I cannot believe it has been 6 years since I last posted. I’m hoping to get this blog going again, starting with a review of the new Opticron Verano VHD 8x42.
Showing posts with label Opticron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opticron. Show all posts
Wednesday, 4 August 2021
Sunday, 25 January 2015
Opticron HR WP 8x42 Review
I'll be honest - this is a binocular that has intrigued me for sometime. There are very few like it on the market today. Japanese made, the binocular is Opticron's top of the range porro prism. The Opticron HR WP is a porro prism binocular with a difference. The focussing is internal, meaning you don't see the usual up and down movement in the bridge. As a result, it is less likely to be knocked out of collimation. It offers the added protection of being both waterproof and fogproof.
The binocular weighs in at 715g. The ergonomics of this model are, shall we say, unique. They have a rather bulbous shape. However, they feel good in the hand and the rubber armouring is both grippy and comfortable. The focussing wheel is rather small and placed quite high up on the binocular. I was really impressed with the focusing - it was very light and smooth. The dioptre adjustment is located on the end of the focussing wheel and locks in place. It feels very good in the hand and the build quality is very impressive.
Field of view is a rather narrow 112m at 1000m. However, for some reason the view did not feel claustrophobic. Other aspects of the view are so good, see my comments below, this is one compromise that is well worth making. Eye relief is excellent with 20mm being more than enough for eye glass wearers.
Image quality is very impressive. A very sharp and detailed image is produced. Looking at the image when close up, the sharpness extends almost right to the edge. However, at distance, there is a very strong field curvature which accentuates the "stereo" 3D effect a porro prism provides. By no means is this a criticism of the binocular, quite the opposite in fact. The depth of field is very impressive with very little focusing required. The image was very bright and colour rendition appeared neutral. All of these effects contribute towards producing a wonderfully sharp image that is full of life and character. Contrast is very impressive. Viewing a pair of magpies nesting in the trees, the black, white and green plumage really sparkled in the sunlight. It really is one of the best images I have seen on a binocular under £500.
The Opticron HR WP really is an excellent binocular, currently retailing at £249. It is a very interesting and unusual binocular which punches well above its weight in terms of resolution. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is one of the best porro prism binoculars on the market. It's ergonomics won't suit everyone and neither will its relatively narrow field of view. However, in terms of image quality, build quality and the excellent customer service provided by Opticron (not to mention the comprehensive 30 year guarantee), it really is hard to be critical. Well worth a look!
The binocular weighs in at 715g. The ergonomics of this model are, shall we say, unique. They have a rather bulbous shape. However, they feel good in the hand and the rubber armouring is both grippy and comfortable. The focussing wheel is rather small and placed quite high up on the binocular. I was really impressed with the focusing - it was very light and smooth. The dioptre adjustment is located on the end of the focussing wheel and locks in place. It feels very good in the hand and the build quality is very impressive.
Field of view is a rather narrow 112m at 1000m. However, for some reason the view did not feel claustrophobic. Other aspects of the view are so good, see my comments below, this is one compromise that is well worth making. Eye relief is excellent with 20mm being more than enough for eye glass wearers.
Image quality is very impressive. A very sharp and detailed image is produced. Looking at the image when close up, the sharpness extends almost right to the edge. However, at distance, there is a very strong field curvature which accentuates the "stereo" 3D effect a porro prism provides. By no means is this a criticism of the binocular, quite the opposite in fact. The depth of field is very impressive with very little focusing required. The image was very bright and colour rendition appeared neutral. All of these effects contribute towards producing a wonderfully sharp image that is full of life and character. Contrast is very impressive. Viewing a pair of magpies nesting in the trees, the black, white and green plumage really sparkled in the sunlight. It really is one of the best images I have seen on a binocular under £500.
The Opticron HR WP really is an excellent binocular, currently retailing at £249. It is a very interesting and unusual binocular which punches well above its weight in terms of resolution. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is one of the best porro prism binoculars on the market. It's ergonomics won't suit everyone and neither will its relatively narrow field of view. However, in terms of image quality, build quality and the excellent customer service provided by Opticron (not to mention the comprehensive 30 year guarantee), it really is hard to be critical. Well worth a look!
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.
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.
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