Multi Binocular Comparison of popular models | Kowa, Pentax, Nikon, Sightron, Atlas (1 Viewer)

[henry link]

I agree that the Atlas Intrepid is a very nice binocular for $200. I tested it in the thread below when it first appeared in 2009 and cost $350.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=145296

 

[Chicolom]

I have mentioned a few times that the Roamer, is that in the US of Oxford?, DPS thing was no good.

I like the colour with the Carson. It's richer than with the Papilio, to me. The Papilio seems on the cool side by comparison.

Have you not taken a file to the Carson focus wheel yet. Does the focus wheel not press into your head when to try and get close enough to the eyepieces to get the full view?

How do you know the Carson isn't multicoated? It doesn't matter anyhow as it is well bright enough whatever it is.

Yes, I'm in the USA, not UK.

The Roamer isn't bad at all. It's very similar to the Carson actually, and they're both good. It's just that the Pentax (both the UP and Papilio) are both better in contrast thanks to the improved coatings. The Carson and Roamer both have a more washed out hazier view next to the Pentax.

I'm a photographer and I've been around enough uncoated, coated, and multi-coated glass to spot the differences. The Carson also says right on the box "Fully coated lenses". You can see the difference in coatings pretty easily on the eyepiece comparison photo above .

The focus wheel on the Carson does sort of bump into me, but a that point my eyelashes are already brushing the lenses so I think I'm close enough already....

 

[Chicolom]

The little RP Kenko is for sale via Amazon uk for about £37: i recall paying nearly twice that for my Olympus in the same format, and I regarded the latter as a good buy at the time!

I've got the reverse porro Kenko on the way, it should be here next week. If it's as good as the Olympus Tracker, than it's worth keeping. If not, it'll get returned to Amazon.

I agree that the Atlas Intrepid is a very nice binocular for $200. I tested it in the thread below when it first appeared in 2009 and cost $350.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=145296

Yes, I read every review on them I could find prior to purchasing, including yours. Thanks for the review on them.

I love the Intrepids!

 

[CliveP]

Yes, I'm in the USA, not UK.

The Roamer isn't bad at all. It's very similar to the Carson actually, and they're both good. It's just that the Pentax (both the UP and Papilio) are both better in contrast thanks to the improved coatings. The Carson and Roamer both have a more washed out hazier view next to the Pentax.

I'm a photographer and I've been around enough uncoated, coated, and multi-coated glass to spot the differences. The Carson also says right on the box "Fully coated lenses". You can see the difference in coatings pretty easily on the eyepiece comparison photo above .

The focus wheel on the Carson does sort of bump into me, but a that point my eyelashes are already brushing the lenses so I think I'm close enough already....

It actually doesn't seem as though we have the same bin in the Carson? I'm on my second and they were the same except the focus seized on my first. I also had the 8x25 UP and it was crap and I didn't feel it as good as the Papilio so I doubt the 8x21 is that great but I hope you enjoy it in any case.

Anyway.... I did get out to try my modified Carson today and I also brought the Visionary 8x22U along although god knows why but the last time I had both out I ended up thinking the 8x22 was the better.

Well this time was a bit different you might say. This time the Carson 7x18 Mini Scout blew the Visionary away and I ended up just packing the Visionary away and only using the Carson and basically I felt more than amazed at how capable the Carson is. I was actually shocked. The focus wheel still hit my forehead so I could see that I should shorten it a little bit more and I've now done that just to get my eyes exactly in the sweet spot.

It really didn't seem to be a question any longer of what can I get out of this little binocular and more of a just wow this is a great binocular who cares what size it is. I'm still trying to get my head around it. At one point I was thinking it so amazing that did I really need my big 8x43 bin or most of my other bins. I used it that much that I did seem to get slightly tired eyes after an hour or two. At the beginning it did seem very strange to be placing my eyes so close to the oculars but the results were there. The wide angle is brilliant close in. Small birds pop with colour and vibrance (it was a nice bright clear almost spring day) and bif's are also brilliantly large and clean edged and easy to track and distance resolution is excellent. I would defintiely without hesitation throw these in a pocket to take anywhere. I just don't know how they ended up with such brilliant glass in this cheap Carson and all you need to see it is have eyes that bulge out a lot, no forehead, or shorten the focus wheel.

It's twisted my mellon man:loveme::kiss::bounce:|8.|

Just ordered the Carson 8x22 Scout. I have to see if it's as good as the 7x18. Theoretically it should be better but then look what happened with the Visionary. At least I can send it back if it is another Visionary type fail. Please be like the 7x18 only even better.

 

[CliveP]

Few pics of the my new Carson 8x22 Scout

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3362823#post3362823