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

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

10×42 Swarovski SLC’s (new) for $1399

Built for a rough and tumble lifestyle, the SLC delivers a smooth performance in any situation. A patented focusing wheel for rapid adjustments, deep thumb grooves for comfort, and top-notch optical coatings for bright and sharp images all combine to offer you a superb experience.
Sale Price: $1,399
List Price: $1,887
You Save: $487.79 (25%)

Swarovski 10×32 EL 32 Traveler Binoculars

The Swarovski EL binocular sets the standard for excellence. In order to deliver 98 percent of the available light to your eyes, the EL is engineered with three-part objective lenses, phase corrected prisms, Swarobright prism coatings, and Swarotop multi-layer anti-reflection coatings. Such top-notch brightness even allows digiscoping through the binocular and is made easier with the included SnapShot Adapter.
Sale Price: $1,699
List Price: $2,187
You Save: $487.79 (22%)

Also for sale is a Swarovski STM80 HD scope (display models) with 20-60x eyepiece for $2699 (normally $3060)

Where to Buy

For these and other savings on Swarovski Binoculars check out:

• Swarovski Binoculars on Eagle Optics

Further Reading

• About Swarovski Binoculars
• All Swarovski Binoculars Reviewed on Best Binocular Reviews

Question

Based on your reviews, I am considering either the Vortex Viper HD 10×42 or the Vanguard Spirit ED 10×42. Both seem to have very similar specs and ratings (85% and 87%), but the Vortex is almost twice the price (£530 vs £270 on Amazon). Am I trying to compare apples with pears here? I’d be interested to know which in your opinion has the better optical performance, ignoring price, and which you would choose?

Answer

Many thanks for your question and yes I totally agree with you, having only recently reviewed both of them (I actually reviewed the 8×42 version of the Vortex Viper HD), I also thought that they were very close in pretty much every department… that is, apart from the price.

What is interesting is that the price of the 10×42 Vortex Viper HD binoculars is still very good. I say this because for same quality it still beats many of the quality European brands (see table below) and that is why I would still describe them as being good value for money. But the price of the Vanguard’s is simply excellent, especially when you consider their quality of components and coatings – they are truly excellent value for money. As a general rule, Vanguard binoculars do have a reputation of producing very good value for money binoculars, but are they equal to the Vortex?

For a more informed choice, lets compare their key specifications (I have also included a few of the best binoculars that money can buy in this table):

Ignoring the price, as you can see they are very close and there is not that much to choose between them, but the Vortex does edge it as they have a slightly wider field of view, longer eye relief and closer minimum focusing distance. It is however a little bigger and heavier than the Vanguard.

What about looking through the binoculars?
I can say that when I reviewed the Vanguard Spirit ED 10X42 and the Vortex Viper HD 8X42, I was very impressed with the view through them both. So much so that I gave them both the same score of 9/10 for Image Quality, which is outstanding.

To get this figure, and as I do with all my reviews, I compared the view through the binocular with that of a benchmark binocular in their class. This gives me good feeling of where they sit in relation to other binoculars that I have reviewed in the past. Things I look at are their brightness, sharpness, contrast, colour reproduction, amount of colour fringing (chromatic aberration) and the amount of softening of the image on the periphery of the view. So as far as the view through them, to my eyes they would be very similar.

So to make the choice: If close focusing distance and that bit extra field of view and eye relief are more important to you than the extra cash in your pocket, then I’d go for the 10X42 Vortex Viper HD otherwise the Vanguard Spirit ED 10X42 would be the choice.

Why the Price Differences?
Comparing the Vanguard and Vortex binoculars to the very top of the range binoculars next to them, you can also see that, apart from the field of view there still is not that much difference in terms of their specifications between them – so why the massive price difference?

Well I think the best way for me to explain it is is I use cars as an analogy:

The Swarovski’s, Leica’s and Zeiss binoculars could be compared to car brands like BMW, Ferrari and Mercedes Benz – All top of the range with plenty of quality, performance, luxury, tradition and a very long and prestigious history. They are all also (for the most part) manufactured in Europe. All also come with a premium price tag.

The Vanguard’s and Vortex binoculars could be compared to brands like Subaru, Nissan, Toyota or Honda – they produce excellent cars, with plenty of performance and quality that probably equals the brands above. Yet somehow they generally lack a little of the “luxury” and tradition, don’t have as long a history and often therefore come with a cheaper price tag.

So if you were just going by the specifications and price, the Vanguard’s and Vortex binoculars would always come out on top. If however you want a lot of tradition, history and that sense of “luxury” and an extra bit of quality workmanship that you only really find in European countries like Germany, then you have to pay for it.

But often the choice can be just about a feeling of which one you like the look of more or which brand you relate to the most.

I hope that at least some of this helps!

Question

I am looking for binocular for near runway (~600-800m) aircraft viewing as well as wildlife safari, with good low light performance.

My short list is :
1) Nikon Action Ex 7×50
2) Nikon Action Ex 10×50
3) Celestron Skymaster 9×63

Which would you recommend ? Any other suggestion around same price range is welcome.

Answer

As of yet, I have not actually reviewed any of the choices on your short list, so cannot comment on their actual performance, but based on their specifications, I would probably go with the Nikon Action Ex 10×50′s as they have a little more power and the 50mm objective lenses will definitely let in plenty of light.

Sure the Celestron Skymaster 9×63 has the potential to work better in low light conditions, but for me, they would be just too large to take with on safari.

Alternatives
I have just done a search using the Feature Search facility on my site that makes it easier to find and compare binoculars that I have reviewed with specific constraints:

What we need is a binocular that:

• Has good low light performance – so large objective lenses (>=42mm) and quality glass and anti-reflection coatings
• Fairly Powerful – I would say, a magnification of 10x or more
• Price: Mid Priced Binoculars ($130 – $300 / £130 – £300)

Click here To take a look at my search results

Vanguard 10×42 Spirit ED Binoculars
Form that list of binoculars that I have reviewed, I can highly recommend the excellent Vanguard 10×42 Spirit ED Binoculars – especially if you want a binocular that is a little more compact than the Nikon Action Ex 10×50 and therefore will be easier to carry with you on safari.

Yes, they may not have the large 50mm objective lenses, but the quality of the anti-reflective coatings and the fact that they use higher quality ED (low dispersion glass) means that they perform very well in low light.

Minox 10×42 BV BRW Binoculars
The next option for me would be the also very good Minox 10×42 BV BRW – the newer models may be righ at the top of your budget, but sometimes (especially on Amazon) you can still find the older (green models) that perform as well, but cost a whole lot less.

I hope that this helps.

Question

Today’s question comes from someone looking to buy some binoculars for their husband’s birthday. They live on the beach in hot and humid east coast of Florida and he spends a lot of time on the balcony watching cruise ships, boats and yachts go by. They were looking for a lightweight pair, perhaps fog proof and keeping the cost under $500.00.

Answer

The good news is at your budget of under $500 there is a wide choice of really good binoculars to choose from, the hardest part is making the decision! So lets look a what features he will mostly need and see if we can’t narrow down the choices:

Because he will be mostly looking at slower moving objects (yachts, ships & boats) in wide open environments, I would not worry too much about the field of view. Therefore I would suggest getting binoculars with a higher magnification: 10x or more.

You say a lightweight pair, I would say that then cuts out any binoculars with image stabilization as they tend to be much heavier as they have batteries etc. I am not sure if by lightweight, you also meant compact?

If so, under budget ($319.99 – $408.25) is the excellent pair of Steiner 12×30 Wildlife Pro Binoculars.

If a compact binocular is not that important and you are only looking for something that is lightweight, then:

The Minox 10×42 BV Binoculars are a great pair, fully water and fogproof and is way under budget: currently reduced from $299 down to $169 on Amazon.

Or the Vanguard 10×45 Endeavor ED Binoculars:
These have only just been released and cost around $399.99. I recently reviewed the 8.5x magnification version which was excellent. They are fully water and fogproof.

I am also currently reviewing the Vanguard Spirit 10×42 Binoculars (the full review will be up on the site in a few days) that have a list price of $309.99 but you can get them on Amazon for $199.99, that are fully water and fog proof that I am really impressed with at that price.

Photo Credit: slack12

Today’s question comes from someone who is lucky enough to live where they have views over a marina and out onto the sea and they are looking for a good all-rounder, a pair of binoculars for the house:

Question
I want a pair of binoculars for the house, we have a lovely view overlooking a marina, peninsula and small island all out to sea where we can see the yachts going by. My hands shake a bit – can you please recommend a pair of binoculars under US$500.

Answer
I will try and answer your question as best I can:

It sounds like you live in a great place and that you have some great wide open views and generally when people are looking for a pair of binoculars to use round the house, they need some good all rounders. Something to use for birding in the garden and perhaps take to a sporting event or on holiday.

Magnification
Something with an 8x or 10x is usually fine as a good all rounder, but you said that you have a view out onto the water and so have plenty of wide open spaces, you could opt for a stronger magnification (12x). You also mentioned that your hands shake a bit and as you may know, increasing the magnification also makes the image that you are looking at through the binoculars harder to keep steady, so I would probably stick to 10x or go for binoculars with image stabilization. The down side of image stabilization binoculars is increased size, weight and usually cost.

Size of Binoculars
If they are for keeping around the house, size should not be too much of a factor, so standard binoculars with about 42mm objective lenses sound right as they perform well in most light conditions.

Cost
Your maximum budget is US$500, which is a fair amount for general purpose binoculars and you can get a really good pair of binoculars at that price.

A few Suggestions:

Minox 10×42 BV Binoculars

Great all purpose binoculars from a quality brand and on sale at Amazon and Eagle Optics (links on the review page on my site) for under $300, so way under budget. Tough enough to take anywhere, but may be a bit “Outdoors” looking for around the house?

Canon 10×30 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars

If you are worried about image shake, then these will really help and they are currently on sale at around $350 – $390 (see links on my site). You could even go for the 12×30 IS, that are available at slightly over budget at $550. The down side to these is the smaller objective lenses (30mm) will probably mean they probably wont work quite as well as 42mm binoculars in low light conditions.

Olympus 10×42 Magellan Binoculars

Now available for around $200, you get plenty of binocular for your buck – you could even get two pairs! I would however say that if you are looking to spend around $500, I would go for the Minox 10×42′s, still way under budget and a superior pair of optics.

I hope that these suggestions help.

Photo Credit: Sunrise at the Marina taken by Indy Kethdy

Many people ask why they shouldn’t just buy a cheap pair of binoculars as surely they all have the “same magnification”. Well that may be true, but apart from the quality of the optics another major difference in the price and quality of a pair of binoculars is how sealed they are to moisture and dust. Not only will you have a far poorer view though a cheap pair of binoculars, but it often does not take long for them to either fog up inside or dust enters the mechanism making your view through them even worse and sometimes even un-usable.

Before we take a look at some of the best 10×42 waterproof binoculars that I have reviewed, I thought that we should first look at a few features that we should look out for and understand what they mean and how they help.

Generally speaking all waterproof optics are sealed with O-rings, this prevents moisture and dust from getting inside your sport optics.

Hermetically Sealed
If you are after the best waterproofing, a keyword to look out for is a pair of binoculars that have been hermetically sealed. A hermetic seal is a seal which, for practical purposes, is considered airtight. It is often used in optics, including binoculars, to make them water and fog proof and to keep out dust.

Nitrogen Filled Binoculars
Binoculars that are filled with nitrogen or argon gas are often termed “Fogproof binoculars” as these gases inhibit the internal fogging that is often caused by temperature extremes.

Hydrophobic Coating
Some of the best binoculars have a special coating on their lenses that actually repel water, this can be very useful if you will often be using your optics in wet weather conditions. Not only does this coating enable you to use your binoculars in wet and dusty environments, but it has the added benefit of making it much easier to remove fingerprints and dirt particles from the lenses and they have a higher resistance to all forms of abrasions that may otherwise leave the lenses permanently scared. Most of the manufacturers have their own name for it, Leica call it their AquaDura coating whilst Carl Zeiss Binoculars call it their LotuTec coating.

The Best 10×42 Waterproof Binoculars

Olympus Waterproof 10×42 Magellan Binoculars
These great binoculars have been both Hermetically sealed and filled with Nitrogen making them them fully waterproof, dirtproof and fogproof.

Minox Waterproof 10×42 BV Binoculars
Fully waterproof and according to the manufacturer (I did not test it!) they are submersible to a depth of down to 3 meters in water, which obviously makes them sealed against the effects of dust as well. They also have Fog-proofing with the use of nitrogen gas that protects the mechanism inside from corrosion and prevents fogging up of the optical surfaces as the temperature fluctuates from one extreme to another.

Bushnell Waterproof 10×42 NatureView Binoculars
One of the best selling pairs of binoculars, due to their very competitive prices and many excellent features, the Bushnell 10X42 Natureview Roof Prism binoculars are both Water and Fog Proof. The are o-ring sealed to keep moisture at bay, nitrogen purged for fog proof viewing in any season.

Leica Waterproof 10×42 Ultravid HD Binoculars
Not only do Leica say that these binoculars are watertight to a depth of 5 m/16.5 ft, but they also contain a hydrophobic coating on the lenses that repel both water and dust and so should easily handle most watery conditions that you are likely to encounter.

Zeiss 10×42 Victory FL Binoculars
100% Waterproof and Nitrogen filled to prevent fogging and like the Leica’s above they have a hydrophobic coating on the lenses that repel water, dirt and grease.

The High Grade Light Binoculars from Nikon are their top of the range binoculars.
This model, the Nikon 10X42HG L DCF boasts the following features:

• Lighter weight than older models(790g).
• Prisms feature a high-reflection silver coating to provide brighter images.
• Phase-correction-coated roof prisms deliver high resolution.
• Nikon’s original multilayer coating attains a high light transmission rate across a wide range of wavelengths and reduces flare and ghosts for excellent colour reproduction.
• Turn-and-slide rubber eyecups facilitate easy positioning of eyes at the correct eyepoint.
• Every model is waterproof and fog-free, and has O-ring seals and nitrogen gas.

Where to Buy the Nikon 10 X 42 HG L DCF Binoculars

US Shoppers
Nikon 10X42 Binoculars on Amazon.com

UK Shoppers
Nikon 10X42 Binoculars on Amazon.co.uk

Amazon have the full range of Nikon Binoculars including the Nikon 10X42 HG L DCF Binoculars and from my research are most often at the cheapest prices.