GPO Passion ED 8 x 32 Review (1 Viewer)

[Dipperdapper]

Hello Everyone,

Please find below a link to my review of the GPO Passion ED 8 x 32.

I hope you find it informative.

Product Review: GPO Passion ED 8 x 32. | Neil English.net

With best wishes,

Neil.

 

[Optics field test]

Hey Neil, lovely review and another great bino by GPO.

 

[Dipperdapper]

Hi Slim,

Thanks for the feedback. Yes indeed, the 8 x 32 is a little gem. Very enjoyable to use.

Best wishes,

Neil.

 

[Aitchess]

Hello Everyone,

Please find below a link to my review of the GPO Passion ED 8 x 32.

I hope you find it informative.

Product Review: GPO Passion ED 8 x 32. | Neil English.net

With best wishes,

Neil.

That was a very interesting and informative review, excellently written - thank you. I was lucky enough, a few months ago, to spot a pair of these when a UK retailer got hold of some brand new stock of the GECO-branded versions of the GPO range (which seems to be identical in all respects aside from the admittedly less-attractive [to me, anyway] GECO branding). The GECO versions seem to have been sold in Europe and it looks like their distributor was maybe clearing stock of the all-black versions as GECO's website now only lists the green variants (which are identically-coloured to your reviewed pair). Whilst I suspect the one thing I'll be lacking is the full warranty benefits of the GPO version, I have been very impressed indeed with the 8x32 GECOs I bought (the optical coatings have the same characteristics as the GPOs too, from what I can see) - as you found, they are really impressive optically and in build quality - and I certainly can't complain at the price I paid for them - £125 (brand new).

 

[PatR]

A cracking review Neil of a really impressive little pair of binoculars which I purchased on the strength of your in-depth thoughts. They really are superb and whilst I was not fortunate enough to purchase them during the Geco clearout (well done @Aitchess!) , I did manage to buy the 8 x 42, the 10 x 50 and the 12.5 x 50 Geco Gold bino's at what was a bit of a steal. Must admit that the Geco/GPO line are superb and though the Gold's I have are the 'Made in Japan' models, the little Chinese made 8 x 32 is equally well made and is an exceptionaly sweet binocular.

 

[Dipperdapper]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Much obliged. Unfortunately those less expensive GECOs were not on my radar when I came around to testing these. Looks like some super good deals were to be had.

Whichever way you slice it, those GPO Passion EDs are super nice.

With best wishes,

Neil.

 

[lmans66]

Solid review....I would agree. Having both the GPO's and the Opticron Verano, ...well, it is a toss-up in image, but the Verano's win in 'less play' in the focus wheel, so I would go with the Opticians....... I wish the GPO brand would put more emphasis on the age old issue they have of 'focus wheel play"... I know I wrote them about that but no reply one way or the other. jim

 

[Dipperdapper]

Hello Imans66,

Thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated.

Yes, focuser play does get to me, and seeing that less expensive models can get this right, there is really no excuse to take the effort to eliminate such bugs. After all, the focuser is such an integral part of any binocular. That said, the 10 x 32 ED was an older model judging by its serial number, and it did have some focuser play. The 8 x 32 ED didn't have the same problem but it was a newer unit.

Let's hope GPO have resolved this issue once and for all!

Cheers,

Neil.

 

[Upland]

I recently bought a like new pair of the GPOs built in 2019 and the focuser was great. I gave them to an elderly friend and she loves them.

 

[Anderlfs]

I was about to press the button for a GPO Passion Ed 8x32 when I read in GPO Passion ED 8x42 review the link by Dr. Gijs van Ginkel "independent spectrophotometric measurements on the smaller 32mm" stating: "We measured an eye relief of 13 mm, but the GPO flyer lists 16 mm". As an eyeglass wearer, I´m almost giving up on more compact designs at affordable prices since I can't test and have to trust manufacturers' data. Buying binoculars is more difficult than it should be. Since you stated in the review "I was able to image the full field of view with the eyecups fully retracted using my eye glasses.", so, even with a 13mm eye relief, this could be duo to bigger 21mm ocular lens?

 

[Canip]

According to my measurements (GPO Passion ED 8×32 – Binoculars Today), the Passion ED has 13 mm usable eye relief (the 16 mm of the GPO specs are the technical eye relief measured from the eyelens surface), so I would think there is a good chance that the Passion ED will work with your glasses.

 

[Anderlfs]

According to my measurements (GPO Passion ED 8×32 – Binoculars Today) (...)

Your measurements are of great public utility, I was still unaware of its existence until now. I found It really crazy to see a Nikon Monarch M7 8x42 with 17.1mm eye relief drop to 13mm usable, while the M7 8x30 dropped from 15.1mm to 13.5mm. More usable eye relief than the full-size version! It would be great to know the usable eye relief of my Meade CanyonView 8x42 which is specified at 14mm, as I see the entire FOV If I press the binocular in the lens of my eyeglass. That's why I was imagining that a 16mm like this GPO Passion would be ideal.