Hi ALL,
I'm new to the Forum; please be patient with my English, I'm Italian.
I hope this post can be useful. I'm 45 years old and I must carry glasses from many years (I'm short-sighted); therefore, in a binocular, I need good eye relief. Since I was twenty years old, I like photografy, and from some years, for naturalistic interests, I own some binoculars. This is my personal opinion about the models I own, in order of time purchase :
LEICA TRINOVID 10x42
my first purchase some years ago; I have tried it vs same family model Trinovid 8x42 at my local store before choose it; feeling of extreme robustness and optimal construction; well balanced, light enough to carry (for a man like me); optically all the one which one can be waited for from a Leica product or high quality product (extremely sharp with natural colours, no fatigue view); eye relief (14mm) enough good for me.
"I would repurchase" factor : YES
STEINER NIGHTHUNTER XP 8x56
I must admit to have been attracted from Steiner company claims to this model without to try it before carefully. Heavy (1100 gr) to hold, with a sort of "always in focus" system (Sport-Auto-Focus, like called by Steiner), that I don't like too much... It seems built like a tank, great eye relief (21mm) but, for me, it's simply too expensive (1000 euro in Italy) for its total optical performances.
"I would repurchase" factor : I think NO
MINOX BD 15x58 ED
Found it second hand for 600 euro; it seems very well built; optically superb, very natural and neutral colours, sharp, good eye relief (18mm) but... big, heavy like a rock (1490 gr!, it's the price to pay to have ED lenses), impossible to carry it for one entire day. At free hands, it needs of a sure engagement in order to avoid "shake view". After this, it pass me the desire of high blowup binoculars.
"I would repurchase" factor : at used price, uhmmmm, maybe; at normal price (1200 euro in Italy) NO
SWAROVSKI 8x30 SLC new
Little and light, I like it! Good construction feeling. Very great scene, shake free, relaxant view in all the senses; bright and sharp like my beloved Leica, great FOV, good enough eye relief (15mm) . Its anomalous focus ring position does not annoy to me. Only a problem: it has become the preferred one of my wife, practically I don't see it at all
.
"I would repurchase" factor : YES
SWAROVSKI 10x50 SLC
Found it second hand for 700 euro; I think this object is worth all the money that costs (as new, to); heavy but well balanced to hold, very bright and sharp, good eye relief (17mm).
"I would repurchase" factor : YES
PENTAX 8X43 DCF SP
At the price in Italy (600 euro), it's a great great product!
Little, very light for a "43" lenses; general impression of high quality construction; very bright and sharp and great eye relief (22mm), natural colours; easy and relaxing view. My wife like it, to.
"I would repurchase" factor : YES
LEICA TRINOVID 7x42
my last purchase, bought at the price of 849 euro, by an offer reduction-in-price from the Leica Italian importer; I think at this price, it's a real bargain! Construction typically Trinovid (high robustness).
Bright, sharp, great FOV, absolutely natural view, not visual stressing, it seems not to watch in a binocular; good eye relief (17mm,
very important for me). I think it's hard to beat (someone told me that Ultravid is even better!).
"I would repurchase" factor : YES! ALL the Life!
Well, at the end, my preferred are Leica and Swaro (no surprise here); in term of colours rendition, to my eyes, I think Leica more neutral and Swaro a little more warm. The pleasant surprise is the Pentax DCF SP. My number one is absolutely the Trinovid 7x42. Another thing I have learn in binoculars is... light is better!
I hope this review can be usefull for somebody with characteristics similar to mine.
Still sorry for my bad English.
Best regards.
I'm new to the Forum; please be patient with my English, I'm Italian.
I hope this post can be useful. I'm 45 years old and I must carry glasses from many years (I'm short-sighted); therefore, in a binocular, I need good eye relief. Since I was twenty years old, I like photografy, and from some years, for naturalistic interests, I own some binoculars. This is my personal opinion about the models I own, in order of time purchase :
LEICA TRINOVID 10x42
my first purchase some years ago; I have tried it vs same family model Trinovid 8x42 at my local store before choose it; feeling of extreme robustness and optimal construction; well balanced, light enough to carry (for a man like me); optically all the one which one can be waited for from a Leica product or high quality product (extremely sharp with natural colours, no fatigue view); eye relief (14mm) enough good for me.
"I would repurchase" factor : YES
STEINER NIGHTHUNTER XP 8x56
I must admit to have been attracted from Steiner company claims to this model without to try it before carefully. Heavy (1100 gr) to hold, with a sort of "always in focus" system (Sport-Auto-Focus, like called by Steiner), that I don't like too much... It seems built like a tank, great eye relief (21mm) but, for me, it's simply too expensive (1000 euro in Italy) for its total optical performances.
"I would repurchase" factor : I think NO
MINOX BD 15x58 ED
Found it second hand for 600 euro; it seems very well built; optically superb, very natural and neutral colours, sharp, good eye relief (18mm) but... big, heavy like a rock (1490 gr!, it's the price to pay to have ED lenses), impossible to carry it for one entire day. At free hands, it needs of a sure engagement in order to avoid "shake view". After this, it pass me the desire of high blowup binoculars.
"I would repurchase" factor : at used price, uhmmmm, maybe; at normal price (1200 euro in Italy) NO
SWAROVSKI 8x30 SLC new
Little and light, I like it! Good construction feeling. Very great scene, shake free, relaxant view in all the senses; bright and sharp like my beloved Leica, great FOV, good enough eye relief (15mm) . Its anomalous focus ring position does not annoy to me. Only a problem: it has become the preferred one of my wife, practically I don't see it at all
."I would repurchase" factor : YES
SWAROVSKI 10x50 SLC
Found it second hand for 700 euro; I think this object is worth all the money that costs (as new, to); heavy but well balanced to hold, very bright and sharp, good eye relief (17mm).
"I would repurchase" factor : YES
PENTAX 8X43 DCF SP
At the price in Italy (600 euro), it's a great great product!
Little, very light for a "43" lenses; general impression of high quality construction; very bright and sharp and great eye relief (22mm), natural colours; easy and relaxing view. My wife like it, to.
"I would repurchase" factor : YES
LEICA TRINOVID 7x42
my last purchase, bought at the price of 849 euro, by an offer reduction-in-price from the Leica Italian importer; I think at this price, it's a real bargain! Construction typically Trinovid (high robustness).
Bright, sharp, great FOV, absolutely natural view, not visual stressing, it seems not to watch in a binocular; good eye relief (17mm,
very important for me). I think it's hard to beat (someone told me that Ultravid is even better!).
"I would repurchase" factor : YES! ALL the Life!
Well, at the end, my preferred are Leica and Swaro (no surprise here); in term of colours rendition, to my eyes, I think Leica more neutral and Swaro a little more warm. The pleasant surprise is the Pentax DCF SP. My number one is absolutely the Trinovid 7x42. Another thing I have learn in binoculars is... light is better!
I hope this review can be usefull for somebody with characteristics similar to mine.
Still sorry for my bad English.
Best regards.
