Vixen Foresta porros (1 Viewer)

Yes, it's frustrating when a company has great engineering and lousy marketing. The 7x50s I just ordered have a 9.9 meter/32.8 ft close focus according to all the USA websites, but the translation of the Japanese site says "about 6 meters". I hope the Japanese site is right. Of course, there could be old and updated versions, as with the 8x32s. I don't know which one I'll get.

One of my pet peeves is that companies don't make good use of their websites. They could includes all sorts of background information at essentially no cost, but they don't. Vixen has a one paragraph blurb about about the 7x50s that says they have a triplet objective and another one paragraph blurb about the others. Every dealer on the planet just copied and pasted those paragraphs. B&H Photo copied the 7x50 blurb and used it for all the models. Vixen doesn't have any info on their website about improvements to the new models, differences between the generations of Forestas, performance specs, or anything else. They don't even say explicitly that the 7x50s are the only ones with triplet objectives or what the advantages of triplet objectives are! In the photography world, companies sometimes publish "white papers" explaining the technology in new DSLRs. Binocular manufacturers should do the same.

The Vixens seem to be almost completely unknown in the USA. I am shocked that I was the only bidder on both the Forestas I've bought even though one was two thirds off and the other was half price! If they put a little effort into marketing, they might sell some. The serial number on my 10x42s is 07A000210. I assume that means they are the 210th ones made? Maybe they're the 210th ones this year. Either way, it doesn't seem like they're selling many. They're good bins, but there isn't a single review of any of them but the 7x50s anywhere on the web that I can find!

I hear what you're saying Binoboy. Very frustrating.

I wonder if they're not making the effort because bins and scopes aren't their prime concern. I suspect their main business is the astro stuff so they don't put as much resources behind the sport optics. (I have heard similar said of Nikon concentrating more on cameras than bins and scopes).

Also, if what I have heard is true, they make stuff for other people to sell so perhaps that is their main business. I have been told they make eyepieces for Opticron and judging by the extreme similarities between some of Vixens and Opticron binoculars, that does not surprise me at all.
I wonder if Opticron and Vixen have some sort of agreement whereby Vixen don't sell sport optics in Britain. I have never seen any here or on any British website (lots of astro stuff though). Nearest bins and scopes for sale are in France and the rest of Europe.

The most annoying thing is that I can't see any porro bins by anyone else that match the Forestas in specs or appearance so I assume Vixen don't make these for anyone else to rebrand. If that's the case, they could market them without upsetting anyone. Couldn't they?

Whatever business plans are going on here, a little plain speaking on their website would be good though. As you say: "companies don't make good use of their websites." Why not?

Very annoying.

Once the Christmas financial storm has settled down I may be tempted to try the 8x32s though

Happy Holidays
Martin

I agree that having used the Foresta name for at least three or four series of binos doesnt help to figure their line of optics....The FOV for the porro (Z)wide(W)center focus(CF)HAS to have a 7.5 degrees..I am pretty sure that the 6.4 degrees are of the older Roof,(with the focusser on the front ,swaro SLC style)...the older forest porro was a 42mm using the body of the Swift 820.(the one mentioned by Kevin Purcell)..That one had a 8.5 degree FOV,but the sweet spot was not too big,if i remember well( I had the swift 820 and the vixen and was able to compare side by side)
I think all these new foresta Porros(they also have a foresta HD roofs !!!!)are all new,and they have been only around for a little while,so i assume only one version is around..
I was going to ask BinoBoy if the 10x42 he got were packaged in original box,or if they were Refurbs,or demos,salesman sample or what...im curious..
For me the diopter Adjs.issue is not vital(although my Swift 820 had a similar problem,and was annoying)but I am most interested in resolution,CA ,Flare/glare performance,and edge performance/sweet spot size... also..Do they have a plasticky bridge,or a solid metal body?..the rubber armor is very attractive,and the 8x32 looks pretty cool,in that green shade!

mayoayo said:

Do they have a plasticky bridge,or a solid metal body?..

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This is something I would like to know too. Especially if Vixen make Opticron's Imagic porros. I had the 8x32 of those and the bridge became wobbly within a year of buying them. One eye in and out of focus. Unbearable. Matt Green has posted at some point about his Imagic 7x42s having a wobbly bridge too. I hope that the Forestas aren't of the same ilk.

I purchased the 8x32 Foresta porros about a year ago. I found them to be excellent binoculars in all respects except one -- the focus wheel was stiff and did not allow fast focusing. For me, this is an important feature. For others, I am sure it is not a major defect; in fact, it seems to be a common problem with porros. The Foresta was well built and the view was crisp and sharp with excellent depth of field. In the end, I decided to return them. I may try the Vixen Geoma 8x32: specs indicate a wider field of view and better eye relief in comparison to the Forestas. No waterproofing however.

Mayoayo;

My 10x42s did come in the original box. However, there are two dings on internal elements of the left objective. I have sent an email to Sportsman's Guide (the seller) asking if I can exchange them or if I need to send them to Vixen for warranty repair. The ebay listing said that they were new, with no mention of having defects or being demo, refurbs, etc.

The bridge appears to me to be solid. Whether it is metal or plastic is hard to say. I guess is plastic of some kind.

Martin;

The bridge doesn't seem to have any wobble in it at this point.

dbuss;

Every waterproof porro that I know of has stiff focus except the few internal focusing models like the Leupold Cascades porros (which was also available as an Opticron model). They use o-rings around the focusing shaft and eyepieces that are tight enough to keep water out. The friction causes the stiff focus. It is really the only thing that keeps porros from being as satisfying as roofs for me. I went out with the Vixens again this morning and trying to focus on chickadees before they flitted was a challenge.

Well, I'm not getting the 7x50s after all. I got an email today saying that they had an accident in the warehouse and the 7x50s were damaged beyond repair. The left barrel is cracked and the objective was damaged. They're going to give me a refund. I told them that if they are going to throw away what's left of them, they should send it to me so I can evaluate the optics by looking through the right side.

Major disappointment! I was excited about getting them after reading EDZ's reviews.

Sportsman's Guide is going to refund the shipping on the 10x42s and I'll send them to Vixen for warranty repair to fix the two dings in the left objective. I'm having really bad luck with these things!

I shouldn't complain though. I got a spectacular price on the 10x42s and I'm happy with the Brunton Echo 7x50s I've already got.

The EO Raptors (which are the same bin) the bridge is plastic and is rigid without any flexing or wobble. I notice that even the Leupold Yosemites mange to make a low end bin with a rigid plastic bridge that doesn't wooble.

BinoBoy said:

Well, I'm not getting the 7x50s after all. I got an email today saying that they had an accident in the warehouse and the 7x50s were damaged beyond repair. The left barrel is cracked and the objective was damaged. They're going to give me a refund. I told them that if they are going to throw away what's left of them, they should send it to me so I can evaluate the optics by looking through the right side.

Major disappointment! I was excited about getting them after reading EDZ's reviews.

Sportsman's Guide is going to refund the shipping on the 10x42s and I'll send them to Vixen for warranty repair to fix the two dings in the left objective. I'm having really bad luck with these things!

I shouldn't complain though. I got a spectacular price on the 10x42s and I'm happy with the Brunton Echo 7x50s I've already got.

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Binoboy:
You have quite a story here, for many here this alone would be a warning.
You must have patience, and time to spend on customer service, and returns.

I am thinking that it may be better to make another choice.

Jerry

The 7x50s getting crushed isn't Vixen's fault. The dings on the inside element of the 10x42s are surprising though. They're made in Japan and the build quality seems pretty high. The dings don't effect the view and I got them for 1/3rd normal price, so I'm not upset about it. Hopefully, Vixen will refurb them and they'll come back good as new. I'm watching for another 7x50 at a bargain price!

No the choice maybe is going with another seller that handles binos more carefully!!!!..I mean,If it was an accident and they got broken,well..no one fault,I guess..

Kevin..I dont think,the EO raptors are the same bin that BinoBoy is reviewing here....these are the NEW Foresta Porros,and not the older with the audubon 820 body(those woulod be the ones clones to the EO)...they look totally different and have not been reviews around,specially in the 8x32 (PORRO)

BinoBoy ,there is another 7x50 foresta on Eb@y,same exact price,with 20 hours to go..I wonder if it is the same seller...

That's the same ones! What the hell are they doing?

Now they've ended the auction with no sale. Must have been an error. I sent them an email asking what the hell they were doing. We'll see what they say if they answer. They refunded my money from the first auction.

They seem a bit ...weird...Huh?, First they the get the binos crushed in the warehouse, and then back on ebay...Who knows..?

They say it was a computer error. They canceled it as soon as I pointed it out to them. At any rate, I'm not getting them.