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Author
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Leif
Registered User
Registered: March 2003
Location: East Hampshire
Posts: 2729
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Review Date: Sun January 11, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Class leading optics, rugged, waterproof, well built, comfortable to use, excellent eye relief.
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Cons:
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Some people (including myself) see excessive chromatic aberration
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These are Nikon's top of the range mid-sized binoculars and compete directly with similar products from Leica and Swarovski. It is in many respects a smaller version of the well respected 8x42 HG which appeared some years earlier.
These are traditional roof prism binoculars with twin straight optical assemblies joined by a large hinge. They are compact, although not quite as compact as many competitors, and the body is nicely contoured to ensure a good grip. It is covered in a thick rubber armour that both protects the binoculars and provides a pleasant surface to hold. The central hinge is stiff, as it should be. A large rubber armoured focus wheel is situated between the eyepieces and it is well placed and rotates extremely smoothly. (Note that I did not get the chance to try the bins in cold weather.) A diopter correction dial is built in to the right hand eyepiece. It has a locking mechanism and it works well. The eye tubes screw in and screw out and are covered in rubber for comfort.
The binoculars weigh 715g which is quite heavy when compared to competing products. However, I found the weight to be quite acceptable and they certainly did not feel heavy.
They are guaranteed waterproof and should survive a short period of immersion at a metre of so down. They are also nitrogen filled to avoid fogging in cold weather. (My problem is that my glasses steam up, but that's another story.)
The build quality is excellent, and up to the usual standard of Nikon.
Optically they are excellent. They are as sharp as any mid-sized roof prism binocular. (Some users report better sharpness, though I did not perform accurate tests.) Sharpness drops slightly away from the centre, and is slightly soft at the edges, but is still remarkably good. They are brighter than expected and side by side with a Leica 8x32 BN appeared to give a noticeably brighter image when viewing objects in the shade. They have an excellent field of view. The depth of field is also very good although I felt that it was slightly less than with comparable 8x full sized binoculars of comparable quality. I saw no flare or ghosting and I noticed no obvious colour cast. Eye relief is excellent and I could easily see the whole field when wearing glasses. There is quite a bit of chromatic aberration in high contrast situations - for example when viewing birds in flight - though they were in this respect no worse than the Leica 8x32 BN. (This does not seem to bother most people.) The close focus distance is 2.5m which should be enough for anyone. It is certainly ideal for watching dragonflies and other insects.
The binoculars are supplied with a rain guard, plastic objective caps (which soon get lost if used), a useable strap and a soft plastic case. The case is functional but lacks the elegance of the leather cases supplied with some competing products.
Overall these are excellent binoculars, and ideal for someone who wants a compact waterproof 8x binocular that can be used on bright and overcast days. Their strengths are the nice design and bright optics.
Whether these will appeal to you is perhaps a matter of personal taste. Personally I much prefer the Nikon 8x32 SE which in my opinion provide a noticeably better image (brighter, sharper, much less chromatic aberration). As always, try them for yourself, and form your own opinion.
Note: When I wrote a UK dealer was selling them at ~£500 which is remarkable value when compared with competing products from the top manufacturers.
------------------------------
Warning: this forum may contain nuts
http://www.leifgoodwin.co.uk
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Walford
Novice
Registered: May 2004
Location: Finland, Espoo, Tapiola
Posts: 7
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Review Date: Tue May 25, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,165.00
| Rating: 10
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In short,
In my opinion, their are the best binos available for less than 1000 euros on the market of the medium size.
I have upgrade from Nikon 8X42 Monarch for these wonderfull and very confortable HG 8X32 (700 gr)
I have just made a Finnstick for them.
Brilliant, easy to spot the wonderfull birds in the South of Finland
Bought in Helsinki (Finland) a few months ago.
You should strongly considere to buy them through a physical shop and not via Internet! (you need to try them before ordering them and be sure that the lenses are 100% well placed).
Be aware of the warranty difference between countries:
US is 25years in the USA -Alaska ground not transferable
Singapore is 1 or 2 years international
Dubai is 1 or 2 years international
Europe is 10 years international
The investment is from:
+- 500 euros in USA,
+- 650 euro in Singapore and
950 euro in Europe (Finland)
Finnstick Definition:
thanks Gail Mackiernan
1)\\\"Essentially it is a hand-held monopod for bins which prevents arm strain (and thus shake) when looking for long periods, like sea- or hawkwatching. Although commercial models are available, most
Finns make their own. The use is very gradually spreading, although my Finnish friends say they still get a lot of kidding. (It looks sort of odd...)\\\"
Thanks to iporali
2)\\\"A finnstick is literally a stick, usually with a fork at one end, which you use to hold your binoculars at eye-level, allowing you to keep your arms down. Consequently, you keep your view steadier for longer periods.
Finnsticks are useful in any endurance situation: hawk watching, sea watching, and pelagic trips.
These sticks originated in Finland where they are called staijikeppi (pronounced: stah-yeeh kep-peeh). Most finnsticks are homemade (because they
apparently have a proclivity for getting lost) from branches 1.5-2 inches (4-6cm) in diameter, 2-3 feet (60-100cm) in length, with a natural fork in
one end. This fork, with perhaps a little carving, fits under the center barrel of the binoculars.\\\\\\\"
http://faqs.jmas.co.jp/FAQs/birds-faq/optics
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....ight=finnstick
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Atomic Chicken
Registered with the D.O.E.
Registered: May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 390
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Review Date: Sat September 4, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Stunningly amazing image quality
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Cons:
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A bit heavy... but WELL worth it!
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Greetings!
I will make this review short.... not much to say other than WOW!!!!!!!
These are, without a question, the best binoculars I have ever come across. Absolutely stunning image quality, excellent ergonomics, and one of the best optics warranties in the world.
I recommend these above all other binoculars for birding, I would not trade mine for Zeiss, Swarovski or Leica optics costing twice as much.... (well, actually...I would - but only to sell them and re-buy 2 pair of Nikons! :) )
Best wishes,
Bawko
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Support your local chicken!
"I hope you love birds too. It is economical, it saves going to heaven." - Emily Dickinson
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pduxon
Quacked up Member
Registered: March 2003
Location: Essex, England
Posts: 5949
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Review Date: Tue October 19, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent Image quality, fits the hand well.
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Cons:
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Eye cups showing some signs of wear, a little heavy.
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Nikon\\\'s top of the range 32mm binocular.
Optics are top notch as well. Gives a good fov and shows colours well. At birdfair it compared well to the Zeiss FL and Leica Ultravid.
Only drawbacks are some sign of wear on eye cups. New models from Leica and Zeiss weigh a lot less
At the UK price it is several hundred pounds below the competition - bargain really.
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Pete
Dethhhpicable
ithhn't it
http://thequacksoflife.blogspot.com/
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pmhowlett
Registered User
Registered: June 2004
Location: Wales
Posts: 29
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Review Date: Wed November 3, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Compact, superb quality, close focus
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Cons:
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minor niggle with very narrow depth of field
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Owned a pair of Leica 8x42s for years but got fed up of carrying 1kg around my neck. Although these are still quite heavy at 750g they feel solid rather than too heavy. Had them 18 months now and very glad I got them.
I tried them alongside all the other top range makes before buying at the bird fair (has to be the best place for buying - or at least deciding on which optics to get). No discernable difference between these and Swarovski 8x42EL, Leica 8x42 Ultravid, Nikon 8x42 and all the others cost £800-£900 so how much are you prepared to spend for 100g of binocular?
Compared them with the latest offerings from Zeiss at the Bird Fair this year but preferred the feel of the Nikons, have to say that none of the recent Zeiss have had a good feel in the hands.
The close focus on these is something else, less than the 2.5m on the specs more like 1.8-1.9m. No chromatic aberrations visible on my pair and I don\'t think the falloff in sharpness towards the edge is any worse than any of the other top bins - to my eye they all show some softening towards the edge of the field of view.
Whole-heartedly recommend these - especially at the price.
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iambirding
Registered User
Registered: August 2004
Location: asheville, nc
Posts: 62
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Review Date: Thu November 25, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $620.00
| Rating: 3
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Pros:
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occassional razor sharp clarity, nice heavy duty armor, great FOV, very true image and color quality.
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Cons:
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chromatic abberration is apparent, focusing is very fast and sensitive. a frustraing view was never right.
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razor sharp, nice heavy duty armor, great FOV, very true image and color quality. bright for their size. close focus is good- actually less than 7 feet eventhough nikon states it\\\'s 8.5 feet.
chromatic abberration is apparent while bird flying in an ovecast sky. focusing is very fast and sensitive, it is taking time to get use to it. i dont like slow focus. i like fast focus- pentax focus. focusing at 20 feet is really weird and because of sensitive focus. i have to give it a 3. after a week of full time birding with these bins i never got use to them an returned them. focus is weird and others on the forum felt the same. a few people mentioned similar problems others mentioned how wonderful they are. I would not recommend these bins because of the inconsistency in product manufacturing. nikon has turned me off to their products.
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Lewie
Registered User
Registered: February 2004
Location: Midwestern Illinois
Posts: 136
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Review Date: Fri March 11, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $849.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very sharp, great contrast,very bright, fast focus
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Cons:
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None-other than takes awhile to get used to fast focus
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Six weeks ago I purchased a pair of Nikon Premier
LX L 8X32. They are fantastic! They are bright and sharp. The only possible downside is the very fast focus. It took awhile for me to get used to such a fast focus, but now that I am used to, I love it, and would not trade it for anything. It is wonderful to be able to focus so quickly; it allows me to get birds into focus very quickly. It just a little while to get used to.
The depth of field is great also great. Once I got used to the fast focus I realized the Premier\'s DOF
was more that I thought possible. The focusing is very smooth. I just love working that fast, smooth wheel.
The feel of the binoculars in my hands is great. Any smaller and I would not like them, and I have average-sized hands. The reason I mention the size is because I have heard comments that the Premier is larger than competing binos. If they were much smaller I would find them uncomfortable and have trouble using them.
I did not notice any chromatic abberation, but then I do not notice any in most of my other binos either.
My Pentax DCF SP 10X50 binos may be slightly sharper, but, then they are 10X50, and should be sharper. But the Premier is very sharp, and appear brighter and with more contrast than the Pentax.
The eye relief is great on the Nikon, which is vitally important to me, since I do wear glasses. Forgive me for ranting, but Leica and Swarovski seem to have no interest in selling binos to those who wear glasses. Does sound, however, that Zeiss is finally coming around, and that the FLs have great eye relief.
One word of warning -- the rain guard is very rubbery. I attached mine the usual way to the neck strap, and it ripped in three days. I did receive a new one in 2 days, free. This one I attached to the strap with part of a shoe lace, and have had no problem.
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Omid
Registered User
Registered: November 2004
Location: Playa Vista, California
Posts: 198
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Review Date: Sat June 18, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Supirior image quality, Wide field of view, Compact Size
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Cons:
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My review is very short: These binoculars are seconed to none.
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Quacker
Registered User
Registered: January 2004
Location: Gateshead, County Durham
Posts: 1156
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Review Date: Mon December 26, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Superb clarity - close focus
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Cons:
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weight possibly but they do feel real
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My review is slightly longer than the previous one. I will add at the price I paid they were a TRUE bargain.
They would have been a bargain at double the price (or similar as they once were) but not to me, as I could not justify the cost- at £379 I could, and did!
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The older I get, the better I was!
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Phaethon
Registered User
Registered: November 2005
Location: Manistee, MI, USA
Posts: 124
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Review Date: Mon February 6, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $750.00
| Rating: 10
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I used these on a trip to Panama. Two other birders there had Swarovoskis. They took a look through my Nikons and were visibly impressed then looked even more so when I told them the price.
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B. Allen Michigan World Birders
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...0895131?ref=ts
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zurtfox
Registered User
Registered: March 2004
Location: Wales
Posts: 99
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Review Date: Sun November 11, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $399.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness, contrast, brightness, ergonomics
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Cons:
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Weight
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I have had these binos for 4 years now; bought as replacements for my stolen B&Ls, and whilst others come and go (Ultravids/FLs/ELs in all sizes), these have remained my first of favourites. Their edge-to-edge sharpness and close focussing makes them the best all-round binocular I have ever owned.
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Kimballcorson
Registered User
Registered: August 2011
Location: South Pacific
Posts: 34
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Review Date: Mon August 8, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $850.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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brightness, build quality, focusing ease, resolution
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Cons:
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heavy due to build quality
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Very large sweet spot. Very fine and stable focusing capability aids super resolution. Very bright and uncolored. Mechanical build quality and focusing ease well ahead of Swarovski, Zeiss and some Leicas. Weight is significant, but lends to solid feeling. Great contrast and color saturation, but a tad behind Swarovski EL 10x42 in those regards, but resolution and brightness of Nikon is greater. Focusing mechanism is much finer and better than Leica or Swarovski, especially. Optically a delight. Many prefer the Nikon Venturer/LX/HG to the Premier/LXL although difference in weight and optical quality is slight to my eye.
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c250td
Registered User
Registered: September 2003
Location: the wash
Posts: 66
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Review Date: Wed April 3, 2013
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Ultra sharp and bright image
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Cons:
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none
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Best in class in Better View Desired review site.
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