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Nikon ProStaff (1 Viewer)

I'd also highly recommend the Prostaffs for affordably priced compact binoculars. I have been using the 8x25 model and they have been great! They provide a sharp image quality and also feel good in your hands. The focus wheel is real smooth. The image from these is much better than any of the other compact binoculars in their price class that I have used before. Their reasonably small size makes them a great go anywhere binocular.
 
I quote myself from another thread:
I had a chance to compare my reverse porros in the yard. I have two Minoltas, 8x and 10x, no longer sold. I comaped the 10x and a Nikon 9x. In my habd they have the same FOV. The Minolta is pretty good, but at 10x did not give any sharper an image than the 9x. The 9x was slightly brighter and had more contrast, the 10x had a slightly washed out look. If these were photographs, the 9x would win. With both of these, my hand was equally shaky. With my big 10xs I have less shake.

The eye cups on the Minoltas have never been my favorites, and though screw out style, take some adjustment to get best FOV. The Nikons would then be almost my ideal reverse porro, except with the rubber eye cups in the Travelite, I would have been happier with the ProStaff version. These binoculars came froma a return and trade, the store had no 9x ProStaffs.
Click to expand...

So for me, the 9x ProStaff is ideal, but I am stuck with the Travelite rubber cup version. (nearly all rubber eye cups are too samll for me, so I have almost no binoculars with them). The screw out eye cups really are one main PLUS for the ProStaff models.

If eye cups are no big issue with you, then the ProStaff and Travelite will both work, but the ProStaff is waterproof.
 
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As it turned out I sold my 10X ProStaffs. They have some limited use, but FOV is small. I still recommend the 9x and 8x Prostaffs and Travelites.
 
I tried a couple of 10x roofs, now I am back to the 9x. As I have the 9x Travelites and the optics are OK, I am getting the 9x25 ProStaffs as well. I can stuff them easily into a coat pocket and the eye cups will not get damaged, as the Travelites possibly may. I have used the 9x Travelites so much that there was no point in not getting the better version.

The other 9x I considered was a roof prism, also 9x25. I f it had been 9x32 I might have gone for it.

I have two other pairs of reverse porros, Minoltas. Optics are OK, but eye cups were smaller and definitely a problem with one pair. My wife and kids use those, they are just cheap plastic with fairly good lenses. The ProStaffs are some polymer as well, but quite solid.
 
In summary, my recent search was for a compact 10x I would be happy with. Not the tiniest 10x25 compact, but something with nice eye cups and fairly fast, so I do not lose the bird. The best smaller 10x I found was the Brunton 10x32 Echo, for under 300. But it was still a little too bulky. I might just as well go with a 10x42. So for a pocket bibocular that I can use I came up with the 9x25 ProStaff. They are bright enough in winter, unlike the 10x25 that I sold. Also, the 10x25 was a bit of a challenge to hold steady, whereas my 10x42 is not. The reverse porro was too light weight.
 
Final comparison: 9x25 brightness OK, not as bright as my 10x42 Monarchs.

I had the 9x25 Travelite, but the comfort or the ProStaff version is just so much over rubber eye cups. For an extra pair the rubber eye cup version was OK for brief birding, but I will take the 9x25 ProStaff...a Travelite name in UK...on some trips as my only bin. Like business trips where I have limited time, city parks etc.
 
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In my long journey with reverse porros I am finally...confused. I kept the rubber eye cup Travelite version, and now I think they might be a tiny bit sharper in the optics than the ProStaff unit I have, both 9x25.

The 8x32s I have, two pair, actually give me a somewhat more satisfactory view. Looking across the Mississippi at eagles in a tree, the 8x32 roofs show me as much detail, maybe a tiny bit sharper.

The Travelite with the rubber eye cups shows quite a bit of glare when viewing toward the sun.

I still prefer these to Nikon Sportstar and Trailbnlazer compact roofs for some reason. Brighteness maybe. Also, the Pro Staff version works with glasses.
 
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I have two pairs of these 9x, ProStaff and Travelite. I have used them from time to time, but as they do not give me as much detail as a full size 10x, and they are pretty poor for brightness on cloudy days, they have less and less use.

On any given day, I will use mostly 8x42 or a 8x32. So it boils down to the fact that I really need 9x32 for a compromise binocular.

Stick to the 8x on all these reverse porros. You will be happier. Then find a bigger 10x if that is what you need.
 
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Tero said:
In my long journey with reverse porros I am finally...confused. I kept the rubber eye cup Travelite version, and now I think they might be a tiny bit sharper in the optics than the ProStaff unit I have, both 9x25.

>snip<

The Travelite with the rubber eye cups shows quite a bit of glare when viewing toward the sun.

I still prefer these to Nikon Sportstar and Trailbnlazer compact roofs for some reason. Brighteness maybe. Also, the Pro Staff version works with glasses.
Click to expand...

I do like my Travelite 9x25's; I think they have a nice sweet spot and are sharp and contrasty. I have not had trouble with flare when viewing toward the sun - though I've not really tested for it. I also have 8x25 Sportstars that I keep in the car. I can't figure out what is wrong with them; their image is just too soft. Maybe that's because they're not phase-coated? Compared to the Travelites they're just not worth keeping except for, well, use out of the car on occasion because they fit in the car's console. Interesting, though, that star viewing is quite good through the Sportstars.
 
Yes, 9x can be good at times. I like them OK in good light. And I will never sell both. It is hard to decide which to keep. The ProStaff would sell for more.
 
i did try it, the eyecups are very good, as you have told. Yes, i believe they work with my glasses adequately. they will be nice waterproof compacts if I will be able to get them!
 
I have the Nikon Travelite III 7x20 which is probably my most-used bin' because it is so tiny and light, yet gives a pleasant and adequate image, perfect as 'opera glass' or take-anywhere optic. A good used buy for very little money, albeit not weatherproof. I've not seen the Bushnell 7x26, but can vouch for the Pentax Papilio and its amazing 18"/45cm close focus, worth buying just for that...
 
These are all fine binoculars. If money is no concern, the Custom would be my first choice for birding. The Pentax Papilio is unbeatable for butterflies and is fine for birding as well, but it is bulky even for a compact porro so it wouldn't be my first choice if the "compact" aspect is the motivation for purchasing one of these.

keithdrengen said:
Anyone compared the prostaff/travelite with bushnell custom 7x26?
Click to expand...
Most important difference in my opinion is the wider FOV of the 7x26 Custom.
keithdrengen said:
Anyone compared Pentax papilio with bushnell custom 7x26?
Click to expand...
The 6.5x21 Papilio is not as bright, is bulkier/longer, and it focuses much closer.

--AP
 
Thanks Alexis P...
ONE last question: How do Pentax/nikon perform against the sun? In terms of internal reflections and flare. (I Dont know if these are the right definitions).
I recently had a Olympus PC1/tracker wich was unusable against the sun (45 degrees off), too bad, because it was decent in other ways.
Regards,
Carsten

EDIT: Got the chance to try the Papilio 6,5x21 myself today. And it showed no problem with viewing in sun direction. Eyeplacement was important though, if the eyecups would go 1-2 mm further out, it would have prevented (me) getting blackouts.
 
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