The Bizarre Bresser Everest 8x28 (1 Viewer)

[CliveP]

Just had this out for a test spin. Pretty useless basically sums it up.

I had thought of beating it to death with my 2lb hammer but I think it will do as a kitchen bin, I mean kitchen/ backyard view binocular. I already have a kitchen bin which this binocular almost went into.

Useless fov and suffers EXTREMELY!!!!!! badly with glare.

Pretty much a total waste of money and I bought it on no return -although I got it cheap- but now I'm stuck with it.

Now the bizarre part is that it's actually a very pretty binocular and really looks like nice quality finished (metal machined smooth turning focus wheel for example) and when not outside in glare causing light i.e. indoors looking out, can actually provide some nice clarity and pleasing colour rendition. It also comes in nice packaging with a nice little case and strap etc.

My advice though would be to forget about ever buying one of these no matter how cheap. It would even be rubbish as a holiday bin. I think I will keep it to remind me not to fall for such a thing again.

My Viking Vistron 8x25 is way way better outdoors so I will be using that instead. I think it related to or the same bin as the Vixen Artek (or whatever it's called) 8x25 so I'd recommend that. My Hawke Froniter 8x25 is also way better so I have two 8x25's that are both much better than this ridiculous Bresser 8x28. Go figure.

Good news, I hope, is that I have a papilio II 6.5x21 on the way which I hope will somehow make up for this disaster.

First VW and now this Bresser. Germany is crumbling. This is my first Bresser binocular and it's plain absolute crap. It must surely be some kind of joke and I see the warranty card is for 2 years not the somehow 20 years I have seen mentioned on the Bresser site not that anyone would ever want to get this repaired.

We perhaps should have a thread just for naming and shaming stuff like this as a warning for folks to avoid. I'm baffled with this being a German brand? Nicely engineered body etc and total shit optically?

It's a turd in wolfs clothing:-C

 

[mfunnell]

We perhaps should have a thread just for naming and shaming stuff like this as a warning for folks to avoid. I'm baffled with this being a German brand? Nicely engineered body etc and total shit optically?

It's a turd in wolfs clothing:-C

:clap::clap:

Calling them as you see them? I'm all in favour of that :t::t:

If it saves someone else the time, effort, bother and money then it has to be a good thing. We should all thank you.

...Mike

 

[jring]

Hi,

sorry to hear that - lets just say that Bresser is not so well regarded in Germany. Also I'm not sure if they manufacture anything themselves.

Joachim

 

[CliveP]

:clap::clap:

Calling them as you see them? I'm all in favour of that :t::t:

If it saves someone else the time, effort, bother and money then it has to be a good thing. We should all thank you.

...Mike

Thanks Mike, a little vent does help in cases such as this. I'll probably eventually give it away or something. I wouldn't even want this as a car bin.

It was even laughable that they came with a little embossed metal disk tied to the strap lug proclaiming the excellence of Bresser. I think the company should perhaps recheck their priorities, well with this model for sure but I see they seem to specialise in this kind of rubbish although they also seem to have a high end Montana Model but after this I basically would avoid this brand completely.

If a company is going to put models like this onto the market then they are their own worst marketer but then I suppose other brands do the same in the Chinese build bracket. Basically this model is a fraud and no wonder it was a no return sale. I even gave the seller good feedback on ebay as I did it before I took them outside for my usual binocular run test over a few of my local spots but it did surprise me the difference between using them from the house and outdoors. They would do as a feeder bin as the colour is quite good so technically they do seem to have a broadband coating but waste of time for outdoors for anyone with any standard of satisfaction to their viewing.

 

[CliveP]

Hi,

sorry to hear that - lets just say that Bresser ist not so well regarded in Germany. Also I'm not sure if they manufacture anything themselves.

Joachim

No problem Joachim. I think it is basically a supermarket brand for Aldi or Norma or something and would probably satisfy someone who had never seen a decent binocular.

I took a gamble on them and simply lost but hopefully I learned a lesson.

 

[Binastro]

Hi Clive,

Bresser ist besser?

Don't say I didn't warn you.

I think a couple of toilet roll inner cardboard tubes in front of the two objectives might help with the glare, and would be a suitable addition.

 

[jring]

Good news, I hope, is that I have a papilio II 6.5x21 on the way which I hope will somehow make up for this disaster.

I'm sure you're gonna love the papillo II - I just spent some time with the 6x and the 8x versions and my EII for comparison on the balcony and I have to say that especially the 6x is not as far behind the EII as the price would make you believe. Obviously the FOV is a bit smaller but quite usable and with a wider sweet spot than on the EII while brightness is not much different in the afternoon sun and some overcast weather before - no real dusk views yet.
Sharpness has been fine for birding distances up to 150-200m no real infinity views yet although I might catch some tonight...

All in all the 6x is very pleasant to use while the 8x obviously suffers from pocket bino syndrome (tiny exit pupil and tunnel view) and both have the bugwatching ability as an extra perk. One of them goes to my godchild - not sure if I should give her the 6x as its better or let her choose (and hope I get to keep the 6x)... probably the former.

Joachim

 

[CliveP]

Hi Clive,

Bresser ist besser?

Don't say I didn't warn you.

I think a couple of toilet roll inner cardboard tubes in front of the two objectives might help with the glare, and would be a suitable addition.

Javoll mein Furher8-P

Why oh why did I not listen. Actually they have been assigned bedroom detail where I only have a few degrees fov (so perfect really) between outside buildings and inside furniture to a very colourful football stadium and the mountains beyond and apart from the CA they do work well there. So I guess they could be useful for neighbour spying but of course we wouldn't think of such a thing unless of course some kind of bird just happened to be flying around nearby and we accidentally....

I was just thinking that they seem to have a similar kind of body build to the Kowa Prominar XD with the same metal focuser and diopter ring and even seem to have the same rubber but I guess that's were the similarity ends.

It seems I've got shingles at the moment ( I thought I'd got some kind of insect bites) so something more pressing to worry about. Thankfully it's not really bad, at the moment anyhow but annoying enough. I suppose I had better try and get to see a doctor for some drugs.

 

[CliveP]

I'm sure you're gonna love the papillo II - I just spent some time with the 6x and the 8x versions and my EII for comparison on the balcony and I have to say that especially the 6x is not as far behind the EII as the price would make you believe. Obviously the FOV is a bit smaller but quite usable and with a wider sweet spot than on the EII while brightness is not much different in the afternoon sun and some overcast weather before - no real dusk views yet.
Sharpness has been fine for birding distances up to 150-200m no real infinity views yet although I might catch some tonight...

All in all the 6x is very pleasant to use while the 8x obviously suffers from pocket bino syndrome (tiny exit pupil and tunnel view) and both have the bugwatching ability as an extra perk. One of them goes to my godchild - not sure if I should give her the 6x as its better or let her choose (and hope I get to keep the 6x)... probably the former.

Joachim

LOL. Those Papilio are making you evil! I'd love to see that choosing ceremony playing out. A bit risky for sure.

So the 6x sound great from yet another user although I have to admit I didn't like the E2 much. I really only want them for macro bug viewing or a sort of microscope and I've even dug out a little mini table tripod to try them with and thankfully no Godchildren around but I guess I could have given them the Bresser but that would be a bit to evil although it is a binocular that I would probably enjoy watching children play with in the sand.

I've got my eye on these Vixen which seem to have appeared online only today. I really like my Vking Vistron and I think this is the same bin only updated. My Vistron is a really great large view for a compact and this new one seems to have added another half degree and if they have updated the coating also then this I think is the bin for me in future or the 32mm version which I think is still only 390g and not much bigger than the 25mm. It's hard to find spec info on them and curiously the same with Viking Vistron models as they seem to omit them from their website???

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301751837565?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I'm ok for large (my superb new Hawke Sapphire 8x43) and midsize (my M7 10x30 and Kowa SV 8x32) bins but a good compact is certainly the most difficult to obtain unless I do the almost default and eventually buy a Swaro 8x25 but I have a feeling this Vixen might suit me better as I really like the fundamentals of this Viking Vistron 8x25 i.e. very compact but very reasonable large flat and sharp to the edge view. I actually got sort of cinemax views with it when viewing things like flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws which quite frankly I though quite surprising for such a small binocular but very pleasing.

 

[Troubador]

Actually they have been assigned bedroom detail .

Clive

Please advise what you see in your bedroom that needs magnifying 8 times:-O

Lee

 

[kkokkolis]

Bresser is sold by Lidl stores here. I had a 10x50 for 20 euros that's usable before you try anything better and a 70/700mm telescope on a shaky mount. The later had awful accessories but the tube works well for planets and as a guidescope and the mount is in fact quite usable with my 80ST and some weights on the tripod.
Finally, my Bresser Researcher LED stereoscopic microscope is exactly what I needed, especially after upgrading it with Amscope (US) ultrawide eyepieces. This has nothing to do with binoculars and the refractor, it is metallic with nice optics and good quality, nowhere near a Zeiss or a Leica but it only costed 250€ and it worths them to the last cent.
Overall it is a brand that sells ultracheap equipment and usually it goes with Meade or Explore Scientific brands that sell the more expensive pieces.

 

[CliveP]

Clive

Please advise what you see in your bedroom that needs magnifying 8 times:-O

Lee

The things folks think of? The close focus isn't short enough for naval gazing, unless I use the bedroom mirror but of course I haven't ever tried that.smoke:

I found the Vixen Atrek II info in the Japanese catalogue. At least I understand the number bits. These new models aren't in the English version so far.

http://saas.startialab.com/acti_books/1045176174/19793/_SWF_Window.html

A 390gram 8x32 with 7.5fov measuring just 10.9x11.9x4.3cm. That's pretty impressive and if as I assume it's an update to the Vistron then like the Vistron it is hopefully still totally glare immune.

 

[looksharp65]

I think a couple of toilet roll inner cardboard tubes in front of the two objectives might help with the glare, and would be a suitable addition.

I think a couple of toilet roll inner cardboard tubes would be a suitable substitute.

Clive, the Bushnell Excursion 8x28 is not that bad if you could find one.
I only had two gripes with it: mainly the anticlockwise focuser and then the purplish colour rendition, probably a result from using strong green-reflecting AR coatings on every lens surface. As a whole it was real nice though.

//L

 

[CliveP]

Found a better Vixen site than the one I was on.

What think ye'all of this. Uses field flatner apparently.

http://www.vixenoptics.com/Vixen-New-Atrek-II-8-x-32-DCF-Binocular-p/14723.htm

I see they've wrongly listed the tech spec for the 8x25 instead of the 8x32 but the only difference is depth 4.3cm as opposed to 4 for the 25 mm and 390g for the 32mm but they have listed the 25mm 360g. Still extremely small difference between the two.

 

[looksharp65]

Another "binocular" to stay away from is mentioned a few times in this thread:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=222965&highlight=offroad+8x32

 

[CliveP]

Seems this Opticron Discovery is the same thing also but doesn't mention the field flatner?

http://www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/discovery_wp.htm

 

[birdazzLED]

Found a better Vixen site than the one I was on.

What think ye'all of this. Uses field flatner apparently.

http://www.vixenoptics.com/Vixen-New-Atrek-II-8-x-32-DCF-Binocular-p/14723.htm

I see they've wrongly listed the tech spec for the 8x25 instead of the 8x32 but the only difference is depth 4.3cm as opposed to 4 for the 25 mm and 390g for the 32mm but they have listed the 25mm 360g. Still extremely small difference between the two.

I have a Vixen Atrek 8x32. I'm not sure if it's the second version but I don't believe it's phase corrected as it's not very bright. I don't use them because the eye-cup broke (plastic).

 

[CliveP]

I mentioned the decent colour with these Bresser and that they do seem to have a broadband internet connection built in, no sorry I mean some kind of full broadband multicoating.

Well and this is the interesting part, they do actually have some kind of pinkish purple lens tint that is something similar to my super wonderful Hawke Sapphire....

and just again this morning I do notice that it is easier to see the leaves turning red on the trees with these Bresser than with my Kowa SV or Hawke Frontier.

Still such a pity about the awful optics otherwise but they do seem to have these fairly recent colour producing coatings which I think is going to appear in more and more China models and I think it is definitely good. It has the ability to enhance the reds while all the while appearing to have a general slightly coolish overall view.

I'm still saying don't buy them though or you can buy this pair if you like.

 

[CliveP]

I have a Vixen Atrek 8x32. I'm not sure if it's the second version but I don't believe it has phase coating as it's not very bright. I don't use them as the eye-cup broke - it's plastic.

Thanks Birdazz though that is disappointing.

I don't think phase coating is to do with brightness, it's more the type of prism transmission coatings and general antireflection lens multicoatings and I suppose glass quality that would affect the brightness.

This Viking Vistron 8x25 I have I am pretty sure is phase coated (and it has metal eyecups under the rubber) or it would have crap CA like the Bresser and the Viking basically has none or very little though it's not very bright but good enough for regular use because of the big view it provides for it's size and also it's convenient compactness and light weight and superb glare resistance.

I hope they improved the Atrek II. It's new out so doubtful yours is the II but it would say II on it if it were.

The new version also has field flatners so I'm very interested to hear from anyone who might get their hands on a new version II. 8x25 or 8x32.

 

[CliveP]

Just got the Papilio.

I genuinely am amazed and very pleased. Quite incredible.

Still to take them on my route later to try out fully but I couldn't wait to say here how pleased I am with my first impression and so far I find the 6.5x absolutely fine.

They are so clear I thought it was 8x when I first tried them. How the hell do they do that with just little 21mm objectives and why don't they make a mini pocket pair without the close focus ability or do they? I think I need to look into this more so amazed and impressed am I with these.

I'll have a much better idea about them later after I visit all my usual test locals but this is very pleasing so far. I really should have bought these before now but better late than never! I totally see why these are so popular and I haven't even got to the macro use yet!:-O

Not long back and the Papilio were good although I would have liked longer out with them and less low autumn light but I can see they are optimised for easy bug watching and it's a bit late in the year for that although they will be perfect next year at one of my regular haunts with lots of bug life around. I also spotted a Kingfisher, Goldfinch feeding on thistle and a Woodpigeon nest with two almost fledged young so I didn't miss out on birds but I still sort of wished I'd had the Vistron along as well even though I don't think the optics in it are anywhere near as clear or sharp as the Papilio but the Vistron is more compact and with higher mag and a larger (AFOV) view over distance so I did miss them a bit but the Papilio is really remarkable and I even like just how it looks but I think the small 21mm objectives however remarkable just aren't enough for covering all bases, not enough light gathering at times which is understandable but they do come so close and it's kind of unbelievable how sharp and bright and aberration free they are . No problem with distant sharpness. Oh yes spotted a Buzzard sitting camo in a tree some way off so they are definitely good. The macro I know from what I saw today already will keep me entertained for hours when bug season arrives again and great for plants also. Definitely new things to see. These are basically essential nature kit but they could really be used for anything anywhere except if waterproofing is essential so I think I will be keeping these tucked away from winter outdoors and some of the summer days here!