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Friday 21 November 2014

Vanguard Endeavour ED II 10x42 Review


The Vanguard Endeavour ED Mark I has long been recommended as a good choice for those on a tight budget and gained quite a few positive reviews.  Therefore, news that Vanguard were launching a Mark II caused quite a bit of excitement.  I wrote to Vanguard asking if I could review the 10x42 model and a unit was sent to me from Vanguard's European base in Luxembourg.  

The biggest change in the new Vanguard Endeavour ED II is the use of "premium Japanese ED glass", widely believed to be sourced from Hoya.  This glass is a significant upgrade from the Chinese ED glass used in the previous model.  The field of view has been increased in the 8x42 model from 122m to 126m.  The Field of View on the 10x42 model remains the same at 114m.  The two models closely resemble each other, although the ED II has a stippled focusing wheel and two black hinges, rather than grey. 


 

Like its predecessor, the ED II is an open bridge binocular, made with a lightweight magnesium alloy body.  It weighs in at 770g. The binocular is covered in black rubber armouring which gives it a very slick and stylish look.   As you would expect with a binocular in this price range, it is waterproof and fogproof. Eye Relief on the 10x42 is a very adequate 18.5mm

The ergonomics on this model just didn't quite work for me.  I found the space between the two barrels to be quite tight and the binocular just didn't feel quite right in my large hands.  As a result, I found it quite difficult to hold the binocular steady. 

The focussing knob is well positioned and travels smoothly, but incredibly quickly. It focusses from right to left, from close focus to infinity in about three quarters of a turn.  I like a quick focuser, but found this to be a little too quick.  I found it rather difficult to obtain a sharp image due to the fast focuser and quite often had to travel back and forth before I was completely happy with the image.  There was also a little bit of play in the unit I reviewed.

Close focus is listed as 2m.  This is good, but it is not great.  I do a lot of butterfly and insect watching and whilst these binoculars would be perfectly adequate for this type of observation, I would probably choose another binocular if I wanted to go out for specifically this purpose. 

Image quality is impressive for the price point. The sharpness on the unit I used for this review was very good.  I have tried the 8x42 model and I found this slightly more impressive. The 8x42 was really quite exceptional.  The 10x42, whilst very good, didn't quite live up to the standard of its smaller brother.  The image was sharp right to the edge and had one of the flattest images on the mark today, although there was a slight hint of astigmatism right at the edge of the view.  The image was very bright and colour rendition appeared relatively neutral with only a slight hint of a yellow cast. 

The Vanguard Endeavour ED II 10x42 really is a very good binocular.  There have been several reviews written on the 8x42 model and this appears to be something quite special.  One reviewer suggests that the resolution is really quite exception and could give several alphas a run for their money.  Does the 10x42 ED II equal the performance of the 8x42?  In my opinion, probably not.  However, at the price point, £399, I don't think there would be much that could come close.  Ergonomics won't suit everyone, so make sure you try before you buy.


Sunday 2 November 2014

The Tartan Birder Heads South....

Yesterday I took a trip to the North West of England to visit RSPB Leighton Moss in Silverdale, Lancashire (the scene of the recently filmed BBC series "Autumn Watch").  This involved taking a Virgin Train from Glasgow Central to Lancaster and then changing trains to Silverdale. 

I had about an hour to wait between trains, so I walked the short distance to Lambert's of Lancaster optics shop (http://www.lambertslancaster.co.uk) where I was given a very warm welcome and the opportunity to try various binoculars. 


Next, I boarded a train for the short journey to Silverdale.  RSPB Leighton Moss is only 250 m from the train station. 







Soon I was watching common garden birds feeding at one of the various feeders situated just outside the visitor centre.

 
 
Leighton Moss is the largest reedbed in north-west England.  It's "star species" include Bearded Tit, Marsh Harrier and Bittern.  There is a selection of trails and hides, most of which are suitable for wheelchairs, and get right to the heart of the reedbed. Also, a nature trail alongside two coastal lagoons provides the opportunity to see lots of wading and water birds.
 
The pheasants are well used to visitors and were very obliging, posing for the camera.
 




All in all, I saw around 30 species of birds in just under three hours, highlights include marsh tit, nuthatch, teal, raven, cormorant, coot, moorhen. I then caught the train back to Lancaster.  Provided below are some pictures of the charming Silverdale Railway Station. 



 
 



Monday 20 October 2014

East Coast Magic!

On Tuesday 14th October I travelled through to East Lothian with a friend.  My first ever birding trip with the RSPB Glasgow group was to East Lothian and it sticks in my mind as being memorable.  It was the first time I saw whooper swans, turnstones, curlews, bramblings etc.  Therefore I was excited to return to the scene of such an exciting trip. 

We started off at Torness Power Station, where a small group of birdwatchers had gathered looking for the very rare Booted Warbler.  It wasn't long before it made an appearance in the field next to the visitor car park, along with a Siberian Stonechat.  A record shot of the Stonechat is provided below.




From here we headed to Barns Ness, where we got great views of a kestrel hunting.


The weather had now turned very wet and windy which clearly had an impact on the birds.  However we did get good views of this stonechat.


Other sightings at Barns Ness included cormorant, shag, dozens of gannets feeding out at sea, curlew, oystercatcher, raven, buzzard, rock pipit, tree sparrow, and grey heron. 

We finished the day with a lovely fish tea in Dunbar.  East coast magic!

Saturday 11 October 2014

Minox BL 8x44 HD Review

The Minox BL 8x44 HD is the latest incarnation of the well established BL range, but has significant improvements over its predeccessors.   Not only is this model now made in Germany, but it boasts extra low dispersion glass and dielectric coatings to the prisms.  Each binocular is hand made in the Minox factory at Wetzlar and undergoes rigorous quality control tests.  The 8x44 model retails at £399 in the UK.  It is a model I have been keen to review for a while and the nice people at Minox were very obliging in providing a unit to review. 




The Minox BL 8x44 HD is an open bridge binocular, made with a lightweight polycarbonate body.  It weighs in at 740g, which is impressive for a binocular with an aperture of 44mm.  The binocular is covered in black rubber armouring which gives it a very slick and stylish look. The images on the Minox advertising photos give the impression that the focussing wheel and rings just below the eye cups are silver - they are not, they are black. Make no mistake about it, this looks and feels like a high quality piece of equipment.   As you would expect with a binocular in this price range, it is waterproof and fogproof. 




The focussing knob is large and well positioned.  It is wide enough to use with two fingers. I find the grooves to be too spaced out and found it difficult to grip. As a result, my fingers slip off quite often. It focusses from right to left, from close focus to infinity in just over one and a half rotations.  My personal preference is for focussing to be a little quicker.  The focussing is smooth, with just the right amount of resistance. I find it very easy to obtain a sharp image with these binoculars. 

Eye relief, at 19.5mm is excellent for those who wear glasses, although for my tight fitting glasses I found I had to twist the eye cups out ever so slightly. For those who don't wear glasses, the eye pieces extend out very smoothly and have two intermediate stops. The eye pieces stay in place very well at each stop and when fully extended. 

The field of view is a very impressive 136m at 1000m.  I find the apparent field of view to be very good indeed – the view has a “walk in” feel to it. Close focus is listed as 2.5m, although I find I can focus down to 2m.  This is good, but it is not great.  I do a lot of butterfly and insect watching and whilst these binoculars would be perfectly adequate for this type of observation, I would probably choose another binocular if I wanted to go out for specifically this purpose. 

Image quality is impressive for the price point. The sharpness on the unit I used for this review was very good and just about right for the price point.  It is more than a match for other binoculars around this price point and appears to be  a little better than some Japanese models costing slightly more.  There is a little pincushion and a bit of field curvature, but this, along with the wide field of view and very good level of sharpness, makes for a very relaxing and pleasant view. I estimate the sweet spot to be around 75-80%.

I found the contrast on the Minox impressive.  Colours appear vibrant.  The colour balance is slightly warm, which I like, although whites can sometimes appear to be quite creamy.   Chromatic Abberation appears to be very well controlled. It's almost non-existent in the centre and still quite negligible out to the edges. I looked at crows and gulls against a bright blue sky and soaring Buzzards against white clouds and could not notice any whatsoever.  Stray light management is a real strength. However, on occasions I did see a very faint outer circle on the image, but I have never found this to be distracting.

I found the low light performance of the Minox to be very good, no doubt a result of the larger aperture and exit pupils. When using them in early evening light they performed well. I could easily get a sharp image past sunset.

 
I have been impressed with the Minox BL 8x44 HD.  It is a good looking binocular and its optical performance is impressive, as is the fit, finish and build quality.  It comes with a well padded lanyard, case and micro fibre cloth.  Owners of this unit will benefit from Minox’s “Comfort Service” warranty.  From the date of registration, your product will be protected against manufacturing defects and functional failures for a duration of 30 years.  I have no hesitation recommending these binoculars.  If you are looking for a good looking pair of binoculars with excellent build quality and very good optics for just under £400, the Minox BL 8x44 HD may just be the binocular for you. 

Tuesday 30 September 2014

Opticron Discovery 8x32 and 8x42 Review

Being a huge Opticron fan, I am delighted to write this short review of the Discovery 8x42 and 8x32 which sit just below the Explorer at the top of the Chinese range (the more expensive models being made in Japan).

The Opticron Discovery 8x42 has a light weight magnesium alloy body and weighs in at 703g. It feels solid and well built. As you would expect, it is waterproof and fogproof. The rubber armouring is quite grippy, but soft to touch at the same time. It has a very comfortable feel in the hand.


It's smaller brother, the 8x32, has a Super lightweight ABS plastic body and weighs in at a tiny 391g.  This model is almost an exact, though smaller, replica of the 8x42.  It is small enough, and light enough, to fit into a coat pocket.  In fact, it could easily be mistaken for a compact binocular.  Having said that, it feels surprisingly good in my large hands and is much more substantial than your average compact.



The focussing knob is well positioned on both models and is quite grippy too. The grooves are just about right. It focusses from right to left, from close focus to infinity in about one and a half rotations. The focussing is smooth, but the 8x42 unit that I have has a little bit of "play". However, I find it very easy to obtain a sharp image on both the 8x42 and the 8x32.

The eye pieces are large. Eye relief on the 8x42, at 22mm, is excellent for those who wear glasses.  However, the 8x32 has eye relief of just 17mm.  This should be fine for most people who wear glasses, but I find I do have to press them against my glasses ever so slightly.  For those who don't wear glasses, the eye pieces extend out smoothly. There are intermediate stops and when fully extended they stay in place well.

The field of view is an impressive 131m at 1000m on both models. For the 8x42 model, close focus is an outstanding 1.5m although I could focus to about 1m which is really quite phenomenal. The 8x32 has a listed close focus of 1.2m but I managed to focus just under 1m - again this is outstanding.  What's more, the image at close focus is very sharp and is really the outstanding feature of these binoculars.

The image provided by the Discovery is just about right for the price point. It's bright and sharp. It's certainly not the sharpest binocular around and I have my doubts as to the sharpness at distance, but as I said, I think it's more than acceptable. I estimate the sweet spot is around 75% on both models, after which the sharpness deteriorates quite rapidly. The outer 15% is unusable.

The Discovery is listed as Fully Multicoated and it is phase corrected. The colour seems quite neutral but perhaps a little "washed out" due to the aluminium coatings. Chromatic Aberration appears to be well controlled. It's good in the centre but is noticeable at the edges. Stray light management is very good.

I think if the Opticron Discovery provides a good value binocular for someone on a tight budget. Given the excellent close focus ability this is also a good butterfly or insect binocular. I searched high and low for a compact binocular that would provide a very good image in a small package.  The Opticron Discovery 8x32 is the binocular I've been looking for.   The 8x32 has an RRP of £169 whilst the 8x42 has an RRP of 8x42. My experience with the 8x42 and 8x32 has made me keen to try others in the Discovery range. 

Monday 29 September 2014

RSPB Lochwinnoch

Today I visited my "local patch" - RSPB Lochwinnoch.  It was a fine and dry day, so perfect conditions to test out my loan pair of Minox BL HD 8x44 (review to follow soon).  This wetland reserve is ideal for all the family as the trails, birdwatching hides and visitor centre are all easily accessible.  There is also a well stocked shop selling books, DVDS, gifts, bird seed and a variety of optics.

The reserve is looking great following extensive regeneration last year.  New channels have been added, bringing the wetland birds closer to the visitor centre. 


As usual, the Mallards were providing lots of entertainment near the visitor centre.  Provided below is a picture of two posing Mallards taken by me earlier on this year.



Of course, the star species of this reserve is the Great Spotted Woodpecker.  This attractive bird can usually be seen from the visitor centre.  The following pictures have been taken by me over the last year or so.


 
 
 
RSPB Lochwinnoch is well worth a visit and only 25 minutes from Glasgow by train.  There is also ample parking outside the visitor centre and entry is free for RSPB members.  The reserve is open 7 days a week 10am - 5pm. 

Sunday 28 September 2014

Zeiss Terra ED 8x42

The Zeiss Terra ED has been available for a while now. It is Zeiss' entry into the world of chinese made binoculars and offers purchasers the chance to own a Zeiss binocular for around £350. It is a model that has intriuged me, having previously owned the Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42.




At first glance when viewing the binocular online, the Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 looks quite similar to the more expensive, German made Conquest HD. However, once I took it out of the plastic box it was quite clear this was a cheaper binocular. It feels solid enough and has a good weight to it, although at 690g it is certainly not too heavy. I couldn't help noticing that it just doesn't have the same quality about it that other Zeiss models do have. To be honest, it is completely unfair to expect that same quality given the difference in price.

Zeiss describes the Terra as "an eye-catcher. The modern and attractive up-to-the-minute ZEISS design is available in the colours deep blue and cool grey." I chose the "cool grey" as the lesser of the too evils. I didn't particularly find either colour "eye catching". The armouring on the binocular seems thick enough, but it doesn't feel all that comfortable to me. The body is fibre glass reinforced. They are waterproof and fogproof.

The focussing knob is large and well positioned and has a plastic feel to it. It is wide enough to use with two fingers. I find the grooves to be too spaced out and found it difficult to grip. As a result, my fingers slip off quite often. It focusses from left to right, from close focus to infinity in just under one full rotation. The focussing is very light and smooth. I normally like a fast and smooth focusser but I find it quite difficult to get a sharp picture. One tiny touch of the focussing wheel and the view is out of focus.

Eye relief, at 18mm is excellent for those who wear glasses. For those who don't, the eye pieces extend out rather stiffly. There are intermediate stops but I find it quite difficult to tell where the stops should be. However, when fully extended they stay in place well.

The field of view is nothing special at 125m at 1000m although I don't get the impression that the view is claustrophobic. Close focus is an impressive 1.6m although I could focus to about 1.4m which is excellent. More on this later.

The Terra has thus far received mixed reviews and there has been suggestions that there is a lot of sample variation. The sharpness on my model appear excellent from 20m to infinity. I don't do any formal type of resolution testing but I haven't seen anything that would match this sharpness at this price point. There is a good dose of pincushion and a bit of field curvature. I estimate the sweet spot is around 70%, after which the sharpness deteriorates quite rapidly. The out 10% is unusable, but can be focussed out.

However, I have to say that I find it really difficult to get a sharp image at the close focus end of the spectrum. Maybe it is the fast focusser, but I found it very difficult and two of my much cheaper 8x42 models easily outperformed the Terra in this regard. This was a big disappointment for me as I do a bit of insect watching.

I found the view very contrasty. Chromatic Abberation appears to be very well controlled. It's very good in the centre and still quite modest out to the edges. Stray light management is a real strength. I detest stray light but the Terra is one of the best I have seen in this regard. The colour balance is slightly warm, which I like, and there's a real vibrancy about the colours.

I found the low light performance of the Terra fantastic. I used them in early evening and they really sparkled. I could easily get a sharp image even past sunset. I would say this is a real strength and fantastic considering the price.

In many respects this is probably one of the best £300 models I've tried in terms of the optical performance in the centre of the view. It really is a joy to use. However, as mentioned about the close focus ability was a disappointment. The outer components are a bit of a let down too. I can't escape the feeling that this is a "cheap binocular" with a really plastic feel to it - it even has a plastic/chemical smell to it. It is also a bit of a disappointment that a case is not provided. However, in general terms the Terra is very good value for money.

Hogganfield Loch

Yesterday I visited Hogganfield Loch in the east end of Glasgow, the main attraction of Hogganfield Park LNR. 




The loch is a large and shallow with a wooded island situated in its centre.  It is surrounded by marshes, woodland, ponds and grassland.  The loch is home to a large variety of wild birds, including flocks of whooper swans who make the journey every winter from Iceland.  The surrounding habitats are home to various insects, small mammals and pond life. 

I arrived around midday and the loch was very busy with walkers, joggers, families, as well as several nature enthusiasts, some of whom were feeding the wildfowl.  The two children's playparks were also very popular.

I spent a good few hours scanning the loch and noted many wild birds including, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Greylag Geese, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Lesser Black Back Gull, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull, circa 20 Cormorants perched in the trees and 3 buzzards circling overhead. 

I then took one of the footpaths through the marshland and woodland towards Avenue End Road.  This led me to Cardowan Moss LNR.  Here I saw several garden and woodland birds, including Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Chaffinch, as well as a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly.  A catalogue picture is provided below.


A very good day with lots of fantastic wildlife - and just 10 minutes from Glasgow City Centre!