Opticron DBA VHD 8x42 Review (2 Viewers)

[typo]

I agree. That review is also for the older Countryman. However, the exit pupils on the model I tried yesterday were shocking and a total disgrace. £589 is a lot of money. Helios and Celestron can make binoculars at £95 with perfectly round exit pupils. Why can't Opticron do it at circa £600? Not good enough.

Jinty,

Just curious why you might be concerned by the shape of the exit pupil. Seems numbers were around 3% light loss for those old Countrymans which would really come into play when viewing by moonlight and those VHDs are still going to be up to 35% brighter than a £90 Helios or Celestron at all light levels. If you think can spot 3% difference by moonlight look at heavier models with bigger prisms, but you would actually be much better off with an 8 or 10x56 anyway.

David

 

[Jinty85]

Jinty,

Just curious why you might be concerned by the shape of the exit pupil. Seems numbers were around 3% light loss for those old Countrymans which would really come into play when viewing by moonlight and those VHDs are still going to be up to 35% brighter than a £90 Helios or Celestron at all light levels. If you think can spot 3% difference by moonlight look at heavier models with bigger prisms, but you would actually be much better off with an 8 or 10x56 anyway.

David

Typo,

In your opinion, is it acceptable for a £600 binocular to have truncated exit pupils?

 

[typo]

Typo,

In your opinion, is it acceptable for a £600 binocular to have truncated exit pupils?

I've seen it at all price points including the alphas. I just can't imagine a situation where something like 3% reduction in EP area would make any practical difference, so it's the very bottom of my list of criteria.

David

 

[Jinty85]

I've seen it at all price points including the alphas. I just can't imagine a situation where something like 3% reduction in EP area would make any practical difference, so it's the very bottom of my list of criteria.

David

It shouldn't happen at any price point. I imagine there's an issue with internal construction if they are truncated? Could you provide any documentary evidence that shows the figure to be approximately 3%?

 

[typo]

Jinty,

I was just using that old Countryman result as an example which gave the right side as 2.67%. I've seen many with oval exit pupils which is perhaps less obvious, but are clearly higher than that with some examples. It's not something I routeinly check anymore because I don't regard it as important but I didn't notice anything exceptional about the VHD I tried.

I've never been brave enough to take a roof model apart, let alone an Opticron, so I can't tell you how the mounting and collimation is adjusted. I know the roof prisms are usually assembled in a separate casette and I'm sure there must be a 3 or 4-axis ajustment mechanism. Collimation is very important. There can be 6-12 lenses in the optical path and I think prism orientation is the usual method of compensation for any initial misalignment. It it is necessary to tilt the prism casette it will result in an oval EP. With a compact light weight binocular with small prisms there is a risk of touching a prism edge. If its a few percent of the area I regard it as inconsequential.

The Kite Bonelli 2.0 boasts a "large prism format" and is over 800g and the VHD under 700g.

David

 

[Jinty85]

Thank you David. Most helpful and interesting

 

[mulligatawny owl]

Just a few thoughts on the VHD 8x42's.

After having said in the Viking EDFF thread that those bins and these were pretty much on par I feel I must revise that opinion a little.
I've spent quite a bit of time with both and feel the VHD definitely has the edge in pure optical performance.

Once you adjust to the smaller FOV of the VHD's it becomes apparent how good these bins are. Where I felt the EDFF lacked a little sparkle compared to the very best these VHD's really shine, I agree with Frank,they are really bright! In comparing them directly to my SE 8x32 in daylight they are one of the few bins that make the Nikons seem a little dim for a few moments untill the eye adjusts.
The VHD's have a lovely crispness to the view that is quite addictive.

Anyone looking for upper midrange bins like the Conquest HD really needs to try these out.

 

[Ravis]

How much of an improvement is the new VHD DBA Plus?

 

[mulligatawny owl]

I believe it's just a slight coating upgrade, everything else remains the same. In theory they should be slightly brighter and sharper.
Already really great bins to my eyes so any improvement is most welcome.

 

[Ravis]

Thanks Owl. It's a pity that Opticron don't give you the opportunity to trade in your old DBA for the new one
You can get about £300 on eBay tho and some shops are selling them at around 430 now. The new (plus) ones are around 580.

 

[typo]

Pete Gamby told me it was simply a coating upgrage. "You won't spot the difference!"

I've not had a chance yet to put him to the test.

David

 

[Ravis]

Thanks David. I probably won't notice the difference in any case. Not many shops have the DBA+ yet.

 

[Chris Galvin]

Thanks David. I probably won't notice the difference in any case. Not many shops have the DBA+ yet.

Ravis,

All the retailers that ordered them now have them in stock. Have a look at the Opticron DBA Stockists dealer map to see if there is one close to you. Alternatively seek out an optics demo with an Opticron rep present

Stockists Map

With an LA18 postcode, you could either view them in Lamberts, now in Staveley, Kendal, or In Focus at Martin Mere which are the two nearest retailers to you.

Typo, I think you will notice the difference, and this is certainly the feedback that I am noting from the retailers who have sold them and re-ordered.

 

[typo]

Typo, I think you will notice the difference, and this is certainly the feedback that I am noting from the retailers who have sold them and re-ordered.

Sounds like it's too late to find out.

David

 

[Ravis]

Thanks, the two shops I know won't get them until somebody orders them. I could phone a few others nearby. I don't like ordering and then finding they are not quite right when I try them out, not to mention that it might not be worth paying the extra hundred or so pounds more especially if I can't tell the difference. So hopefully I'll be able to go to a demo to try them out. A good demo should have the old one too, in order to compare.

 

[Ravis]

Ye, it looks like my best chance is with Martin Mere near Southport. It's probably worth a trip anyway, excellent birding area. My regular itinerary is the A6 area. I don't mind going to Kendal, but Stavely's a bit further up. I could go and then on to Winderemere. I thought the camera shop up there that had the new one (dba+) was in Kendal?

 

[Chris Galvin]

Ye, it looks like my best chance is with Martin Mere near Southport. It's probably worth a trip anyway, excellent birding area. My regular itinerary is the A6 area. I don't mind going to Kendal, but Stavely's a bit further up. I could go and then on to Winderemere. I thought the camera shop up there that had the new one (dba+) was in Kendal?

Lamberts in Staveley has them in stock

 

[Ravis]

Shop

Lamberts in Staveley has them in stock

Ye, I thought so. Is there another different shop in Kendal or is that it? Thanks.

 

[Guilhem37]

Reread this review, and did mine page 3 of this thread: https://www.birdforum.net/threads/looking-for-new-binos-300-500£-help-me-to-reduce-my-list-of-options-plz.403933/page-3

I returned the 10x42 and I'm waiting for the 8x42. Has someone compared the Opticron DBA VHD+ 8x42 with the Viper HD 8x42?
Especially regarding optics quality, which I'm not good at assessing. Thank you 👍