Maven B1.2 10x42, my thoughts. (2 Viewers)

[Megaloblatta]

I have been using Maven's C1 10x42 binoculars for four years and have been very impressed with them. Because of Maven's amazing lifetime no-fault warranty, I take them with me on the wildlife tours I do in Indonesia, rather than risking my 'Alpha' binoculars, which are no longer in warranty. The only serious flaw with the C1s are the eyecups, which move far, far, too easily. I use them on maximum extension, and they often don't stay up. I have therefore fixed them firmly into position with elastic cord. This is a good solution, but it really shouldn't be necessary. The 'fix' looks OK and the cord can be easily and very quickly removed if desired - see pics below. I have heard that Maven will be releasing improved eyecups, and I really hope that they will be available to purchase separately.

Anyway, I have read many 'glowing' reviews of the B1.2 and so decided to purchase a pair as an upgrade. I decided on the black/grey model, as birds have excellent colour vision, and the bright orange parts of the regular model may therefore attract their attention, which is not what you want. I received the binoculars recently and am very impressed. The build quality is excellent and their optical quality is amazing. I compared them to my C1s and could see that they were slightly sharper and brighter. Their colour rendition also seemed more vivid - but perhaps this was due to the increased brightness. Comparing them to my Zeiss Victory 10x42 T* FL, I could see no difference in sharpness, brightness or colour rendition, so I will have no regrets with leaving the Zeiss behind and using the Maven B1.2s on my overseas trips. What I was disappointed by, however, was the eyecups. They were no better at staying up than those of the C1, so I have had to use elasticated cord to hold them in position, as with the C1s. This is not a problem, as I don't use glasses with binoculars, so have no reason to alter the eyecup position. A more annoying issue is that to see the whole image the binoculars need to be slightly further from my eyes than the C1 or Zeiss, which means that more light enters the eyepieces from the sides.. If the eyecups were about 2mm longer it may solve this. I have ordered a pair of Field Optics Eyeshields and hope this sorts the problem out. Anyway, apart from the issues with the eyecups, I am very, very pleased with the B1.2s.

PS. I have just received the Eyeshields and can confirm they work as I hoped. The 'modified' eyecups are now perfect, though it is a real shame that Maven didn't make them perfect to begin with.

 

[Harber8]

I still have my 10x42's. I had them for sale, as I now have some 10x35 Nikon E11's That I really like. I'm glad now nobody wanted the Mavens. They are both really, really nice binoculars, and are a bit different in how they perform. I use both. The Mavens are as you describe them. Very clear and vivid, good balanced colors. The Nikons also show color well, but they are not quite as punchy overall- its strange. Reds, blues and greens are very vivid, but the overall effect is not as enhanced as the Mavens. I suppose it's the coatings that modern roof glasses have. I kind of like the contrast in the views the two binoculars provide. The Nikons do have a bit more chromatic aberration, but it's not severe. The Mavens are pretty well controlled.

 

[Scott98]

I still have my 10x42's. I had them for sale, as I now have some 10x35 Nikon E11's That I really like. I'm glad now nobody wanted the Mavens. They are both really, really nice binoculars, and are a bit different in how they perform. I use both. The Mavens are as you describe them. Very clear and vivid, good balanced colors. The Nikons also show color well, but they are not quite as punchy overall- its strange. Reds, blues and greens are very vivid, but the overall effect is not as enhanced as the Mavens.

it's the added aperture. Everything's going to look a little better in a 42mm over a 35mm, all else being equal. The colors look even more vivid in a 10x56