realised that it was exactly my 100th binocular review. Both myself and this website have come a long way since the early days and in that time my reviews as well as my knowledge of optics has dramatically improved.

Early Beginnings
When I first started the BBR website, optics was just a hobby and I had no idea that this would eventually become my full time occupation!

To start with I wrote about my own personal binoculars, then I moved onto borrowing pairs from friends, then friends of friends and then progressed to visiting photographic stores to try theirs out under the pretence that I was looking for a pair to buy!

Eventually through perseverance, hard work, a lot of badgering and the kindness of many of the manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the Optics industry, most binoculars that now go up on the site are sent into me and I currently even have a waiting list of binoculars to review which is fantastic.

Thank You
So I would like to take this opportunity to thank those manufacturers, distributors and retailers for sending me their products to test and for understanding that I have to be honest, critical and to write about their good as well as bad points! Without your support none of this would have been possible.

Below is a list of the different brands that I have currently written at least one review on:

• ATN
• Barr & Stroud
• Braun
• Bresser
• Bushnell
• Canon
• Celestron
• Eagle Optics
• Eden Quality
• Eschenbach
• Helios
• Kowa
• Leica
• Luna Optics
• Minox
• Nikon
• Olympus
• Opticron
• Pentax
• Steiner Binoculars
• Swarovski
• Swift
• Vanguard
• Vortex
• Zeiss

If your brand is not on the list above or if you have more or new products – what are you waiting for! Get in touch and get your binoculars reviewed on my site!

I would also like to thank the many people who have come to the Best Binocular Reviews website looking for advice and I just hope at least some of what I have written has helped you in your decision of what binoculars to purchase.

My aim has never been to review all the binoculars currently available, but rather a selection of some of the best binoculars for different situations, giving you an unbiased opinion that is hopefully informative without being too technical.

Right enough reminiscing, best I get started on the next 100 reviews….

It was recently brought to my attention that one of my favourite binoculars and Winner of the Best Safari & Travel Binocular for 2010, the excellent Minox 8×33 BL Binoculars was being offered at a hugely discounted price at a number of optics retailers. In fact many of the models within the Minox BL range are now on sale, making this a great time to get your hands on a quality pair of German optics at a very reasonable price.

For example the Minox BL 8X44 BR Comfort Bridge Binocular is currently for sale at Eagle Optics for only $401:
Sale Price: $409.99
List Price: $559.00
You Save: $149.01 (26%)

Check Prices and where to buy

You can check the sale prices at Eagle Optics or Amazon in both the US and UK below:

More about Minox BL Binoculars

One of the stand out features of Minox’s BL binoculars is their open bridge design, or as they like to call it, their “Comfort Bridge”. This design ensures that your grip on them, even with one hand is just that much more secure. This is really important when for example you are walking through dense vegetation the chances of them being knocked out of your hand is greatly reduced.

This body is also fully waterproof and because it has had all internal air replaced with dry nitrogen gas filling, you won’t get any fogging of the internal optical surfaces, even under severe temperature fluctuations and places with very high humidities.

Other Minox Comfort bridge highlights include fully multi-coated optics and phase-correction coatings on the roof prisms.

More Information & Further Reading

• Read my full review of the Minox 8×33 BL Binoculars
• More about Minox Binoculars
• View all Minox Binoculars reviewed on Best Binocular Reviews

New for 2012 (available in March)
Eagle Optics announce the release of their top of the range Golden Eagle HD Binoculars.

Available in both 8X42 and 10X42 configurations they include a whole host of excellent features, including a rugged and lightweight body that has a protective rubber armoring, waterproofing, and the barrels are filled with argon gas to inhibit internal fogging.

The body houses their High Density (HD) extra-low dispersion glass with fully multi-coated lenses that will enhance fine details and provide you images rich in colour as well as being bright. Eagle Optics have also added their own SeeClear Lens Coating that Repels oils on outer glass surfaces.

These Golden Eagle binoculars also come with the Eagle Optics Platinum Protection Lifetime Warranty and both are available for under $600 and are available to purchase now on the Eagle Optics Website.

Main Features

• High Definition (HD) extra-low dispersion Glass
• Fully Multi-coated Lenses
• SeeClear Eagle Optics Lens Coating that Repels oils on outer glass surfaces
• Phase Correction Coatings on the Prisms
• Waterproof & Fogproof
• Rubber Armoring
• Twist up and down eyecups for comfortable viewing with or without eyeglasses.
• Locking Right Eye Diopter
• Tripod Adaptable

Main Specifications of the 8×42 Golden Eagle

• Magnification: 8x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 42 mm
• Field of View: 347 feet/1000 yards
• Eye Relief: 20 mm
• Close Focus: 5.1 feet
• Weight 24.2 ounces
• Dimensions (H x W) 5.8 x 5.3 inches

Main Specifications of the 10×42 Golden Eagle

• Magnification: 10x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 42 mm
• Field of View: 319 feet/1000 yards
• Eye Relief: 16.5 mm
• Close Focus: 5.1 feet
• Weight 24.6 ounces
• Dimensions (H x W) 5.8 x 5.3 inches

Further Reading

• About Eagle Optics Binoculars & other Models
• My Full review of the Eagle Optics 8×42 Ranger ED Binoculars

Digibinning & Digiscoping with your iPhone

Meopta USA recently announced their new MeoPix iScoping Adapter, that allows you to connect the iPhone 4 or 4s to almost any binocular or spotting scope eyepiece. The MeoPix thus transforms your Apple smart phone into a long-range photo and movie capturing device.

The MeoPix iScoping adapter is approved by Apple and attaches securely to the iPhone, it has a low profile and is very light making it very easy to carry wherever you go.

Meopta signed an exclusive global distribution agreement with Base One Labs, LLC the designer and patent holder of the smart phone adapter.

“The latest smart phone technology combined with our revolutionary MeoPix adapter will render traditional camera based Digiscoping and Binoscoping obsolete,” says Meopta USA GM Reinhard Seipp. “iScoping” harnesses the power of the iPhone to capture, edit, organize and upload images from the field. When paired with our premium spotting scopes and binoculars, the MeoPix adapter provides extraordinary close-up photos and movies with clarity and resolution that rival traditional photography.”

The proprietary technology guarantees a secure fit and precise alignment which helps to ensure that you get great image quality.

The MeoPix will be officially shown to the public at the SHOT 2012 and IWA 2012 shows where show attendees can experience a live demonstration and a chance to win a Meopta spotting scope and MeoPix iScoping adapter.

If you would like further information or additional product photography, you can contact:

Reinhard Seipp, General Manager
Meopta, USA, Inc.
50 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788
Tel. 631-436-5900
Fax. 631-436-5920
www.meoptasportsoptics.com

Further Reading

• More about Meopta Binoculars
• More About Meopta USA:
  Meopta USA is the U.S. affiliate of the Meopta Optika group. Founded in 1933, the Prerov, Czech Republic based company is the leading manufacturing partner to many of the World’s finest optical brands. Meopta conceives, develops and manufactures precision optical and electro/optical systems for semiconductor, medical, aerospace, military and consumer industries at their state of the art Prerov development and manufacturing campus and New York manufacturing and distribution facilities.

Leupold’s New BX Binoculars – Built to be the Best

Dedicated to excellence in every way, a special project team pooled its talents and put thousands of hours into Leupold’s new BX binocular line for hunters, shooters and wildlife observers.

The line is uniquely Leupold, offering a distinctive look and feel, high optical quality, and rugged dependability. Models include the BX-3 Mojave, BX-2 Cascades, BX-2 Acadia, BX-1 Yosemite, and BX-1 Rogue and Rogue Compact.

“Consisting of more than 20 designers, engineers, production personnel and quality control specialists, our Synergy Project Team devoted itself to producing the best possible line of binoculars for various field applications and budgets,” said Pat Mundy, communications manager for Leupold & Stevens, Inc.

“Our BX line is the result of all their hard work, which really paid off.”

All BX binoculars are waterproof, built to withstand harsh field conditions, and designed for comfortable use and easy handling. Key features for each model:

The BX-3 Mojave is a roof prism binocular with a lightweight open bridge design that fits well in most any hand. Fully multi-coated lenses and cold mirror coated BAK4 prisms provide a bright image with exceptional color reproduction, resolution and clarity. Low-light performance is outstanding. Twist-up eyecups and ample eye relief allow comfortable viewing for extended periods, even with eyeglasses. Delivering a wider field of view than many competitive models, the BX-3 Mojave is available in 8x42mm, 10x42mm, 10x50mm and 12x50mm, with either a black or Mossy Oak Treestand finish.

BX-2 Cascades binoculars also provide exceptional low-light performance with fully multi-coated lenses and phase coated BAK4 prisms. This roof prism model has a slim lightweight design that is easy to grip, even in wet conditions. Long eye relief and twist-up eyecups are standard. The BX-2 Cascades binocular comes in 7x42mm, 8x42mm and 10x42mm. In addition to black, the 8x42mm and 10x42mm are available with a Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity camo finish.

BX-2 Acadia roof prism binoculars are available in 8x42mm and 10x42mm and offer an exceptionally wide field of view. The Multicoat 4 lens system and phase coated prisms deliver a sight picture with excellent clarity, contrast and brightness. Trim and compact, the BX-2 Acadia has an ergonomic design that comfortably fits hands of most sizes. Color finish options include black and Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity camo.

The BX-1 Yosemite can be adjusted for the width between the eyes of adults as well as children, making it a good binocular choice for the entire family. A Porro prism model, the BX-1 Yosemite is also designed to fit most hands, large and small. Fully multi-coated lenses provide a quality image, and forgiving eye relief makes it easier to acquire the sight picture, even for novice users with eyeglasses. BX-1 Yosemite binoculars are available in 6x30mm or 8x30mm with either a black or natural tan finish. There is also an 8x30mm in clamshell packaging with a Mossy Oak Treestand camo finish.

BX-1 Rogue including the Rogue Compact Porro prism binoculars also have fully multi-coated lenses. The inverted Porro prism design of the BX-1 Rogue Compact not only excels at transmitting a three-dimensional image, but helps make the binocular extremely small (4.3 inches long) and lightweight (12.7 ounces). The BX-1 Rogue comes in 8x42mm, 10x42mm, 8x50mm and 10x50mm. Options for the BX-1 Rogue Compact are 8x25mm and 10x25mm. All BX-1 Rogue and Rogue Compact binoculars are available in a black finish. A Mossy Oak Break-Up camo finish is also offered for the 8x42mm and 10x50mm versions.

BX binoculars are covered by Leupold’s Limited Lifetime Warranty. For more information, visit a local dealer, go to www.leupold.com or call 1-800-LEUPOLD.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc., the preeminent American-owned and -operated optics company, employs more than 700 people in its state-of-the-art facility near Beaverton, Ore., where rugged, dependable, high-performance Golden Ring optics, Mark 4 riflescopes and Redfield Revolution riflescopes are designed, machined and assembled. Leupold is a fifth-generation, family owned company whose products are sold worldwide to hunters, competitive shooters, American military warfighters, law enforcement personnel and wildlife observers. The product line includes rifle, handgun and spotting scopes; binoculars; rangefinders; trail cameras; flashlights; mounting systems; and optical tools and accessories.

The winner will travel with a SWAROVSKI OPTIK team and selected specialised journalists to Lisbon from 26 to 28 March 2012. Where the new EL 32 SWAROVISION will be tested for the first time in the field by selected specialised journalists. You will be able to participate live and as the exclusive SWAROVSKI OPTIK blogger, report on this test on your blog. This package comprises birding tours, product tests, travel to and from Lisbon, accommodation, board (breakfast, lunch/snack, dinner) etc.

In your blog, you should be able to report live about your trip, your personal experiences with the new EL 32 SWAROVISION directly “on site” or via social media sites like Facebook or other channels.

In order to qualify for to become Swarovski’s guest blogger and go on the trip, you need to send them a brief application by 15 February 2012, telling them why you believe you are the best live reporter for the EL 32 SWAROVISION field test.

Swarovski Optik are particularly interested in:

• your blog (topical focus, readers, URL)
• your hobby bird watching and nature observation (where, how, why)
• your experience with optic equipment

More information and the application for can be found on the Swarovski Website Here

Further Reading

• About Swarovski Optics
• My Full review of the Current Swarovski 8×32 EL W B Traveler Binoculars

According to Terry Moore, Leica Sport Optics vp sales & marketing, “In everything we do at Leica, our objective is to be best in class. We developed the new Trinovids to be fully-featured and to maintain Leica’s high standard for exceptional engineering while providing superior value and performance as the new Best in Class of premium entry-level binoculars.”

Whilst new Trinovid binoculars are relatively affordable, the highest quality for which all Leica sport optics are renowned is still very evident in both their manufacturing and optical quality. For instance, you won’t find any plastic parts on the body, whilst the body itself is made from magnesium which is very light as well as strong. This housing is then covered in a rubber armouring, which ensures that they are durable as well as tough enough to handle rugged conditions. This includes unpredictable weather as they are fully waterproof (impermeable to water to a depth of 5m) as well as being fog-proof as the air inside them has been replaced with dry nitrogen gas.

Other features include a stainless-steel center hinge and large eye cups with 4 stops and ample eye-relief (16mm on the 10×42 and 15.5mm on the 8×42 model).

The Roof prism system features a P40 phase correction coating on the prisms as well as their HighLux system (HLS) – A newly developed mirror layer on the prisms that is said by Leica to increase light transmission significantly (99.5%) which in turn increases the image brightness. Thy also have an improved optical and mechanical configuration that markedly reduces stray light.

Wide Field of View
The 10×42 model has an impressive field of view of 326ft at 1000 yards (6.2°), but it is the 8×42 model that is most impressive with a FOV of 378ft at 1000 yards (7.2°) which means it easily makes it onto my list of wide angled binoculars and will therefore really appeal to serious birders.

One feature were these binoculars do not really excel is their fairly distant minimum focusing distance of 11.5ft (i consider anything under 6ft to be excellent) – so possibly not the ideal binoculars if viewing objects close up (like butterflies) is your main intended use for them.

To sum up, the New Leica Trinovid’s offer the classic Leica style, superb optics as well as a tough exterior at a surprisingly affordable price.

Main Specifications

For More details take a look at their main specifications (PDF file):
Leica Trinovid 42 Specifications

Cost & Where to Buy

Further Reading

• About Leica Sport Optics and Leica Binoculars

New Edition of a Classic – The MINOX BL 8X42 and BL 10X42 “Made in Germany” Edition

MINOX have released two new models to their line up – The MINOX BL 8X42 and BL 10X42 “Made in Germany” Edition Binoculars, both of which they proudly advertise as being made in Germany and designed in their words “for the dedicated nature observer.”

Looking at their main specifications and some of their main features below, both the 8X42 and 10X42 versions have a fairly good field of view, plenty of eye-relief and not a bad close focusing distance.

L = light construction
Where they really do excel is their low weight. At only 21oz, they are very light for a full sized 42mm binocular and would be one of the lightest that I have ever used.

According to Minox this is mostly down to the very light polycarbonate housing that they use in the construction.

In their press release, Minox also mention that they use High-tech special glass but don’t really elaborate on this:

High-tech precision optics with high-tech glass
“Equipped with high-resolution high-tech specialized glass, these binoculars offer an outstanding optical performance for their class. Impressive light transmission and color fidelity offer pin sharp details and high contrast even at dusk. The lens system is treated with the Minotec M* multi-coating and the prism system with a complex phase correction coating, providing the user with an exceptional viewing experience.”

Volkswagen Design
These MINOX BL binoculars have been developed in close collaboration with Volkswagen Design, who consistently takes the user’s needs into account which are then implemented into superb external forms. I have not yet had the chance to try them but they say that “In terms of ergonomics, the binoculars in the BL 8×42 and BL 10×42 Made in Germany Edition, leave nothing more to be desired.” – pretty strong words, but I must admit that from the pictures, they do look great.

Main Features & Highlights

• Precision quality Made in Germany
• Optical brilliance at the highest level
• High-tech specialized glass
• M* multi-coating
• Solid and reliable fine mechanics
• Light and robust polycarbonate body
• Long Eyerelief – Ideal for eyeglass wearers
• Filled with Nitrogen for antifogging
• Watertight down to 16 feet
• Volkswagen Design

Main Specifications

Cost & Where to Buy

These new Minox “Made in Germany” BL binoculars are available mid March 2011: