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Hawke Frontier ED 8x43! (1 Viewer)

FrankD

Well-known member
The Hawke Frontier ED 8x43

I know many of you have been waiting eagerly for a review of this new binocular. Steve, let me be upfront in saying that you are not going to like what I have to say. For the rest of you I think you are going to enjoy what you are about to read.

I purchased the 8x43 Frontier ED at the beginning of last week because of a little bit of prompting from Kevin Purcell. He managed to find the model after doing a little digging because of the Promaster Elite ELX ED threads on this forum. Judging by the pictures of both binoculars, and by what I have seen having both side by side there can be no mistake that they come from the same Chinese factory. The bodies are practically identical. They share that and some optical attributes. However, there are enough optical and physical differences to tell that each company had significant input into the specifics of each model.

This review is focused on the Frontier ED but because of the similarities between these two models and how recently they were both introduced I am going to compare the two in more detail.

Ergonomics

This binocular utilizes the same open bridge design that originated with the Swarovski EL series of binoculars. The gap between the two hinges is not quite as wide as the Swarovski but the effect is much the same. The physical weight of the binocular feels significantly less than it actually is because the user is capable of wrapping his hands completely around the barrel. The texture of the binocular is highlighted by several areas of raised triangular “dots” on the side of each barrel. There are also two thumb indents on the underside of the barrel to again aid in hand positioning.

The focusing knob is large and well positioned on the central hinge of the binocular. Like the Promaster ED model the focusing speed is slow by today’s standards. It takes a full two and one half turns to go from close focus to infinity. As I had mentioned previously I have found this to be a benefit in that it allows the user to dial in the sharpest possible image. The focusing tension is a little stiffer than that of the Promaster ED model but the benefit is that there is not any of that “play” that I mentioned in the Promaster focusing knob comments.

The contouring of the eyecups on the Frontier ED is also noticeably different from that of the Promaster model. If you remember from my review of that model I had stated that I preferred the eyecups to be more rounded in order to get a higher comfort level with my eye sockets. The Frontier’s eyecups are perfect in this regard. They are well rounded and very comfortable against my face. They feature the same three-stop design as that of the Promaster…fully collapsed, and intermediate stop and fully extended.

Externally the other noticeable difference between these two models is the color of the multi-coating reflections on the eyepieces and the objectives. Both external lenses on the Frontier ED show predominantly green reflections. The Promaster Ed’s are predominantly purple. I would assume this to signify different coatings specified by each company. Also keep in mind though that the Promaster utilizes a water/oil repellant coating on the exterior lenses. This may or may not play a part in the color of the reflections mentioned.

Optical Performance

From an optical standpoint these binoculars again share more similarities than differences. The view through the Frontier ED is bright with superb contrast and excellent apparent sharpness. The field of view is also incredibly wide and very “flat” in representation. Everything positive I said about the Promaster applies to the Frontier ED. The clarity of the image is stunning and, again, rivals that of the Alpha European models.

I want to key in on some key differences I have noted so far between these binoculars. Keep in mind I am splitting some pretty fine hairs here but I feel it worthy enough to comment on. For one, there is the color rendition. I mentioned that I thought the Promaster ED offered a very neutral color representation. Only in comparison with the Nikon SE and the Zeiss FL did I notice an ever so slight warm color bias. Even then I had to look a bit harder to notice it. In comparison to the Hawke Frontier ED I again noticed that ever so slight warm color representation. To put it more bluntly the Frontier ED offers as neutral of color representation as I have ever seen. It is easily as good as that of the FL and SE in this area.

Second, is the level of contrast. The Promaster ED again excels in this area. However, I believe the Frontier ED might even be a shade better. The image quality in this regard reminds me very much of the Leica Trinovid and somewhat the Zeiss Conquest series. I say that in that both of their images give a very relaxed and detailed level of contrast. The image provided by this level of contrast is very soothing on the eyes. It almost appears as if you could look at it for a very long period of time without becoming tired of it. The blacks just appear a bit “blacker” in relation to the brighter colors.

Third is the field of view and level of distortion in each image. The Frontier ED offers very much the same “Zeiss FL-like” view as that of the Promaster ED. The centerfield of the image is incredibly sharp (both because of the contrast and the low level of color fringing) but the outer portion of the image suffers from noticeable distortion. If I had to again use percentages then I would say it is very similar to both the FL and Promaster in that the center 65-75% is tack sharp. The next 15-20% offers moderate deterioration in sharpness but it is still usable. The outer 10-15% is distorted to the point where it isn’t in focus when the rest of the field of view is. The difference between this and the Promaster is that this almost appears to be field curvature in that I can get the outer portion in focus if I fiddle with the focusing knob a bit. Still out but the very outer edge of the field of view appears entirely “flat” in its representation of the image.

As for field of view, yes, the Frontier ED is wider than either the Promaster ED or the Meopta Meostar. In direct comparison I was able to see a noticeably wider true and apparent field of view with the Frontier ED model. What makes this really significant is how truly wide this field of view is. The listed specification is 426 feet. There is not another high or mid-price binocular that even comes close to touching that level of performance. The Meopta Meostar at 411 feet is the closest followed by the Zeiss FL and the Nikon EDG. As impressive as the true field of view is the apparent field is even more so. At slightly over 64 degrees it is actually better than many of the 10x42 models in this regard. Other than some very inexpensive roof prism designs on the market there isn’t another 8x42 model that touches this size of field of view. In their case they sacrifice a bit of centerfield sharpness and image “flatness” in order to achieve this performance. What makes the Frontier ED’s performance even more impressive is the quality of the view over a predominant amount of the entire field. The image is bright, sharp and very contrasty. Furthermore it is very addicting!

The only downside to this binocular optically is that it shows a bit more stray light in the image than that of the Promaster ED. I can see it as a bit of a ring of light around the outside of the field of view. This image characteristic reminds me a bit of a set of Bushnell Discoverer 7x42s that I recently parted with. It is not distracting and does not, in my opinion, take away from the overall image quality of the binocular but I did not it in direct comparison to that of the Promaster and the Meostar.


Other than that one attribute I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this binocular optically or mechanically. In addition this binocular also has a few nice “extras” that I have not found on any other model I have owned. For one it comes with a nice little neoprene-style neckstrap that makes wearing the binocular very comfortable. Second, it comes with an impressive “hard case” similar to that found with various Vortex binoculars. It also comes with a rather unique “half shell” case that covers the bottom half of the binocular when not in use. You can see them all in the pictures I am posting below.

For what it is worth I am very, very impressed with this binocular. It excels in every area and actually improves upon the Promaster ED design in several key areas I mentioned in my review of that binocular, namely the shape of the eyecups and the feel of the focusing knob. Oh yes, and Steve, the depth of focus is actually a bit better too. ;-)

At the $425 that this binocular is now selling for there isn’t anything optically that will touch it…of course other than the Promaster Elite ELX ED. I respectfully submit this binocular to others for further evaluation. It is a keeper and most certainly is competitive optically with the $1000+ Alpha binoculars!
 

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A picture of the eyepiece reflection differences as well as the difference in the contouring of the eyecups...
 

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A picture of the accessories provided with this binocular....

..and I forgot to mention that this is the first bin that came in a shipping box with the company name and logo on it not to mention a big orange and white sticker reading "Glass" fragile.
 

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Hi Frank, Thanks for posting this excellent comparison and review of these two interesting binoculars. The only problem I see is that I don't have $425 right now to spare.:)


I keep forgetting to ask if you received the item I sent?
Regards,Steve
 
Frank,

Your observations are actually about what I expected. I am not surprised that you like it. What I really wondered was what if any sacrifices might have been given over to the FOV increase. Sounds like none. Hawke even sounds like a better name for an optical tool than Promaster and Frontier ED has a better ring to it than Infinity Elite ELX ED. Especially since there is already a confusion of Infinities and Elites from past Promaster offerings.

As I posted in the Promaster ELX thread, mine got here today. The new one is a better binocular than the review sample. I would still prefer a better depth of focus, but this one has about 2x the focus depth of the review model. That is the only thing I can come up withthat gives the Alpha class glass a clear advantage over the ELX. Sounds like the same can be said for the Hawke.

I'm leaving for 10 day spell for hunting season, so the Promasters are going to get all of the intense workout I can give them.

So, I'm always on the lookout for "something better", not something "more expensive". To me, that is the truly significant contribution of the Hawke ED/Promaster ELX binocular. I'd really like to see somebody with proper knowledge and equipment take one of each apart and report back.

One of the Hawke dealers is only about a 20 minute drive away. Might have to get to know the owner and see if I can convince him to order a Frontier ED for his store display.
 
Steve,

PM sent...twice. ;-)

SteveC,

I am really just beginning to "play" with it. I should have a really good feel for how it performs after a few more days of usage. Still, after using it repeatedly today I could not really find anything I did not like about it optically, mechanically or ergonomically. Everything on the bin seems really "tight" in terms of construction. I do believe I might have found one further difference between it and the ELX ED though. In lower light I thought my eyes were telling me that the Promaster was a hair brighter. I could be mistaken and will repeat the comparison this evening.

I do have to comment though on both the Hawke and the ELX ED. It is really amazing the level of optical performance that is now being produced at the $400-$500 price point. As many of you know I do believe I have very good taste in optical performance. I can honestly say that I would feel comfortable using either model fully without feeling as if I was missing something by not using one of the high-end European models. That really does say something in my book.

Am I going to sell my Zeiss FL 7x42 now that I have this bin? No, of course not. I love the 7x42 FL but now I have found a worthy companion to it in just about every optical category.

;)

For you folks that trust my opinion I strongly suggest giving the Hawke Frontier EDs a try. They do have a 30 day return policy if you are not satisfied with the bins....

...somehow I just do not think you are going to use it though.

:)
 
Thanks for the review Frank. Here is a link to the other thread which contains specs, etc.: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=122869&highlight=Hawke+Frontier

Comparing to my current Vortex Vipers, the downsides for me are that the Hawke has considerably less eye relief (listed as 16.6 mm), is somewhat heavier (26.2 ounces), and apparently does not have a locking diopter (I assume of course the diopter is stiff enough now, but these things loosen over time, which is why virtually all high-end binoculars have locking diopters AFAIK). But the first-class optics and wide field of view are appealing.

Do you wear glasses? Can you comment on the adequacy of the eye relief for glasses wearers?

Best,
Jim
 
Jim,

Good points. Let me see if I can address them one at a time. No, I do not wear glasses but because of the shape of my noise/eyes I do require bins that have generous eye relief...unless the width of the eyecups is fairly narrow. Speaking of which, with the more contoured design of the Frontier EDs eyecups I actually find the eye relief to be a hair on the long side (compared to the Promasters). I actually can produce a bit of the blackout effect if I press them firmly against my brow. That doesn't usually occur unless the bin has 19 mm of eye relief or better. However, since the eyecups are more contoured it may be that I am able to just get them farther into my eye sockets. Somehow I do not think this is the case though.

The weight isn't an issue. With the open hinge design the bins feel lighter than they are. They feel almost at the Nikon Monarch or Pentax SP weight level (21-24 ounces).

..and, no, the diopter does not lock but it does have a very high level of friction to keep it in place. I doubt it will move.

I would be really interested if you compared them to the Vipers Jim since they are at about the same price point. I know you are very fond of your pair and think you would give the Frontier EDs a fair shake.

Who knows, you might be surprised.
 
Well, we can approach the subject with which one has the strap out of its plastic bag. I think neither at this point. Oh, I do see the Hawke strap, not attached though.
 
You guys are a regular riot....

;)

But, true, none the less. The sad news gentleman is that my crazed binocular buying days are pretty much at an end. We all have to buckle down eventually and I just do not have the funds to play with that I once did. I do think I have a fairly good selection to experiment with for some time
...and, of course, if a really, really good deal on something comes along I am sure I can convince the Mrs. to part with a bit of our tax check.

:)

Still, you guys really need to try this bin. You will looooveee it!
 
Well, I am glad a few folks took the plunge and tried the Promaster Elite ELX ED. The Frontier ED is just as good but with a slightly different flavor. The more I compare the two the more I realize they are as much different as they are similar optically. Still, in the grand scheme of things they are more alike than not. Either should please all but the most discriminating of optics purchaser. In that case though, many Alpha bins don't please the most discriminating of optics purchasers. ;)

This is an excellent bin. You laugh now but I would be willing to bet that it stays in my possession for much longer than a month.
 
The more I compare the two the more I realize they are as much different as they are similar optically. Still, in the grand scheme of things they are more alike than not.

I would put money on them being made in the same OEM (and that our Chinese contributor works there!) with shared ideas but slightly different designs. And with the Promaster having a slightly higher unit cost (they ticked the Repellamax box).

But it all bodes well for the future: 32mm versions anyone?

This is an excellent bin. You laugh now but I would be willing to bet that it stays in my possession for much longer than a month.

Well, as Tero ponted out, the strap was out of the plastic bag :-O
 
Thanks a lot for your detailed review and it is so comprehensive. I almost find twenty points in your review. Please let me comment some points from my view. I hope you can understand my English. Maybe you will find many mistakes about the syntax.;)

1. This binocular utilizes the open bridge (hinge) design but the gap between the two hinges is shorter than the Swarovski EL and longer than the Bushnell Elite. The focusing mechanism hides in the upper hinge, so the upper hinge is a little thick.
The distance between its two hinges is 50mm.

2. This binocular utilizes magnesium alloy. This magnesium alloy includes above 95% magnesium material and it can naturally degrade. So it is environment friendly and provides a lightweight.

3. Yes, the texture of the binoculars is highlighted with dot pattern, which is the similar style as the new Hawke Endurance series. I think it is easy to be griped.

4. The edge of the thumb indent is elliptic and its longer axis is 44mm and shorter axis is 29mm.

5. The focusing knob is large and its diameter is 36.6mm. And it includes two parts: one is the metal surface and another is the rubber lips raised from the metal surface. I hope this design of the focusing knob can provide nice touch feeling for the user.

6. Under the focusing knob, there are some precision screws to transfer the power from your finger to the inner focusing optics lens when you are focusing. The screws are made with digital control lathe machine.

7. You are very careful. Yes, the eyecups are more rounded. I hope the material should be softer so that the eyecups can be more comfortable for our face and eye sockets. And this style will be applied for all of Hawke Frontier ED series, Frontier series and Endurance series.

8. The twist-up eyecups with three-stop design are the same as the Promaster.

9. The Frontier Eds and the Promaster Eds are Fully Broad Band Multi coated. And their prism systems include phase coating on roof surfaces, and broadband multi coating on the transmission surfaces and silver reflection coating on the reflection surface (NOT chemic material coating named Super Reflection Coating). But the Promaster uses the water/oil repellent coating on the exterior lenses.

10. When we designed and analysis the optical system and the coating system, we have paid much attention to the color representation and contrast besides of its imaging quality. And we have tested the samples in our optics laboratory to ensure that they have arrived at the level we expected.

11. As for the wide field of view, FrankD described very clear. At the same time, FrankD indicate that the stray light control is not perfect. It is difficult to control the stray light to a high level under that wide field of view, but we need to apply new techniques to improve this phenomenon. Thank you very much again.

12. I am glade to hear you were satisfied with its accessories. The neckstrap is made from a certain kind of advanced foam material and there are three embroidery Hawke logos on it. The hard case and the half inner case should provide well protection to the binocular and convenience for our use.

13. Regarding the price, I think we always consider the price compared with performance.This is very important for us.

Thank you.

Best,
 
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since we have your attention, perhaps I could put in a request. I would like to see a 9x32 ED binocular, with a foc 350ft or more. I can bird with 8x, but the 9x would be a fine all around binocular, then I could leave my 10x home. The 9x32 would be brighter than a 10x32 and easier to hold than a 10x.

For any set I would make these
8x32
9x32
10x42
8x42

If you must make a 36mm, then 10x36 and 8x36
10x36 is steadier than 10x32 and 10x32 is hard to make as high quality as the rest
 
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I also want to know what samller models you perfer to. 32mm or 36mm versions? Thank you!

Hi I believe the preference would be for a 32mm version. The reason being that with the smaller barrels you can actually fit your thumbs up underneath the barrels to give a very comfortable hold. This is what has been said about for eg the swarovski 32mm EL's and their advertising blurb about "one handed operation", actually holds true in these versions. If you look at the Alula optic reviews you'll see what I mean.

I hope to be able to try the 8 and 10x version out (in Norwich), next time I'm over there. Also the Blackwatch 10x porro.

Anyone tried the 10x ed roof version yet? Is it on a par optically with the 8x?

Nev
 
I also want to know what samller models you perfer to. 32mm or 36mm versions? Thank you!

One important difference here is weight. People (I think) prefer 32mm format because of reduced weight. Plus compactness. Plus the often wider FOV.

Getting the weight to 20oz (560g) or below would be important.

This is especially true for 36mm models. For example I noticed the weight difference between the Bushnell Excursion EX 8x36 and 8x42 is only 1 oz (28g) in 21oz. That small a difference would push me to the 42mm - a bigger exit pupil for only 5% weight increase.

I have a strong bias to lower weight and larger exit pupil (>= 4mm). I also like larger FOV (8 degrees) but I really want stray light to be better controlled that it is with most 8 degree roofs.

I prefer 8x32. But there are also possibilities with 7x32, 6.5x32, even 6x32.

I'd also consider 8x36, 7x36 or perhaps 8.5x36 or 9x36.

Though I think like most people today 8x with a 7.5 degree FOV or wider is good enough.

BTW, I own a Promaster Infinity 7x32 which your company may have designed. Not a bad sharpness for a bin without phase coating (it's quite long so I suspect a larger f/number objective). But it deals with stray light rather badly (mostly due to probably in baffling and reflectivity of internal and external parts).
 
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