A few weeks ago someone posted on BF that a new Maven B3 in 6x30 was listed on the Maven website. I was kind of excited about that but upon checking the site, the field of view was listed as 341 for this model same as the B3 10x30. This couldn't be correct. So today I called and spoke to Mike at Maven about this and he assured me that this was an oversight and will be corrected. The correct field of view is 430@ 1000yds. same as the 8x30 B3. Also that Maven reps will be at The Biggest Week in American Birding in Ohio again this year in May and the 6x30 will be available at that time.
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The New Maven B3 6x30 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter hawken 12
- Start date
I would think the Maven B3 6x30's FOV would be bigger than the 8x30. The 8x30 will still be more impressive because it's AFOV will be bigger. I had trouble with the Maven B3 8x30 I bought. The focus developed slack in it after using it for about an hour. That was enough for me to return it. I don't like problems.
birdrousta
Well-known member
I'm confused, because the focuser issue you reported in your review of the B3 was that it was too stiff. I don't see a mention of slack in section 3, devoted to the too stiff focuser.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=300771
And I agree with the review, after having these bins for a few months, the focuser remains pretty stiff. I'm getting used to it, but I know Maven has had input from a number of users on this topic.
I like the 8x30, but the exit pupil took a lot of getting used to. The 8x30 can't be converted to 6x30 - I checked in on this last week. If they'd had 6x30 when I ordered, and I knew then what I know now about eye placement, exit pupil, and my preference I would have ordered the 6x30.
My 8x30s will need to go visit Maven at some point. I put Butler Creek objective covers on them, size 19, 41.8 mm.
One cover fit rather too snugly and when I pulled it off to adjust, and the filter holding ring and rubber armor on the tip of one tube pulled off with it (I think everything was pretty warm at the time, as they'd been in my car.)
Very simple to reassemble, the optics aren't impacted, and currently I have a zip tie belt holding the tip in place. It adds enough friction that I can adjust the covers now without things pulling off.
And since Maven set these up for me with an 8 diopter correction, the make very nice binoculars for looking at constellations in the west-southwest and lining up my red dot finder in more-or-less the right place to start hopping. That's actually why they haven't gone back to Maven just yet, they're much nicer than my 8x42s for that.
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello Birdrousta,
I have several 6x glasses and one 6.5x glass. Practically, my choice is between a 6x32 Eagle Optic Ranger and a Meopta 6.5x32. I prefer the latter. This is my daily binocular, probably best suited to forests, which I carry with a 10x32. The 10x32 is great for distant detail but I find it hard to hold and useless for following birds in flight. Today, I had to resort to the 10x only for a rather distant hawk.
In general, a wide 6x is a pleasure to use,with a 5 mm exit pupil and was very popular 80 years, ago. Eye placement should be much easier than for the 8x30. I would check the near focus with Maven, as the posted 8.5 feet, almost 2.6 m is a bit longer than expected and it is the same as posted for their 8x30. Just as for the FOV, there may be a mistake.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
I have several 6x glasses and one 6.5x glass. Practically, my choice is between a 6x32 Eagle Optic Ranger and a Meopta 6.5x32. I prefer the latter. This is my daily binocular, probably best suited to forests, which I carry with a 10x32. The 10x32 is great for distant detail but I find it hard to hold and useless for following birds in flight. Today, I had to resort to the 10x only for a rather distant hawk.
In general, a wide 6x is a pleasure to use,with a 5 mm exit pupil and was very popular 80 years, ago. Eye placement should be much easier than for the 8x30. I would check the near focus with Maven, as the posted 8.5 feet, almost 2.6 m is a bit longer than expected and it is the same as posted for their 8x30. Just as for the FOV, there may be a mistake.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
"One cover fit rather too snugly and when I pulled it off to adjust, and the filter holding ring and rubber armor on the tip of one tube pulled off with it (I think everything was pretty warm at the time, as they'd been in my car.)"
I NEVER use those type of objective covers anymore. It gets hot underneath and melts glue and then something pulls off when you take them off. I have had that happen on two binoculars. The focuser was a little stiff on the Maven so I kept turning it trying to loosen it up and all of a sudden it developed this like 1/8 inch dead spot or slack in the focus before it would engage. I returned them. I can't tolerate stuff like that right out of the box.
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birdrousta
Well-known member
I wish the slack spot had made it into your review. I don't know how common it is, though. So far mine have been good, if stiff, about focus over the travel, and the right diopter is holding its adjustment well.
At first I thought the diopter adjustment was flaking, but then realized the issue was that I was resting my right fingers over both the focuser and the diopter ring and occasionally pushing it as well.
What I noticed this morning is that when it seems a bit off, it usually is, and the rotation on it I need is predictable from session to session.
the diopter compensation on my Monarchs is all over the place and can be correct at zero adjustment today, at -1 tomorrow, and at +1.5 the day after.
On the cups: yeah, I think I sized them a hair too precisely. But I like having them a great deal. The only decent stock objective covers I've used are those on the Monarchs....
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello all,
I was thinking of looking at, if not buying, the 6x30 B3. Then I read that it was made of polycarbonate. I spoke with Maven asking if the body was reinforced with metal or Fiberglass. I was told that it was polycarbonate with metal focussing rings. I simply dropped any interest in the binocular. Although the Zeiss FL line used polycarbonate, it was reinforced with Fibreglass. Although Zeiss has returned to metal construction, my guess it was more consumer conservative demand for metal than any inadequacies of their reinforced material.
My belief is that a good 6x binocular could be very useful if one carries a 10x32, as well. I just do not think the Maven is a good 6x, in construction or in optics but I have have had no personal experience with it.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
I was thinking of looking at, if not buying, the 6x30 B3. Then I read that it was made of polycarbonate. I spoke with Maven asking if the body was reinforced with metal or Fiberglass. I was told that it was polycarbonate with metal focussing rings. I simply dropped any interest in the binocular. Although the Zeiss FL line used polycarbonate, it was reinforced with Fibreglass. Although Zeiss has returned to metal construction, my guess it was more consumer conservative demand for metal than any inadequacies of their reinforced material.
My belief is that a good 6x binocular could be very useful if one carries a 10x32, as well. I just do not think the Maven is a good 6x, in construction or in optics but I have have had no personal experience with it.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
Interesting. You sure pick up a lot of valuable information on Bird Forum.
perterra
Well-known member
Seriously, no experience with it but you made this proclamation. I'm not trying to be rude, but just think about what you just wrote?
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Pinewood
New York correspondent
Please Perterra,
I quite realize what I wrote. If I was not clear: based on the information provided by the company, about its material, I have no "interest" in purchasing this binocular and I do not intend to investigate it any further. It was not a proclamation about the product but my "belief" in its quality and value. No matter what else may be revealed about this binocular, it is still made of unreinforced polycarbonate.
If I had not included my disclaimer of lack of experience of this binocular, I surely would have been remiss.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood
perterra
Well-known member
I think being pretty sure the optics arent good have never handled one, seems a stretch. But it's your stretch to make.
It seems weird that the Maven 6x30 is not fiberglass reinforced polycarbonate when the Nikon 8x30 M7 and the Kite Lynx 8x30 HD are fiberglass reinforced polycarbonate being so close in design. That would be an advantage for the Nikon M7 and the Kite. I bet Maven is wrong on that specification also.
http://www.allbinos.com/272-binoculars_review-Nikon_Monarch_7_8x30.html
http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/Kite8x30LynxHD-127.htm
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winwinbino
Well-known member
Would be very interesting if someone comparing the Maven 6x30 with Viper HD 6x32.
Yes, it would. I and many others consider the Vortex Viper HD 6x32 the best 6x on the market. They are close in price also.
