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Looking for 8X30/32 (1 Viewer)

wachipilotes

Well-known member
Hello,
I have tried some compact pocket binoculars, although not all the good ones, and they do not convince me, but I still need a good compact, I'm thinking of some quality 8x30 / 32, with a good contrast and sharpness, I'm shuffling any of the following, although I know there are many more:
-Conquest Zeiss 8x32 HD
- Swarosvki CL Companion 8X30
- Swarovski Habicht 8x30 (also I love the porro binoculars)
- Nikon Monarch 7 8x30
I would be happy to listen to your advice.
Thank you
Wachi
 
If you love porros the 8x30 Nikon EII are very hard to beat anywhere anytime for the money. I think they can hang in with $2000+ binoculars in many ways and I've compared them to the Zeiss Victory SF 8x42 and they can compete to a degree. They have a marvelous 3d view and brutal sharpness at center. IMO they really are an alpha bino and only the Nikon EDG would likely be much better from what Nikon still sells. Yet it only costs $500. They are very small and lightweight but are not waterproof. I have both the 8x30 and 10x35 and the are all I take out these days. I even bought an extra pair of 8x30 so I'd never be without. Others here will agree.
 
If you love porros the 8x30 Nikon EII are very hard to beat anywhere anytime for the money. I think they can hang in with $2000+ binoculars in many ways and I've compared them to the Zeiss Victory SF 8x42 and they can compete to a degree. They have a marvelous 3d view and brutal sharpness at center. IMO they really are an alpha bino and only the Nikon EDG would likely be much better from what Nikon still sells. Yet it only costs $500. They are very small and lightweight but are not waterproof. I have both the 8x30 and 10x35 and the are all I take out these days. I even bought an extra pair of 8x30 so I'd never be without. Many other here will agree.


Agreed. Great bang for the buck. Had them for a few weeks and LOVED bringing them on hikes. So light and compact. The lack of waterproofness and shaky warranty service led me to return them.

Thoughts on the rest of them:

Conquest Zeiss 8x32 HD - Kinda heavy. Great color and clarity as well as brightness for the money.

CL Companion 8x32 - Had high hopes - Tried them at a store and wasn't as impressed as the EL's. Not as sharp in my opinion but it really depends on who is looking through them. I thought their view was similar to the Conquest therefore the price difference becomes key here.

Nikon Monarch 8x30 - Great image, but not a comfortable view. A lot of kidney bean blackouts difficult to attain (again - this is very subjective).

Habicht 8x30 - A TON has been said about them on these forums. I defer to their expertise for I have not tried them.

Also take a look at Maven's 8x32 as well as German Precision Optics ED 8x32.
 
BC,

If you haven't tried the new Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 B you should do so.

https://www.allbinos.com/1892-Swarovski_CL_Companion_8x30_B-binoculars_specifications.html

Don't confuse it with the older CL Companion 8x30, (see link below)which does not have as wide a FOV as the 8x30B. Nor does it have what Swarovski calls an "Optical Box" in its eyepiece design.

https://www.allbinos.com/1310-Swarovski_CL_Companion_8x30-binoculars_specifications.html

This "optical box", which appears to be exclusive with Swarovski to this new CL Companion 8x30B binocular makes eye placement much easier allowing the user more leeway in finding the correct eye placement for the eye cups. I have never experienced a "black out" with it and I can move the eye cups back around my eye balls while using it or, alternatively, I can brace the eye cups up against my brow ridge and still use it without experiencing blackouts. I have never been able to do this with any other binocular

I have one of the older Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 binoculars and a Monarch 7 8x30 and a Zeiss Terra 8x32 and they are not in the same league with my Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 B. The only 8x32 I have that matches its overall view is my discontinued Nikon 8x32 LXL (same as HGL) which was replaced by Nikon's 8x32 EDG.

Bob
 
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How much $ are we going to spend? Over $2K BEST(SV 8x32), $1KBETTER(New CL 8x30), $500 GOOD(Nikon 8x30 EII). The SV 8x32 and CL 8x30 will give you sharper edges and better contrast than the EII and of course they will be waterproof and dustproof if you live in a humid or rainy climate which could be important.
 
I'm willing to spend over two grand if I'm going to be happy with that expenditure but I'd rather spend a grand if I can be happy with that of course

You are the second person today Dennis to tell me the CL is a good optic and worth consideration. Others before today have said it's only mediocre. So you're saying the view optically is better than the EII? Is that really true? What about dead center?
 
The CL 8x30 will give you better contrast, sharper edges and less distortion than the EII and it is just as sharp on-axis and it is a waterproof easier to handle IMO binocular. Of course the EII has that big 3D FOV so it depends on what you like. I prefer the CL 8x30 and the SV 8x32 takes it up another step with tack sharp edges and great contrast. For me even with the glare issues the SV 8x32 is the best 32mm.
 
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Have you looked at the Zeiss 8x32. You must have. You've looked at everything. What's your opinion on those? You like the Swaros better right? Why?
 
Hello,
I have tried some compact pocket binoculars, although not all the good ones, and they do not convince me, but I still need a good compact, I'm thinking of some quality 8x30 / 32, with a good contrast and sharpness, I'm shuffling any of the following, although I know there are many more:
-Conquest Zeiss 8x32 HD
- Swarosvki CL Companion 8X30
- Swarovski Habicht 8x30 (also I love the porro binoculars)
- Nikon Monarch 7 8x30
I would be happy to listen to your advice.
Thank you
Wachi

I'd had all those at some point! :smoke:

The Nikon Monarch 7 8X30 is a nice binocular for it's size. Very compact. Good optics and nice FOV. The Conquest HD 8X32 is a better binocular though a good bit larger. My Companion 8X30 is the pervious model and I like it. The Habicht I just sold....not enough eye-relief for me but very nice... The Conquest HD 8X32 would be #1 on my list of those you mentioned.
 
Have you looked at the Zeiss 8x32. You must have. You've looked at everything. What's your opinion on those? You like the Swaros better right? Why?
I had the Swarovski SV 8x32, Zeiss 8x32 FL and the Nikon EDG II 8x32 at one time and compared them very carefully because I decided to keep just one. I like the SV the best, EDG II was second and the Zeiss FL was third. I preferred the flat field and sharper edges of the SV and EDG over the Zeiss and the SV was my favorite because of it's more compact size than the other two and it's tack sharp edges and IMO it had better contrast than the other two.
 
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I had the Swarovski SV 8x32, Zeiss 8x32 FL and the Nikon EDG II 8x32 at one time and compared them very carefully because I decided to keep just one. I like the SV the best, EDG II was second and the Zeiss FL was third. I preferred the flat field and shaper edges of the SV and EDG over the Zeiss and the SV was my favorite because of it's more compact size than the other two and it's tack sharp edges and IMO it had better contrast than the other two.

Think I agree with this, I have the ZEISS FL, its a great binocular, but have tried out the Swaro SV 8X32 and felt it was very slightly better than my Zeiss, as I already have the Zeiss there is not enough in it to make me change, i'm quite happy with my FL, but if nitpickingly honest I did feel the Swaro was marginally the better, and seemed to handle a little more comfortably, if I hadnt already bought the FL and was comparing them, I think I would likely have gone for the SV.
 
Steady on Dennis. The EL is the same 138mm length as the EDG and the Zeiss FL is shorter at 129mm.

Lee
What I meant by that is not really the overall length but the diameter of the tubes. The tubes on the SV were slimmer in diameter so I could wrap my fingers around them easier. I found the EDG and FL chunkier which for the size of my hands were less comfortable. It is just another reason to try them all because you may have bigger hands. It comes down to personal preference with those three.
 
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Dennis is right on this one. I've had 8x32 SV and FL for years now. The FL is bigger in 2 of 3 dimensions. It is shorter and that's it. For me SV feels much better in the hand. Super secure feeling in one hand. Optically it leaves the FL behind as well.
 
What I meant by that is not really the overall length but the diameter of the tubes. The tubes on the SV were slimmer in diameter so I could wrap my fingers around them easier. I found the EDG and FL chunkier which for the size of my hands were less comfortable. It is just another reason to try them all because you may have bigger hands. It comes down to personal preference with those three.

OK I get that. Thanks for the clarification.

Lee
 
If I were to buy an 8X32 binocular it would without question be the EL SV. The only view I have ever had through this binocular was absolutely stunning, as if there were no binocular there.

My regular glass is an EL SV 10X42, and I was blown away by the view of a perched Red-tailed hawk in the 8X32.
 
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