Performance of low weight binoculars

[Gorgo]

There are several 10x42 binoculars on the market, which are very low weight. I really like such binoculars, especially for longer hiking tours. What do you think are the best bins (range from 10x40 to 10x50) under 700 g (24,7 oz)?
Maybe the Minox HG 10x43, the Bushnell Elite 10x43, the Vortex Viper 10x42 or the Kite Ibis 10x42?

Thanks,
Markus

[ND2000]

Markus -

I have looked through the Minox HGs and the Bushnell Elites. I preferred the Minox, and very recently purchased the 8.5x43 HGs. They have a narrower FOV but make up for it with better edge sharpness and a larger sweet spot IMO. I also find that unless the "open barrel" design like Bushnell employs is just the right size for your hands, it feels awkward and uncomfortable. With that in mind, the MINOX felt great to me.

I would say that the HGs and Elites are at the top of the sub-$1,000 class.

ND2000

[Peter_Perfect]

Have a 10x at 820g, these are for when I am in hides. For walking, my 8x 650g feel much better. Cannot tell you about the 10x viper's but have had a 8x pair for about a year and am well pleased

[ThoLa]

There are several 10x42 binoculars on the market, which are very low weight. I really like such binoculars, especially for longer hiking tours. What do you think are the best bins (range from 10x40 to 10x50) under 700 g (24,7 oz)?
Maybe the Minox HG 10x43, the Bushnell Elite 10x43, the Vortex Viper 10x42 or the Kite Ibis 10x42?

Thanks,
Markus


Hi Markus!

You may want to read the September 2006 issue of TEST, the monthly journal of Stiftung Warentest. They had a large comparative test of binoculars, with many 10x42 models.
Minox have a very poor performance (various models tested!!!)

Very good 10x40/42 models that are light-weight are:

Leica Ultravid BL 10x42
Swarovski Habicht 10x40
Pentax SP 10x43

and maybe some others.

Maybe this helps,
Tom

PS: a pdf of the article is online.

[Tero]

700g is good, but the high end stuff weighs more as they do not use the plastic composite material in the barrels. I actually still like my Nikon Sporter 10x36, which has some metal in the barrels.

But all in all, comfortable eye cups are woth more to me than wight.

Good luck, those are models I have not tried. I might look at the Minox first.

[Gorgo]

Thanks for your suggestions,
maybe I will try the Minox HG or the Pentax SP first...

Markus

[Marko_]

Thanks for your suggestions,
maybe I will try the Minox HG or the Pentax SP first...

Markus

I have tried the Minox HG, and they are outstanding!

Marko

[Marko_]

Minox have a very poor performance

:h?: :h?: :h?:


http://www.letsgodigital.org/de/12680/minox_fernglas/

Marko

[Marko_]

Minox have a very poor performance


:h?: :h?: :h?:

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Review of binoculars, Winter 2005:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/LivingBird/winter2005/Age_Binos.html

Minox BD 10x42 BR comes SECOND (out of 14) in its group. The group is "top affordable", price 500$ - 1000$. The winner of the group is Nikon HG 8x32. FIFTH (out of 14) is Minox BD 8,5x42 BR.

Some models that didn't perform as well as the Minox 10x42 include Pentax DCF SP 8x43, Zeiss Conquest 8x30, Swarovski 8x20, Swift Audubon 8,5x44, to name a few.

One can only imagine how well the new Minox HG's, which are even better, would have competed.

Marko

[Marko_]

Minox have a very poor performance



:h?: :h?: :h?:

Birdwatcher's Digest, Optics roundup, midsize binoculars:
http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/optics/roundup2004_b.aspx

Minox BD 8x32 BR score: without glasses 9; score with glasses 7
(= total 16)

Swarovski SLC 8x30 score: without glasses 9; score with glasses 7
(= total 16, same as Minox).

Leica Trinovid BN 8x32: without glasses 9; score with glasses 8
(= total 17, ONE point more than Minox).

Just named a few, several others were in the test.

Marko