Looking for a good compact 8x25 (1 Viewer)

[wachipilotes]

Hi.
I'm looking for a compact binocular good quality, but I would like you to give me your opinion on an 8x20 or 8x25 model, the 10x can not stand ..
I'm interested that the binoculars are a good value for money.
Good quality and friendly to use
I have seen the CP Swarovski 8x25, Kowa BD 8X25 DCF or the new Kowa 22, Zeiss 8x20 Terra, Zeiss Victory, Ultravids Leica, Nikon .... In short, there are so many !!
Thank you very much
regards
Wachi.

 

[Dennis Mau]

Hi.
I'm looking for a compact binocular good quality, but I would like you to give me your opinion on an 8x20 or 8x25 model, the 10x can not stand ..
I'm interested that the binoculars are a good value for money.
Good quality and friendly to use
I have seen the CP Swarovski 8x25, Kowa BD 8X25 DCF or the new Kowa 22, Zeiss 8x20 Terra, Zeiss Victory, Ultravids Leica, Nikon .... In short, there are so many !!
Thank you very much
regards
Wachi.

I think the Swarovski 8x25 CL-P is the best compact you can buy right now.

http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/Swarovski-CL-Pocket-8x25-126.htm

 

[PhilR.]

For 8x20, the best is the Leica Ultravid. Excellent view for it's size, excellent build quality, and a surprising amount of ER for something so small. For a "value" option, the Alpen Wings is a competent bino for it's low price.

For 8x25, the Swaro CL-Pocket is the best I've used so far. I have not used the new Kowa that has just come out, but I doubt that it will be better than the CL-P. As would be expected, the Swaro has excellent overall characteristics, including very nice eyecups, a very smooth and accurate focus wheel, and very good ER. For a value option, the Hawke Sapphire and the Zeiss Terra would be worthy of investigation.

 

[oldfortyfive]

I have the Swaro, Lieca and the Zeiss 8x25 Terra. I like all three. The Swaro wins, hands down and the little Zeiss is surprisingly good for the money. The little Vortex Viper 8x28 is also very good.

 

[peatmoss]

Hello Wachi.

Everybody has named good ones above. I agree with Phil and Dennis that the Swaro is probably the overall best available in this size category. It has plus sharpness on axis and has a surprisingly flat field for a binocular which does not advertise field flatteners. The Ultravid is every bit as sharp as the Swaro on axis, but has softer edges. But on the other hand it is noticeably smaller and lighter than the Swaro, so one's preference might depend on one's priorities. Both of these are at the top of the price scale.

At a more reasonable price level, I've tried both the Hawke Sapphire ED and the Alpen Wings ED. Both are good values at around $200 US. The on axis sharpness on these two is similar, and just a little bit below the Swaro and the Ultravid. But both have somewhat smaller sweet spots and softer edges (the Hawke edges the Alpen in this regard). Both of these binoculars lack the high-efficiency prism coatings of the Swaro and the Leica, and so the views are not quite as bright and not quite as neutral in color.

Between these two price levels are some interesting models which I have not tried. This includes the Zeiss Terra and the Nikon Lx-L. You might consider these if they are available locally. I believe both are made in Japan.

All of the above are double-hinge models, but I noticed that you mentioned the Kowa BD 8x25 and oldfortyfive mentioned the Vortex Viper 8x28, which are both conventional single hinges. I've tried the Viper and think it is a very usable model, but I don't think it has much optical advantage over any of the models already mentioned except for the larger exit pupil. If you are considering that model, I might also suggest the Opticron Traveler 8x32, which is tiny for an 8x32 and gives you a more spacious 4mm exit pupil.

 

[Bencw]

Hi Wachi,

I have not seen the new Kowa 8x22, but have tried pretty much every other top make compact, optically, the Swarvski 8x25 CL pocket is the best, easily, no contest, not seen the Kowa, but it would have to be very, very good to beat the Swaro, it's the best compact by miles, the view is as good as many 8x30's, but it is also the most expensive and possibly the heaviest.

 

[Aquaman]

I bought the Bushnell H2O 8x25 after trying out numerous far more expensive options, including some of the ones already mentioned. I just wasn't seeing superior or even equivalent optics in many of them, and the mechanicals were clearly sub-par on most models regardless of price. In fact I saw no relation between price and optical and mechanical quality. Factor in the desire for a compact design, and only Steiner compacts offered real competition to the very inexpensive Bushnell 8x25 in my mind. Steiner has comfortable eyeshields in their favor, but I found the Bushells fit my hands and face better.

I was rather dismayed at the poor Kowa mechanical quality. Sloppy and overly stiff focus wheel still stands out as the major dealbreaker. Most of the rest suffered from too narrow real fov, uncomfortable eyecups, or inferior optics (soft at best focus, or perceived sharpness but unable to resolve the fine details as well).

I really did not expect Steiner and Bushnell to be the leading contenders but when I stopped looking at price tags thats what it came down to. And I own and stongly prefer my Leica and Zeiss lenses and cameras over everthing else I've used.

Tldr: try them out before committing to a purchase. It's your eyes, hands, and face they need to match. My Bushells don't list phase coatings on the spec sheet but in use they are remarkable.

 

[gwsudiro]

I bought the Bushnell H2O 8x25 after trying out numerous far more expensive options, including some of the ones already mentioned. I just wasn't seeing superior or even equivalent optics in many of them, and the mechanicals were clearly sub-par on most models regardless of price. In fact I saw no relation between price and optical and mechanical quality. Factor in the desire for a compact design, and only Steiner compacts offered real competition to the very inexpensive Bushnell 8x25 in my mind. Steiner has comfortable eyeshields in their favor, but I found the Bushells fit my hands and face better.

I was rather dismayed at the poor Kowa mechanical quality. Sloppy and overly stiff focus wheel still stands out as the major dealbreaker. Most of the rest suffered from too narrow real fov, uncomfortable eyecups, or inferior optics (soft at best focus, or perceived sharpness but unable to resolve the fine details as well).

I really did not expect Steiner and Bushnell to be the leading contenders but when I stopped looking at price tags thats what it came down to. And I own and stongly prefer my Leica and Zeiss lenses and cameras over everthing else I've used.

Tldr: try them out before committing to a purchase. It's your eyes, hands, and face they need to match. My Bushells don't list phase coatings on the spec sheet but in use they are remarkable.

Aquaman, that must be a very nice sample of H2O 8x25..

On the contrary, recently I have compared a H2O vs Prostaff 8x25, and found out that H2O roof compact maybe better to avoid.. Or maybe I just got a bad sample..

Anyway, the view is significantly dimmer compared to Prostaff 8x25. Also not as sharp as Prostaff. FOV seemed to equal. More yellow tint in Bushnell, significantly more CA even on axis. Very slow and inconsistant focusing action. Collimation is acceptable

Physical and mechanical of the Bushnell is fine for its price..little stiff focus knob and diopter ring, solid rubber armor, its fine, no problemo. But I saw somekind of oil lubricant oozes out inside the barrel around the focusing elements. It was quite obvious...too obvious.

And the most annoying thing is the diopter adjustment. I usually set the diopter around half to 1 click from center to minus. But with the H2O, even if I turn all the way to the left (max minus) the view still dont focus as one, I might need a click or two more. Maybe something wrong with the diopter or maybe the focuser.

Of course at this pricepoint quality among samples can vary greatly... Try before you buy.

Best Regards
Galih