Maven B.2 11 x 45 vs Kowa Genesis 10.5 x 44 (1 Viewer)

[raptorbfl]

Hi,

I would love to hear the thoughts comparing the Maven B.2 11 x 45 vs the Kowa Genesis 10.5 x 44 from folks who may own both and/or handled and look through both. I would like to hear how they compare as far as build quality, ergonomics (feel in hands), optical quality and color and brightness, and quality of the eye cups.

Unless I missed it, I never have read any direct comparison between these 2 popular binoculars.

Thanks
Michael in NJ

 

[raptorbfl]

Nothing??

 

[Canip]

I have the Maven B.2 11x45 and the Kowa Genesis 8.5x44, but that‘s not the comparison you were looking for.

 

[raptorbfl]

I have the Maven B.2 11x45 and the Kowa Genesis 8.5x44, but that‘s not the comparison you were looking for.

Close enough though. What are your thoughts?

 

[[email protected]]

Nothing??

I had them both, and I personally didn't care for either one that much, especially the Kowa. They didn't work well for me. I would get the Maven B.2 9x45. I liked it and I think you would be happier with it. It is probably the best of the Maven's, and it has the AK prism. Maven has a trial program, so you could try the 11x45, but I bet you would like the 9x45 better.

 

[has530]

I had the 9x45 and handled the 8.5x44. Both felt quite robustly built and had excellent central sharpness and contrast. The maven (well I had the sig version) was a bit brighter in daylight (thanks AK prisms!) but had much higher chromatic abberation. Unacceptably high for their price in my opinion. The kowa on the other hand had practically none and was quite remarkable in that regard. Both were large but fit my (largish) hands comfortably. The maven is longer and the kowa chunkier. The focuser on the kowa felt more "premium" but both worked well. That's about all I remember.

 

[Canip]

Close enough though. What are your thoughts?

Build quality is very good on both.

Ergonomics: the Kowa has plain straight tubes, the body of the Maven is slightly curved; you may prefer one over the other.

Eye relief: according to spec., Kowa has 18mm Maven 16.7, BUT: usable eye relief of the Kowa (measured from the rim of eyecup) is only 12.5mm, therefore tight for spectacle wearers, whereas the Maven has 16 mm usable eye relief.

RFOV is comparable (Kowa 108 m, Maven 105 m, and close focus is very good on both (1.7m resp. 1.3m).

The Kowa fcuses clockwise from close to infinity, the Maven counter-clockwise. Focus speed: clearly faster on the Maven, slower on the Kowa.

Comparing the 8.5x Kowa with the Maven, the latter seems to have considerably more excess travel of the focus wheel beyond infinity, which may be of relevance if you observe without glasses.

Both glasses weigh about the same.

I consider both binos very good mechanically and optically, but haven‘t done a proper side-by-side yet. Further remarks (as mentioned, for the 8.5x Kowa, not the 10.5 one) can be found here:

Kowa Genesis XD 8.5×44 – Binoculars Today

Maven B2 11×45 – Binoculars Today

Canip

EDIT: in my own experience, customer service is better at Maven, I found Kowa‘s service very slow, but that may be country specific.