New 7x32 binoculars and 7x42 monocular models from Hawke (1 Viewer)

[mulligatawny owl]

Sounds like you have a bad sample. Mine are pretty good , just soft around the edges.

Maybe.
I was indeed worried about getting a bad sample so I ordered direct from Maven UK rather than Amazon and specifically mentioned my concern about sample variation. I chose a demo unit that had been used at events, thinking this would be my best option.

Alas, it was dreadful, no collimation issues, just optically very poor to my eyes.

I should say though that Maven UK seem to be a great company to deal with, answering emails very quickly, being flexible on price, free returns, etc.

Anyway, I know I'm a bit fussy and obsessive ( I kicked the bino habit for years but it's come back with a vengeance 🙄)

So, back to the Hawke 7x32, I'm starting to think that my sample fell in a vat of something and gained super powers at some point in its life. I can't really account for why I find it so impressive. I'm tempted to buy a second as a back up to be honest, or at least to ascertain whether mine really is an unusually sharp example.

 

[mulligatawny owl]

I had the Hawke 7x32 out with my new toy the Swarovski Curio 7x21 yesterday. I've been very impressed with the tiny Curio, especially when comparing them to my EL field pro 8x32 and SF 8x42.

Comparing the Hawke to the Curio on an overcast afternoon I guess sharpness is probably about the same, but looking out a mile or so across the salt marsh I could make out more micro detail with the Hawke, I guess the extra aperture is really helping here even in good light. The Hawke just appears sharper to my eyes.

Another thing that really strikes me is that the Hawke seems very 3D and porro like in comparison to the more flat and compressed view of the Curio, individual objects look more defined and separated in space in a way that reminds me of my old Nikon SE's. This combined with their exceptional sharpness gives them real 'pop'.

The Hawkes are really a strange anomaly to me, they don't impress as much in all conditions and environments, but nevertheless still leave me pretty stunned after four months or so of ownership. A grey day in open varied country seems to bring out the best in them.

Years ago I had three Zen Ray 7x36's and one of its variations from another company as well as various other Hawke frontier ED's of different configurations and they were sharp, mostly, but not this sharp.

I Guess I just have to accept that I've got an extremely sharp and perfectly collimated sample and hang on to them.

Either that or I've just gone senile and half blind in my old age.

 

[winginit]

Mulligatawny, it seems you got an excellent sample of the 7x32! Mine was defective, right side wouldn't focus. But the Hawke 7x42 monocular I have is great, I use it often.

 

[mulligatawny owl]

Mulligatawny, it seems you got an excellent sample of the 7x32! Mine was defective, right side wouldn't focus. But the Hawke 7x42 monocular I have is great, I use it often.

It's definitely a bit of a lottery that's for sure, I was just lucky probably.

I tried the 7x42 monocular but didn't really get on with it, I guess they take a bit of getting used to.

I've been on a bit of a mission to get something smaller but optically equal or better than the Hawke, Ideally a 7x, but without spending a fortune. It proved a bit of a challenge to say the least.I tried a LOT of bins out in the store. I originally didn't want to go compact but ended up with the Curio as the best of the bunch. I think I'd be just as happy going back to my old Zeiss pockets too, though the Curio fits me better.

I thought the Maven 7x28 would be ideal but it was really dreadful!

I realise now I was a bit harsh in my earlier assessment of the Opticron Traveller, they were nice bins, just not quite as sharp as my Hawke and a bit too prone to glare.