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Sightron "Blue Sky" II 8x32 (2 Viewers)

Yeah I remember now Frank not thinking much of the 10x. Well I'm not in a hurry and will keep up the search.

As to my 10x Legends I'm in love with them. I like the views as much as any Zen Ray I own taking into consideration the limitations of the 25mm lenses compared to the Zens 36mm. I'm not really very critical though. Compared to the guy on the street yes I am but not compared to many here. Maybe I'll just get a second pair to keep in the car. It's cool to see that Sightron thread still alive. I'm quite involved in it somewhere back some years ago. Them were the daze. I spent a lot of cash on binoculars and just ended up selling them or giving them away. It was the cost of tuition so I kind of know a good optic when I see it.
 
ceasar said:
I have owned a number of inexpensive 10x32 roof prism binoculars over the years and none of them were much good at all. IMO the only good ones are expensive, like the Nikon EDG (which I own), the Zeiss FL and the Leica Ultravid.

Instead take a look at the Pentax AD 9x32 WP, which I also own. It qualifies as "something similar." ;) It is the only binocular I own that I can place anywhere on my eyes and not get blackouts. I can put them back into my eye sockets or brace them up against my brow ridge and still see the full FOV.

It is a clone of the Sightron 8x32 and like the Sightron it is made in the Philippines. It will give you a better view than any inexpensive 10x32 can give you and you won't miss that extra 1x power. It has a 351' FOV @ 1000 yards and comfortable 16mm eye relief.

https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/index.php/sport-optics/a-series/ad-9x32-wp

Bob
Click to expand...

That looks like a good one. I really didn't want to pay that much this time around. I've always been in like with 9x power for some reason. I made a big mistake and sold some 9x36 Zen Rays. I still have the 7x Zens but I seem to crave higher power now that I don't really birdwatch proper anymore but rather scan far mountain sides these days. I live in a deep mountain valley in Southern Oregon. I'm often looking out over miles rather than yards.
 
I was just over at my friends house looking at a little screech owl in her snag by the back door and she had the 8x32 Sigs and I had forgotten how good they were. We compared them with some Kowa 8x that she had that cost a grand on sale and I couldn't tell which was better and neither could she. I guess I may just buy another pair. I'd forgotten how light they feel.

She'd been storing my Oberwerk 25x100s and I just set them up on the back deck to look at the grassy mountains. Hadn't looked through them in about 2 years. Wow! They are very nice optics. Can't wait to see Orion tonight.
 
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Forget the raised Sightron ridge on each barrel, that crummy strap, the funky objective cover along w/nice padded bag that has no strap or any hardware to attach to one or a belt.

The performance, especially at <2 bills, cannot be faulted. The part I enjoy the most, that I not oft see, is mild AMD. No, not rolling ball as that isn't mild. But, mild AMD ensures freedom from way too much PC. Pan & scan look realistic w/o twirling spheres or weird bending of straight lines.

The formula hits a sweet spot. Rectangular gates, when panned horizontally, do not shift front to back nor do they bend to a parallelogram. Tree trunks/telephone poles do not bend as a longbow.

In a vertical scan tree trunks/limbs do not "stretch" as w/typical overdose of PC whilst the mild barrel distortion affords the illusion of the whole view pivoting in the middle. If you scan up the top half appears to lean towards you as the bottom eases away & vice-versa going down.

A pleasant static view is a much easier trick to perform than a pleasant moving view. It's easy to throw a lot of PC at AMD, but to meter the amount to just enough is truly a vision to behold. At this price point the view indeed is very realistic und most rare.

As Always YMMV ...
 
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Frank as in

Frank "BL" Sightron? 3:)

The only other Sightron bin I own is the long discontinued MIJ SIII double hinge 8X24. Only 6.25* FOV w/, for me, healthy dose of PC. The kewl factor is the locking/spring loaded ball indent diopter adjustment that clicks when you adjust. View though small is fairly clean to the edge and if nuttin' else beats squinting or opera glass.
 
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So one last thing before we put this thread back to bed. I want a decent but inexpensive 8x32 for my auto. I unloaded my last pair because they didn't measure up to my other pair I had previously. I've been gone from here a couple years at least. Are the Sightron 8x32s still about the best bang for the buck? Right now they are going for the same thing they were when I left. $178.
 
You aren't going to get anything better in an 8x32 roof prism that costs less then $178.00 unless you can find a new Sightron at a sale price.

Bob
 
I never should have sold that first pair. I was just into bins and wanted to keep trying new ones that all you fine folk were recommending. My second pair never looked good to me so I sold them cheap. Third is the charm I hope.

I've always wanted to try some of Sightrons other binoculars but I never had the guts to take the chance. I guess a dream job would be to work at the factory and get to look at them all. I have a pair of Swarovski's but other than that I've never been around the alpha's to look see how they perform against the $1-350 bins that I've researched and bought. My Swarovskis are older and so heavy (8x50) and such long close focus that I never take them off my back deck. I keep them just so I have some credibility and continue to be allowed to post here. They are honestly my least favorite binoculars. That likely tells you something about my expertise lol.
 
I believe there are variations in quality control on any binocular, and probably more so on the lower end. Sightrons are certainly above the budget bins, that should still be there for beginners, and have more issues than the Sightron BSII line, for sure. But I have had 3 myself, and the last pair was perfect in all ways, and I did keep them, even though I prefer 10x mostly. These last ones I bought are very sharp, and the focus wheel works perfectly-something all bino companies should aspire to, ror rich or poor!

Also, if you do get a zinger this time, just send them back and ask for a replacement, until you are happy with them-they are out there, and not that hard to find usually. But often times it requires a little more effort than just leaving it to luck of the draw. The BSII's can be excellent field companions, for sure. I love their design, and the comfort for the user, while not being a burden around your neck, if that's how you wear them. I just got a extended Vortex strap that will let me carry on the side, and that will no doubt be good for the higher weight binos, if you don't go to a harness. But these BSII's have minimal weight for what they offer, and I am glad to have mine in 8x for anytime I want to go light.
 
Good advice and I will if they are not great.

I now prefer 10x also. And even my 32mm I prefer to use a harness. Usually I'm hiking uphill and down for 2 or three hours per day in these mountains and I use hiking poles so the harness is great. If I could just have 32mm binoculars now I'd be happy. I just figure it's not worth trying to sell any I don't use much. I'm lazy that way these days.
 
I got them last night (thank you Amazon Prime) and I had them out for several hours today. A dark/bright cold day where it would be a mix of very dark clouds and contrasty bright white clouds. A touch of hail. I had forgotten how good these actually are. Man are they beautiful and tack sharp. I will not sell this pair. In fact they can hang them around my neck when they cremate me, (just in case).

I'd say they are better than my Swarovski's but I don't want to further degrade my already lame reputation as a binocular reviewer. So there, I didn't say that.
 

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