wdc
Well-known member
Over the past year, I've tried out and/or purchased a fair number of binoculars that interested me in terms of size, recommended optical quality, and most critically, eye relief. I wear bifocals of the seamless kind, and have reached a few conclusions that may be of use to others in my situation. What I've discovered is that I need more eye relief than some of the bespectacled folks on here who have remarked on their affinity/fit with a range of these devices. Also, confirmed that the ER specs are not consistent between manufacturers, which has been well hashed out on this forum.
Here's a list of binoculars that either worked for me, or didn't, along with some brief comments on other aspects of their performance. This is NOT a comprehensive test or in depth review. I leave that to others with far more time and experience. I urge anyone to try before they buy, if possible. It will speed up the process immensely.
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Not enough Eye Relief
Opticron Traveller BGA ED 8x32 ER:19mm?
I had high hopes for this pair based on some reviews on the forum, as well as the stated ER spec, which
just doesn’t work. 19mm? Uh-uh. I own other bins with the same, OR LESS, ER and they fit me just fine. I love the form factor of these, and the optics look good, but I can’t see the entire field, unless I push them ridiculously hard into my glasses, or view without glasses, which is not an option for me. They do, however, work fine for my wife, for whom they were intended, so will keep them. It is ironic that these are fabricated in the same facility as the Toric and the Maven, yet the ER spec doesn’t deliver as advertised, while the others do.
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 ER:16mm
Tried in the store. Nope. Dang! Since my first priority was to see the entire field, I spent no time examining the optics, once I saw they didn’t fit me.
Pentax Papillo 6.5 x 21 ER:15mm
Purchased sight unseen online and kept, even though they don’t show me the entire field. They DO work for other members of the family, so will live in the kitchen next to the flowers and the bird feeder.
Nikon Monarch 7 8x42 ER: 17.1mm
Tried in store. Nope
————————————
Almost fit:
Sightron SII 8x32 ER: 17.5mm
A forum favorite that were close enough to use regularly. A really nice, lightweight binocular. Sold to a family member.
Nikon MHG 8 x 42 ER: 17.8
These are great binoculars. Love the weight and the view, even though I can’t quite see the whole field stop as a crisp, black edge, and am probably missing a bit of the FOV. Perhaps the wide FOV is the culprit in limiting eye relief. They are VERY close, though, and in regular use I don’t think about it. A keeper, but I sure wish they had added .2 mm of ER. The performance of these do make me more curious about the EDG (ER: 19.3 mm)
————————
Good fit:
Pentax 8 x 25 DCF SW ER: 21mm
I’ve had these for 9 years. Good pocket bins for backpacking, travel, and birding in the parking lot at work. I can’t say they are optically superb, but they are a useful tool when you need one.
Leupold Yosemite 6 x 30 ER: 18.5mm
These work just fine. Optics are bright (brighter than the 6x30 Maven in direct comparison in low light) and sharp in the center. The focuser is a bit of a joke… very lumpy, uneven pressure throughout the range. Well, for under a $100 I can’t complain too loudly. They live in the kitchen to look at the birds in the yard. Great for a loaner bin on a bird walk.
Swarovski EL 8x32 ER: 20mm
They fit fine, and the view is excellent. They are much heavier than the Traveler. The focuser feels a bit scratchy or grainy as it revolves. Not a pleasing quality, for what is otherwise a really great instrument. These are primarily used by my wife, though I borrow them occasionally. They are currently at the SONA facility in Rhode Island being repaired (6-8 weeks estimate), after the focus knob snapped off during a hiking accident. As far as customer service goes, they do pick up the phone, and answer their email, so my hopes are high for a happy ending.
Maven B3 6 x 30 ER: 18.3
Tried as a demo unit and returned. Enjoyed the size, weight, view, and mechanicals, but wanted an 8x bin. The 8x30 Maven B3 does not have sufficient ER for me, so passed on that.
Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8x42 ER: 19.5
The first ‘serious’ pair of birding binoculars I purchased about a year ago, after trying out several pairs at a Wild Birds Unlimited shop in Novato. On the same afternoon I looked through the Monarch 7 8 x 42, Conquest HD 8x32, Swarovski El 8 x 32, and a few others. The Vanguard’s ER fit me just fine, had good optics, and were also the least expensive. I was aware that the Swarovski El32s were better, incrementally, in overall field sharpness, less CA, and greater contrast, but they were all slight differences, and even though they added up to a better view, I couldn’t at that time rationalize paying 7x the price. The Vanguards have a MUCH SMOOTHER focus than the Swarovski, btw!
Tract Toric 8 x 42 ER: 19mm
Great fit, and view, for the most part. My one caveat is that I sometimes feel the IPD isn’t narrow enough when I’m viewing at close range, say within 25 feet, chasing kinglets around the foliage nearby, or wrens frolicking in the poison oak just off trail… The focuser is smooth, but a bit stiff for my taste. Interestingly, the Toric eyecups are recessed much deeper than all the other binocs I own, but they still have plenty of ER for me. Opticron, take note.
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 ER: 18mm
Perfect fit for ER. Excellent view. I hesitate in going on about these, as it is all subjective impressions, but these have great contrast and detail to my eyes. The quail at the feeder look like Holbein’s portrait of King Henry the 8th..Actually more vivid! ;-). In short, I got the ‘wow’ view from these. The other day I played hooky from work for a few hours to go birding in the Berkeley Hills with ‘em. They are a pleasure to use. Oh yes, and the focuser is almost like slipping on a banana peel. Perhaps too fast/smooth for some, but I really like it. More importantly, the IPD range also fits me a bit better than the Tract for closeup views. I gambled on these, buying them online at Eagle Optic’s recent closeout sale, hoping they would fit me, and was glad they did.
The cons on this pair have been well noted. My daughter picked them up, twisted out the eyecups, and still had to hold them away from her face to get a proper view, so I may avail myself of the alternate cups, as long as they don’t ruin my fit. The rain guard is more like a clingy bathing cap that does not release easily, and the objective cover, a hapless little plastic raft, is the equivalent of what came with the Sightrons, refusing equally to stay put. Rather poor accessories for such an otherwise excellent binocular.
———————————
Disclaimer:
As I mentioned at the beginning my primary goal was to examine binoculars that exhibited the entire field, and then see if the optical quality/price ratio was reasonable.
Though I’ve sat there from time to time, and directly compared the views of some of these, for the most part, I just take them out birding, and appreciate all their good qualities. At this point, once the optics are at a certain level of good, the issues of CA, field of view, overall sharpness of the field, tend to become non issues, once you stop thinking about it, and start looking at birds. If I look for it, I can find some CA in ALL of them, especially on overcast days when looking at tree branches and chimneys and the like, but its not acute or disturbing to me. For comparison’s sake, I have an 80mm refractor ‘kit' that I purchased and assembled in the 90’s from University Optics to look at the comet impacts on Jupiter. It’s a simple doublet, and has a generous helping of CA at the edges of all bright objects, day or night, guaranteed. None of the above binoculars even come remotely close to that level of CA. I still use that scope regularly to get in on a raptor, owl, view the rings of Saturn, or the moons of Jupiter at a moment’s notice. And I keep telling myself… one of these days I’ll get a triplet apochromat… Well, I think I spent all my ‘triplet money’ on binoculars, and its been great fun. I can take friends and family out to bird, and have enough good quality bins to share with everyone.
I will continue to rotate through them, to see if one or the other really stands above the rest, but the fact that they fit my needs and perform well optically, with what are primarily minor ergonomic niggles, is what counts.
I need to express my thanks to the many folks on this forum who have so generously shared their own experiences with a variety of equipment, and also took the time to compare eye relief amongst the binoculars they owned.
Bird away,
Bill
Here's a list of binoculars that either worked for me, or didn't, along with some brief comments on other aspects of their performance. This is NOT a comprehensive test or in depth review. I leave that to others with far more time and experience. I urge anyone to try before they buy, if possible. It will speed up the process immensely.
------------------------------
Not enough Eye Relief
Opticron Traveller BGA ED 8x32 ER:19mm?
I had high hopes for this pair based on some reviews on the forum, as well as the stated ER spec, which
just doesn’t work. 19mm? Uh-uh. I own other bins with the same, OR LESS, ER and they fit me just fine. I love the form factor of these, and the optics look good, but I can’t see the entire field, unless I push them ridiculously hard into my glasses, or view without glasses, which is not an option for me. They do, however, work fine for my wife, for whom they were intended, so will keep them. It is ironic that these are fabricated in the same facility as the Toric and the Maven, yet the ER spec doesn’t deliver as advertised, while the others do.
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 ER:16mm
Tried in the store. Nope. Dang! Since my first priority was to see the entire field, I spent no time examining the optics, once I saw they didn’t fit me.
Pentax Papillo 6.5 x 21 ER:15mm
Purchased sight unseen online and kept, even though they don’t show me the entire field. They DO work for other members of the family, so will live in the kitchen next to the flowers and the bird feeder.
Nikon Monarch 7 8x42 ER: 17.1mm
Tried in store. Nope
————————————
Almost fit:
Sightron SII 8x32 ER: 17.5mm
A forum favorite that were close enough to use regularly. A really nice, lightweight binocular. Sold to a family member.
Nikon MHG 8 x 42 ER: 17.8
These are great binoculars. Love the weight and the view, even though I can’t quite see the whole field stop as a crisp, black edge, and am probably missing a bit of the FOV. Perhaps the wide FOV is the culprit in limiting eye relief. They are VERY close, though, and in regular use I don’t think about it. A keeper, but I sure wish they had added .2 mm of ER. The performance of these do make me more curious about the EDG (ER: 19.3 mm)
————————
Good fit:
Pentax 8 x 25 DCF SW ER: 21mm
I’ve had these for 9 years. Good pocket bins for backpacking, travel, and birding in the parking lot at work. I can’t say they are optically superb, but they are a useful tool when you need one.
Leupold Yosemite 6 x 30 ER: 18.5mm
These work just fine. Optics are bright (brighter than the 6x30 Maven in direct comparison in low light) and sharp in the center. The focuser is a bit of a joke… very lumpy, uneven pressure throughout the range. Well, for under a $100 I can’t complain too loudly. They live in the kitchen to look at the birds in the yard. Great for a loaner bin on a bird walk.
Swarovski EL 8x32 ER: 20mm
They fit fine, and the view is excellent. They are much heavier than the Traveler. The focuser feels a bit scratchy or grainy as it revolves. Not a pleasing quality, for what is otherwise a really great instrument. These are primarily used by my wife, though I borrow them occasionally. They are currently at the SONA facility in Rhode Island being repaired (6-8 weeks estimate), after the focus knob snapped off during a hiking accident. As far as customer service goes, they do pick up the phone, and answer their email, so my hopes are high for a happy ending.
Maven B3 6 x 30 ER: 18.3
Tried as a demo unit and returned. Enjoyed the size, weight, view, and mechanicals, but wanted an 8x bin. The 8x30 Maven B3 does not have sufficient ER for me, so passed on that.
Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8x42 ER: 19.5
The first ‘serious’ pair of birding binoculars I purchased about a year ago, after trying out several pairs at a Wild Birds Unlimited shop in Novato. On the same afternoon I looked through the Monarch 7 8 x 42, Conquest HD 8x32, Swarovski El 8 x 32, and a few others. The Vanguard’s ER fit me just fine, had good optics, and were also the least expensive. I was aware that the Swarovski El32s were better, incrementally, in overall field sharpness, less CA, and greater contrast, but they were all slight differences, and even though they added up to a better view, I couldn’t at that time rationalize paying 7x the price. The Vanguards have a MUCH SMOOTHER focus than the Swarovski, btw!
Tract Toric 8 x 42 ER: 19mm
Great fit, and view, for the most part. My one caveat is that I sometimes feel the IPD isn’t narrow enough when I’m viewing at close range, say within 25 feet, chasing kinglets around the foliage nearby, or wrens frolicking in the poison oak just off trail… The focuser is smooth, but a bit stiff for my taste. Interestingly, the Toric eyecups are recessed much deeper than all the other binocs I own, but they still have plenty of ER for me. Opticron, take note.
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 ER: 18mm
Perfect fit for ER. Excellent view. I hesitate in going on about these, as it is all subjective impressions, but these have great contrast and detail to my eyes. The quail at the feeder look like Holbein’s portrait of King Henry the 8th..Actually more vivid! ;-). In short, I got the ‘wow’ view from these. The other day I played hooky from work for a few hours to go birding in the Berkeley Hills with ‘em. They are a pleasure to use. Oh yes, and the focuser is almost like slipping on a banana peel. Perhaps too fast/smooth for some, but I really like it. More importantly, the IPD range also fits me a bit better than the Tract for closeup views. I gambled on these, buying them online at Eagle Optic’s recent closeout sale, hoping they would fit me, and was glad they did.
The cons on this pair have been well noted. My daughter picked them up, twisted out the eyecups, and still had to hold them away from her face to get a proper view, so I may avail myself of the alternate cups, as long as they don’t ruin my fit. The rain guard is more like a clingy bathing cap that does not release easily, and the objective cover, a hapless little plastic raft, is the equivalent of what came with the Sightrons, refusing equally to stay put. Rather poor accessories for such an otherwise excellent binocular.
———————————
Disclaimer:
As I mentioned at the beginning my primary goal was to examine binoculars that exhibited the entire field, and then see if the optical quality/price ratio was reasonable.
Though I’ve sat there from time to time, and directly compared the views of some of these, for the most part, I just take them out birding, and appreciate all their good qualities. At this point, once the optics are at a certain level of good, the issues of CA, field of view, overall sharpness of the field, tend to become non issues, once you stop thinking about it, and start looking at birds. If I look for it, I can find some CA in ALL of them, especially on overcast days when looking at tree branches and chimneys and the like, but its not acute or disturbing to me. For comparison’s sake, I have an 80mm refractor ‘kit' that I purchased and assembled in the 90’s from University Optics to look at the comet impacts on Jupiter. It’s a simple doublet, and has a generous helping of CA at the edges of all bright objects, day or night, guaranteed. None of the above binoculars even come remotely close to that level of CA. I still use that scope regularly to get in on a raptor, owl, view the rings of Saturn, or the moons of Jupiter at a moment’s notice. And I keep telling myself… one of these days I’ll get a triplet apochromat… Well, I think I spent all my ‘triplet money’ on binoculars, and its been great fun. I can take friends and family out to bird, and have enough good quality bins to share with everyone.
I will continue to rotate through them, to see if one or the other really stands above the rest, but the fact that they fit my needs and perform well optically, with what are primarily minor ergonomic niggles, is what counts.
I need to express my thanks to the many folks on this forum who have so generously shared their own experiences with a variety of equipment, and also took the time to compare eye relief amongst the binoculars they owned.
Bird away,
Bill
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