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Anyone tried these kowa BDII-XD 8x42? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gaz1969uk
- Start date
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As with most models of binoculars out there, there's no reliable way to know how they stack up against other models in the price range. As a general principal, the subset of people that have reliably evaluated the binoculars you are interested in will usually be very small... and usually zero. Personally, I would love to evaluate and rank all the models out there, but I don't want to spend the money that it would require.
How does the Kowa compare against the Nikon Monarch M7, for example? Who knows.
Kowa is a respected binocular manufacturer, and one would expect their offerings to be competitive, though not as competitive as lesser-known brands which may not offer warranty service (and are less likely to still be in business 5 years from now).
I have the older Kowa BD 8x42 XD Prominar, which I do like.
By the way, I think B&H Photo Video has the x32 versions of the BD II for 20% off.
How does the Kowa compare against the Nikon Monarch M7, for example? Who knows.
Kowa is a respected binocular manufacturer, and one would expect their offerings to be competitive, though not as competitive as lesser-known brands which may not offer warranty service (and are less likely to still be in business 5 years from now).
I have the older Kowa BD 8x42 XD Prominar, which I do like.
By the way, I think B&H Photo Video has the x32 versions of the BD II for 20% off.
This is one binocular I haven't tried, which is rare! But here are some reviews on them. The comments are mostly positive. I like the 8.2 degree FOV, 23 oz. weight for a 42mm and the under $500 price, but they have a little too much distortion and CA on the edge for me. There is a pair in the Bird Forum classifieds for UK delivery for £260.00 or $323.00 USD.
www.allaboutbirds.org
www.allaboutbirds.org
www.birdforum.net
rokslide.com
www.allbinos.com
Kowa BD II XD 8x42 Binoculars: Our Review
These binoculars have a great feel, excellent image, and a smooth focus wheel. They are one of our Top Picks.
The Cornell Lab Review: Affordable Full-Size 8x42 Binoculars
We reviewed more than two dozen pairs of 8x42 binoculars—a popular, versatile choice for most kinds of birdwatching. Here's what we learned.
New Binocular Day. Kowa BD II XD 8x42
I've already been enjoying the Kowa BD II XD 6.5x32, and I have been very impressed with them. So I ordered the 8x42 version, and they arrived this morning. They are ever bit as impressive as the 6.5x32, and them some. The 6.5 focus wheel is a little light, moving quite easily, the 8x42 is...
www.birdforum.net
Review on Kowa BD II XD 8x42
I've been working on a few reviews on video and wrote a short article as well. Anyone have experience with these? I thoroughly enjoyed them and was surprised and how well they did on my comparisons over the past couple weeks. I used them against the Diamondbacks and Swarovski EL's to see both...
rokslide.com
Kowa Prominar BDII 8x42 Binoculars BDII42-8XD - Brand New in Box | eBay
Kowa BDII 8 x 42 binoculars. Model BDII42-8XD. Green color. Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass. KR coating. Extra wide field of view. Twist up/down eyecup to accommodate eyeglass wearer. Kowa warranty.
www.ebay.com
Kowa 8x42 BD42-8 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com
The best binocular tests on the net. The comprehensive database of binoculars with their parameters and users opinions. Interesting articles and comparisons.
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Just focusing on the optical qualities of two models of binoculars, and ignoring all the different weights one could assign to the various aspects of optical performance, ranking two binoculars optically (except in extreme circumstances) is impossible unless one has both models in hand. That's ignoring sample variance. But even with two models in hand, it can be very hard to rank them optically, even in a superb testing environment.
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In other words, you should assign little value to anyone's comparison of two binoculars unless they own both of them (or have owned them at the same time.)
The Kowa's are probably good binoculars. Are there better ones for the same price? Who knows. There's a large number of competitors in the $300 - $500 price range, and I don't know any entity that is able to rank them reliably.
Really the only way for you to know how the Kowa's compare to other mid-range binoculars that you are interested in is to compare them yourself.
The Kowa's are probably good binoculars. Are there better ones for the same price? Who knows. There's a large number of competitors in the $300 - $500 price range, and I don't know any entity that is able to rank them reliably.
Really the only way for you to know how the Kowa's compare to other mid-range binoculars that you are interested in is to compare them yourself.
In my opinion, the Kowa BD II 8x42 is a super binocular and an excellent value for the price. Color accurate, wide field of view, solid build quality, extremely bright, virtually CA free, compact dimensions/weight. It's a gem IMO.
The only drawbacks I have experienced with them so far is less than ideal glare control (still very good) and the objective covers are cheap/loose fitting.
The neck strap and case are above average quality and the warranty service is excellent from Kowa in the US.
The only drawbacks I have experienced with them so far is less than ideal glare control (still very good) and the objective covers are cheap/loose fitting.
The neck strap and case are above average quality and the warranty service is excellent from Kowa in the US.
