Compact and Lightweight Binoculars (1 Viewer)

[42za]

Hello All,

What do you use when you want , or need a lightweight , compact binocular.

I have 3 that I think of as lightweight and compact.

A Kowa YF 8 x 30 Porro.

A Swarovski 8 x 25 CL.

A Leica 8 x 20 Monovid.

The Swarovski and Leica have superior optics.

The Kowa is however the "easier" to use binocular and despite being the cheaper of the 3 , it gives very good images that do not practically lag very much behind the Swarovski or Leica.

Here is a link to a picture of the three.

Thanks for looking.



Cheers.

 

[PhilR.]

If traveling for business, I will throw an 8x20 Leica UV in my bag.

When hiking, my wife and I both carry 8x25 CL-P. If hiking in western states, I will use a 10x25 UV.

We have an 8x30 YF that is a loaner bino. I do think it is lightweight, but I don’t tend to think of it as compact.

 

[jremmons]

8x25 Zeiss Victory Pocket remains the best lighthweight and compact binocular I've used. Fantastic optics and performs as well as a full sized binocular in normal viewing conditions, in my opinion. Very easy to use in terms of eye-relief and usable field of view. Build quality is similar to the Conquest HD series but with better eyecups (in my experience with both, at least).
I thought the optics were better than the 8x25 Swarovski, which felt more like a true 'compact' binocular to me than the Zeiss VP.

Justin

 

[[email protected]]

Nikon 7x15 Mikron binocular and when I want REALLY small a Zeiss 5x10 Miniquick monocular.

 

[pbjosh]

The smallest bin I own, and the bin I use the most around my local patches and hiking is an 8x30 MHG. It's small enough that on a long / thin bandolier style strap I do not notice it at all. While the Swaro 8x30 CL-B is very nice, and a bit sharper and could be said to be better optically, I prefer the FOV and close focus of the Nikon. It would be interesting to compare the Zeiss Victory 8x25 but I'm plenty happy with the Nikon and feel no strong compulsion to seek out the Victory. Now if there were an equally sized 8x30 that had the FOV of the Nikon but true Zeiss or Swaro alpha-level optics, I would get really excited.

 

[mwhogue]

If traveling for business, I will throw an 8x20 Leica UV in my bag.

When hiking, my wife and I both carry 8x25 CL-P. If hiking in western states, I will use a 10x25 UV.

We have an 8x30 YF that is a loaner bino. I do think it is lightweight, but I don’t tend to think of it as compact.

Phil,

Nice arsenal. For ultra small I like Nikon 6x15 Micron, for small 8x20 UV, and for normal pocket size Zeiss 8x25 VP which I slightly prefer over the SW 8x25 for larger FOV and much better egos for me.

If you don't mind a question, I'm interested, why did you go with the UV 10x25 as opposed to the SW 10x25 or other? I'm often tempted by the UV 10x25 but have been put off by the relatively/slightly smaller FOV of 288' at 1000 yards. Thanks for any input.

Mike

 

[fazalmajid]

I carry a Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 with me in my jacket pocket at all times. Or used to, when we were allowed to go out... I completely concur with jremmons’ high opinion of them.

If it were to get too hot to wear a jacket, I’d get the Nikon 5x15 HG monocular, the Leica Monovud, the Nikon 7x15 Mikron or the Leica Ultravide 8x20BL. All of these are severely compromised compared to the Zeiss 8x25, however.

 

[PhilR.]

Phil,

Nice arsenal. For ultra small I like Nikon 6x15 Micron, for small 8x20 UV, and for normal pocket size Zeiss 8x25 VP which I slightly prefer over the SW 8x25 for larger FOV and much better egos for me.

If you don't mind a question, I'm interested, why did you go with the UV 10x25 as opposed to the SW 10x25 or other? I'm often tempted by the UV 10x25 but have been put off by the relatively/slightly smaller FOV of 288' at 1000 yards. Thanks for any input.

Mike

I didn’t have much need for a 10x25 so I wasn’t actively shopping one, but I came across a used UV at a great price, and since I really like the build quality of the small UV’s, I thought it would be fun to have. And too, it was something much different from my other 25mm bino. It is my least-used bino by far, but I do enjoy carrying it while hiking in places like Palo Duro Canyon.

Phil