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Arijit Banerjee, Jaipur, Rajasthan (2026)

26/11/2022

Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 – Against conventional wisdom?

The other day, in Tal Chappar, I saw my friend K, a 6ft 2’ bloke with no known physical deformities struggle carrying a Nikon D850 with a 70-200/2.8 lens, a D500 with a 500mm f5.6 lens and his full size 10x42 binoculars. He was carrying near about 6 Kg of gear. And he was struggling. Straps, harness, lenes, camera bodies and binoculars were coming in way of each other. I took the binocs off him.

The case for a full-size binocular in nature observation has been made a million times. The well-made, magnesium alloy binoculars are tools for the serious nature student and the hunter. These are bright and sharp optics with a low light capability to peer into shadows at dawn and dusk. For a modern-day bird photographer, someone who thrives off social media and is impatient to move to his next subject, weight is something that slows him down.
Many bird watchers have shared that there have been instances when their binoculars were left at home. The best binocular, if left home, is a costly paper weight. Other serious bird watchers say that they prefer having a lightweight ‘pocket’ binocular always handy so that they can take a quick peek at stuff - at work, on weekends and about the home.

While there is no hard and fast definition, a Pocket binocular is one that has an objective size of 25 mms or less. It should be light weight, foldable to small enough to fit a coat/ jacket pocket or ladies’ purse. On the other hand, binoculars with objectives between 25mm-36mm are called Compact binoculars. Those between 40-49mm are held to be normal/ full sized bins and those above 50mm in objective size, are for niche purposes – astronomy, nautical and such uses.

Like in any other binocular, in case of a pocket binocular too, the principles of light gathering capacity, lens and objective coatings and glass and eyepiece design determine the view. Given their size, it is but natural to assume that the small objectives will lead to a dim image. Another common assumption is that such small binoculars have poor eye relief and small exit pupils – and frankly a vast majority of them do have such problems. For a significant section of users, a pocket binocular is best for casual tourists looking at architecture, or in a museum looking at artwork or for operas. The earliest pocketable binoculars were in fact made for watching operas, horse races and theatre and called ‘Opera Glasses’.

The world of optics has numerous models of small bins. Many are inexpensive. Some are even unique (the reverse porro prism Pentax Papilio is such a case in point with its ability to focus down to less than 50 cm – making it a unique tool to observe flowers, insects and butterflies). In general, these bins come with three types of hinge design. The first is a single hinge with focus wheel in the middle. Once folded, these bins are not that portable. The second is with two hinges – the superb Swarovski Curio 7x21 has such a design. So is the Pentax AD 8x25 WP. The third is a single hinge on the left side. In this design, the focus wheel is offset to the left but allows easy and normal access by the right index finger. These bins fold to be quite small. The Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 has such a design.

Specifications:
Magnification 8X; Effective Objective lens diameter 25 mm; Exit pupil diameter 3.1 mm; Twilight factor 14.1; Field of view at 1,000 m 130 m (427 ft); Subjective viewing angle 60°; Close focusing distance 1.9 m (6.2 ft); Diopter adjustment range − 3.0 to + 3.0 dpt; Eye relief 16.5 mm; Inter Pupil distance 34 – 74 mm
Lens type FL, Prism system Schmidt-Pechan; Features
LotuTec; Nitrogen filled; Water resistance 400 mbar
Physical: Operating temperature −25°C to +63°C; Length 112 mm Weight 290 gms.
Country of Origin: Japan
(Also available in 10x25)

Design:
In 2017, The Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 replaced the earlier 8x20 which had a similar design. What changed was that the new model has a field of view of 130metres as against 118 mts in the older one, and focuses as close as 1.5 mts (the older one focussed at 2mts). Here the VP is better in on paper specs than the Swarovski CL 8x25 compact (118 mts and 2.5 mts) and the Leica 8x20 Ultravid Compact (113 mts/ 1.8 mts). Incidentally, both the Swarovski and the Leica have double hinged design.

The binoculars look space age. Two tone black and dark grey with black metal accents, looks are sharp. Excellent fit and finish. A non-slip armour over magnesium alloy barrels. Premium in every way.

The focuser is smooth and reachable by the right index finger by those with medium to small hands and the left index finger for those with small hands. It looks like a miniature of the SF focuser. There is a dioptre adjustment wheel at the other end of the hinge. It has distinct clicks/ détentes.

Eyepieces: The eye-pieces are big for a pocket bin at 25mms. Pink coating that is slightly lighter in hue than the objectives. In a compact binocular, both eyepieces and objectives have short focal lengths. This could lead to smaller eye-relief. Eye-relief is important for those like me who wear spectacles. A short eye relief prevents such users from viewing the entire field with spectacles on. In the Zeiss Victory Pocket, I can see the entire field with eyeglasses on! The designers deserve a clap. On the other hand the 16.5mm eye-relief makes this essentially free of blackouts. That with the single hinge design leads to easy setting of IPD without any kidney beans. The cups twist out and lock at one position and should suit most people. I however noticed that the eyepieces are recessed a bit. Had they not been recessed that much, the viewing pleasure would have been even more. Eye relief is said to be 3.1mm.

Prisms: These binoculars have Schmidt-Pechan roof prisms. There should be no doubt that the prisms are phase and dielectric coated. The touted light transmission is 91% and the view is bright enough to support this claim. A bright and flat transmission curve it should be with no peaks. Hence the neutrality of colour (and no cast).

Objectives: The objectives are recessed , with dark pink T* coating – like the Conquest HDs but a different shade than the Zeiss SFs. Have read that the objectives are air spaced doublets with a Ultra-FL Crown element in front. The focusing should be by another element between the objective and the prism. All glass surfaces are richly coated. The interiors of the slender barrels are distinctly ridged/ baffled – an indicator of good stray light suppression. Lotutec is a proprietary coating applied by Zeiss on their glass that prevents dirt/ dust or water particles adhere to the exterior surfaces of lenses.

Accessories: Like all of Zeiss’ products (and others too), it come elaborately boxed. One wonders why such large a box, since it leads to added costs and carbon. The magnetic clasp once removed reveals a small hard, clamshell carrying case and the binoculars placed side by side. The carrying case is a beauty. A thin neoprene strap with a slight padded area fro the shoulder. I would not put a strap on this – either place it in my jacket pockets or look for an ultralight harness. No objective covers or rain guard. Why?

Ergonomics & ease of Use: The single hinge design makes setting of IPD easy – less fiddly than a double hinge. A single hinge design makes this fold up small too, but with a strange star-trek type looks. I am sure it will grow on the user.

Are the Leica Ultravid pocket bins classier? Are the Swarovski CL line bins more elegant? Maybe yes. But in case of the Victory Pockets, once you peer through, you have a view that is neither pocket or compact but like a full size bin – bright, razor sharp and wonderfully detailed! In daylight conditions its view is up there with the best birding bins – vivid contrast, superb separation of delicate hues and shades and cleanly delineated feather detail. The flowering Capparis in Tal Chappar looked splendid – both the pink and the pale yellow; the drops of water dripping off a wet Tawny eagle, the White-eyed Buzzards all looked gorgeous. No chromatic aberration visible – but then FL elements are meant to supress CA. Around 70% of the field is sharp and then gradual curvature sets in and most of it can be focused in. No it is not a flat field as a Swarovski’ is. Two birder friends who looked through the VPs were unanimous in their opinion that the view is pristine. Are 30mm/32mm objective premier bins brighter? Yes by ever so much.

The field is 130 mts at 1000 mts. Actually very good for a pocket binocular. In contrast, the Swarovski CL 8x25 compact has a FOV of 118 mts) and the Leica 8x20 Ultravid Compact has a FOV of 113 mts. On the other hand, the much more expensive (and heavier) Zeiss SF 8X32 has a 155 mt field and the Swarovski NL Pure 8x32 has a 150 mt field. With a 130 metre @1000 metre field, I did not miss anything. And the focuser is good enough to see birds on the wing. The official specs state a minimum focus distance of 1.9 metres. It is more like 1.5 meters. This binocular is a design masterpiece.

Some will point out that in low light its performance will suffer. Such is the play of coatings here, in pouring rain and low clouds in Tal Chappar, the Red-necked Falcon looked clear and splendid and just as good as the view through a respected 10x42 binocular of another brand. This morning, deep inside the bamboo thicket some 40 feet away was a small bird moving around. It was a Chiffchaff – the season’s first, clean and clear enough to make a definitive ID.

Small bins such are these are next to useless for deep sky objects. The moon should however look very detailed. Once the clouds clear up, we shall see how it does.

Use cases
On a safari or on a cruise, on a trek or just stationary birding, the Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 should do better than well. At 230 grams, it is as lightweight as they come and should be the perfect companion for those lugging the 500mm f4 lenses and two camera bodies. This pair will do well looking at flowers and insects, snakes and amphibians too.
Rating: Highly recommended

27/10/2022

Pentax

A few days with the Pentax ZD 8x43 ED Binoculars

At the top of Pentax’s line is the ZD ED series. These come in 10x50, 10x43 and 8X43. These are not to be confused with the slightly lesser speced ZD WP series. The ZD ED series is presented as being fully waterproof (JIS 6Class), rubber armoured, magnesium alloy body, fully multicoated with coatings to enhance transmission and dielectric coated prisms. Moreover, they have proprietary coatings that ensure water and oil/ grease do not adhere to the external glass surfaces.
I would like to thank Ricoh-Pentax India for sending over this unit. There are no strings attached and I am under no compulsion to buy it. I have been using this pair near exclusively for the last fortnight or so. I would like to share my observations.

The Bins came in a rather plain cardboard case with a shrink wrap cover. No going overboard in elaborate packaging. A good step, given environmental concerns. Inside was a synthetic case - green with faux leather 'Pentax' disc. Inside the carry case the bins fit snugly. The box bears the country of origin and it is made in Japan. A neoprene strap is included.

Covered in green armour, these are smart looking bins. The fit & finish is excellent, no loose flappy edges. The armour is grippy and does not seem to attract any extra dust. The edge of the objectives are soft as the armour extends over the barrels, giving that slightest extra cushioning. The barrels have PENTAX moulded in the rubber and it looks nice. A small plate on the left of the hinge has PENTAX Z-series ED written on it. The eyepieces have a base ring. On the left one, 8x43 ED lens is printed. The right ring is for the dioptre adjustment. It has to be pulled up. It is tight. Once set, the ring is to be pushed down. It has stayed in place, so full marks there. The strap attachment lugs are placed on either side and appear ok for any harness/ strap.

At 715 gms, these are in weight class that is the norm for premium bins but look smaller than I expected. The design is a single hinge type – a large hinge on which the two barrels move. The inter-pupillary distance is between 58.4mm to 74.2mm – generous enough. It is tight and moves securely. The construction quality is good enough so by all indications it won’t become loose, anytime soon. The focusing ring is ribbed and huge. The right index finger comes on it as I raise it to my eyes. It is smooth and very precise but not the fastest.

The objective covers are rubber and fit inside the barrels. They are tethered to the k**b that covers the tripod mount. Nice arrangement. The rain guard is plastic and loose – which suits me fine – quick to put on and take off.

I took this pair with me on my recent travel to the western desert. No better place than the dusty desert to field-test a pair. As I have already said it held up well to the dust and grime, and armour looked clean after 15 days of regular use.

The specs if you have noticed, are a bit unusual. We get binoculars with objective size, 20mm, 25mm, 30mm, 40mm, 50mm and so on. We also get binoculars with objectives 32mm and 42mm. Here we have 43mm. Does one millimetre make a difference? Well it probably does by allowing a slightly more amount of light to enter the barrel. I however could not make out the difference, even when I compared it with other binoculars I had. It is brighter in low light than the CL 8x30B but then 30mm vs 43 mm is not a fair comparison. It is brighter by a lot than some entry level 8x42s but it is also much more expensive.

The objective lenses have a green hue. Just a touch (the Swarovskis appear a bit more to***co hued green while the Zeiss’ are pink). The barrels are ridged and baffled all the way and no shiny internals can be seen. The barrels are very clean inside – hinting at good quality control. All efforts have been made to cut down stray reflections and ghosting.

The eyepieces are metal and twist out. There are four stops in all. That should cover most face types.

Asahi Pentax gave the world the first multicoated optics and that is a traditional strength the brand Pentax still carries. The lenses and prisms are designed and coated to have high transmission. The view is outright bright, sharp and contrasty. The beautifully camouflaged mother GIB popped into focus with the catchlight distinct from over 100 meters away. A Long-legged Buzzard on a pole looked gorgeous – as if it just had a beauty makeover in a salon. It just blew away an Olympus DP Porro, an old Pentax DCF Porro, a Bushnell H2O roof and a Nikon Prostaff by its clarity. The sweet spot is large, most of the field is in focus (and I could see the entire field comfortably with spectacles on thanks to the massive 22mm eye relief. Blurring is just at the very edge and most of it could be focused away. Astigmatism is low. Chromatic aberration aka purple fringing is negligible in the centre but moderate at the edges – northing to spoil that lovely view. The brightness is good as a Zeiss Conquest HD – hinting to a very high transmission in the visible spectrum. I noticed no colour cast. The minimum focusing distance is stated to be 2 mts. My guess is it is slightly less than that. The spec sheet is conservative. The view is punchy, sharp and it handles sunlight incident on the objectives from the side quite well.

So why is this not popular enough? Richoh-Pentax’s marketing philosophy is a bit strange. Difficult to see them advertise anywhere. This is a well-made pair with good innards. Maybe not Schott glass, but Hoya and others make great glass in Japan. The spec sheet says Bak-4 prisms and the view supports that.

Oh yes, the field. At 6.3 degrees, 110 meters at 1000 meters, it is certainly not wide field, especially when compared to the offerings from other premium manufacturers. This is a 8x43 with field of my Zeiss FL 10X42. Go figure. Except in a select few models, wide fields come with limitations such as smallish sweet spots, excessive astigmatism and blurring at the edge. The trick lies in eye-piece design. Here the Pentax engineers have taken a different approach. They knew the field is not 150 mts at 1000 meters (as in a Zeiss SF or Swaro NL Pure - but neither is this that expensive). So they made sure they had a field that was as well corrected as possible. Minimal aberrations and sharp edge to edge. I could follow Harriers and Sandgrouse in flight in the evening with this pair and the field looked every bit good as my Zeiss FL 10X42s (which are bench markedly good). In the fading light a lone Indian Fox came looking for leftovers. His black tail-tip was distinct. The night sky above the Thar desert looks magnificent with the naked eye. With these binoculars, Capella looked bright as it should be and Andromeda, Cassiopeia and Perseus were breathtaking. Early in the morning, Ursa Major was bright and distinct. A lovely red sliver of moon rose late – red because of dust in the horizon. I really should look at the night sky more. back home this pair helped in adding a new species to the Campus check-list - a Green warbler. I can bird with this quite well - and for this statement I might get bashed. All in all, I won’t hesitate to recommend these binoculars to anyone. If looked after, these will last and give years of enjoyment.

I love a wide field as any other person. Hence the wish that Pentax updated these with a wider field. It need not be 150 meters. A 130-140 metre field will make these far superior and a serious contender for a sub-alpha spot. But will that compromise the eye-relief? Well I am not an engineer

03/10/2022

One Sunday morning in August saw some quality adda. Sujan, Major Parihar and I. The icing was I got to try the New Zeiss SFL 10x40 binoculars, courtesy ZEISS Nature India.

Let's find out what it is actually about.

In the world of optics, one brand enjoys visibility like non other and that is Zeiss.

After a long and respected history of porro prism bins, Zeiss gave the market the famous Dialyt in the 1960s. One of the earliest roof prism binoculars. The Dialyt range saw the use of the expensive and precise Abbe-Koenig prisms. The Dialyt line saw terrific success and paved way for the Victory Line. A brief foray in using their Hungary facilities saw some binoculars which faced criticism for quality and then there was competition from Swarovski Optic of Austria and Leica of Germany. Zeiss brought back manufacturing to Germany and introduced the Victory FL line. The FL is a story for another day.

The sub-alpha Conquest line and the budget Terra lines also came into the market. By then Swarovski had caught the imagination with their EL range - double hinge, flat fields. To grab back the top position Zeiss first introduced the HT (High Transmission) line - a 96% transmission they claimed and then their top bins - the Victory SF. The SF brought dual hinge design to the customer - as in Swarovski ELs (even Leica followed this trend with their Noctivids).

The SF is an expensive bin with every reason behind them. Ergonomics, design, optical quality. But a pair of SFs are twice the price of Conquest HDs . The Conquest HD is a fine binocular - made in Japan - and very well built. Priced to target a brand conscious user who wants a rugged pair that shall keep doing the job, but at a price that won’t break the bank.

The SFs are understandably aimed at the top niche market segment - customers who are not just brand conscious but willing to pay top dollar for top quality. The unique weight distribution of the SF makes the binoculars feel lighter in hand. Subtle field flattening, pin sharp, high transmission, and well corrected for aberrations - coma, CA and distortion - and superb fit and finish are all there in the SF. Made in Germany as against the Conquests that are made in Japan.

Early this year Zeiss announced the SFL - the SF Lightweight in 10x40. There are a few things to note here. In recent times, most binocular manufacturers have stuck to 32, 42, 50/ 52 mm objectives (with perhaps the exceptions of Swarovski offering a 30mm, 21mm and Zeiss’ own 25mm - but then they are either in the compact category or are pocket binoculars). The SFL brings a 40mm objective which is significantly bigger than a 32 mm.

The second thing to note is the binoculars state upfront that they are ‘designed by Zeiss’. If you look carefully beneath the barrels, embossed on the armour is ‘Made in Japan’. So this pair is completely made in Japan which helps lower the manufacturing costs a bit.

Physics says that the larger the objective, the more the light gathering capacity. All other things being equal, a 40mm objective will lead to a brighter image and yes the 40x SFL was much brighter than my 30x Swarovski CL Companions. The manufacturer claims that the reduction in objective lens size allowed thinner elements, placing elements closer to each other both leading to weight saving. At 640 gms this indeed light in weight. And exactly the same weight as the Swarovski NL Pure 10x32. The balance is good, easy to hold on axis. But the balance in the SF is better.

Eye relief is excellent at 18mm and an exit pupil at 5mm - perfect for aging eyes- no blackouts, no kidney beans. The eye ups twist out and stay put when out. Full marks there. The dioptre connection is on the right barrel, and the ring appeared stiff enough to prevent accidental changes during regular use.

The view of buildings and the city scape and sign boards was near neutral - white and bright. Reds were red & whites were white. A very slight blue cast helps attenuate the whites and reds. In comparison, a Swarovski is whiter and more neutral and slightly more contrasty. The sweet spot is generous and the very slight softening towards the edge can be focused in. Pin sharp in the centre - compliments to the quality of lens and prism coatings and to the very subtle use of field flattening. The close focus is 1.5 mts which is excellent. The FOV is stated to be 115 metres at 1000 metres - rather good for a 10x binocular. The view is top notch. However, there is no mention of use of Ultra FL glass, which is used in the SF.

SF stands for smart focus. L is for lightweight. The focus wheel is large and smooth. Not the fluidity of the SF but good. The barrels allow a 3 finger grip bringing the first finger straight on to the focusing wheel.

The fit and finish is typical Zeiss. A grippy armour (appeared a bit different from that on the Conquest HD - whose armour attracts dust). No lose rubber anywhere and a gentle flare from eyepiece to objective. The objective covers are rubber and typical and the eyepiece cover is also ordinary with a loop at one end for attachment to a strap. Two loops on the barrel will accomodate any standard strap or harness. The carrying case is simple zipped nylon - no great shakes- a hard clamshell would have led to easier/ safer carrying.

When I read the Zeiss brochure for the SFL, I noticed a play of words. The T* coating here is applied on the prism in a manner / process that is different. Different from what? We can speculate, but this stuff is proprietary and the details shall never be known. The lenses are pink hued, with nicely baffled barrels. Swarovski’s are to***co coloured in comparison. Locutec, Zeiss says is a coating applied to external lens surfaces to allow water to drain off easily.

I wonder what is the position Zeiss has aimed this SFL within its own line? Ok it is better than the Conquest HD in most ways. Lighter too. Pricier too. But wont it eat into the market share of the 10x32 SF? The 8x32 SF which I have borrowed and used is superb in its own way - my only personal bug is I see a faint blue line along the field stop towards the bottom - a very slight irritant. The SFL shows some CA at the edge if you look very hard. The SF is essentially CA free. But as I have said, all things being the same - coatings, prismm, quality of glass - the 40mm is likely to be a tad brighter than the 32mm.

An analogy comes to mind - the 500mmf 5.6 PF from Nikkor vs the 500mm f 4 VRII from Nikkor. The SFL is like the PF lens. Will do the job very well but will never be the 500/4. It will take a very discerning eye to make out the differences between the SF and SFL. And it's not about the view alone but the entire package.

At approximately Rs 1.6 lakhs (undiscounted) - this is a binocular for a deep pockets! Go for it. You live only once!!!

PS: There seems to be a SFL 8x30 on its way. Things will become even more complicated. The Conquest, SFL and SF will start competing?

01/10/2022

Celestron Outland X 8X42 vs Hawke Nature Trek 8X42
- two entry level Binoculars

For someone who is new to the hobbies of nature observation a pair of binoculars are an important tool. Binoculars open a new dimension in nature observation by bringing distant things nearer and smaller things, slightly bigger.
There could be different use cases for binoculars – a general tourist who wants to look at distant scapes, monuments, architecture. The second is a hobbyist astronomer who likes peering into the dark sky. The third case could be observing wild animals and birds – as a hobby or as a professional. Then there are use cases that are more niche like law enforcement, security, surveillance, navigation etc.
Today I am looking at 2 pairs of roof-prism binoculars, both relatively inexpensive. One is from Celestron and the other from Hawke. I would like to thank DCF Jaipur for lending these pairs.

Celestron Outland X 8x42
Celestron is an American brand with complex ownership. They are best known for an inexpensive yet good line of Schimdt-Cassegrain telescopes, favored by hobbyists and beginner astronomers world over. They also deal in handheld optics such as binoculars and scopes. Their products are made in China.
The Outland X is a smart looking pair, covered in a smooth black armor with Celestron and the logo on the left of the hinge in white and the model printed on the right of the hinge. In front, is an orange logo that contrasts nicely with the black armor. Beneath that pull-out cap in orange is a standard tripod mount.
Specifications:
As printed on the green cardboard box the binoculars came in, this pair has
Magnification: 8X; Objectives 42mm; Lenses Multicoated (note not Fully multi-coated); Angular Field of View 6.8 degrees; Linear Field of View 119mts at 1000 mts; Minimum Focus Distance 4.5 mts; Eye relief 17.8mm; Exit Pupil 5.25mm; Prisms Bak-4 (please note Bak-4 from China is not same as Bak-4 from Europe/ Japan/ USA); Waterproof & Nitrogen purged. On their website the model page suggests an IPD of 56mm-74mm; dimensions 146 x126 x53 mm and a weight of 670 gms. Amazon India lists it at Rs. 9945/- (24 August 2022). It comes in a soft synthetic carry case, very poor-quality straps, rain guards (rubber) and objective covers (rubber and tethered).
User Experience
The first thing I noticed when I picked this up was the strap. That nylon strap will break and break soon. If you buy such a bin, please get yourself a half-decent strap. Basic safety precaution. The bins look smart enough and are lightweight. Polycarbonate tubes and thin armor = 670gms. The rain guards are generic and ok. They can be laced into the strap on the left. The objective covers are ok too.
The eyepieces are plastic and twist out to 2 positions – should fit many face types. There is a dioptre adjustment on the right barrel, +/- 3 dioptre but the ring was tight and refused to budge. Plastic stuff break easily and this bin belongs to an office. So I let them be.
When I shone a torchlight to see the insides of the barrels, I saw some basic smooth tubes, with rough/ sharp edges and shiny surfaces. A very light greenish hue on the objective suggest coating. Celestron says upfront multi-coated. In binocular trade, ‘Fully Multi-coated’ is better. It usually means all air-glass surfaces, lens and prism, are coated. Such does not appear to be the case here.
The view: I took it outside. Wasn’t impressed. Low contrast, a washed-out muddy view. The edges are blurry (and this piece might have a collimation issue). But yes, you can see subjects. A grooming palm Squirrel looked nice enough as did the new shoots of bamboo at a distance. Chromatic aberration is visible across the field, more distinct on the pearly white night blooming water lily flower in my pond. Surprisingly, the focuser is large and very nice with good speed and no backlash. That critical sharpness is missing, even in the centre. The glass (lens & prism) quality, lack of coatings and improper darkening of tubes are all contributing to the sub-par view. The prims are surely BK7 and NOT bak-4. And the prisms are small – another method to keep costs down. The eye relief is good as is the exit pupil but the washed-out field I could not ignore. Had the center been sharp, the 119 meter field could have been considered ok.
Conclusion: I won’t recommend this bin to a beginner. However, if you still find that you can live with it test it physically first. I suspect there will be a wide sample variation. It is a bit plasticky if you ask me and I am not sure how much rigorous field work it can take. However, it carries a no-fault warranty – which means if it stops working, the company shall replace it. To my mind, in the same price range, there are better offerings in porro-prism bins – which might be bit bulkier but would have much better corrected field of vision.

Hawke Nature Trek 8X42

Hawke is a British company and popular in UK and USA for the wide range of products they carry – rifle and crossbow scopes, red-dot sights, laser rangefinders, spotting scopes and binoculars. Hawke offers 4 distinct lines of binoculars – Vantage (the cheapest), Nature-Trek, Endurance and Frontier. Browsing through various astronomy, hunting and birding forums suggest Hawke products are reputed and known to deliver good performance at affordable prices.
I picked up the Hawke Nature-trek 8X42 binoculars. They feel substantive in hand. They have some weight yes and the green armor is grippy. This looks like a nature lovers’ tool and gives a feeling of robustness. A single hinge design, objective caps are rubber as is the rain guard. It comes is a nice soft synthetic case. The strap here is a bit better with a neoprene pad for the shoulder. Rain guard can be laced on to the strap on the left (Why don’t manufactures allow the rain guard lacing loops on both sides?).
Specifications: According to the manufacturer, the Nature-trek family of binoculars come in an impact resistant polycarbonate housing. This family has bins from 25mm upto 50mm.
This pair has the following specs: Magnification 8X; objective 42 mm; dimensions 142 mm x 126mm; 638 gms (but feels substantive); Nitrogen purged, waterproof; Eye relief 18mm; exit pupil 5.3 mm; Minimum focus distance 2mts; Angular Field of View 7.4 degrees; Linear field of view 129 mts at 1000 mts.; IPD 56-75 mm; Fully Multi-coated (this is where the difference in view happens); bak-4 prisms,(I have my doubts). Presently not on amazon, this would have a street price at around Rs. 13000/-. These are also made in China but not advertised as such. The white cardboard box says, ‘Born in the UK’.

User Experience: I note that the Hawke is slightly shorter than the Celestron and is only 18 gms more in weight. Yet in hand, it feels heavier/ substantive. The housing is indeed better made and the rubber grippy armor is thin but well finished. No loose ends that I could see. The large focuser is a beauty – very nicely damped and just the right speed. 1 ¾ turns for near to infinity. Between the objectives is a white Hawke Logo. It is a screw off cap on the tripod mount.
On the left of the hinge on the top Nature-Trek is written in matt silver on a black background. Overall the looks are understated and utilitarian. There are 2 lugs to allow strap/ harness attachment.
The eye pieces are twist out and have two out positions with click stops. Plastic but well made. Dioptre ring is on the right barrel and a bit too freely moving for comfort. Hawke offers a no-fault lifetime warranty.
Inside of the barrels are reasonably dark and matted. A very slight green hue indicated coating. No overtly shiny surfaces inside that I could see.
The view: A 129 meter field is not that bad, especially when the center is sharp. This binocular shows a sharp center. Blur starts at around 50% of the field and increases towards the edge. At the field stop the edge is blurry. There is Chromatic aberration at high contrast edges, even in the field center but reasonably controlled. The view is contrasty with an ever so slight green cast, nothing to worry in regular use. A pair of amorous laughing Doves showed the pink breast feathers nearly perfectly and the distant Red-wattled Lapwing was delineated sharply enough. The new bamboo shots were cleanly seen - yellow against green and a Bee-eater on a low perch looked wonderful. The center here is very useable, but not that bright. Moderate transmission is what is indicated. With spectacles on I could see most of the field. The exit pupils were a bit truncated. However, the kidney-beans/ blackout in the Celstron was higher than in the Hawke.
The difference in view between the Celestron and the Hawke is better coatings – on lenses and prisms. This translates to better contrast and colours. The better darkening of barrels translates into better control of stray light and thus increased contrast. The dimness can be attributed to glass and prism quality.
Conclusion: In my view, the Hawke is a better binocular than the Celestron. A bit more expensive, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I would recommend these to a newcomer as their first binoculars – with a warning. Look after them. There are plasticky parts and they break. The dioptre ring is one example.

Arijit Banerjee

26/11/2022

27/10/2022

03/10/2022

01/10/2022

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