Ratings Chart |
September, 2008, Bird Watcher's Digest |
Copyright Michael
and Diane Porter 2008 |
|
Legend |
Manufacturer
|
Model
|
Size
|
Street Price
|
Prism Style |
Field of View |
Eye Relief (mm.) |
Close Focus (ft.) |
Weight (oz.) |
Length (in.) |
Width (in.) |
Eyecup Style |
Diopter Where |
Diopter Lock |
Diopter Marks |
Focus Knob Score |
Diopter Score |
Close Focus Score |
Fit & Feel Score |
Image Quality Score |
Score: Overall Quality |
10-Power Full-sized Binoculars | ||||||||||||||||||||
Zeiss |
$1,900 |
roof |
330 |
16 |
6.5 |
27.0 |
6.8 |
5.0 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.5 |
5.0 |
4.6 |
4.9 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
||
Swarovski |
10x42 |
discont'd |
roof |
330 |
15 |
8.0 |
27.5 |
6.2 |
4.8 |
T |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.8 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
|
Leica |
$2,095 |
roof |
336 |
16 |
9.7 |
26.5 |
4.8 |
5.2 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.9 |
5.0 |
4.0 |
4.6 |
4.9 |
4.8 |
||
Nikon |
$1,995 |
roof |
341 |
18 |
8.5 |
28.9 |
5.9 |
5.4 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
NA |
5.0 |
4.2 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
||
Bushnell |
10x43 |
$800 |
roof |
314 |
17 |
8.0 |
23.3 |
5.3 |
5.3 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.8 |
4.5 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
4.6 |
|
Steiner |
Peregrine XP |
10x44 |
$1,630 |
roof |
328 |
20 |
6.5 |
30.0 |
7.7 |
5.3 |
T |
E |
no |
yes |
4.6 |
4.0 |
4.6 |
4.2 |
4.8 |
4.6 |
Pentax |
$999 |
roof |
315 |
17 |
6.6 |
25.8 |
5.7 |
5.0 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
4.7 |
4.5 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
||
Vortex |
Razor |
10x42 |
discont'd |
roof |
325 |
16 |
8.2 |
29.8 |
6.5 |
5.5 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.3 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.6 |
4.5 |
Minox |
10x52 |
$1,099 |
roof |
279 |
19.5 |
11.5 |
27.3 |
6.7 |
5.2 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
3.9 |
4.5 |
3.6 |
4.0 |
4.8 |
4.4 |
|
Kowa |
$1,400 |
roof |
324 |
16 |
5.5 |
33.9 |
6.5 |
5.4 |
TC |
E |
yes |
C |
3.6 |
4.5 |
4.9 |
3.8 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
||
Leupold |
10x42 |
$800 |
roof |
340 |
16 |
7.0 |
33.8 |
6.0 |
5.3 |
TC |
E |
no |
yes |
3.8 |
4.0 |
4.5 |
3.6 |
4.3 |
4.1 |
|
Meopta |
10x42 |
$899 |
roof |
331 |
15 |
9.8 |
30.4 |
5.5 |
5.2 |
T |
FK |
no |
C |
2.5 |
4.5 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
4.2 |
4.0 |
|
8-Power Full-sized Binoculars | ||||||||||||||||||||
Zeiss |
$1,800 |
roof |
405 |
16 |
6.5 |
26.6 |
6.8 |
5.0 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.5 |
5.0 |
4.6 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
||
Swarovski |
discont'd |
roof |
390 |
18 |
8.0 |
28.9 |
6.5 |
4.8 |
T |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.7 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
5.0 |
4.8 |
||
Nikon |
$1,899 |
roof |
403 |
19.3 |
9.8 |
28.6 |
5.8 |
5.4 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
NA |
5.0 |
3.9 |
4.5 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
||
Leica |
$1,995 |
roof |
389 |
15.5 |
10.2 |
27.9 |
4.8 |
5.6 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.6 |
5.0 |
3.9 |
4.3 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
||
Bushnell |
8x43 |
$780 |
roof |
372 |
19.5 |
8.0 |
23.0 |
5.3 |
5.3 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.8 |
4.5 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
4.6 |
|
Steiner |
Peregrine XP |
8x44 |
$1,600 |
roof |
390 |
20 |
6.5 |
30.0 |
7.7 |
5.3 |
T |
E |
no |
yes |
4.3 |
4.0 |
4.6 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
4.6 |
Minox |
$899 |
roof |
321 |
18 |
8.2 |
22.9 |
5.7 |
5.0 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
4.6 |
4.5 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.6 |
4.5 |
||
Vortex |
Razor |
8x42 |
discont'd |
roof |
410 |
18 |
8.2 |
29.4 |
6.5 |
5.5 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
3.7 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
4.4 |
4.6 |
4.5 |
Pentax |
$899 |
roof |
330 |
22 |
6.6 |
25.2 |
5.7 |
5.0 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
4.4 |
4.5 |
4.6 |
4.5 |
4.4 |
4.5 |
||
Kowa |
$1,260 |
roof |
366 |
18.3 |
5.5 |
33.2 |
6.5 |
5.4 |
TC |
E |
yes |
C |
4.6 |
4.5 |
4.9 |
3.8 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
||
Alpen |
8x42 |
$821 |
roof |
393 |
18 |
6.5 |
32.0 |
6.3 |
5.5 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
4.0 |
5.0 |
4.6 |
3.0 |
4.5 |
4.3 |
|
Leupold |
8x42 |
$750 |
roof |
381 |
16.5 |
7.0 |
33.2 |
6.0 |
5.3 |
TC |
E |
no |
yes |
3.8 |
4.0 |
4.5 |
3.5 |
4.2 |
4.1 |
|
Meopta |
8x42 |
$969 |
roof |
411 |
17 |
9.8 |
30.4 |
5.5 |
5.2 |
T |
FK |
no |
C |
3.0 |
4.5 |
3.9 |
3.3 |
4.4 |
4.0 |
|
8-Power Mid-sized Binoculars | ||||||||||||||||||||
Zeiss |
$1,600 |
roof |
420 |
16 |
6.6 |
19.8 |
4.6 |
4.6 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.6 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
||
Swarovski |
$1,699 |
roof |
420 |
15 |
7.0 |
21.5 |
5.4 |
4.5 |
T |
FK |
yes |
yes |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
||
Leica |
$1,795 |
roof |
404 |
13.3 |
7.2 |
18.9 |
4.6 |
4.6 |
TC |
FK |
yes |
yes |
4.8 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
||
Minox |
$799 |
roof |
395 |
15 |
6.6 |
21.3 |
4.9 |
5.0 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
5.0 |
4.5 |
4.6 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
||
Pentax |
8x32 |
$799 |
roof |
393 |
17 |
4.9 |
23.5 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
4.4 |
4.5 |
5.0 |
4.2 |
4.4 |
4.5 |
|
Stabilized Binoculars
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Canon |
10x42 |
$1,199 |
Porro |
340 |
16 |
8.2 |
36.0 |
6.9 |
5.4 |
TC |
E |
yes |
yes |
4.8 |
4.0 |
4.3 |
2.5 |
4.3 |
4.1 |
Copyright Michael
and Diane Porter 2008
The Ratings Chart |
The chart ranks the binoculars by overall quality, with highest listed at the top in each size category. The rightmost six columns of the chart display numeric scores, which comprise the judges' evaluations of the focus knob score, diopter score, close focus score, fit & feel score, image quality score, and overall score. |