Quick & dirty review of 8x42 Opticron Aurora. (3 Viewers)

[Ratal]

All I will say straight off the bat is that if you have any doubts at all about this binocular, don't. You seriously owe it to yourself if you have 800 quid and you want a drop dead gorgeous view - To get behind the ocular and give them a road test.

*Yes I have Hawke APO, but they are in Africa on emergency loan, and now I have these, I wont ask for them back.

View - crystal clear. Field flattened view is lush - bright, ferociously sharp all the way out to 90% of the view with a hair of drop off at the edges.

CA doesnt exist inside the 90% sweet spot. Grey skies black crows. Stunners. Grey skies backlit trees, bright, sharp with excellent colour and contrast. The field flattened image is crazy good. Straight rooftops and verticals stay straight. Take a bow Opticron, these blew me right out of my seat.

Eye relief is MASSIVE - with wrap round sunglasses I have full field of view with eye ups all the way in. That is one absolute win for the Opticron. Without, extended eyecups all the way out allow a bright, relaxed view. Cannot fault these eye cups. At all.

So, that's the good. What IS going to take me a while to get used to is the central diopter. I kept trying to focus and rolled finger over the edge, and cursed myself aplenty. It is though a brilliant diopter set up, clicks out, clicks to set, clicks back in and locked tight. I actually am impressed, but will have to learn to get that into muscle memory.

Weight, 711 grams naked. Build quality is exemplary. Not a fault or niggle to be found.


So all in all, after thrashing them around Speyside and Lossie - I'm keeping them because I'd regret it all my days not having these to hand.

* Oh, a final thing, they focus anti clockwise to infinity on a beautiful focusing wheel. Not loose, not tight. Not draggy, not a trace of play. Just right. And I love it.

 

[Torview]

Nice read,

It`s probably just me but I`m more excited to try these than an NL or a 32mm SF.

 

[Ratal]

Nice read,

It`s probably just me but I`m more excited to try these than an NL or a 32mm SF.

The 'oh' moment for me was Crested Tits in the tree top. I knew there and then I was keeping these as my main pair. The bino just melted away, and left me with the pin sharp Crestie sat against a grey sky.

For clarity - I've been testing a few brands out all week, and I just could not believe the Opticron - they hit it out the park and then some with these. It's just 'peachy'.

Oh, one thing to add - the eye cup rotates out, sets in place and cannot be pressed down. It has to be turned downwards by deliberate action. I'm just blown away and these are now my main birding bins.

 

[Ratal]

One thing I have to touch on - the armour.

It is warm, very very nice under the touch with a grippy sureness that makes it feel secure. Not slipping, no sliding, just instant comfort in the hand.
As for the fit and finish? Opticron truly have gone way and beyond all expectations. They are immaculate. Absolutely immaculate.

 

[Ratal]

So why am i keeping what was supposed to be a temporary pair as my main bins, especially after the amazin view of the Hawke APO?

"Just feels right" - That unquantifiable 'this is nice, very very nice' feelign when you get into a luxury car, or fly first class and get upgraded... You just enjoy the moment with a sigh of contentment.

Thats why.

Opticron? Hat doffed. you hit it out the park with this razor sharp wide field of view. Love it. Keeprs.

 

[pete_gamby]

Thanks for such a positive review Ratal - much appreciated and I will pass your comments to the boss here in the UK who had the bottle to commit to the project and to the optical design team in Japan.

Cheers, Pete

 

[Ratal]

Thanks for such a positive review Ratal - much appreciated and I will pass your comments to the boss here in the UK who had the bottle to commit to the project and to the optical design team in Japan.

Cheers, Pete

These are simply divine. The bright, staggeringly sharp view is luxurious, and the feel in the hand is just so on point it is one of those moments where you just know something is perfect for you.

I'd give the binoculars a solid 9 out of 10 and an absolute "solid gold" recommendation.

 

[Ratal]

Glare control.

I have to do a seperate post for this alone.

I can state now, that this binocular is the first binocular that has a resistance to glare that defies belief. I cannot induce any visual degradation until DANGEROUSLY close to the sun. Not at sunset, not at sun rise, not under diffuse cloudy skies, not under bright skies.

It is a work of art - and when I take a look at the internal baffling, it has been done to a level that would shame an OCD sufferer. It is pristine.

Made in Japan with spectacular love and attention.

 

[Troubador]

Thanks for such a positive review Ratal - much appreciated and I will pass your comments to the boss here in the UK who had the bottle to commit to the project and to the optical design team in Japan.

Cheers, Pete

Excellent, and you will , of course, be passing that bottle around at the next BirdFair?

Looking forward to reviewing these on the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles) very soon!

Lee

 

[Ratal]

Excellent, and you will , of course, be passing that bottle around at the next BirdFair?

Looking forward to reviewing these on the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles) very soon!

Lee

The ONLY gripe I have - and I've already solved the problem - is the rain guard. The one supplied is EXCELLENT for transit and slower birding. But if you are on the birdwatching for fleeting species and say it is snowing or raining, they take too long to remove.

That is a TINY gripe and already solved with a little adaptation.

One thing I LOVE is the objective covers. They fit like a glove and have handy tabs to aid flipping them down.

 

[dipped]

Glare control.

I have to do a seperate post for this alone.

I can state now, that this binocular is the first binocular that has a resistance to glare that defies belief. I cannot induce any visual degradation until DANGEROUSLY close to the sun. Not at sunset, not at sun rise, not under diffuse cloudy skies, not under bright skies.

It is a work of art - and when I take a look at the internal baffling, it has been done to a level that would shame an OCD sufferer. It is pristine.

Made in Japan with spectacular love and attention.

Great that there is a much cheaper alternative to the similarly glare free Noctivids. Shame they focus counter clockwise to infinity but you can't have it all I suppose.

 

[Ratal]

Great that there is a much cheaper alternative to the similarly glare free Noctivids. Shame they focus counter clockwise to infinity but you can't have it all I suppose.

Well, I sure have to tip the hat to Opticron and their Japanese team. Immaculate inside these bins. Absolutely immaculate - and as for CCW to infinity, happy with that too as it's the same on my Sightrons, my Hawkes and now these. Seems I can have everything I need!

 

[Ratal]

Rainy morning beneath the forest canopy. First light, up and into the trees where the Opticron's wide field of view made short work of Siskins dancing through the boughs. Delicious view, really crisp sparkling colours despite the gloom.

Moving through to the Loch, the castle had 4 Black Headed gulls sat watching the world go by, followed by a Red Throated Diver that decided to slice through the waters.

Mornings birding a total delight, and the Opticrons have now firmly cemented their place in my heart - and as I said before, if you have 800£ for a pair of bins, you really, really out to put these Aurora onto the top of your list. Worth every penny IMHO

 

[Ratal]

Was a delightful morning on the Moray coast and into the Cairngorms.

One thing to note - Lochindorb was jammed to stupidity levels so our small group carried on and through. Not a big deal as we soon got onto Osprey diving down into a small loch. Exciting as I haven't seen one smash the waters for months.

As for the Opticron Aurora 8x42 - Am I happy with them being my primary birding bins? Without a shadow of a doubt I would not hesitate to endorse them - These are a serious observation tool and worth every penny of their price point.

Sharp. Crystal clear. Stellar flat field with just a touch of softening at the edges, but so little that you have to stop what you are doing and make a conscious decision to look at it in order to notice in the field.

 

[Ratal]

I was asked what the pouch for the binos is like.

Fair honest warning here - It is flimsy, a horrendous stud and flap 'closure' method... In short, absolutely not fit for purpose.

For me that is okay as I never have binoculars out and about in their pouch. This one however is not even fit for use at home as it is flimsy material with no ability to close it properly.

I certainly wouldn't trust it at all.


*Note to add - I never have my bins in a soft case. I have a hard shell clam case for travel and for out in the wilds they are on my chest.

 

[LucaPCP]

They seem indeed to be great binoculars!

 

[Ratal]

They seem indeed to be great binoculars!

The binoculars are astounding. I cannot fault them - Build quality, field of view, stellar CA control, razor sharp - Just a phenomenal piece of engineering all round.

 

[pete_gamby]

Just for information, the case supplied with the Aurora is made by the same company that supplies most of Swarovski's binocular cases and is made of Cordura - a material which is known for its durability.

 

[Ratal]

Just for information, the case supplied with the Aurora is made by the same company that supplies most of Swarovski's binocular cases and is made of Cordura - a material which is known for its durability.

It needs a different closure method - I would never press a metal stud down onto a binocular. A small - and I mean small gripe - but the binoculars are absolutely stellar and I cannot and will not ever fault them - I just have swapped the case over and now it is a non-issue for me.


I still rate the 8X42 Aurora as an absolute masterclass of product design - from the eye cups that are absolutely gorgeous, to the sleek focusing wheel and the incredible diopter.

Then there is that crystal clear, shining bright expansive wide angle view.

Yes, I am in love and will treasure these for many a decade to come.

 

[gcole]

I was asked what the pouch for the binos is like.

Fair honest warning here - It is flimsy, a horrendous stud and flap 'closure' method... In short, absolutely not fit for purpose.

For me that is okay as I never have binoculars out and about in their pouch. This one however is not even fit for use at home as it is flimsy material with no ability to close it properly.

I certainly wouldn't trust it at all.


*Note to add - I never have my bins in a soft case. I have a hard shell clam case for travel and for out in the wilds they are on my chest.

It looks like the same identical design/material(case) that was supplied with my Opticron DBA VHD + 8x42 binoculars. Obviously not the greatest but I would rather Opticron skimp on this accessory and not with any part of the binocular.