New APC 42 Stabilized (1 Viewer)

[yarrellii]

Reviews have been mixed.

I absolutely agree with this. I'm really very inserted in Kite's IS range, but the seemingly different points of view regarding their performance is a bit baffling. Unfortunately I don't live near a Kite dealer, so I can't try them myself. Having read many many BF threads and reviews, I find in this particular case opinions really differ from each other.

 

[Nivado]

I do have to change my opinion a bit on the 12x30's I purchased. I was far from impressed the first month I used them but now they have showed me to be pretty ok in several occasions.
Lately I tried them out when going out on a lake with a small boat and they performed really well actually.. I could pick out Common Scoters wich where resting on the water at a distance pretty easy I have to say. And when the afternoon sun broke through the clouds the view was just nice. Specifically the males, when started to display, where sparkling in the low sunlight. The sharpness was really ok and I could even see their eyes, wich isn't always easy at distance. So yes, I have to admit that I was a little bit to harsh on them.

By the way, the first pair of batteries are still in use at the moment so the tilt function does work fine!
Although on 2 occasions, when I forgot to turn off the stabilizer when putting them a side for a while, the view was wobbling up and down when I picked them up. I just turned the switch off and on and it was good again. But it is something I have to be aware of in future..

 

[LucaPCP]

I have bene using the 16x42 IS for a while now, and here's a summary of what I think of them.

Overall, they are very useful. I can see 1.7x the amount of detail as I can with my top-quality 8x binoculars. It's not 2x, because the Kite are somewhat inferior optically (see later) but there is no doubt I can see many more details.

On the negative side, they haven't become my go-to binoculars. I carry them in addition, and not instead, to my 8x32 or 7x42. This because they are less versatile, and a bit inferior optically. Less versatile because they are not very easy to use to find active birds in canopies. Further, compared with my top of the line 8x or 7x binoculars, there is some of the snap of the image that is missing -- if you are looking at something you can identify well with an 8x, you will prefer that view than with the 16x.

But replacement of my 8x binoculars was not the goal. I wanted something that would replace a scope, as I did not think I would enjoy carrying a scope and tripod. In that respect, they work quite well.

Optically, they have three weak points compared with my 8x top binoculars.

First, they have some CA. But the CA can be controlled by perfectly centering the pupil in the ocular. It's a skill that you learn using them; don't be put off if the initial view is so-so.

Second, they suffer from glare. My 8x and 7x are superb, and one forgets how normal binoculars behave when pointed at dark vegetation with a bright cloudy sky right behind. The Kite will remind you. But I notice the glare issue only rarely.

Third, they have lower contrast. But the overall contrast is still very good.

They also have a couple of real advantages.

First, they do work quite well. The stabilization works very well, and you can see a lot more. I estimate the benefit is a 1.7x benefit.

Second, they are very practical. They are not too heavy, they are very very robust, rubberized, they are practical in battery usage (don't run it down often, no button to keep pushed, self shut-off when pointed down). I carry these around quite a bit; I would not be as confident carrying around more fragile binoculars.

Concluding, I carry these around in about half of my outings. In the outings in which I have them, they are crucial for some ID about half of the time or more (the last ID I got that way was spotted sandpiper; from the distance where I was, I would not have been able to make the ID with my 7x). I normally carry the 7x or 8x on my neck or bandolier style; I then switch to the Kite, which I carry in a backpack, as needed. The drawback is a bit more weight on my back, and more importantly, a bit of additional complication (take the Kite out of the case, use them, put them back in case, put the case in backpack.... ).
Now that I have them, I do not dream of carrying a spotting scope.

 

[mbb]

Being already a year later, I was wondering if there are any other people who have had the chance to use these and would share their experience?
Or anyone with new insights from having experienced and compared them, on the field, with small scopes like the Nikon ED50 or Opticron mm3/4 50mm? (E.g. stabilized binocular view at 16x42 vs. one-eyed 20-25x50 on a tripod?)

 

[FVG]

Being already a year later, I was wondering if there are any other people who have had the chance to use these and would share their experience?
Or anyone with new insights from having experienced and compared them, on the field, with small scopes like the Nikon ED50 or Opticron mm3/4 50mm? (E.g. stabilized binocular view at 16x42 vs. one-eyed 20-25x50 on a tripod?)

Short response to the last message of this old topic: I recently purchased an APC 16x42, mainly for specific circumstances. I will soon share my experiences in a new topic about using the APC and the position it occupies compared to my other optics such as my Nikons ED50 and ED82 and my Zeiss SFL 8x30. I can already say that the APC 16x42 is a very useful addition, but not (yet) a replacement. It would not surprise me that in the future there will be an important and growing role for stabilized binoculars, including at the alpha brands. Canon did the pioneering work many years ago, but Kite has brought the stabilized binoccular closer to people with this APC series.

 

[Winterdune]

I emailed Kite recently as I heard that they will be releasing a x14 Stabilized model soon. I asked if it would have a wider fov than the current crop. Kite confirmed that some new models were coming next year but that the fov will not be changing significantly. This is a real shame for me as fov is the one thing preventing me from moving to IS binoculars completely.

 

[mbb]

I emailed Kite recently as I heard that they will be releasing a x14 Stabilized model soon. I asked if it would have a wider fov than the current crop. Kite confirmed that some new models were coming next year but that the fov will not be changing significantly. This is a real shame for me as fov is the one thing preventing me from moving to IS binoculars completely.

If the AFOV is the same as for the current 16x, that would be OK.
If the AFOV is the same as the 12x, that would be enough for me to not consider it.
If it's the real FOV that remains the same, thus with an AFOV in between both current models, that would be a pity.

A 14x42 would give an exit pupil of 3mm, same as a 8x25. If they up the optical quality to the level of their best binoculars (Ibis ED and Bonelli 2), improve blackening/baffling and thus reduce glare etc., while keeping the AFOV(!) of the current 16x, it would be a winner (if the price is right ;-) ).
I'm very curious what it will be...

 

[Charlie Yardbird]

Is the Kite PM an older version of the APC model? I see it on their site but no prices, as if out of production.
I have Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 and 10x42. The APC is the same price zone as a Conquest HD 10x32, which would be lighter than the 10x42 and probably just as good in normal light.

Give me some opinions on buying one of the APC models instead, and which magnification.

Someone said "The exit pupils are D-shaped. Truncated at the center side. The effective aperture is less than 42 mm"
My IPD is 53mm. The Conquests minimum is 54mm, actually measured. The Kites claim 54mm. What is the actual minimum of the Kite models? Its often a bit closer than the published number, at least on vintage Porros. Since I cannot put the center of both lenses atop my pupils, I am always focusing a bit to the "inside" of the center. So I wonder if the D shape would reduce my view.

So what happens with an AI binocular when you focus your eyes towards the edge of the lens, not the center? I suppose with a Flat Field design it ought not to matter. But I presume the vibration system is measuring the center axis of the lens.

I would say that I don't get much shake with a 10x, but I have a 12x50 which shakes too much at birdfeeder distance; it needs a further target not to notice the jitters. I guess I'll need to look up the weights of mine to compare to the Kite.