Not much info on the Kowa BD32-8 8x32 (1 Viewer)

Here is Kowas page on them.

http://kowa-usa.com/frontend/proddetail.asp?pn=BD32-8&co=10000327


Anybody own these or have experience with them?

http://www.discountbinoculars.com/

This is a large shop, called Out of this World, in Cape Mendocino, north of San Francisco. I've talked to them several times. They seem knowledgable, professsional, and honest. They also sell a lot of Kowa Binoculars. It is the glass they will almost always recommend. They sell lots of different binoculars. You might call them and see what they have to say in regard to any specific question you have.

orbitaljump said:

Here is Kowas page on them.

http://kowa-usa.com/frontend/proddetail.asp?pn=BD32-8&co=10000327


Anybody own these or have experience with them?

Click to expand...

The link describes both a dialectric prism coating and an aluminum coating. Not encouraging.

I have the 10x32, bought 'as new' for £150, which is a bargain in the UK, the new price being about twice as much. Nicely compact, well constructed, crisp image, although the focus is a bit too 'fast' for my liking, and goes the 'wrong' way (clockwise for close-up) but close focus is only six feet! I still prefer my 'old faithful' Zeiss 10x40 BGAT*(not P*) acquired some years ago for the princely sum of £425 secondhand (the most I have ever paid for a binocular) but the Kowa is a good performer, considering its lower price. Kowa used to make somewhat unreliable cameras many years ago, but have now gained a well deserved reputation for their excellent spotting scopes and, more recently, binoculars. My Kowa has 'Made in Japan' on it, which usually indicates good quality control. I've had lots of binoculars in my time, and the Kowa is certainly one of the better ones... Jim.

I test drove the 8x42 and 10x42 during the summer when I was looking for a full sized set of bins.

I recall that they were comfortable and seemed well made. With general outside viewing (no star tests, test charts, etc) the optics didn't strike me as much different than that offered by Pentax, Vortex, etc. in the same price range.

There was nothing about the Kowa BD that I found objectionable, but there wasn't anything that made them standout to me from the competition.

A nice bin.

I have a pair of the BD32-8 8x32 and like them. However, I am currently selling them because I have too many binoculars and I like my Nikon LX's better. Look in the classified adds of Bird Forum for the sale listing.

I bought KDGast's Kowa's and they are nice glass. Comparable to the Eagle Optics Platinum Ranger (which I prefer over the SRT's). You would have to spend a lot more to get the view these offer. Probably the best non-Euro 8x32 (besides the Nikon).
Dave