While both I and my significant other have not purchased a Alpha Compact in many years, a offer from DVOR.Com last week which had the Kowa Genesis 10x22 for sale for $485 promoted my wife to quickly pull the trigger on these. She finds these amazing, along with the just right fitting very well padded case to the just as nice neck strap. Not much feedback here on this forum on these, definitely sleepers especially at the price she paid compared to the others.
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Leica .. Swarovski and Zeiss are not the only Alpha Compacts You Should Consider (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter gcole
- Start date
Gcole,
Nice move (!!) by your wife and glad she is so happy with them. Would love to read a review if and when the two of you are inclined.
Mike
Hi Mike, my wife feels she does not have enough experience in handling these much smaller double hinged 20-25 mm high end compacts to give a in depth review. It’s been over 25 years since she use to borrow my Leica 10x25 BCA binoculars. I kinda urged her to buy these because when I was actively using binoculars to view wildlife, she would not bring a pair of her own always complaining about carrying them. Now the only complaint I suspect I will hear is … I do not use these enough to justify the cost. My wife’s eyes are the better between the two us now. She thinks they are very sharp/clear for being so small. Her only problem now .. would be her age not being very cooperative with holding them steady. That’s about all I can get out of her. I have been reading much lately the opinions of what the Leica Ultravid, Zeiss Victory Pocket and the Swarovski CL Pocket Compact owners like and their dislikes of their purchases here on this forum. I was hoping with me bringing this topic up with the Kowa Genesis Compacts, we would hear some of their owners opinions. Now having said all this, what I can say about these Genesis compacts that does not include my poor eyesight is … Build quality is amazing. Everything moves smoothly, eye cups stay in place. Their double hinge design has just the right tightness. Their overall appearance shows no flaws in either the armor material or of the way the rest of the metal finish was applied. The central focusing wheel is small but big enough for my cubby fingers to easily operate having no sloppiness. The lens coatings on the Genesis is what you would expect on such a expensive binocular, right up there with the competition of the other top tier Alpha compacts. These do not come with objective lens covers but their ocular lens covers have a nice design, with each individually tethered to their sided straps being easily removed and put back on. For me personally I like the one cover, like how Swarovski designed for their new 7x21 compact. The case and strap are nicely made … case fitting just right, not to loose or tight. We’ll padded giving plenty of protection. The strap also being nicely padded, with enough width fitting very comfortable on ones neck. One always reads about how good the optics are but then how the accessory’s fall short. Not in this case, Kowa not only has produced a very high end and visually looking binocular but also followed thru with accessory’s to match. Having owned Kowa’s Genesis 33, 44 mm binoculars , their Genesis 10x22 overall quality was really no surprise. What was the real surprise was, Dvor.com selling us the Genesis 10x22 for under $500 New.
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I forgot to add this …. these come with their serial number on their box, but I could not see the serial number anywhere on the binoculars themselves. I am curious because when I registered these with Kowa on line, one of their required questions asked was for their serial number. This is the first time I have encountered this with any of our purchases. Binoculars to small, having a serial number imprinted would be to small to read ? Any thoughts out there ?
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Yes, the serial number is marked on the bino itself. You have to unfold it fully open, then look at the left tube just next to the „Made in Japan“ label.
And yes, these are very nice, and I hope you enjoy them (in the 8x20 range of pocket binos, I myself prefer the optics of the Ultravid, but don‘t tell your wife 😉)
Cani
And yes, these are very nice, and I hope you enjoy them (in the 8x20 range of pocket binos, I myself prefer the optics of the Ultravid, but don‘t tell your wife 😉)
Cani
Even worse, she’s had her eye on the New Swarovski 7x21 ever since she has handled the Kowa Genesis. Your Right !! I assumed it would be on one of the two flat sided surfaces. Not on the underside of the barrel horizontally to the Made In Japan. The hinge has to be fully opened to just see that something is there , at just the right angle. I also had to use a Pen Light and Magnifier. A good thing I did not try to post a Optical Review of these, crap … I could not even see the serial number. Thanks Cani
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jafritten
Well-known member
Oh yes, please!
Wow... great price and they sure look awesome. If the performance matches the looks, I'd say those are total winners! Now I'd like to learn more about them!
Which direction does the focuser work? Clockwise to infinity and beyond? Light focuser tension? Excellent focuser smoothness? Glare handling? Eyecups not too small?
Which direction does the focuser work? Clockwise to infinity and beyond? Light focuser tension? Excellent focuser smoothness? Glare handling? Eyecups not too small?
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