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Kowa BDII XD 6.5x32 OR The Maven B.3 6x30 ?? (1 Viewer)

G

gcole

Well-known member
United States
I am hoping someone who has handled or now owns both of these binoculars can make a strong case against me not succumbing to my overwhelming urge(CPOS) to purchase the Maven 6x30 binocular. More than once I have got on their website, created the perfect color armor and even engraving them with my name. I have read all the reviews being mostly positive but that dam elephant :C in my optics cabinet keeps telling me, stay away the Eye Relief will not work for me with my glasses. Now this all started before my recent purchase of my new Kowa 6.5x32 BDII XD binoculars which by the way exceeded all my expectations. Providing the best view to my eyes over all the other low power roof prism binoculars I have ever owned in that 32mm objective size category. It’s crazy right ? Why would I want to spend twice what I paid for the new Kowa’s, which I reallyeeee ! like and take a chance on the 6x30 Mavens. .... Yea I know I have a problem with “ CPOS” compulsive purchasing optics syndrome. I will save that topic for another day.
 
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Hi Gwen,

I would stick with the Kowa if I had to make this choice. I find 6x to be
too little magnification. Even though I have no experience with either model,
I have a hunch the Maven isn't going to be a noticeable improvement. Kowa
Bins from low to high quality in their roof prism range are known for very good
CA control. Even their lowly SV model supposedly has good CA control according to old
user reports here. I don't have experience with Kowa except for their porros, but based on Kowa
reputation I think their optics designers know what they're doing. In short , you already have a great binocular and the Maven being a bit more expensive may not mean better resolution in this case.
Plus, you have this massive FOV with .5 more power. I say enjoy it and
use it over more time before buying anything else ... that's my 2 cents
 
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Thanks for that very convincing advice but that CPOS devil :C is knocking on my door. I am going to have to fall back to my don’t do it food “Eat More Chocolate”. :king:
 
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Hi, gcole. Do you think the new 6,5x32 Kowa is much better optically den Kowa porro 6x30 ? Especially in resolution,contrast and against the front light. Thank you very much .
 
If you really want to know which is better for you there’s an easy solution. Maven has a 30 demo program with no obligation to buy. If you decide you like them I’d recommend waiting until the Holidays to buy a pair after you return the demos. Last year they offered free customization over the Holidays. That can result in a $2-300 upgrade for no additional cost.
 
gcole said:
Thanks for that very convincing advice but that CPOS devil :C is knocking on my door. I am going to have to fall back to my don’t do it food “Eat More Chocolate”. :king:
Click to expand...

Chocolate is the way to go ! I been eating Walkers Scottish chocolate butter cookies after breakfast with tea. OMG ... so good !
Awaiting CJ's recommendations on the chocolate...she's an expert too.

Upland has good advice about the demo program Maven has. I forgot about that.
It's really a no brainer if you're chomping at the bit to try one.
You can split hairs between both bins for a week or so and decide which fits you more.
 
binomaniac said:
Hi, gcole. Do you think the new 6,5x32 Kowa is much better optically den Kowa porro 6x30 ? Especially in resolution,contrast and against the front light. Thank you very much .
Click to expand...
Hi ... I just realized in my original question I forgot to mentioned my comparison to all the other low power binoculars I have owned over the years when compared to the Kowa 6.5x32 were all of roof prism design except I think the little 7x26 Bushnell Custom was some kind of hybrid porro. Most of all the binoculars of Porro design I have owned were Nikon with no ED glass going back to the late sixties and seventies with a few exceptions last year. I have never handled that Kowa model and really can not give you any good or bad advice but what I have read over the years about the porro design versus roof prism is .... before ED special glass was introduced in the mainstream of affordable binoculars , porro prism binoculars as reported by actual reviewers/owners said their porro prism binoculars almost always out performed their roof prism binocular when build quality/type glass used were comparable. Having said this there are Bird Forum members here who have actually said they thought their lower priced porro prism binoculars with no special glass actually out performed some much higher priced roof prism with ED glass they have looked thru. The Kowa 6.5x32 roof prism binocular has only been available for us to purchase within these past two to three weeks, it might be awhile before anyone replies to your question. I suggest you search word porro prism in the Kowa section of the Binoculars forum which might give you a idea of what other binocular owners have said about your binocular in question.
 
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gcole Thank you very much for your quick and honest answers, may be in the short time someone will be able to compare these two binoculars. I appologise because i interfered in this thread .Have everybody a nice day.
 
binomaniac said:
gcole Thank you very much for your quick and honest answers, may be in the short time someone will be able to compare these two binoculars. I appologise because i interfered in this thread .Have everybody a nice day.
Click to expand...

No apology needed. I have been a member of this forum almost 20 yrs, with many more other members having more time here answering and having these type of discussions than me. That’s what so great about this forum , from the newbies to the senior citizens and all ages in between we have thousands of hours of hands on experience with all types of optics. We might not always get it right but we most all of the time have an answer .
 
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gcole said:
I am hoping someone who has handled or now owns both of these binoculars can make a strong case against me not succumbing to my overwhelming urge(CPOS) to purchase the Maven 6x30 binocular. More than once I have got on their website, created the perfect color armor and even engraving them with my name. I have read all the reviews being mostly positive but that dam elephant :C in my optics cabinet keeps telling me, stay away the Eye Relief will not work for me with my glasses. Now this all started before my recent purchase of my new Kowa 6.5x32 BDII XD binoculars which by the way exceeded all my expectations. Providing the best view to my eyes over all the other low power roof prism binoculars I have ever owned in that 32mm objective size category. It’s crazy right ? Why would I want to spend twice what I paid for the new Kowa’s, which I reallyeeee ! like and take a chance on the 6x30 Mavens. .... Yea I know I have a problem with “ CPOS” compulsive purchasing optics syndrome. I will save that topic for another day.
Click to expand...
Gwen. I think Gilmore Girl summed up the advantages of the Kowa BDII XD 6.5x32 over The Maven B.3 6x30 pretty well. One BIG advantage of the Kowa though is it's AFOV of 65 degree's versus the 51 degree's of the Maven. The Maven is going to feel tunnel like compared to the expansive view of the Kowa. I guarantee you would not like it as well. She is also correct that there is quite a bit of difference in 6x versus 6.5x with 6x IMO being a little weak. Also, the Maven's are plastic and the Kowa's are magnesium if that matters to you.
 
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binomaniac said:
Hi, gcole. Do you think the new 6,5x32 Kowa is much better optically den Kowa porro 6x30 ? Especially in resolution,contrast and against the front light. Thank you very much .
Click to expand...
Again the BIG advantage of the new Kowa BDII XD 6.5x32 over the Kowa porro 6x30 would be the AFOV. The new Kowa has a 65 degree AFOV versus a measly 48 degree AFOV for the little Kowa porro. We are talking the difference between night and day! The resolution, contrast and glare resistance of the new Kowa is excellent. I haven't compared them side by side but I don't think their would be any comparison.
 
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Thanks everyone, your comments/advice has kept my CPOS in check for now. I will not be ordering that 6x30 Maven in the near future.
 
Thank you very much Dennis for your input related to the level of resolution -contrast in the new Kowa 6.5 x32. I decided to buy one.
 
I've wanted a mid-ranged, compact, lightweight bin in the 6-7 x 28-35mm range for a long time. There's never been one that has really floated my boat. The old Vortex Viper was one of the closer candidates. The Maven B3 6x30 never really drew me in based upon the combination of price and FOV... $500 for what is a genuinely poor AFOV always kept me from even trying them, for better or worse.

Next time I'm back in the US, I will certainly check out a pair of the Kowa 6.5x32, one way or another. All the positive initial reports have me very intrigued!
 
gcole said:
Thanks everyone, your comments/advice has kept my CPOS in check for now. I will not be ordering that 6x30 Maven in the near future.
Click to expand...

Well my CPOS got the best of me. Now with me having the Maven B3 6x30 in hand, I wished now I had went with my instincts and put my custom order in months earlier. If I had I would not have purchased the Kowa BDII XD 6.5x32 , better late than never.
 
Gijs van Ginkel said:
The Kowa 6,5x32 we have investigated had a magnification of 6x and not 6,5x.
Gijs van Ginkel
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing yesterday when I was comparing my Maven B3 6x30 to my Meopta B1.1 8x32 .... the Maven seemed to provide a larger magnification than 6x. To be honest, I would not even know how to actually test an optical instrument for its magnification accuracy. I wonder if ones personal eye characteristics as well as our age has anything to do with this after our brain interprets the view it receives.
 
gcole, post 17,
Determining the actual magnificaton of a binocular is in fact text book matter and can simply be done, without interference of the eyes characteristics.
Gijs van Ginkel
 
While the Kowa is a unique glass, with the wide FOV, my thoughts are - it is not the greatest with stray light suppression, and the distortion when panning I found bothersome. Your mileage will likely vary, I just can't go below 7X, and much prefer 8X. The EII 8X30 still giving hits to this day, when I want to just take it all in.

Andy W.
 
I have neither of the binos in question, BUT I DO have a Maven B4 12x56 and the eye cups/eye relief are an absolute disaster. Without glasses I only get a complete image with the eyecups screwed all the way in. Screwed all the way out, as for any other bino, all I get are two small tunnels that never in a year of Sundays will collimate to a whole round picture. Sadly the binos where a present and when I did ask about returning them - or trading up to the B5 12x56 - my request was completely deadpanned.
I also tried a demo of the 7x28 C1 for something to stick in the photobag. Rubbish would be kind. Eyepieces rattled, diopter adjustment was so off somehow that I could not get a sharp image on the rhs. Luckily, those I could send back.
For me never again anything Maven. Not at any price.


Kowa, especially the 6.5x32, keeps getting good reviews, and I suggest you read this one which had, for me at least, a very surprising outcome.
 
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