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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dwatsonbirder" data-source="post: 3255967" data-attributes="member: 92203">I posted a few days ago about a deal I'd seen on eBay (please note that I'm not affiliated with the seller) where one could pick up a choice of two pairs of binoculars for under £15 including postage. I've just received them both this afternoon. I opted for the 7x30 porro prism and the 8x42 roof prism.What's in the box?Each pair comes with a semi-solid case, webbed strap, rainguard and lens cloth. The binoculars themselves appear surprisingly well made, with a grippy rubber finish, twist up eyecups and are both apparently waterproof.7x30These binoculars are quoted as having a field of view of 137m @ 1000m, but comparing them with the 8's the fov appears moderately narrower, perhaps 125m. The view is slightly rose tinted (literally not retrospectively!) and is quite sharp in the middle, with some fall off in the outer edge of the view. Without glasses the whole fov can be seen, though not much is lost when wearing glasses. They focus down to just over 2m, though the view at this range becomes slightly tunnel like and a bit uncomfortable.Mechanically the binoculars seem well built; The central hinge has the right amount of stiffness, and the 2 finger wide focus wheel operates smoothly though with some resistance. The eyecups are twist up but do not lock. Overall these seem reasonable for the price, and would be ideal for children getting started or as a backup to leave in the car.8x42These binoculars are quoted as having a field of view of 129m @ 1000m which seems a bit less than the image shows; the view is surprisingly wide, perhaps as much as 135m, and only slightly less than my Swarovski SLC's! The view is slightly purple tinted but certainly not to a point where this is in any way distracting. I am impressed by the view overall, it feels wide and sharp enough when scanning & resolves details of birds on my feeders roughly 10m away. Aesthetically the binoculars resemble the Mk 1 Hawke Frontier ED binoculars, though (as you would expect) this pair lacks the ED glass. They are extremely comfortable to hold and the open bridge design fits my hands perfectly. There are no thumb indentations on the back. The rubber finish feels a bit cheap but is pleasing to the touch. The eyecups are twist up with 3 intermediate settings, though like the 7x30's the eyecups are made of a slightly tough plastic.I bought both pairs on a whim; if they were awful they would have ended up in a local charity shop. I am astonished by the quality of both pairs, but in particular the 8x42's which for under £15 are an absolute no-brainer for all birders. I'll write more comments when I've had chance to use them more in the field.</blockquote>

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