Steve C
Well-known member
Recently Maven has expanded their binocular line to include a more budget friendly C1 binocular series. There is a 42 mm series with 8x and 10x models as well as a 28 mm series in 7x and 10x. This one tells us that it is made in the Philippines using a combination of both Chinese and Japanese components. It does not appear to have the customization available to those purchasing B series binocular.
I have here the 8x 42 mm model for the review. It is gray with a nice tactile armor very much like the stock armor of the B series binoculars. The C 1 has an orange right eye diopter ring, light gray focus knob with an orange front face stamped with the C1 and 8x42 information. It is a Schmidt-Pechan design very similar in outline to the B1 binocular. It is a lot smaller than the B1, weighing 23.8 oz to the B1 29.3. Both weights without lens covers or accessories. This is a nearly 20% reduction in weight, and a similar size reduction from 5.125” to 6.25 inches in length. The C1 effectively splits the size difference in the b1 and B3 binoculars. It is a polymer housing. Like the other Maven binoculars, the eye cups are screw off.
Other pertinent details are a listed 19.5 mm eye relief, these eye cups extend to 16 mm above the surface of the ocular. I find this OK for my purposes, but I have no extraordinary “set in stone” eye relief requirements either, while some do. The screw off eye cups can be easily fitted with an O-ring to get another 2-4 mm extension if needed. Light transmission is listed as 90%, same as the B1 8x counterpart. There is ED glass and scratch resistant and oil resistant lens coatings as well. The ocular lens system is a simpler one than in the B1.
Out of the box the C1 presents an appearance of about what would be expected of a $400 class binocular. It is reasonably solid in appearance and quite substantial in heft, but obviously below premium levels. Having said that, there is no apparent concern that it will fall apart quickly either, in short, nothing to place it out of the ordinary in looks and feel. Build quality should not be of much concern.
The focus is counterclockwise to infinity. The focus travels travels just over one and a half turns in its full rotational travel. The close focus is right at the stated specification of 1.8 m (6 feet). The focus is stiff, but pretty precise. This unit. Like all of the Maven binoculars I have had in hand, shows no focus slack. From the close focus of 6 feet it takes one and a quarter turns to get to 75 feet. One quarter turn to infinity with a quarter turn left past infinity.
I did not take great pains to measure the exact effective aperture or magnification, suffice it to say that it is an 8x42 binocular. The stated 341’ fov measures 365’. While that is not great it is better than what you get with a smaller fov such as other binoculars of my experience show, notably the Nikon Monarch ATB at 330’ is markedly less wide than the C1. The C1 is also markedly less wide than its B3 cousin.
The view is the outstanding feature here. While construction is on the level expected of its price class, the view is a lot better than one would be led to expect, a lot better. It is not going to be out of place in the review I did of the B1 and the other $1k price level glass. You will have a very hard time convincing your self the view of something like the Toric is indeed better. If budget constraints are a concern, it will be hard to recommend the B1 over the C1.
The image is both bright and sharp and the contrast is very good. Color rendition is natural and image bias is ever so slightly on the warm side. There is a bit of edge distortion but unless you are determined to let yourself be bothered by less than 60* afov, this is an enjoyable binocular. To my eyes the sweet spot is at least 80%of the view.
So who is going to be interested in this glass? For a primary birding glass it will have less appeal than the same with a wider field. It will be a good second binocular for use in the vehicle or at the bird feeder. I found it to be quite good at use on water for the fall migration of waterfowl. In all likelihood it will be more attractive as a general purpose use glass and to hunters. It is however a very good glass for the money and it has a good enough view that its fov shortcomings may well be easy to look past.
I have here the 8x 42 mm model for the review. It is gray with a nice tactile armor very much like the stock armor of the B series binoculars. The C 1 has an orange right eye diopter ring, light gray focus knob with an orange front face stamped with the C1 and 8x42 information. It is a Schmidt-Pechan design very similar in outline to the B1 binocular. It is a lot smaller than the B1, weighing 23.8 oz to the B1 29.3. Both weights without lens covers or accessories. This is a nearly 20% reduction in weight, and a similar size reduction from 5.125” to 6.25 inches in length. The C1 effectively splits the size difference in the b1 and B3 binoculars. It is a polymer housing. Like the other Maven binoculars, the eye cups are screw off.
Other pertinent details are a listed 19.5 mm eye relief, these eye cups extend to 16 mm above the surface of the ocular. I find this OK for my purposes, but I have no extraordinary “set in stone” eye relief requirements either, while some do. The screw off eye cups can be easily fitted with an O-ring to get another 2-4 mm extension if needed. Light transmission is listed as 90%, same as the B1 8x counterpart. There is ED glass and scratch resistant and oil resistant lens coatings as well. The ocular lens system is a simpler one than in the B1.
Out of the box the C1 presents an appearance of about what would be expected of a $400 class binocular. It is reasonably solid in appearance and quite substantial in heft, but obviously below premium levels. Having said that, there is no apparent concern that it will fall apart quickly either, in short, nothing to place it out of the ordinary in looks and feel. Build quality should not be of much concern.
The focus is counterclockwise to infinity. The focus travels travels just over one and a half turns in its full rotational travel. The close focus is right at the stated specification of 1.8 m (6 feet). The focus is stiff, but pretty precise. This unit. Like all of the Maven binoculars I have had in hand, shows no focus slack. From the close focus of 6 feet it takes one and a quarter turns to get to 75 feet. One quarter turn to infinity with a quarter turn left past infinity.
I did not take great pains to measure the exact effective aperture or magnification, suffice it to say that it is an 8x42 binocular. The stated 341’ fov measures 365’. While that is not great it is better than what you get with a smaller fov such as other binoculars of my experience show, notably the Nikon Monarch ATB at 330’ is markedly less wide than the C1. The C1 is also markedly less wide than its B3 cousin.
The view is the outstanding feature here. While construction is on the level expected of its price class, the view is a lot better than one would be led to expect, a lot better. It is not going to be out of place in the review I did of the B1 and the other $1k price level glass. You will have a very hard time convincing your self the view of something like the Toric is indeed better. If budget constraints are a concern, it will be hard to recommend the B1 over the C1.
The image is both bright and sharp and the contrast is very good. Color rendition is natural and image bias is ever so slightly on the warm side. There is a bit of edge distortion but unless you are determined to let yourself be bothered by less than 60* afov, this is an enjoyable binocular. To my eyes the sweet spot is at least 80%of the view.
So who is going to be interested in this glass? For a primary birding glass it will have less appeal than the same with a wider field. It will be a good second binocular for use in the vehicle or at the bird feeder. I found it to be quite good at use on water for the fall migration of waterfowl. In all likelihood it will be more attractive as a general purpose use glass and to hunters. It is however a very good glass for the money and it has a good enough view that its fov shortcomings may well be easy to look past.