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Kowa BDII-XD - september 2019 (1 Viewer)

Boris Flaccus

Active member
FYI, from Kowa Optics on twitter:

"The new #wideangle #Kowa BDII-XD #binoculars arrive September 2019 - a new binocular for all, affordable without compromise - designed with optical features normally associated with far greater price tags including enviable wide angle performance. Try them @TheBirdfair #birdfair"
 
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FYI, from Kowa Optics on twitter:

"The new #wideangle #Kowa BDII-XD #binoculars arrive September 2019 - a new binocular for all, affordable without compromise - designed with optical features normally associated with far greater price tags including enviable wide angle performance. Try them @TheBirdfair #birdfair"

Thanks for the heads up. :t:

Hope they do a better job this time. For the original BD XD launch, a cardboard box arrived at the show with a couple of binoculars and no supporting literature. After scratching their heads for a while, the team passed them to interested punters. I can only assume were incomplete display only items. They had some of the worst CA I've ever seen. Another year, four besuited Japanese gentlemen spent a whole day guarding blue and gold anodised knobbly pieces of engineered alloy and glass in a display cabinet. None of the English speaking team had a clue what they were. Found out later they were micro 4/3 camera lenses.

David
 
Kowa is not releasing any more details yet but will be publishing more on social media step by step over the coming weeks.

Lee
 
Kowa Facebook page shows 3 video clips the 8x42 is 8.2 degrees did not see fov of the 6.5.

Close focus is 1.3m for the 32mm models and 1.8m for the 42 s.
 

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Kowa Facebook page shows 3 video clips the 8x42 is 8.2

Hi,

8.2 deg is not quite in Zeiss SF territory but certainly not too shabby for an 8x42. The little 6.5x will be interesting... I am still searching for a modern light and wide angle 7x... since Leica seems to have nixed the Trini 6x35 reissue, maybe this one might be it...

Joachim
 
I checked this morning, and although I couldn't find any new data I was able to download a clear additional image . . .

John
 

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I'll be quite curious to see specs on the 6.5x32. I continue to think about buying a 6x or 6.5x but haven't pulled the trigger yet. The most tempting, currently, is the Maven B3 6x30. I am very curious to see how these stack up!
 
The close focus quoted in the brochure is extremely impressive: 13mm for the 32s and 18mm for the 42s.
Hmmmm.
Lee
 
Hats off to Kowa for offering something different in the 6.5 x 32 model. Good luck to them for being brave in a market which has declined in available range paricularly by the Alpha brands with the higher spec ranges, eg....7 x 35, 7 x 42.
 
Hats off to Kowa for offering something different in the 6.5 x 32 model. Good luck to them for being brave in a market which has declined in available range paricularly by the Alpha brands with the higher spec ranges, eg....7 x 35, 7 x 42.

Agree entirely, but do wonder who does their proof reading.
The near focus error is easily obvious to a birder. Why did it not get caught?
Seems like a focus on process, rather than on results. Not confidence inspiring.
 
Agree entirely, but do wonder who does their proof reading.
The near focus error is easily obvious to a birder. Why did it not get caught?
Seems like a focus on process, rather than on results. Not confidence inspiring.

Luckily, the marketing team has nothing to do with product development. These types of errors in marketing materials--especially at initial product release--are common in most industries.

Monster FOV on some of these if the numbers are correct. I'm anxiously awaiting the IPD specs and pricing.
 
For those interested in comparing and contrasting, a copy of the original BD XD spec's . . .

John
 

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