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Product Review: Oberwerk SE 8 x 32 ED. (1 Viewer)

I use Field Optics Research sun shields on my eyecups to stop EP glare when the sun is at a low angle, but I didn't realize they also made Finnsticks," but theirs have two poles and a harness. Looks more stable.

BinoPOD Harness & Pack System ( Black)

A modular binocular harness and pack system that integrates the WORLD's FIRST hands-free glassing system!
www.fieldopticsresearch.com www.fieldopticsresearch.com
 
brocknroller said:
I use Field Optics Research sun shields on my eyecups to stop EP glare when the sun is at a low angle, but I didn't realize they also made Finnsticks," but theirs have two poles and a harness. Looks more stable.

BinoPOD Harness & Pack System ( Black)

A modular binocular harness and pack system that integrates the WORLD's FIRST hands-free glassing system!
www.fieldopticsresearch.com www.fieldopticsresearch.com
Click to expand...
Pretty fancy, although absent a tummy a belt flagpole holder with a DIY Finnstick should be cheaper.
The underside of the Canon 10x42 is flat, so a T shaped Finnstick would be fine, maybe cushioned with a bit of fabric or a nailed on a small beanbag.
 
Certainly the Oberwerk 8x32 is using the very same binocular body as the Visionary 8.5x42, apparently with smaller objective lenses simply embedded deeply in the same large objective bells. Using the simple formula, the eyepiece AFOV specs for the two binoculars are not the same, but without real measurements we can't know if the specs are accurate.
 
The thread starter Dipperdapper is a friend of mine from back in Scotland who recommended these Oberwerks to me so I bought a pair - actually bought for my folks who are visiting here in the US.

I thought I’d share my first impressions of them here for your further edification:

First off, the binos came super fast in the mail, well packed etc. You get a great bundle with these guys - lotsa straps, great carry bag, warranty cards, collimation sign off with tolerances (nice touch) and even a novelty pen!

Binos themselves are very solid, like ready for war solid. Here are my impressions, starting with the worst things first:

The ocular covers are tight and the cover eyelet (to hook the hangstrap through) doesn’t line up with the hang point - little annoying as I like to keep my covers on my hang strap. Another annoyance was the focus being stiff, not too bad, but with some over sized gloves on it wasn’t so easy. Another gripe was the eyecups which are kinda multiple positions, but kinda just move smoothly and don’t ‘snap into position’. The good news is that they stay put where you leave them.

It took me a minute to get these things comfortable on my face - IPD ended up a little less than my normal spread and I settled for the eyecups about half way up - most binos I have my eye cups fully up. Once I’d got it all settled for my liking I began looking at familiar targets and boy oh boy, these Obies are exceptionally sharp over a good portion of the field. These are just first impressions - looking at a beautiful Magnolia or seeing a Cardinal it seems that the colour rendition is very nice and as many others have remarked, little to no CA to speak of. This is just remarkable for a bino at this price, maybe even unheard of in the current bino market?

FOV is a hair less than I was expecting (based on just my impression), although my regular bino is a Nikon EII so that’s a tough comparison. I tried a couple other 8.2 and 8.4 deg wide angle binos I have and the Obie did fall right in line with these, so maybe the EII spoiled me. Optically though I’ll need to spend some more time before I could make a comparison with an EII. I’d say that the Obies, so far, have delivered perhaps even sharper details than my EII.

My Dad is taking the Obies back with him when his vacation ends so I’ll have to decide if I want to get a pair for myself, hehe. It’s kind of a no-brainer for someone in the market for an 8x30, and even for someone with a beautiful 8x30 like the EII it‘s still a major temptation!

I’ll take them out later today in the brilliant spring sunshine and report back with some further thoughts ...
 
Hiho Joe,

Great to hear from you and many thanks for chiming into this thread. I find it helps if you keep the 30mm and 32mm binos in separate categories. That way you can justify having one of each! Lol!

Still enjoying the 8x 32 SE here. Fantastic optics and great handling. Just a nice, solid piece of kit!

Looking forward to hearing more and to hooking up at some stage later in the year.

Best wishes,

Neil.
 
Just came back from my regular birding spot on a gorgeous sunny spring evening with the folks and the Obies. Watched two Osprey diving into water and catching fish - really nice views!

I can report that the binos are essentially CA free (at least I couldn’t see anything to speak of). The image does loose sharpness toward the edge of the field earlier than I initially thought - I’d guess 60% or so. Clarity in the centre is really remarkable though and one’s eyes become the limiting factor.

Compared to my regular Nikon EIIs I’d say that, optically, in the centre of the field they beat the Nikons. However the Nikons have a wider, better corrected field on the whole. Added to this is the fact that the Obies do take some patience to find the sweet spot/configuration for your own face. The Obies feel more finiky than the EIIs, and the EIIs beat them in terms of ease of view. I’m not talking about black-outs or anything, that’s not an issue here, just that the Nikons ‘get in the way‘ a little less.

In short: if you want optically impeccable on-axis performance and are willing to put in a little effort to learn how to use these binos, then you can have ultra hi def views for basically peanuts. A steal for the asking price.
 
There's one thing that means I am not at all interested in these bins. That prevents me being curious about what their view is like.

Their weight.

They are amazingly heavy for a x32. If I am putting that weight on my neck/shoulders I will only do it for a larger exit pupil than these have.

For me the reason for a smaller objective is to carry less weight.
 
From Oberwerk's web site the 8x32, 10x42, and 12x50 SEs weigh 1.75, 2.0, and 2.25lbs (bare) respectively i.e. in steps of 4oz or 113gms.
While they share the same main body and a similar <> 4mm exit pupil, it is the objective barrels which vary, but weight is just part of the story.

Optics apart, the great appeal of Nikon's SE 8x32 is its compact/short form, so that in use it becomes a most comfortable 'handful'
and I still have Vixen Foresta 8x32 1.75lbs which retains some of that handleabilty.
imo Visionary 8.5x32/Oberwerk 8x32 may have lost some of it, so went for 12x50, which has turned out also to handle nicely.
After a brief initial try out perhaps the weight of 12x50 is relatively less significant and being a porro still makes it easy to hand hold for its specs. Each to his own.
 
JStearn said:
Just came back from my regular birding spot on a gorgeous sunny spring evening with the folks and the Obies. Watched two Osprey diving into water and catching fish - really nice views!

I can report that the binos are essentially CA free (at least I couldn’t see anything to speak of). The image does loose sharpness toward the edge of the field earlier than I initially thought - I’d guess 60% or so. Clarity in the centre is really remarkable though and one’s eyes become the limiting factor.

Compared to my regular Nikon EIIs I’d say that, optically, in the centre of the field they beat the Nikons. However the Nikons have a wider, better corrected field on the whole. Added to this is the fact that the Obies do take some patience to find the sweet spot/configuration for your own face. The Obies feel more finiky than the EIIs, and the EIIs beat them in terms of ease of view. I’m not talking about black-outs or anything, that’s not an issue here, just that the Nikons ‘get in the way‘ a little less.

In short: if you want optically impeccable on-axis performance and are willing to put in a little effort to learn how to use these binos, then you can have ultra hi def views for basically peanuts. A steal for the asking price.
Click to expand...
Hello Joe,

Many thanks again for your feedback. Very much appreciated.

Best wishes,

Neil.
 
Mine arrived this week. No CA to speak of, good eye relief, and good build quality. Sharp and clear views. Looked at a Robin and the color, contrast, and detail were excellent. They are a bit heavy, but that actually can help steady the shakes.
 
Thanks for the feedback Cest.

I find the handling on the 8 x 32 exceptional. It's a pure joy to handhold in my medium sized hands. I've also bought high quality, wide neoprene neck straps for both the 8x 32 and 10x 42. These bad boys deserve the best support to get the most out of them.

Regards,

Neil.
 
Hi just reporting back on the Oberwerk SE 8x32, after four months of use. You know how it is, you never "really" know until you've used binos in the field in various conditions. I have to say these have become my favourite "all-rounder, grab n'go" binoculars, and my closet contains original SEs and some big European badges. I thought early on there was a bit of "play" in the focus, but there isn't, it just focusses at different speeds as you turn the dial (if that makes sense). It is the best bino I have at suppressing CA and stray light, and the image has the punch and contrast that reminds me of my old (sadly sold) Nikon EDG 8x42. I love the stereopsis (3D?) effect of porros, so that's a plus for me. I'm sorry I don't have the technical vocabulary for talking about optics; I just love these and am thinking of buying the Oberwerk SE 10x42 to complement them.
 
Last edited:
Sancho said:
Hi just reporting back on the Oberwerk SE 8x32, after four months of use. You know how it is, you never "really" know until you've used binos in the field in various conditions. I have to say these have become my favourite "all-rounder, grab n'go" binoculars, and my closet contains original SEs and some big European badges. I thought early on there was a bit of "play" in the focus, but there isn't, it just focusses at different speeds as you turn the dial (if that makes sense). It is the best bino I have at suppressing CA and stray light, and the image has the punch and contrast that reminds me of my old (sadly sold) Nikon EDG 8x42. I love the stereopsis (3D?) effect of porros, so that's a plus for me. I'm sorry I don't have the technical vocabulary for talking about optics; I just love these and am thinking of buying the Oberwerk SE 10x42 to complement them.
Click to expand...
What is the weight on those? Jim
 
Sancho said:
Hi just reporting back on the Oberwerk SE 8x32, after four months of use. You know how it is, you never "really" know until you've used binos in the field in various conditions. I have to say these have become my favourite "all-rounder, grab n'go" binoculars, and my closet contains original SEs and some big European badges. I thought early on there was a bit of "play" in the focus, but there isn't, it just focusses at different speeds as you turn the dial (if that makes sense). It is the best bino I have at suppressing CA and stray light, and the image has the punch and contrast that reminds me of my old (sadly sold) Nikon EDG 8x42. I love the stereopsis (3D?) effect of porros, so that's a plus for me. I'm sorry I don't have the technical vocabulary for talking about optics; I just love these and am thinking of buying the Oberwerk SE 10x42 to complement them.
Click to expand...
Hello Sancho,

I'm very glad to hear that you've persevered with the Oberwerk SE 8 x 32. Thanks for posting your update!

Having used it a wee bit longer than you, I can only say that the images it serves up still give me goose bumps: extremely sharp, wonderful contrast and vibrant colours , not to mention that wonderful 3D pop. It's tough as old boots too, with exceptionally well padded armouring and fantastic handling.

This instrument made it into my top ten bargain recommendations to the community, as explained in my up-and-coming book.

It will remain as a valued and much used instrument in my own collection.

With best wishes,

Neil.

IMG_7760.jpg
 

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