Hawke Panorama Binos (1 Viewer)

Hi Everyone this is my first post!

Can someone please enlighten me as to why Hawke stopped producing their Panorama binos? I've got a pair of Hawkes Frontier ED binos (latest version) which I'm pleased with and I'm thinking of upgrading.

I've managed to find a new pair of 8.5 x 43 Panoramas being sold new in the UK for £450 and I'm considering buying them. How do they compare with the Sapphire model? Is it worth upgrading from my Frontiers?

Any comments would be appreciated.

Also whilst I'm on here, does any body rate Hawke's Panorama 85mm scope? Cheapest I've seen a new one is £699 on a UK website.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Cheers

Peter

Hello Peter,

Welcome to the forum.

I spent a couple of hours checking out the Panorama at Cley Spy over a year ago and posted something about it here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=265831

I can't say much about the reason it was discontinued other than mention it had a troubled development period and the manufacturer and Hawke reached an amicable termination agreement. I was fortunate to win it's close cousin, the Zen Ray Prime, in the competition on the forum last summer. I liked the Panorama, but on balance, I think the sample of the ZR I have is somewhat better.

David

Peter, another welcome!

I recalled that this was discussed not to long ago so I found the thread. Hope it helps ....

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=296486&highlight=Panorama

Hello Peter, and a warm winter welcome.

I do find a lot of use for this spec and own a couple, although not the Hawke.

The Weaver Super Slam ED 8.5x45 offer posted earlier has since ended, but anyone who bought them at the offer price would have obtained a very good binocular indeed for comparatively little money. However there are other choices and I've updated this list just for interest :

Weaver Grand Slam 8.5x45, 700g, 104m
Bushnell Infinity 8.5x45, 708g, 104m
Delta Optical Titanium 8.5x45, 850g, 105m
Nikon Monarch X 8.5x45, 720g, 110m
Swift Audubon HHS 8.5x44, 665g, 112m
Vanguard Endeavor ED 8.5x45, 770g, 114m
Leupold Northfork 8.5x45, 765g, 115m
Bresser Montana ED 8.5x45, 885g, 115m
Eschenbach Farlux Selector D 8.5x45, 880g, 117m
Weaver Super Slam ED 8.5x45, 885g, 122m
Vixen Artes ED 8.5x45, 907g, 122m
Kowa Genesis Prominar XD 8.5x44, 940g, 122m
Bynolyt Albatross II ED 8.5x45, 940g, 123m
Hawke Panorama ED 8.5x42, 890g, 129m
RSPB WPG 8.5x42, 731g, 133m
Swarovski EL SV 8.5x42, 835g, 133m

Best wishes,

Hi Everyone

Many thanks for all your replies and links to reviews. I'm still undecided about buying the Panoramas, although £450 for a pair of flat field binos is pretty tempting!

I've emailed Hawke as to why they were discontinued them and they appeared to be a bit cagey about the reasons. Hawke's staff on their stand at the UK Bird Fair last year were pointing me in the direction of the Sapphires instead. Maybe they tried to copy the alpha glass from the 'big three' and weren't happy with the results as it was their first attempt at a flat field model? Who knows.

I think that I'll save up for Hawke's Panorama scope instead as I've seen good reviews about them and also Hawke haven't discontinued these.

So I may just stay with my Frontiers binos until Hawke bring out another version of the Panoramas.

Cheers

Peter