brocknroller
porromaniac
Has anyone tried these new IF binoculars from Minox?
www.bhphotovideo.com
The specs look interesting, the 7.5x44 configuration yields are large 5,8mm exit pupil, it has 20mm eye relief, and despite the having IF EPs and being marketed to hunters, it has a 5-foot close focus!
My Fuji 6x30 FMTR-SX has excellent optics and AR coatings and is built like a tank, but it's close focus is about 40 ft. Not that IF EPs are well suited for birding, but if you can set it close to 5 ft. when you need to, such as looking at birds or butterflies, that's a great feature to have in an IF EP bin.
Some red flags: The price ($770) seems steep for Chinese binoculars made with a polycarbonate body, The polycarbonate is called Makrolon, which seems pretty tough from this description:
Makrolon® polycarbonate is extremely robust, lightweight with glass-like transparency and is impact resistant – even at low temperatures. It also has a high dimensional stability and is easily molded, yet displays excellent heat resistance with a glass transition temperature of up to 148ºC.
solutions.covestro.com
And this from the ad: Chassis material maintains a constant, neutral temperature in extreme environments and is temperature resistant, preventing the expansion and contraction that is common with metal, which can cause the optical components to move out of alignment over time and prevent sharp focus.
So instead of being a negative, Minox is marketing the polycarbonate body as a plus.
The FOV is moderately wide at 7.5*, which @ 7.5X gives you a decent 56.25* apparent FOV. The RAPID weighs about the same as my Nikon 8x42 EDG -- 27.51 oz.
I'm not sure why they called it "Rapid," perhaps because the specs help rapidly acquire their target?
A reservation for me are the large, plastic eyecups. Not sure they would fit my eyes/face or feel comfortable. I prefer flat eyecups with slim rubber edges on top like the EDG and the SLC or narrow rubber fold down eyecups like the Swift 804 Audubon.
If nothing else, it certainly is unique.
Minox 7.5x44 RAPID Binoculars
Buy Minox 7.5x44 RAPID Binoculars featuring Schmidt-Pechan Roof Prisms, M* Anti-Reflection Fully Multi-Coated, Short 5-foot Minimum Focus Distance, IPX7-Rated Waterproof & Submersible, Nitrogen Filled, Fogproof, Lightweight Polycarbonate Chassis, Open-Bridge / Dual-Hinge Configuration...
www.bhphotovideo.com
The specs look interesting, the 7.5x44 configuration yields are large 5,8mm exit pupil, it has 20mm eye relief, and despite the having IF EPs and being marketed to hunters, it has a 5-foot close focus!
My Fuji 6x30 FMTR-SX has excellent optics and AR coatings and is built like a tank, but it's close focus is about 40 ft. Not that IF EPs are well suited for birding, but if you can set it close to 5 ft. when you need to, such as looking at birds or butterflies, that's a great feature to have in an IF EP bin.
Some red flags: The price ($770) seems steep for Chinese binoculars made with a polycarbonate body, The polycarbonate is called Makrolon, which seems pretty tough from this description:
Makrolon® polycarbonate is extremely robust, lightweight with glass-like transparency and is impact resistant – even at low temperatures. It also has a high dimensional stability and is easily molded, yet displays excellent heat resistance with a glass transition temperature of up to 148ºC.
Makrolon® | Polycarbonates
Makrolon® has an outstanding balance of properties that have made it one of the most successful high-performance thermoplastics ever. Learn more!
solutions.covestro.com
And this from the ad: Chassis material maintains a constant, neutral temperature in extreme environments and is temperature resistant, preventing the expansion and contraction that is common with metal, which can cause the optical components to move out of alignment over time and prevent sharp focus.
So instead of being a negative, Minox is marketing the polycarbonate body as a plus.
The FOV is moderately wide at 7.5*, which @ 7.5X gives you a decent 56.25* apparent FOV. The RAPID weighs about the same as my Nikon 8x42 EDG -- 27.51 oz.
I'm not sure why they called it "Rapid," perhaps because the specs help rapidly acquire their target?
A reservation for me are the large, plastic eyecups. Not sure they would fit my eyes/face or feel comfortable. I prefer flat eyecups with slim rubber edges on top like the EDG and the SLC or narrow rubber fold down eyecups like the Swift 804 Audubon.
If nothing else, it certainly is unique.
