I just received a pair of the new Kowa BD25-8GR and had very high hopes for them, given the rave reviews of some of the Kowas. Unfortunately they fell far short of expectations.
First, the good. They are a beautiful shade of green, easy to hold, and the oversized exit pupil compared to 8x20s make them very easy to bring up to the eye and adjust with no blackouts. Of course they are quite a bit larger than 8x20s also, a little too big for me to consider them pocket sized unless it is a coat pocket. They are really a nice looking pair of binoculars, understated and elegant -- eye candy. In addition they come with an absolutely gorgeous case, one of the nicest I have seen. It is soft leather or leatherette, I can't tell which but it feels like leather, lined and with a red "Kowa" stamp. The whole package is so attractive that I would pay hundreds more if they worked half as good as they look.
I compared them to my Zeiss Victory 8x20 T* and Leica 8x20 Ultravids, and also the Leupold Katmai 6x32.
One could say that the 8x20 comparisons are unfair because of the price difference but one would hope a 25mm would have some advantage, and it does, in ease of use. Aside from that there is no comparison. Both of the 8x20s resolved much better in both low and bright light than the Kowa. The Kowa is barely adequate in my opinion as regards sharpness. I think there are many better choices in this price range.
One better choice would be the Katmai. They are about the same price and about the same size although 7 ounces heavier and only 6x instead of 8x. However the Katmai give a field of view that is almost 100 feet wider, and they can resolve detail much better than the Kowa. Both the Kowa and the Katmai by the way have reverse focus, that is to say you rotate the wheel counterclockwise to focus on something farther away.
Wally
