Barska Atlantic 10x42 $70

[Otto McDiesel]

I looked at two Barska Atlantic 10x42 $70. One of the board members here, Bawko, says that they are excellent for the money. They did not seem to me. In fact, they are as bad as it gets. They are very dim and i had a tough time seing the resolution chart. Next to them, a Nikon 7x35 porro appeared as if someone had opened my eyes.
Make sure that you try them before you buy them, i don't suggest ordering them sight unseen, and lower your expectations as much as you can. Better still, get a $50 porro model.

[Tero]

Or you can get the same thing at WalMart for 30 dollars, Bushnell
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=55039
slightly dim and pretty much the same view edge to edge, almost in focus. Well, there was a slightly less blurrry sweet spot in the middle.;)

I propose a scale for binoculars
1. really good
2. OK, Nikon Monarch level
3. bad for experts, almost OK for beginners
4. poor for everyone

[FrankD]

Nice scale Tero but you know how some folks hate assigning rating numbers to binoculars. ;) I like the idea though. :-)

Luca,

My experience with them pretty much mirrors your own. I found the few pairs I looked through fairly dim and with poor quality control. The Leupold Yosemites at $90 offer a much better image. Even the Bushnell 8x42 Powerview roofs seemed better optically.

[Atomic Chicken]

Greetings!

Actually, it was the Rugged Exposure 10x42 that I reviewed, not the Barska Atlantic. I initially thought that the two were the same binoculars due to similar body style, magnification, and FOV numbers - but since then I've had a chance to look through the Barska model and I agree that it is an inferior product. From what I can gather, it appears that several binocular manufacturers are using a similar design, with differences in glass, coatings, armoring, etc. to try and differentiate their product. The Rugged Exposure version seems to have got it right - at least the 2 pairs I bought.

Best wishes,
Bawko

[Atomic Chicken]

Greetings!

I'm wondering if the 7-day shop binoculars in this thread:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=53991

Are another version of the design that got it right? I've also had a chance to look though a pair of Celestron Outland 10x42, and while not quite as good as the Rugged Exposure model, they came pretty close and had better armoring as well!

Once again, I think there are numerous variations on a single design that is floating around out there among manufacturers, and some of them are implementing it better than others!

Best wishes,
Bawko

[NWBirder]

I looked at two Barska Atlantic 10x42 $70. One of the board members here, Bawko, says that they are excellent for the money. They did not seem to me. In fact, they are as bad as it gets. They are very dim and i had a tough time seing the resolution chart. Next to them, a Nikon 7x35 porro appeared as if someone had opened my eyes.
Make sure that you try them before you buy them, i don't suggest ordering them sight unseen, and lower your expectations as much as you can. Better still, get a $50 porro model.

Yes, they are horrible. I am the one who normally root for less expensive binoculars. But after trying this in our local store, I asked the store owner why they even bother carrying them. He shrugged and said, "well, they are cheap and many people don't care and don't understand the optics any way". While I was playing their twisted-up eyecups, I almost unscrewed the ocular lens off the binocular.. I can imagine the waterproof must be great on that pair.

BTW, the body of this one looks very much like Celestron Outland, Not the LX version.