Could be sample variation. I have noticed that on other binoculars.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Quality Hiking Bin (non alpha) (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter pdecker
- Start date
Could be sample variation. I have noticed that on other binoculars.
KorHaan
Well-known member
Me too, the Conquests 8x and 10x30 were the worst. They ranged from totally frozen to very smooth in different samples (at room temperature!)
Best regards,
Ronald
RJM
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Ronald I am fairly confident the Papilio only has minimum (~3 surfaces?) coated optics, so just barely deserves to be called multicoated. I've seen glare in the eyepiece when light is coming from over my shoulder. Sometimes even see my eye reflected which is most disconcerting! Nevertheless, I still think it would be a fun optic to have.
Anyway, with the exception of the Pentax 9x28LV, the compact choices and IQ have not progressed much than when I looked 5yrs ago. I had high hopes for the Nikon Sportstar EX but no phase coatings means the dull images even on bright days. I think my Canon 5x17FC "theatre glasses" might just be the best choice for me to hike with. Just afraid it may get broke and I won't be able to replace them!:eek!:
Attachments
Last edited:
RJM
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Doug @ CNY has a special Birdforum members deal on the Minox BF 8x25 BR for $75! Too bad shipping to Japan is $50 or I would snap one of these up.
Kammerdiner
Well-known member
We should start a pool on this one. I'll say no, Dennis won't like them, mainly because I've never heard of anyone who did.
Bob A (SD)
Well-known member
We should start a pool on this one. I'll say no, Dennis won't like them, mainly because I've never heard of anyone who did.
Sure you guys aren't thinking of the BV series? These are the BFs.
lilcrazy2
Well-known member
8x25 BF - FOV 390 ft, 10.4 oz, CF 4.92 ft
8x25 BV - FOV 390 ft, 10.4 oz, CF 7.87 ft
8x25 BVII - FOV 358 ft, 9.14 oz, CF 4.92 ft
Most of the comments in the older threads seem to be on the older 8x25 BV, which I also tried back at the beginning of the year and found they had an average sweetspot, poor edges and significant glare/flare issues in certain lighting conditions.
Minox does not list the BF model on their website, and from the specs it looks like some sort of hybrid between the older BV and newer BVII.
Like Dennis, I am a sucker for trying out all the compacts, but figured on this one I'd wait with my big grain of salt for his take on them. And then try to interpret the results.
Tom
8x25 BF - FOV 390 ft, 10.4 oz, CF 4.92 ft
8x25 BV - FOV 390 ft, 10.4 oz, CF 7.87 ft
8x25 BVII - FOV 358 ft, 9.14 oz, CF 4.92 ft
Most of the comments in the older threads seem to be on the older 8x25 BV, which I also tried back at the beginning of the year and found they had an average sweetspot, poor edges and significant glare/flare issues in certain lighting conditions.
Minox does not list the BF model on their website, and from the specs it looks like some sort of hybrid between the older BV and newer BVII.
Like Dennis, I am a sucker for trying out all the compacts, but figured on this one I'd wait with my big grain of salt for his take on them. And then try to interpret the results.
Tom
Here's a couple of reviews and they sound pretty good for the money.
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...topics/4719135/Minox_BF_8x25_BR_bino_is_chang
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f18/minox-bf-8-x25-br-review-64294/
Last edited:
lilcrazy2
Well-known member
Dennis
The reviews sound kind of iffy and lack any real details. Not really a good review, but the one that says they don't come close to the Monarchs but then praise the edge sharpness and brightness, sounds kind of contrary.
The thing that interests me most is the light weight and wide FOV. And hopefully they will be much better than the BV model. I am still puzzled how Minox can put any decent glass/prisms in such an extremely lightweight and wide FOV 8x25 bino. Why don't you get the BVII as well and compare them so I'm not tempted.
After trying the 8x25 Columbia/Kruger Backcountry, 8.5x25 Weaver Grand Slam, 8x25 Brunton Eterna, 8x25 Leupold Olympic(single hinge) - all very good phase coated 8x25's and miles better optically than the Minox BV 8x25, I have pretty much given up on the 8x25 roof prism format.
IMO the discontinued 8x28 Bushnell Excursion beats them all - FOV 417 ft, great optics, PC-3 and only about $85 shipped. They are the same height and only very slightly heavier and wider than normal 8x25's. I made an offer today to buy a spare pair in case anything happens to mine.
Looking forward to your review of the BF and don't want a bunch of BS
Tom
Last edited:
Dennis
The reviews sound kind of iffy and lack any real details. Not really a good review, but the one that says they don't come close to the Monarchs but then praise the edge sharpness and brightness, sounds kind of contrary.
The thing that interests me most is the light weight and wide FOV. And hopefully they will be much better than the BV model. I am still puzzled how Minox can put any decent glass/prisms in such an extremely lightweight and wide FOV 8x25 bino. Why don't you get the BVII as well and compare them so I'm not tempted.
After trying the 8x25 Columbia/Kruger Backcountry, 8.5x25 Weaver Grand Slam, 8x25 Brunton Eterna, 8x25 Leupold Olympic(single hinge) - all very good phase coated 8x25's and miles better optically than the Minox BV 8x25, I have pretty much given up on the 8x25 roof prism format.
IMO the discontinued 8x28 Bushnell Excursion beats them all - FOV 417 ft, great optics, PC-3 and only about $85 shipped. They are the same height and only very slightly heavier and wider than normal 8x25's. I made an offer today to buy a spare pair in case anything happens to mine.
Looking forward to your review of the BF and don't want a bunch of BS
Tom
Man! You buy and try more binoculars than I do I think. That makes Bird Forum a good source of knowledge on what binoculars are good and which ones aren't. Yes, the big FOV, phase coating, waterproofness, single hinge design, roll-out eyecups, 15.5mm ER(perfect for me),rubber armouring,close focus and $75.00 price tag are what motivated me to give them a try. I get them Friday(6/3) via Fedex Ground ($10.00) and I will let you know what I think. My Nikon Prostaff's 8x25 are still my favorite and only compacts so I will compare them to them. I think they are representative of a pretty good reverse porro in that aperture. What is different about the BVII except a smaller FOV? Here is a review on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/MINOX-62030-Compact-Binocular-Black/dp/tech-data/B003GSLBSS/ref=de_a_smtd
Last edited:
KorHaan
Well-known member
I had Minox BL 8x32 BR's and wasn't very satisfied with their performance. The 8x25 BF's field of view puzzles me: 7.4 degrees isn't 119m/1000m, but more like 129m.
The BL's were full 7.5 degrees, same as my current Pentax Papilio 6.5x21, but I'm far more impressed by the Pentax than I was with the BL's.
BL's are gone, Papilio's are keepers.
Best regards,
Ronald
The BL's were full 7.5 degrees, same as my current Pentax Papilio 6.5x21, but I'm far more impressed by the Pentax than I was with the BL's.
BL's are gone, Papilio's are keepers.
Best regards,
Ronald
It sounds like the Minox BVII are quite a bit improved over the older BL's. I am not sure how the BF's will perform as compared to the BL's. I wll let you know what I think of them. I like my Nikon Prostaff's 8x25. They are quite good for the money. No SV for sure! If I don't like the Minox BF's I will just send them back to Doug. They have pretty good reviews from other people. We'll see.
lilcrazy2
Well-known member
Dennis
Yes I have bought a few binos, maybe more than a few.
I find it interesting that the only place selling the 8x25 BF in the US is CLNY, so I suspect they may have been some sort of promotional bino, since they are not listed on Minox's site. I see a riflescope page from CLNY where the BF series is listed as a promotional discounted add on with the purchase of the scope. I would assume the BF and BVII are phasecoated, but they are not advertised as such, while the older BV's were.
At the time you bought your 8x25 Prostaff reverse porros, you first reported that you did not think they were as optically good as the 8x25 Olympus Tracker, but preferred them due to the slightly wider FOV and waterproofness. Since then they seem to have morphed in performance with each succeeding review. I bought the 8x25 Nikon Travelites at the same time and they are slightly behind the Olympus Trackers optically, same FOV, not waterproof and have rubber fold down eyecups. I would suspect that the Travelites and Prostaffs are very similar from an optical performance standpoint, based on our evaluations against the Trackers.
I would probably have to agree with you that the Prostaffs appear to be the best of the small waterproof reverse porros. After trying most off the more expensive RP binos including the 8x26 Bushnell Legends, 8x26 Alpen Shasta Ridge, 8x23 Leupold Mesas, and a half dozen or more lesser ones, I remain unimpressed. Maybe the Prostaff or Leupold Rogue might impress me, but for now I will stick with the non waterproof 7x26 Customs and 8x25 Trackers, as they are by far the best of the lot.
Tom
Dennis
Yes I have bought a few binos, maybe more than a few.
I find it interesting that the only place selling the 8x25 BF in the US is CLNY, so I suspect they may have been some sort of promotional bino, since they are not listed on Minox's site. I see a riflescope page from CLNY where the BF series is listed as a promotional discounted add on with the purchase of the scope. I would assume the BF and BVII are phasecoated, but they are not advertised as such, while the older BV's were.
At the time you bought your 8x25 Prostaff reverse porros, you first reported that you did not think they were as optically good as the 8x25 Olympus Tracker, but preferred them due to the slightly wider FOV and waterproofness. Since then they seem to have morphed in performance with each succeeding review. I bought the 8x25 Nikon Travelites at the same time and they are slightly behind the Olympus Trackers optically, same FOV, not waterproof and have rubber fold down eyecups. I would suspect that the Travelites and Prostaffs are very similar from an optical performance standpoint, based on our evaluations against the Trackers.
I would probably have to agree with you that the Prostaffs appear to be the best of the small waterproof reverse porros. After trying most off the more expensive RP binos including the 8x26 Bushnell Legends, 8x26 Alpen Shasta Ridge, 8x23 Leupold Mesas, and a half dozen or more lesser ones, I remain unimpressed. Maybe the Prostaff or Leupold Rogue might impress me, but for now I will stick with the non waterproof 7x26 Customs and 8x25 Trackers, as they are by far the best of the lot.
Tom
I still agree with you that the Olympus Trackers 8x25 have excellent optics for the money. That melting sealant issue bothered me. If it doesn't bother you they are still probably the best bargain of any binocular. In general all these little reverse porro prisms are the best bargain of the binocular world at around $100.00 nothing can touch them
lilcrazy2
Well-known member
I've never had any trouble with the Trackers as you describe, and I have left them many a time in my closed up car & truck where the temp must get up close to 140-150 degrees.
I wish you would go ahead and get the 8x25 BVII to compare to the BF so I can stop wondering.
RJM
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Yeah, strangely the specs given for the FoV in meters correctly EQUALS the yards number in conversion BUT the industry standard has been to round off 1 meter = 1 yard. So in this case, 390ft/1000yds = 7.4°.
Anyway, just another example not to trust the numbers from the OEM/retailer and to take our own hands-on measurements. I would hope Dennis takes the time to give us the correct weight, FoV, and phase coating evaluation along with his usual hyperbole. These are the key features that would set this roof apart from other waterproof 8x25mm compacts.
Last edited:
