I got to try the Yosemite 8x30 today (1 Viewer)

I found one at Dick's Sporting Goods. I had thought one day I'd order one one day from Eagle, so it's good I got to try a pair (and scratch that idea). The 8x30 size is perfect for my needs, it's very lightweight (a requirement for me), and the optics are, to me, surprisingly good. Granted, the views were only of the cavernous indoors of the store. They're clear and bright, crisp, little to no distortion that would break the deal for me. They're what I'd expect from a decent porro. What did break the deal were the focusing and the diopter adjustments -- and then some. The focusing has backlash in it, and it feels/sounds as if it's filled with grease to smooth things out. The IPD adjustment is extremely smooth, but too loose. The diopter is too stiff to consider adjusting now and then for differences in near-to-far focusing, especially as the clarity differences between my left and right eye change rapidly due to my wearing contacts. On an inexpensive binocular, I don't expect the right eye diopter to keep up perfectly with the left.

What is really strange, though, is that inexpensive porros I've tried (including the Celestron 8x30's that I have since returned) I get some kind of eyestrain. I was getting it with these Yosemites, too, and I cannot figure out why. It's not because they're porros, as I don't have this problem using my 8.5x44 804R Audubons. In any case, I didn't buy these Yosemites and they're now off my list of inexpensive possibilities. (I now understand why people say they're great for a child.) I wish someone would make a, say, $150 value "Yosemite 8x30" and get it right.

Howard

Shame you didn't try the 6x30--it is really quite good, and not just for kids. I got my first 130 species with a pair.

Did you try several samples or did you only try one? Binoculars in that price range are bound to have more QC questions than more expensive ones do.

As Dave says, the 6 x 30 is really a nice little binocular. I bought one by mail and it was fine. Loaned it to my brother who won't give it back!
Bob

Howard

As has been said, try the 6x30. You might have a go at the Vortex Raptor/EagleOptics Raven, but in 6.5x. 8x30 may have too little exit pupil and somewhat reduced brightness and that may cause some of the eyestrain you see. The bigger glass and extra light of the big Audubons were not so afflicted.

Thanks for all the comments. I didn't ask if they had any more than the one in the display case; I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I have read here many times that the 6x30 and 6.5x32's are better, but it's their narrow apparent field of view that I can't tolerate. I simply need a wider angle. Granted I've never tried one! As for the eyestrain, it's likely not related to the size of the exit pupil, as I don't have these issues with my 9x25 Travelite V reverse porro or my $60 Sportstar 8x25 roof. Speaking of the latter, you may have read me badmouthing it for its soft image. But after looking through a number of relatively inexpensive binoculars, including the much more expensive Minox 8x25, the Sportstars actually are not that bad! I'm not saying they're good, they are *comparatively* not so bad.

>>What is really strange, though, is that inexpensive porros I've tried (including the Celestron 8x30's that I have since returned) I get some kind of eyestrain.<<

Try not to look at things too close. I get that eye strain because the objective lenses are further apart than my eyes. There is more adjusting to close by things, at infinity the eyes will be relaxed.

The strain was also occurring while looking at objects a hundred feet away in the store. I don't get that strain looking through my 8.5x44's at objects that are much closer than that. I just can't figure out what's causing it.

Just possibly the two sides were not perfectly parallel and your eyes were straining to look either a little in or a little out.

Niels

Yes, no good, out of alignment.