Hi Everybody,
I bought a pair of 2018 Viper 12x50s a couple months ago. I like them. I may get some first-class 12s sometime soon, so I needed verification that I liked the platform. I've never tried the previous Vipers, but a few years ago I bought the Diamondback 12x50s and I can say without question that the 2018 Vipers are far superior to those. I bought the Vipers because they were the cheapest HD binoculars that I found.
What I like:
The clarity is good for the price, and kind of remind me of my Nikon Monarch 7s in that respect. Not perfect or anything, but acceptable.
They are bright, far brighter than those old Diamondbacks anyway.
The color is decently neutral, with aberrations only becoming bothersome near the field stop.
They are light and comfortable to hold and carry.
What I don't like:
The focus knob is pretty trashy. The resistance is variable, and generally too stiff, which makes them slow.
The locking diopter is a joke. It never actually stays locked. I find that it has popped up into the unlocked position pretty regularly. Also, there seem to be some discrete positions that it can occupy (like there are some interlocking teeth in there) and I can't quite set mine to zero.
The eyecups are ok, but they don't actually stay in any position other than all the way in or all the way out. If you set them to any of the middle positions then they will eventually migrate to the all the way in position.
Overall, they are decent glass. I'd buy them again.
-as you were, q
ps. They sent me this weird harness deal in place of a regular bag for them. That thing was super cheap and I broke one of the buckles before I even got done adjusting it to fit me.