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Opticron Discovery 7x42 (1 Viewer)

Anybody have a picture of them? This is a $250.00 Roof Prism binocular and there is really no need to be secretive about showing us a picture of them prior to their release! Don'tcha think?:smoke:

Bob
 
Opticron has a new website under construction and I think they are working on this to get it as they want it rather than being secretive about the Discovery.

However here is a pic of my review unit.
Lee
 

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Not sure if the pics really relay how short it is for a 42 mm glass. I haven’t put them directly next to the 8x42 yet but I am guessing it might be a tad shorter. Very compact and tons of eye relief...usable eye relief in particular as the eyecups don’t extend much above the glass surface.
 
Not sure if the pics really relay how short it is for a 42 mm glass. I haven’t put them directly next to the 8x42 yet but I am guessing it might be a tad shorter. Very compact and tons of eye relief...usable eye relief in particular as the eyecups don’t extend much above the glass surface.

Its only half an inch longer than a Traveller 8x32 Frank and you are right about the eye relief. It is fine with or without spectacles.

Lee
 
B&H gives the E.R. as 25mm, which is very long--about an inch--and its dimensions as 5.2" x 5".

Bob

Bob

With my spectacles I got blackouts so moved the the eyecups to the middle setting but this means I lose some fov so I need to experiment a bit. Thinking this didn't bode well for folks who don't wear spectacles I screwed the eyecups all the way out and tried them with naked eyes and it was absolutely fine. I will report more on this in the review in a few week's time.


Lee
 
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Bob

With my spectacles I need the eyecups in the middle setting not screwed all the way down as this caused blackouts. Thinking this didn't bode well for folks who don't wear spectacles I screwed the eyecups all the way out and tried them with naked eyes and it was absolutely fine.

Lee

Lee

Assuming you are near sighted I guess there was enough focus past infinity for your eyesight when you set the diopter?

Bob
 
Lee

Assuming you are near sighted I guess there was enough focus past infinity for your eyesight when you set the diopter?

Bob

Just checked this out and focusing without spectacles on the ridge across the valley that is just over 2.5 miles away, there is still half a turn of the focus wheel left, so that seems pretty generous.

Lee
 
When will this be out on display in the UK?

It will be on show at all of my Optics Events throughout the Spring visit the Opticron website for a list of events at Which I will be present. My next event is a double-header in Essex supporting Essex Wildlife Trust. I will be at Abberton Reservoir 28th April and Hanningfield Reservoir on the 29th.

http://www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/dealer_events_map.html

Failing that ring your local dealer to see if they are a stocking it
 
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Thanks David. I had been visiting their website for this. Now (after your post) I see one chooses the inconspicuous "Downloads" option and then the inconspicuous "Product Guide 18" option to get to this.

Without (I hope) starting an off-topic tangent: In this catalog (where all the models are viewed much more easily) is also the Adventurer T porro 6.5x32 with a 9.2 deg. field of view. I find that this model, unlike our subject, is also in the main part of the website. Has it been around, and reviewed (or reported on) in BirdForum, or tried out by you?

PS. After posting that I find (on searching) that there is a thread in this subforum (Opticron) on the Adventurer 6.5x32 porro, started this month by Perterra. All of the info. in response is from Frank, who has one.

Frank, as you have offered over there in that thread, more on that please (there), when you have the time, thanks!
 
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Adhoc,

I did ask Pete about the Adventurer porro six months ago but didn't get a reply. I haven't seen it yet. I see you have found Frank's comments now.

David
 
The specifications are given in the downloadable catalogue;
http://www.opticron.co.uk/PDF/Product_Guide_18.pdf

The FoV is listed as 136m@1000 with an ER of 25mm. Unless the 7x32 has a bigger diameter eyepiece than the other versions I don't think those values are compatible. Hopefully someone will check.

David

The PDF says that the new Discovery WP PC binoculars "are using an ultra-compact optical design, the Discovery WP PC series are among the smallest waterproof roof prism binoculars available on the market. With a host of features including wide field eyepieces, close focus to 2m and IPDs as low as 52mm, they offer you a well made, stylish and user friendly field glass."

At 5 inches by 5.2 inches they are also rather short. I'm wondering if their 42mm objectives are f4?

Bob
 
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Lots of questions. I think I can answer some of them.

The stated field of view is 408 feet. I haven't measured it at this point but judging by initial impressions I would not doubt this to be accurate. The field of view seems wide but part of that impression is stemming from the unique type of edge performance that this binocular displays. It has pincushion distortion which is noticeable when panning. The sweet spot appears huge and the transition to off axis performance is gradual. There is a small area (about 10% wide) that is out of focus and distorted but the edges can be focused equally sharp as the center with a slight nudge of the focusing knob (field curvature).

adhoc,

I have been using the 6.5x32 Adventurer WP porro more recently. It was introduced back in 2017 as I have had it and the 8x42 version since then. Optically it is what you would expect from a $100 US widefield porro. The center is sharp with good overall color and brightness. The sweet spot is "average" at approximately 50% of the field of view. Outside of the sweet spot there is notable field curvature.

Mechanically it is solid with a vintage porro feel...similar to a Nikon E II. My only objection in this area is the diopter adjustment (on the right eyepiece) moves a little more freely than I would prefer.
 
Thank you Frank for that digression, which conveys all I need to know for the moment. So now we await from you maybe a little more on that in that thread, and quite a bit more on the Discovery 7x42 in this thread! Do you still feel like recruiting that "hand-rubbin' emoji"?
 
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