• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Opticron DBA VHD 8x42 Review (1 Viewer)

Jinty85 said:
I agree. That review is also for the older Countryman. However, the exit pupils on the model I tried yesterday were shocking and a total disgrace. £589 is a lot of money. Helios and Celestron can make binoculars at £95 with perfectly round exit pupils. Why can't Opticron do it at circa £600? Not good enough.
Click to expand...

Jinty,

Just curious why you might be concerned by the shape of the exit pupil. Seems numbers were around 3% light loss for those old Countrymans which would really come into play when viewing by moonlight and those VHDs are still going to be up to 35% brighter than a £90 Helios or Celestron at all light levels. If you think can spot 3% difference by moonlight look at heavier models with bigger prisms, but you would actually be much better off with an 8 or 10x56 anyway.

David
 
Last edited:
typo said:
Jinty,

Just curious why you might be concerned by the shape of the exit pupil. Seems numbers were around 3% light loss for those old Countrymans which would really come into play when viewing by moonlight and those VHDs are still going to be up to 35% brighter than a £90 Helios or Celestron at all light levels. If you think can spot 3% difference by moonlight look at heavier models with bigger prisms, but you would actually be much better off with an 8 or 10x56 anyway.

David
Click to expand...

Typo,

In your opinion, is it acceptable for a £600 binocular to have truncated exit pupils?
 
Jinty85 said:
Typo,

In your opinion, is it acceptable for a £600 binocular to have truncated exit pupils?
Click to expand...

I've seen it at all price points including the alphas. I just can't imagine a situation where something like 3% reduction in EP area would make any practical difference, so it's the very bottom of my list of criteria.

David
 
typo said:
I've seen it at all price points including the alphas. I just can't imagine a situation where something like 3% reduction in EP area would make any practical difference, so it's the very bottom of my list of criteria.

David
Click to expand...

It shouldn't happen at any price point. I imagine there's an issue with internal construction if they are truncated? Could you provide any documentary evidence that shows the figure to be approximately 3%?
 
Jinty,

I was just using that old Countryman result as an example which gave the right side as 2.67%. I've seen many with oval exit pupils which is perhaps less obvious, but are clearly higher than that with some examples. It's not something I routeinly check anymore because I don't regard it as important but I didn't notice anything exceptional about the VHD I tried.

I've never been brave enough to take a roof model apart, let alone an Opticron, so I can't tell you how the mounting and collimation is adjusted. I know the roof prisms are usually assembled in a separate casette and I'm sure there must be a 3 or 4-axis ajustment mechanism. Collimation is very important. There can be 6-12 lenses in the optical path and I think prism orientation is the usual method of compensation for any initial misalignment. It it is necessary to tilt the prism casette it will result in an oval EP. With a compact light weight binocular with small prisms there is a risk of touching a prism edge. If its a few percent of the area I regard it as inconsequential.

The Kite Bonelli 2.0 boasts a "large prism format" and is over 800g and the VHD under 700g.

David
 
Last edited:
Just a few thoughts on the VHD 8x42's.

After having said in the Viking EDFF thread that those bins and these were pretty much on par I feel I must revise that opinion a little.
I've spent quite a bit of time with both and feel the VHD definitely has the edge in pure optical performance.

Once you adjust to the smaller FOV of the VHD's it becomes apparent how good these bins are. Where I felt the EDFF lacked a little sparkle compared to the very best these VHD's really shine, I agree with Frank,they are really bright! In comparing them directly to my SE 8x32 in daylight they are one of the few bins that make the Nikons seem a little dim for a few moments untill the eye adjusts.
The VHD's have a lovely crispness to the view that is quite addictive.

Anyone looking for upper midrange bins like the Conquest HD really needs to try these out.
 
Last edited:
I believe it's just a slight coating upgrade, everything else remains the same. In theory they should be slightly brighter and sharper.
Already really great bins to my eyes so any improvement is most welcome.
 
Thanks Owl. It's a pity that Opticron don't give you the opportunity to trade in your old DBA for the new one :)
You can get about £300 on eBay tho and some shops are selling them at around 430 now. The new (plus) ones are around 580.
 
Pete Gamby told me it was simply a coating upgrage. "You won't spot the difference!"

I've not had a chance yet to put him to the test. ;)

David
 
Last edited:
Thanks David. I probably won't notice the difference in any case. Not many shops have the DBA+ yet.
 
Ravis said:
Thanks David. I probably won't notice the difference in any case. Not many shops have the DBA+ yet.
Click to expand...

Ravis,

All the retailers that ordered them now have them in stock. Have a look at the Opticron DBA Stockists dealer map to see if there is one close to you. Alternatively seek out an optics demo with an Opticron rep present

Stockists Map

With an LA18 postcode, you could either view them in Lamberts, now in Staveley, Kendal, or In Focus at Martin Mere which are the two nearest retailers to you.

Typo, I think you will notice the difference, and this is certainly the feedback that I am noting from the retailers who have sold them and re-ordered.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, the two shops I know won't get them until somebody orders them. I could phone a few others nearby. I don't like ordering and then finding they are not quite right when I try them out, not to mention that it might not be worth paying the extra hundred or so pounds more especially if I can't tell the difference. So hopefully I'll be able to go to a demo to try them out. A good demo should have the old one too, in order to compare.
 
Ye, it looks like my best chance is with Martin Mere near Southport. It's probably worth a trip anyway, excellent birding area. My regular itinerary is the A6 area. I don't mind going to Kendal, but Stavely's a bit further up. I could go and then on to Winderemere. I thought the camera shop up there that had the new one (dba+) was in Kendal?
 
Last edited:
Ravis said:
Ye, it looks like my best chance is with Martin Mere near Southport. It's probably worth a trip anyway, excellent birding area. My regular itinerary is the A6 area. I don't mind going to Kendal, but Stavely's a bit further up. I could go and then on to Winderemere. I thought the camera shop up there that had the new one (dba+) was in Kendal?
Click to expand...

Lamberts in Staveley has them in stock
 
Warning! This thread is more than 3 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

R
8x42 DBA VHD+ Monocular
Replies
1
Views
234
gcole
G
B
Which Opticron binoculars focus clockwise to infinity?
Replies
11
Views
733
Bentley03
B
R
DBA VHD+ 8x42 Monocular
Replies
2
Views
713
wm.wragg
W
S
Opticron ED/HD/VHD glass and coatings - very confused!
Replies
3
Views
1K
Conndomat
Conndomat
S
Opticron 8x25 Aspheric 3
Replies
1
Views
580
Dipperdapper
D

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top