[FrankD]

As many of you are aware I have been collecting and posting about various vintage/classic 7x35 porro prism models over the last few months. Though my enthusiasm for them is still great my purchasing of these models has slowed quite a bit. I feel as if I have a fairly good handle on performance for many of the various sub designs of these models. Still, I am keeping an eye out for anything unusual that may pop up on “the bay”.

The porro prism design itself, though vastly underrated by the current market, is still something that holds a great deal of interest on my part. My curiosity around the design has led me to look for current production units that might begin to approach some of the performance levels of many of these classic porros. I have owned many of the highly regarded current/semi-current porro prism models such as the Nikon E, EII and SE. I have yet to lay my hands on one of the ED Swift Audubons but hope to eventually.

So, what then is left to try for current porros? Sure, I would love to put my eyes up to the oculars of a Swarovski Habicht but they are out of my price range and not really available anywhere locally for me just to look through. What else is out there that deserves some attention? That was the question I was left with recently. Yes, there are many low price range porro prism models out there…Nikon Action/Action EX, Orion Ultraview, Pentax WP II, Bushnell Legend, etc… I have owned them all at one time or another and have found them to certainly be worth their price and then some. They are excellent performers at their respective price point. The problem though is that it seems as if there aren’t many upper-low to mid-priced models currently available that offer enough of a performance increase over these lower price models. The day of having a high quality $200-$400 just doesn’t seem to have arrived…or has it?

Well, about a month ago I received a tip from another forum member about a screaming deal on a current porro model that falls into this price range, the Vixen Foresta 8x42. I ordered one and received it in short order (gotta love Amazon Prime). This configuration isn’t what this post is about though. Even though I found the 8x42 very impressive optically and ergonomically my fascination with 7x models led me to eventually purchase the highly regarded 7x50.

I say “highly regarded” simply because, although it has never really been discussed in detail here on BF, it has been rated very highly over on Cloudy Nights. The honorable “EdZ” gave it some extremely high marks when he reviewed it several years ago and two forum members (one being our Bob/Ky) have offered up similar favorable comments.

Why hasn’t it caught on more? Well, I am left to believe that it is because of two reasons. For one it is a 50 mm model. 50 mm models tend to be large binoculars and most birders tend to prefer relatively compact models (8x32, 8x42, 10x42, etc...) in the grand scheme of things. Second, since it is a modern 7x50 porro its apparent field of view is fairly narrow…7.1 degrees (advertised and verified). That only equates to about 370 or so feet and/or a 50 degree apparent field of view. Considering my recent fascination with extra wide angle 7x’s (10 or 11 degree apparent) you would think that something this “narrow” wouldn’t interest me. So did I but after receiving it I can honestly say that I was wrong. I have a few ideas why this is the case and will elaborate on them below. So, without further preamble here are my thoughts on this model...

Optical Performance:

Everyone always loves to cut right to the chase so why bother posting about the accessories or other items initially? I always scan through reviews until I see words like “brightness, sharpness, CA control, etc…". So let’s start here. Optically this binocular is extraordinary. Its object performance is among the very best binoculars I have had the privilege to own or use. Apparent brightness, apparent contrast and apparent sharpness are all excellent and have to be considered comparable to anything else currently on the market. How could you not expect that from a fully multicoated porro prism model with a triplet 50 mm objective costing at/around $300? Oh, I did forget to mention that. This particular configuration is the only one within the Foresta product line that offers a triplet objective. This helps to produce an image that is practically free of chromatic aberration (color fringing on high contrast objects) throughout most of the entire field of view. I say “most” because CA is very well controlled within the sweet spot of image in focus and relatively free of distortion. Which brings us to another area of optical performance…the size of the sweet spot?

The “Sweet spot” on this model is huge. Without moving the binoculars and just letting your eyes scan around the huge 7+ mm exit pupil it almost appears as if the sweet spot covers the entire field of view. Truly sharp from edge to edge. When panning up and down though you begin to notice a slight loss of image sharpness in the outer 5-10% of the field of view. It is very subtle though and not objectionable in the least. It is in this area of slightly out of focus image that you can also readily detect color fringing. It is moderate in degree but certainly noticeable especially in comparison to the rest of the image.

It is a combination of the size of the sweet spot and the excellent apparent depth of field that make one almost forget about the narrowish field of view.

I have to admit that this is one of only a handful of binoculars that I am never disappointed with when I place them up to my eyes. The image almost feels as if it “assaults” my eyes with it brightness, contrast and sharpness. Because of the porro design’s pronounced 3D effect and because of the 7x magnification these, for me, are almost a “focus it and forget it” type of design. Focusing on an object 25 feet away I am able to view everything from that distance all the way out to infinity without having to touch the focusing knob. I do realize that a bit part of this is the flexibility of my 39 year old eyes but some credit also has to be given to the binocular itself. When you also consider the huge exit pupil and all of the other optical performance areas that this binocular excels at then you end up with a truly comfortable and relaxing image.

Antireflective coating reflections on both the objectives and eyepieces are a deep green. I have an extremely difficult time seeing my reflection in the objectives.

Ergonomics:

As mentioned previously, this is a 50 mm porro prism binocular so don’t expect to find something “cute and cuddly” like a Nikon SE 8x32. I will post a picture or two below with the 7x50 Foresta in comparison to a smaller 7x35 Vintage porro below. It is about 7 inches long and 7 inches wide and weighs a little over 31 oz. Not a small or compact binocular at all. Still, from my experience with other current models, and many classic 7x50s, it is a fairly lightweight 7x50 model.

In terms of handling I find nothing objectionable about it when you consider my comments above. I do find that I can hold it steadier by gripping it along objective barrels instead of having my hands around the prism housings. This is to be expected considering the length of the binocular and the weight distribution. This is fine if I am focusing on objects beyond 25 feet because of what I mentioned previously. For situations that might warrant constant refocusing I tend to prefer to keep one hand on the objective barrel and the other around the prism housing. This allows me to obtain almost as steady of an image and still be able to focus effortlessly.

Mechanics/fit and finish:

I rate this binocular very highly in terms of fit and finish. The rubber, pebbled armoring is very comfortable to hold and yet provides enough purchase for my hands not to slip off of the barrels or prism housing. It is fully armored except for the central hinge itself.

Focusing tension and speed are certainly to my liking. It takes 1.25 turns to go from a close focus of about 12 feet (notably under the advertised spec of 19 feet) to infinity. Focusing tension is very smooth and precise. There is no play or backlash in the focusing mechanism. Focusing is clockwise from close focus to infinity.

The rotating rubber eyecups have two intermediate stops between fully collapsed and fully extended. Advertised eye relief is 21 mm but you lose 3-4 mm because of how recessed the ocular lens surface is in comparison to the edge of the eyecup. I have no problem seeing the fieldstop completely around the outer edge of the image.

Central hinge tension on this particular unit is perfect for my tastes. Stiff enough so that it does not move inadvertently.

The strap lugs are recessed into the prism housing on the bottom/ocular corner of the prism housings. The binoculars hang flat on my chest when in use.

Summary:

I make no attempt to hide that these are not your “average birding binoculars”. They aren’t your average birding binoculars because of their size and weight. They also aren’t your average birding binoculars because the optical performance in almost every area besides field of view is among the very best I have had the privilege of using. If size isn’t an issue for you and you want the best optical performance and are on a relatively tight budget then I highly recommend this binocular. Its optical performance level is only equaled by the value it offers.

[FrankD]

Objectives/antireflective coating shot....

Comparison pic with an out of production 7x35 model....

[FrankD]

..and lastly a pic of a local birding hotspot this time of the year, the Middle Creek Wildlife Refuge. The picture is of the observation area/visitors center in front of the lake. Close to 100,000 Snow Geese, 10,000 Tundra Swan and countless number of other waterfowl can be seen in a single day as they stop here during their migration back north. I used the Foresta 7x50 exclusively during a trip to Middle Creek this past Sunday. As luck would have it I also ran into another forum contributer there as well. A beautiful day to be looking at birds.

No, I am not in the pic but my two boys and the future Mrs. are.

[Giorgio]

Thanks for this complete review Frank (same goes for Flickr).
I agree that it's a shame that there aren't more porros of medium to high quality on the current market.
The Vixen seems to be a good alternative when you don't want or can't put 1000$ for a Habicht.
I don't know why, but Steiner porri seems to be forgotten by many persons.
The Navigator porro should have his place among the medium to high porri.
Then the Steiner Commander seems to be very good.
I could not find any review of the Navigator.
P.S. I did not see there is an auto focus on the Navigator. It is a feature i do not like, so forget about what i said about them.

[typo]

Nice report Frank.

Giorgio,

Binomania have looked at the Steiner Navigator 7x50 and 7x30. In Italian of course.
http://www.binomania.it/binocoli/ste...igator7x50.php
http://www.binomania.it/binocoli/Ste...igator7x30.php

David

[Giorgio]

Nice find David. Thanks to my sicilian roots i am able to understand these reviews.
However as i don't like the auto focus stuff, i'll stick to the Vixens so to the topic.
I'm closing the Pastis bottle cap and go on cruising through the forums, and might find the 10x porro i need.

[FrankD]

Giorgio,

Based on my experience with the 8x42s and 7x50s I would have a hard time believing the 10x performs at a lower level. These binoculars certainly seem a notable step up from something like entry level porros...Nikon Action/Action EXs, Bushnell Legends, etc....

[denco@comcast.n]

Originally Posted by FrankD

As many of you are aware I have been collecting and posting about various vintage/classic 7x35 porro prism models over the last few months. Though my enthusiasm for them is still great my purchasing of these models has slowed quite a bit. I feel as if I have a fairly good handle on performance for many of the various sub designs of these models. Still, I am keeping an eye out for anything unusual that may pop up on “the bay”.

The porro prism design itself, though vastly underrated by the current market, is still something that holds a great deal of interest on my part. My curiosity around the design has led me to look for current production units that might begin to approach some of the performance levels of many of these classic porros. I have owned many of the highly regarded current/semi-current porro prism models such as the Nikon E, EII and SE. I have yet to lay my hands on one of the ED Swift Audubons but hope to eventually.

So, what then is left to try for current porros? Sure, I would love to put my eyes up to the oculars of a Swarovski Habicht but they are out of my price range and not really available anywhere locally for me just to look through. What else is out there that deserves some attention? That was the question I was left with recently. Yes, there are many low price range porro prism models out there…Nikon Action/Action EX, Orion Ultraview, Pentax WP II, Bushnell Legend, etc… I have owned them all at one time or another and have found them to certainly be worth their price and then some. They are excellent performers at their respective price point. The problem though is that it seems as if there aren’t many upper-low to mid-priced models currently available that offer enough of a performance increase over these lower price models. The day of having a high quality $200-$400 just doesn’t seem to have arrived…or has it?

Well, about a month ago I received a tip from another forum member about a screaming deal on a current porro model that falls into this price range, the Vixen Foresta 8x42. I ordered one and received it in short order (gotta love Amazon Prime). This configuration isn’t what this post is about though. Even though I found the 8x42 very impressive optically and ergonomically my fascination with 7x models led me to eventually purchase the highly regarded 7x50.

I say “highly regarded” simply because, although it has never really been discussed in detail here on BF, it has been rated very highly over on Cloudy Nights. The honorable “EdZ” gave it some extremely high marks when he reviewed it several years ago and two forum members (one being our Bob/Ky) have offered up similar favorable comments.

Why hasn’t it caught on more? Well, I am left to believe that it is because of two reasons. For one it is a 50 mm model. 50 mm models tend to be large binoculars and most birders tend to prefer relatively compact models (8x32, 8x42, 10x42, etc...) in the grand scheme of things. Second, since it is a modern 7x50 porro its apparent field of view is fairly narrow…7.1 degrees (advertised and verified). That only equates to about 370 or so feet and/or a 50 degree apparent field of view. Considering my recent fascination with extra wide angle 7x’s (10 or 11 degree apparent) you would think that something this “narrow” wouldn’t interest me. So did I but after receiving it I can honestly say that I was wrong. I have a few ideas why this is the case and will elaborate on them below. So, without further preamble here are my thoughts on this model...

Optical Performance:

Everyone always loves to cut right to the chase so why bother posting about the accessories or other items initially? I always scan through reviews until I see words like “brightness, sharpness, CA control, etc…". So let’s start here. Optically this binocular is extraordinary. Its object performance is among the very best binoculars I have had the privilege to own or use. Apparent brightness, apparent contrast and apparent sharpness are all excellent and have to be considered comparable to anything else currently on the market. How could you not expect that from a fully multicoated porro prism model with a triplet 50 mm objective costing at/around $300? Oh, I did forget to mention that. This particular configuration is the only one within the Foresta product line that offers a triplet objective. This helps to produce an image that is practically free of chromatic aberration (color fringing on high contrast objects) throughout most of the entire field of view. I say “most” because CA is very well controlled within the sweet spot of image in focus and relatively free of distortion. Which brings us to another area of optical performance…the size of the sweet spot?

The “Sweet spot” on this model is huge. Without moving the binoculars and just letting your eyes scan around the huge 7+ mm exit pupil it almost appears as if the sweet spot covers the entire field of view. Truly sharp from edge to edge. When panning up and down though you begin to notice a slight loss of image sharpness in the outer 5-10% of the field of view. It is very subtle though and not objectionable in the least. It is in this area of slightly out of focus image that you can also readily detect color fringing. It is moderate in degree but certainly noticeable especially in comparison to the rest of the image.

It is a combination of the size of the sweet spot and the excellent apparent depth of field that make one almost forget about the narrowish field of view.

I have to admit that this is one of only a handful of binoculars that I am never disappointed with when I place them up to my eyes. The image almost feels as if it “assaults” my eyes with it brightness, contrast and sharpness. Because of the porro design’s pronounced 3D effect and because of the 7x magnification these, for me, are almost a “focus it and forget it” type of design. Focusing on an object 25 feet away I am able to view everything from that distance all the way out to infinity without having to touch the focusing knob. I do realize that a bit part of this is the flexibility of my 39 year old eyes but some credit also has to be given to the binocular itself. When you also consider the huge exit pupil and all of the other optical performance areas that this binocular excels at then you end up with a truly comfortable and relaxing image.

Antireflective coating reflections on both the objectives and eyepieces are a deep green. I have an extremely difficult time seeing my reflection in the objectives.

Ergonomics:

As mentioned previously, this is a 50 mm porro prism binocular so don’t expect to find something “cute and cuddly” like a Nikon SE 8x32. I will post a picture or two below with the 7x50 Foresta in comparison to a smaller 7x35 Vintage porro below. It is about 7 inches long and 7 inches wide and weighs a little over 31 oz. Not a small or compact binocular at all. Still, from my experience with other current models, and many classic 7x50s, it is a fairly lightweight 7x50 model.

In terms of handling I find nothing objectionable about it when you consider my comments above. I do find that I can hold it steadier by gripping it along objective barrels instead of having my hands around the prism housings. This is to be expected considering the length of the binocular and the weight distribution. This is fine if I am focusing on objects beyond 25 feet because of what I mentioned previously. For situations that might warrant constant refocusing I tend to prefer to keep one hand on the objective barrel and the other around the prism housing. This allows me to obtain almost as steady of an image and still be able to focus effortlessly.

Mechanics/fit and finish:

I rate this binocular very highly in terms of fit and finish. The rubber, pebbled armoring is very comfortable to hold and yet provides enough purchase for my hands not to slip off of the barrels or prism housing. It is fully armored except for the central hinge itself.

Focusing tension and speed are certainly to my liking. It takes 1.25 turns to go from a close focus of about 12 feet (notably under the advertised spec of 19 feet) to infinity. Focusing tension is very smooth and precise. There is no play or backlash in the focusing mechanism. Focusing is clockwise from close focus to infinity.

The rotating rubber eyecups have two intermediate stops between fully collapsed and fully extended. Advertised eye relief is 21 mm but you lose 3-4 mm because of how recessed the ocular lens surface is in comparison to the edge of the eyecup. I have no problem seeing the fieldstop completely around the outer edge of the image.

Central hinge tension on this particular unit is perfect for my tastes. Stiff enough so that it does not move inadvertently.

The strap lugs are recessed into the prism housing on the bottom/ocular corner of the prism housings. The binoculars hang flat on my chest when in use.

Summary:

I make no attempt to hide that these are not your “average birding binoculars”. They aren’t your average birding binoculars because of their size and weight. They also aren’t your average birding binoculars because the optical performance in almost every area besides field of view is among the very best I have had the privilege of using. If size isn’t an issue for you and you want the best optical performance and are on a relatively tight budget then I highly recommend this binocular. Its optical performance level is only equaled by the value it offers.

NOT AGAIN! Now I am going to have to buy another binocular! I just bought the Sightron's! Frank would you stop buying binoculars. Please.

[ronh]

Great review, an enjoyable read.

There is something about a 7x50. The narrow field and huge exit pupil means it's almost impossible to get your eye off the exit pupil--you can just throw it up to your face and look around carelessly, and suffer no punishment in terms of vignetting or blackout. Plus, the now well known "Link daytime pupil focal ratio effect" means that in normal lighting, you effectively have yourself a pair of decent f/8 telescopes, operating at a magnification at which they are just "coasting". The quality of the image must be beheld.

My 7x50, a Fujinon FMT-SX, is a maddening combination of a view to die for and ergonomics that will nearly kill you. I also feel that my eyes are "assaulted". And my wrists, hands, shoulders, neck etc. I think this relatively svelt Vixen hits a mighty sweet spot, and know I'd love one. But I'm already involved in a tragic love/hate relationship. Enjoy it Frank.
Ron

[steve@37n84w]

Originally Posted by ronh

Great review, an enjoyable read.

There is something about a 7x50. The narrow field and huge exit pupil means it's almost impossible to get your eye off the exit pupil--you can just throw it up to your face and look around carelessly, and suffer no punishment in terms of vignetting or blackout. Plus, the now well known "Link daytime pupil focal ratio effect" means that in normal lighting, you effectively have yourself a pair of decent f/8 telescopes, operating at a magnification at which they are just "coasting". The quality of the image must be beheld.

My 7x50, a Fujinon FMT-SX, is a maddening combination of a view to die for and ergonomics that will nearly kill you. I also feel that my eyes are "assaulted". And my wrists, hands, shoulders, neck etc. I think this relatively svelt Vixen hits a mighty sweet spot, and know I'd love one. But I'm already involved in a tragic love/hate relationship. Enjoy it Frank.
Ron

I'm another love/hater of the Fujinon IF series. Love the view in my 10x50 FMTR SX (optically one of the best binoculars I've ever looked through) and the rugged build quality. The thing I hate about this series of binoculars is the huge oculars, I can just barely squeeze my nose in between them enough at my IPD to get the fov. Wouldn't stand a chance with the 16x70 Fuji with its shorter eye relief.

Steve

[steve@37n84w]

Frank

I agree with you and Ronh about the easy/relaxed viewing associated with a good 7x50. I've got a couple of tack sharp older 7x50 center focus porros (Canon and Nikon JB7) that I often use terrestrial viewing and a 7x50 IF Nikon for the night sky.

Virtually every review I've read on the Vixen Foresta series of porros has been very positive, i.e. evedently indicative of the great quality normally associated with one of the better Japanese manufacturers.

Steve

[henry link]

Frank,

Thanks for the excellent review. I tend to agree with Ron that probably most of what you like about the Foresta simply comes from it's being a 7x50. It's really hard to make a 7x50 so poorly that the image doesn't look great in daylight. I’m a firm believer in the advantages of large exit pupils, even in bright sunlight. That’s why I tolerate the weight of an 8x56 for birding. But, don't take my word for it. Here's an explanation from Rutten and van Venrooij, "Telescope Optics", p. 171.

“Consider the case of the 7 by 50 binocular. Such a binocular has an exit pupil of 50/7= 7.1mm. Binocular objectives normally have a focal length of 200 mm, or a speed of f/4. If the full 7.1 mm exit pupil were used during daytime observations, the simple Kellner eyepieces would exhibit intolerable astigmatism because this type of eyepiece is insufficiently corrected to handle an f/4 light cone. However, in the day, the eye pupil is typically only 2.5 mm, so the exit pupil is vignetted to this diameter, and the effective focal ratio of the objective is f/11.4 – much more favorable for the eyepiece. Of course, only a small part of the 50 mm entrance pupil is used; in this case, the effective entrance pupil is only 17mm!”

I would add that the axial objective aberrations are also greatly reduced at f/11, as are defects like astigmatism and pinching, and veiling glare is mostly absent (even if the binocular has it) since light from the edge of the exit pupil doesn’t enter the eye.

Reading between the lines of yours and Edz’s reviews I see a binocular of relatively indifferent performance at full aperture (4.8 arc sec is not impressive resolution), but one that performs very well once it’s stopped down in daylight. I would say nearly same thing about my Zeiss 8x56. Good edge performance in daylight is really to be expected in the stopped down Foresta, since the AFOV is so narrow, but I suspect the off-axis performance is further enhanced in this particular binocular by some undersized prisms, suggested by Edz’s vignetting measurements. I’ve found that vignetting is usually the explanation for an observation, like yours, of better off-axis performance when panning horizontally compared to vertically. This is a good example of why more vignetting is not necessarily a bad thing.

Henry

[FrankD]

Thank you folks. I am glad you enjoyed reading it. I find that when a binocular really appeals to me then it is easy to write something up about it.

Dennis,

My apologies. I promise not to buy any new binoculars and post positive reviews of them.



I think you would enjoy the optical performance of them though knowing your affinity for smaller and lighter these days I don't think their size would appeal to you...unless as a specialized purpose model.

Ron,

I am glad you chimed in. I enjoyed reading many of your posts over on Cloudy Nights pertaining to 7x50s in general. I thoroughly enjoyed reading BobinKy's comparison thread between the Vixen and the Fujinon. It further reinforced my experience that there are so many different "flavors" of the same configuration that is often hard to say that one is "the best". Some excel in certain areas while other models excel in others.

Steve,

I started finding my enjoyment with the 7x50 configuration through my purchases of several 7x50 extra wide angle classic porros. I still find the Sears Discoverer 7x50 to be without equal among the vintage models I have tried. Such an easy view because of the previously mentioned characteristics plus the huge 10 degree field makes it very natural to look through.

One comment though on your last sentence. These are Chinese made as in evidence by the little sticker on the underside of the prism housing. Surprised me too to be honest with you.

Henry,

Ya know I luv ya and I certainly respect the vast knowledge and experience you always bring to the table. I feel as if I learn something new every time you post. However, I hate it when you let the wind out of my sails. :-)

Your comments are well received though and I can certainly understand your points. It actually coincides a bit with an experience I had last night. I am not a regular user of binoculars for astronomy. However, I was once very into astronomy twenty or so years ago. Still, I often rely on the night sky to look for star-testing related issues. After reading so much about the Vixens on cloudy nights I decided to take them out last night and see how they performed in the night sky.

I was very happy with the results as the stars were like pinpoints through much of the field of view. But, that is what I wanted to comment on. Though the stars were pinpoints I noticed that the edge performance wasn't quite as good as what I experienced during the daytime. The size of the sweet spot was slightly smaller than what I perceived during daytime use. How much smaller? Well, I would say 10-15% smaller which would mean a sweet spot size in the 80-85% range (estimated of course). Still respectable but not quite as good as daytime usage.

My experiences, as mentioned above, with 7x50s has been restricted to classic extra wide angle porros. I love the view through those as well. Still, if the Vixen offers indifferent performance then I guess that is what I am satisfied with in this configuration. Love using them.

[ceasar]

I was just fooling around the Opticron USA site and discovered that they make 3 IF Marine 7 x 50 binoculars and 1 Marine IF 8 x 30. They all have generous eye relief and quite wide fields of view; all of them over 400' @ 1000 yards. It is noted that they have enlarged porro prisms.

http://www.opticronusa.com/Pages/marine.html

Bob

[FrankD]

Good catch Bob. I had no idea. Thank you for finding that and posting about it.

It is funny though. I didn't look at the specs or prices right away but rather just looked at the pics. I picked one out as "looking" most like what I would like to try based on the body design and diameter of the oculars. Guess which one it was?

Yep, the cheapest one....


Marine-3 7x50 BIF.GA
Individual eyepiece focus binoculars. Supplied in soft case with rainguard, objective lens caps, wide lanyard and 10 year guarantee

249.00

[henry link]

Sorry Frank, I wasn't trying to deflate you, just wanted to point out that this type of binocular has some nice inherent advantages. Another one, I forgot to mention is excellent freedom from lateral color. I imagine the little prisms are helping with edge performance even more for astronomy because the vignetting of the field edge is most pronounced at full aperture. The sweet spot would probably be smaller if the prisms were larger.

Henry

[mooreorless]

Originally Posted by henry link

Frank,

Thanks for the excellent review. I tend to agree with Ron that probably most of what you like about the Foresta simply comes from it's being a 7x50. It's really hard to make a 7x50 so poorly that the image doesn't look great in daylight. I’m a firm believer in the advantages of large exit pupils, even in bright sunlight. That’s why I tolerate the weight of an 8x56 for birding. But, don't take my word for it. Here's an explanation from Rutten and van Venrooij, "Telescope Optics", p. 171.

“Consider the case of the 7 by 50 binocular. Such a binocular has an exit pupil of 50/7= 7.1mm. Binocular objectives normally have a focal length of 200 mm, or a speed of f/4. If the full 7.1 mm exit pupil were used during daytime observations, the simple Kellner eyepieces would exhibit intolerable astigmatism because this type of eyepiece is insufficiently corrected to handle an f/4 light cone. However, in the day, the eye pupil is typically only 2.5 mm, so the exit pupil is vignetted to this diameter, and the effective focal ratio of the objective is f/11.4 – much more favorable for the eyepiece. Of course, only a small part of the 50 mm entrance pupil is used; in this case, the effective entrance pupil is only 17mm!”

I would add that the axial objective aberrations are also greatly reduced at f/11, as are defects like astigmatism and pinching, and veiling glare is mostly absent (even if the binocular has it) since light from the edge of the exit pupil doesn’t enter the eye.

Reading between the lines of yours and Edz’s reviews I see a binocular of relatively indifferent performance at full aperture (4.8 arc sec is not impressive resolution), but one that performs very well once it’s stopped down in daylight. I would say nearly same thing about my Zeiss 8x56. Good edge performance in daylight is really to be expected in the stopped down Foresta, since the AFOV is so narrow, but I suspect the off-axis performance is further enhanced in this particular binocular by some undersized prisms, suggested by Edz’s vignetting measurements. I’ve found that vignetting is usually the explanation for an observation, like yours, of better off-axis performance when panning horizontally compared to vertically. This is a good example of why more vignetting is not necessarily a bad thing.

Henry

Hi Henry, Where are you getting the 4.8 arc sec for the 7x50, is that the Willams Optic 7x50ED from Edz " Small Binoculars-Resolution" on Cloudy Nights?

Frank, Thanks for the excellent review!

[henry link]

Steve,

It's from Edz's review here:

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea...ded/sb/9/o/all

Scroll down about 2/3 of the page to his post about resolution measurements. I'm not sure why he thinks 4.8 arc sec is "very good" for a 50mm objective. That would be one of the worst that I've measured. It works out to 240/D, which means something is quite wrong, but without a high magnification star test we don't know what the problem is.

Henry

[mooreorless]

Henry, Thanks, I remember reading that way back when. I see what you mean. I read one he has on there :
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbarchi...b=5&o=all&vc=1
Under "Small Binoculars Resolution" with 4 - 7x50 binoculars and the best is 4.3 and worst is 7.7 all boosted 6x, so I guess he would think 4.8 is ok.

[mercedes_sl1970]

Hi - thanks for writing such a good review. I too like the 7x50 configuration but have resisted the Vixens... I also have a rather nice other branded bino at this size which I use at night. I do generally find binoculars with large exit pupils to be just so easy to use and (mostly) provide a very bright and contrasty view.

Andrew

[FrankD]

Steve, Henry,

Thank you for the info. I read Henry's link previously but will check out yours Steve. I would be interested in hearing further discussion on this point since there seems to be some discrepancy here.

Mercedes,

Which 7x50 do you have? I commented on your link to the Visionkings in the other thread. I was considering the 7x50 Visionking considering the price and list of features.

[mercedes_sl1970]

Hello Frank

My 7x50 is the Nikon Prostar which I use solely at night. Picked it up secondhand at a very good price... It really is a fine binocular and I cannot fault it apart from the individual focusing but that's how it comes! If I didn't have the Nikon, I would seriously think about the Vixen, especially as it has centre-focusing.

Thanks for the comments in the other thread.

Andrew

[vaubu]

Originally Posted by FrankD

No, I am not in the pic but my two boys and the future Mrs. are.

Congrats!

[chris lewis]

Are the Foresta's fully Japanese made ?
I see also that Vixen have / had a 7x50 'Aqua' version at 7.5 degres.
This seems to be discontinued model.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Binocular.html

Chris

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by FrankD

As many of you are aware I have been collecting and posting about various vintage/classic 7x35 porro prism models over the last few months. Though my enthusiasm for them is still great my purchasing of these models has slowed quite a bit. I feel as if I have a fairly good handle on performance for many of the various sub designs of these models. Still, I am keeping an eye out for anything unusual that may pop up on “the bay”.

The porro prism design itself, though vastly underrated by the current market, is still something that holds a great deal of interest on my part. My curiosity around the design has led me to look for current production units that might begin to approach some of the performance levels of many of these classic porros. I have owned many of the highly regarded current/semi-current porro prism models such as the Nikon E, EII and SE. I have yet to lay my hands on one of the ED Swift Audubons but hope to eventually.

So, what then is left to try for current porros? Sure, I would love to put my eyes up to the oculars of a Swarovski Habicht but they are out of my price range and not really available anywhere locally for me just to look through. What else is out there that deserves some attention? That was the question I was left with recently. Yes, there are many low price range porro prism models out there…Nikon Action/Action EX, Orion Ultraview, Pentax WP II, Bushnell Legend, etc… I have owned them all at one time or another and have found them to certainly be worth their price and then some. They are excellent performers at their respective price point. The problem though is that it seems as if there aren’t many upper-low to mid-priced models currently available that offer enough of a performance increase over these lower price models. The day of having a high quality $200-$400 just doesn’t seem to have arrived…or has it?

Well, about a month ago I received a tip from another forum member about a screaming deal on a current porro model that falls into this price range, the Vixen Foresta 8x42. I ordered one and received it in short order (gotta love Amazon Prime). This configuration isn’t what this post is about though. Even though I found the 8x42 very impressive optically and ergonomically my fascination with 7x models led me to eventually purchase the highly regarded 7x50.

I say “highly regarded” simply because, although it has never really been discussed in detail here on BF, it has been rated very highly over on Cloudy Nights. The honorable “EdZ” gave it some extremely high marks when he reviewed it several years ago and two forum members (one being our Bob/Ky) have offered up similar favorable comments.

Why hasn’t it caught on more? Well, I am left to believe that it is because of two reasons. For one it is a 50 mm model. 50 mm models tend to be large binoculars and most birders tend to prefer relatively compact models (8x32, 8x42, 10x42, etc...) in the grand scheme of things. Second, since it is a modern 7x50 porro its apparent field of view is fairly narrow…7.1 degrees (advertised and verified). That only equates to about 370 or so feet and/or a 50 degree apparent field of view. Considering my recent fascination with extra wide angle 7x’s (10 or 11 degree apparent) you would think that something this “narrow” wouldn’t interest me. So did I but after receiving it I can honestly say that I was wrong. I have a few ideas why this is the case and will elaborate on them below. So, without further preamble here are my thoughts on this model...

Optical Performance:

Everyone always loves to cut right to the chase so why bother posting about the accessories or other items initially? I always scan through reviews until I see words like “brightness, sharpness, CA control, etc…". So let’s start here. Optically this binocular is extraordinary. Its object performance is among the very best binoculars I have had the privilege to own or use. Apparent brightness, apparent contrast and apparent sharpness are all excellent and have to be considered comparable to anything else currently on the market. How could you not expect that from a fully multicoated porro prism model with a triplet 50 mm objective costing at/around $300? Oh, I did forget to mention that. This particular configuration is the only one within the Foresta product line that offers a triplet objective. This helps to produce an image that is practically free of chromatic aberration (color fringing on high contrast objects) throughout most of the entire field of view. I say “most” because CA is very well controlled within the sweet spot of image in focus and relatively free of distortion. Which brings us to another area of optical performance…the size of the sweet spot?

The “Sweet spot” on this model is huge. Without moving the binoculars and just letting your eyes scan around the huge 7+ mm exit pupil it almost appears as if the sweet spot covers the entire field of view. Truly sharp from edge to edge. When panning up and down though you begin to notice a slight loss of image sharpness in the outer 5-10% of the field of view. It is very subtle though and not objectionable in the least. It is in this area of slightly out of focus image that you can also readily detect color fringing. It is moderate in degree but certainly noticeable especially in comparison to the rest of the image.

It is a combination of the size of the sweet spot and the excellent apparent depth of field that make one almost forget about the narrowish field of view.

I have to admit that this is one of only a handful of binoculars that I am never disappointed with when I place them up to my eyes. The image almost feels as if it “assaults” my eyes with it brightness, contrast and sharpness. Because of the porro design’s pronounced 3D effect and because of the 7x magnification these, for me, are almost a “focus it and forget it” type of design. Focusing on an object 25 feet away I am able to view everything from that distance all the way out to infinity without having to touch the focusing knob. I do realize that a bit part of this is the flexibility of my 39 year old eyes but some credit also has to be given to the binocular itself. When you also consider the huge exit pupil and all of the other optical performance areas that this binocular excels at then you end up with a truly comfortable and relaxing image.

Antireflective coating reflections on both the objectives and eyepieces are a deep green. I have an extremely difficult time seeing my reflection in the objectives.

Ergonomics:

As mentioned previously, this is a 50 mm porro prism binocular so don’t expect to find something “cute and cuddly” like a Nikon SE 8x32. I will post a picture or two below with the 7x50 Foresta in comparison to a smaller 7x35 Vintage porro below. It is about 7 inches long and 7 inches wide and weighs a little over 31 oz. Not a small or compact binocular at all. Still, from my experience with other current models, and many classic 7x50s, it is a fairly lightweight 7x50 model.

In terms of handling I find nothing objectionable about it when you consider my comments above. I do find that I can hold it steadier by gripping it along objective barrels instead of having my hands around the prism housings. This is to be expected considering the length of the binocular and the weight distribution. This is fine if I am focusing on objects beyond 25 feet because of what I mentioned previously. For situations that might warrant constant refocusing I tend to prefer to keep one hand on the objective barrel and the other around the prism housing. This allows me to obtain almost as steady of an image and still be able to focus effortlessly.

Mechanics/fit and finish:

I rate this binocular very highly in terms of fit and finish. The rubber, pebbled armoring is very comfortable to hold and yet provides enough purchase for my hands not to slip off of the barrels or prism housing. It is fully armored except for the central hinge itself.

Focusing tension and speed are certainly to my liking. It takes 1.25 turns to go from a close focus of about 12 feet (notably under the advertised spec of 19 feet) to infinity. Focusing tension is very smooth and precise. There is no play or backlash in the focusing mechanism. Focusing is clockwise from close focus to infinity.

The rotating rubber eyecups have two intermediate stops between fully collapsed and fully extended. Advertised eye relief is 21 mm but you lose 3-4 mm because of how recessed the ocular lens surface is in comparison to the edge of the eyecup. I have no problem seeing the fieldstop completely around the outer edge of the image.

Central hinge tension on this particular unit is perfect for my tastes. Stiff enough so that it does not move inadvertently.

The strap lugs are recessed into the prism housing on the bottom/ocular corner of the prism housings. The binoculars hang flat on my chest when in use.

Summary:

I make no attempt to hide that these are not your “average birding binoculars”. They aren’t your average birding binoculars because of their size and weight. They also aren’t your average birding binoculars because the optical performance in almost every area besides field of view is among the very best I have had the privilege of using. If size isn’t an issue for you and you want the best optical performance and are on a relatively tight budget then I highly recommend this binocular. Its optical performance level is only equaled by the value it offers.

So you ran out of old 7x35s to try, eh? :)

Glad you finally "cut to the chase" 632 words into your review. :-) But look who's talking!

Better to be long and thorough than to be too terse and confusing. A friend of mine who writes one liners taught me that. :-)

I do like your Socratic method of Q & A and your use of subheads. Your style is distinct, and even before looking at the avatar next to one of your reviews on Optics Talk, I knew it was you by that Q & A and the phrase "a big brown van pulled up in front of the house yesterday..." :-)

Despite my penchant for run-on sentences, I find myself "mooreorless" longing for terseness these days - at least in reviews - rather than wading through colorful introductions, disclaimers and asides before getting down to the meat. Just an ironic quirk I've developed, not a criticism of your review. The subheads help get you to where you want to go if you start nodding off 500 words in...which at 12:30 a.m. tends to happen :-)

Didn't the Big Professor have an issue with full illumination of the exit pupil or something and back off from his initial rave review of this bin? I think he recanted on the full illumination of the exit pupil thang altogether. But there was something he had second thoughts about with this bin. I will have to do some digging over on the dark side when I have the time.

What's a shame about 7x50s is that you can't have your cake and eat it too. Most 7x50s have narrowish FsOV, 7-7.5*. The Miyauchi Binons are notable exceptions, but then you lose the edge sharpness. But boy, they sure are purdy.

Pretty in Pink

It would be nice to be 39 again, and again, and again...(born on Feb. 29th :-), but alas my uber-39 exit pupils can only open to 5mm, so with a 7x50 I only get a 7x35's worth of light to my eyes but a 7x50's worth of weight in my hands, and I end up making a large sacrifice in FOV by scaling up in aperture.

While this particular 7x50 seems like a good bang for the buck with its triplet objectives and good edges, and I'm glad you brought it to our attention on the Day Side, the trade offs only seem worth it if you can take full advantage of the exit pupils and aperture, and if whatever you are observing doesn't require a WF view (which, for me, leaves out birding). Got to be some target that doesn't move fast like the stars.

What I find interesting is that despite your recently discovered interest in EWA bins (I blame/credit your EWA mania for my recent purchase of a Celestron 10x50 Nova), you have a high tolerance for narrowish "pipe views".

You also liked the Leupold 8x42 Cascades porro (all five of them :-) despite their narrowish FOV, which I found claustrophobic. In fact, I had to run out into the middle of an open field after looking thru the Cascades to shake that "fenced in" feeling.

Like the French tight wire walker used to say in that old TV commercial: Wider is Bedder.

Speaking of France, word on the street in Paris has it that the 8x42 Foresta self destructs in 3 years (goes out of collimation, I think, Bablefish was a bit obscure on some words). The European warranty is 2 years, so French birders are foaming at the mustache about this. Which makes me wonder if the 7x50 also discombobulates in 3 years. Well, if you have them that long, we'll find out.

Thanks for the review of this "sleeper" and for the photos. Even if the FOV were wider, the eyecups look too wide for my de Gaulle nose, a common problem I have with twist-up eyecup porros.

With eyecups, Wider is NOT Bedder. :-)

Brock
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