I have been idly looking for a compact binocular with (approaching) mid-sized ergonomics and optical performance for a while and found many of the preceding posts on the CL Pocket useful. I have many outdoor interests, some of which are physically demanding, and have found myself sometimes unwilling to take even my relatively small and light Trinovid 8x32BN with me. When instead I have taken my Trinovid 8x20BCA compact, I have often been frustrated by the tiny controls and fiddly ergonomics.
I took a chance and bought a 10x25 CL Pocket in the hope that it would fit the niche of providing quality optics in an ergonomically sound (almost) compact package. I’ve been using it for about a fortnight now and though I am by no means an optics expert, I have the following field based observations.
Image: I find the optics splendid. The image is brighter than both my 8x32BN and 8x20BCA in good daylight and only starts to lose out to the 8x32 deep into the half-light of dusk and dawn. I personally find the resolution fine and perceive a sharp image across a pleasingly large sweet spot. It has to be said though that the depth of view is small and very accurate focussing is required to produce the best results. A little colour fringing can be induced (dark tree bough against a bright sky) but I have to be slightly out of focus to force this issue and in ‘normal’ use I have no problem. I am aware of a minor rolling ball effect when panning up and down but not when panning left to right. At no time is this terribly pronounced though and it does not affect my ability to scan for subjects. The field of view is very good for a 10x25 and the binocular does not suffer from blackouts. I tried an 8x20 Swarovski about 18 yrs ago and found an overall ‘warm red’ colour rendition that I couldn’t get along with. Thankfully, the 10x25 CL Pocket has no trace of any odd hue; colours seem very natural and vivid.
Usability: The 10x25 CL-P indeed folds down to a pocketable size, notwithstanding the somewhat oversized case. I don’t understand why Swarovski would supply such a relatively voluminous case with such a compact instrument: not very joined up thinking. The strap too is somewhat incongruous, being more bulky and complex than it needs to be for such a lightweight binocular. A simple string-based strap which would coil neatly into the folded-down binocular, would be far more user friendly, and allow the smallest case possible to boot. The supplied strap has a mind of its own when it comes to packing the binocular into the case and adds a good deal of bulk. A further irritation is the positioning of the strap mounts on the binocular itself. These are towards the underside of the barrels rather than at 3 and 9 o’clock and mean that when hung around the neck the objective side of the binocular is the only part that rests against the torso and leaves the eyepieces a good few centimetres off the chest; right underneath mouth and nostrils! The CL-P is, as a result of this position, more inclined to try to dance about and turn pirouettes when climbing over fences etc. Even though very light, it feels odd not to have the binocular lie flat against my chest.
Otherwise, ergonomically, I find the CL-P very friendly indeed. Its large (for a compact) eyecups sit very comfortably on my face, much better than my 8x20BCA. Even though the eyecups are still too small to rest on the bony parts of my eye-sockets, I find them a very comfortable and a solid contact point – way better than the other current alpha compacts. The eye-relief is splendid too and helps to make acquiring subjects very easy. On that point, I wear reading glasses and with the eyecups twisted in can quickly bring this instrument to my eyes without the faff of removing my glasses to catch subjects very quickly. I haven’t been able to do this satisfactorily with my 8x20BCA or any other compacts I’ve tried. Big bonus for when I’m doing something that requires my readers, yet spot something worth a look. A further bonus of the generous eye relief is that I can happily blink whilst using the instrument with the cups out and not have to worry about brushing the lenses with eyelash grease.
I find the 10x25 CL-P’s size makes it far more comfortable to hold than tiny compacts and experimenting with grip means I’ve found a way to hold it very steady indeed. I don’t find the oft-reported extra shake of a 10x in any way a detraction and indeed have found I can pick out detail that is lost to me with my 8x20BCA and 8x32BN. The dioptre control is reassuringly stiff and out of the way so once set (tricky) is a ‘forget’ item. The focus knob is very smooth but does have a very slight amount of slack, more noticeable in cooler temperatures. This is not troublesome in the field though where focussing is natural, smooth, and easy – even in gloves.
I read a lot about the bridge hinges being floppy and indeed, as supplied, I found them on the slack side; the left barrel being slightly looser than the right. As has been mentioned this arrangement, though allowing effortless IPD adjustment, is not conducive to ‘one-handing’ or consistent use of the instrument, so I adjusted them.
It was easy to get to the hinge pins and 10 minutes with a couple of screwdrivers and some thread locking compound saw the matter sorted. The hinges now have just the right amount of ‘give’ for me, are very smooth and easily adjusted, but don’t flop about all over the place under normal handling.
In summary then, this is a splendid binocular and I will happily use it as my main optic for at least 90% of my jaunts. It is light and compact enough to take anywhere but has more of a mid-sized feel and optical performance. It is light enough to carry and use all day long, is a pleasure to use, and will – as a result – rarely be left at home. If it wasn’t for the strap mounting positioning, the strap itself; and oversized case, it is hard to imagine a more user friendly alpha optic – once those hinges are tweaked.
