Choosing 8x42 RSPB/Viking bins (1 Viewer)

[Swifty49]

I went to RSPB Conwy today and tried out 7 pairs of binoculars in both of their guises, RSPB and Viking. The ones I tested were;

RSPB 8.5x42 WPG
RSPB 8x42 BG PC
RSPB 8x42 HD
Viking 8x42w Navilux
Viking 8x42 Vistron
Viking 8x42 MD
Viking 8x42 ED

The sales assistant was great and gradually, one by one, the bins went back into the display case until only one pair remained - The RSPB BG PC.

For my personal preference and ease of use, etc. these binoculars were the best. Closely followed by the Viking Vistron and the Viking MD. The MD in particular has massive eye-relief and the Vistron are very compact for 8x42s. However the BG PCs just knocked them all into a cocked hat and I couldn't really discern any optical superiority in the HD and ED models that would make me choose either of them over the BG PCs

Such a great advantage in being able to try out so many pairs rather than just reading reviews and taking pot-luck online.

 

[Swifty49]

Just a small word of advice about buying RSPB binoculars. Sherwoods Photo Online also sell them, at considerably less than RSPB centres or their website.

For example the 8x42 BG PC that I plumped for are £359 from RSPB but £290 from Sherwoods.

It might seem churlish to test them all out at RSPB and then buy them elsewhere but hey, I'm a pensioner and £69 is a lot of money!

 

[Mark9473]

I came upon your post by chance. Was looking at the RSPB binoculars (online) and thought the 8x42 BG PC looks *a lot* like my Vixen Apex Pro. If they are the same, I'm not surprised you had a preference for them.