PART III — The Reviews (From THE BIG DEAL ABOUT POCKET OPTICS, March, 2002, BirdWatcher's Digest) by Diane and Michael Porter
These are some of the pocket binoculars our judges found noteworthy. Click on any of the binocular images below for a bigger version of the picture. Bausch & Lomb Custom Compact 7x26 Reverse Porro Prism This compact binocular is bright and clear and focuses to 8 feet. It weighs only 13 ounces and has generous eye relief (16mm) for eyeglass wearers. You sense the good engineering the moment you pick it up and smoothly turn the focus wheel (prominent and easy to access even with gloves on). The body is all black. The upper surface has an easily gripped texture. The Custom Compact will undoubtedly continue as a perennial favorite of birders. Bausch & Lomb Legacy 10x24 Reverse Porro Prism For an inexpensive binocular, this compact model with fully multicoated lenses turned in a respectable performance on our optical tests. Its ergonomics impressed us, with all the moving parts offering just the right amount of resistance. The surface is nonslip black, and the inch-long focus knob has a textured rubber surface, for a sure grip even with a heavily gloved finger. If you like understated embellishments, you'll appreciate the thin gold band around the base of each eyepiece. The Legacy has a decent close focus of 10 feet and generous eye relief (16mm). The eyecups extend by twisting out. Surprisingly for binoculars in this price range, the Legacy is waterproof. The only complaint anyone put forward was that it hangs almost horizontally, and if the wearer walks fast or jogs, it tends to flop around with each step.		INDIVIDUAL REVIEWS
		B&L Custom Compact B&L Legacy Brunton Eterna Deutsche Optik Eagle Leica Meade Minox Nikon Travelite Olympus Opticron Pentax Roofs Pentax Porros Swarovski Swift Weaver Zeiss New Zeiss
		THE BIG DEAL ABOUT POCKET OPTICS
		PART I Why Get Pocket Binoculars? Part II Features to Look For in Pocket Binoculars Part 1V Chart of Pocket Binoculars
		MORE ON BIRDING OPTICS
		Advances in Full-sized Binoculars Reviews of Full-sized Binoculars Comparing Binoculars Evaluating Warranties Scope Basics Historical Footnote: The First Telescope Binoculars Glossary

Deutsche Optik B/Ga Compact 8x22 Roof Prism This is a nice-looking roof prism binocular with the surest-grip rubberized surface of any pocket binoculars in our survey. The gray and black body looks stylish. The focus wheel sits at the end of the bridge, like the pocket Swarovskis, allowing the ring or little finger to do the focusing and leaving the other fingers free to stabilize the binocular. It compared well to other 8x binoculars on the optical resolution tests. With an eye relief of 14mm, it allowed some but not all of our judges to see the entire field of view while wearing glasses. Although the B/Ga Compact is not waterproof, it is water resistant. Just don't drop it in the stream. It also comes in 10x25. Eagle Optics Triumph 8x25 and 10x25 Reverse Porro Prism The Eagle Optics Triumph is an excellent choice for a first binocular. It has decent optics, and it won't break the bank. If you get serious about birding, or if you get richer, you can move up to a high-end binocular without regret. This one can become your loaner, so that you can take a friend birding with you and let them in on the fun. Leica Trinovid BCA 8x20 and 10x25 Roof Prism If small and good are what you're looking for, consider the 8x20 Leica Trinovid. Folding to 1-1/2 inches thick, this binocular would actually fit in a shirt pocket. The Trinovid ties with the Swarovski 8x20 as the most pocketable binoculars we tested. With the usual excellent, bright Leica optics, it ties with Swarovski and Zeiss for widest field of view in the smallest package (8x roof prisms). All external lenses have Leica's HDC High Durability Coating, which gives extra protection against scratches. Ergonomics? It's easy to hold. The focus knob falls naturally between the thumb and index finger of either hand. It provides good eye relief (14mm) and pop-up eyecups. It hangs at an ideal angle for lying flat against the chest. The diopter adjustment is at the far end of the right eyepiece, out of the way and safe from being moved accidentally. The slightly longer 10x25 model focuses down to 16.4 feet (as opposed to 9.8 for the 8x). Both of these pocket Leicas are water resistant but not waterproof or submersible.

Meade Travel View 8x25 Reverse Porro Prism These were the least expensive binoculars in our survey. Nevertheless, their optical resolution score equaled that of a number of more expensive 8x brands. The field of view at 1,000 yards is a generous 426 feet, which is good for viewing sports events. However, the eye relief of 12mm is insufficient for many people who wear glasses. Minox BD 8x24 and 10x25 Roof Prism Eyeglass wearers will appreciate the 17mm of eye relief, which allows virtually everyone to enjoy the full field of view through the 10x25 binocular. The 8x24 version is even better, at 18mm. Nicely engineered eyecups twist up and snap into position. Both models focus closer than 10 feet. The 10x25 won an excellent score for optical resolution. With a nonslip surface, these are attractive binoculars, attractively priced.

Nikon Travelite V 8x25 Reverse Porro Prism The Nikon Travelite, long a favorite of birders, once again proves its appeal. It's bright and crisp. It focuses reasonably close, at 9.8 feet, and has decent eye relief of 14mm. It's also comfortable in the hand and has a pleasant nonslip surface. The focus knob, with a ribbed, nonslip surface, turns smoothly and is big enough to find easily, even when wearing gloves. At 9 ounces, it's one of the lighter pocket Porros. It comes also in 10x25. Olympus PC 1 8x25 Reverse Porro Prism This is an amazing little Porro, well made, bright, and sharp. It did as well as or better than the most expensive binoculars in our optical resolution tests. It offers a close focus of 8.2 feet. At 16.5mm, the eye relief is one of the best, for those who wear glasses as well as those who do not. The inch-long focus knob is rubberized and textured for an easy grip even to gloved fingers. It hangs well, tending to clasp the wearer's chest rather than bouncing around with each step. It's silver and gray, the gray part of which is a nonslip surface. It also comes in 10x25. Opticron Taiga 8x25 Reverse Porro Prism This is a remarkable little binocular for less than $100. It focuses down to 8.2 feet. The eye relief of 18mm is about as good as it gets. The ribbed, rubberized focus knob turns smoothly and is big enough to find even with gloves on. The lens caps twist up, allowing for easy sharing between a person who wears glasses and one who does not. Opticron Aspheric LE 8x25 Roof Prism This inexpensive roof prism model ought to get a prize for having the longest eye relief (22mm) of anything in our survey. Furthermore, its close focus of 6.6 feet was among the best of the lot. It's black with a slender silver band around the base of each eyepiece. The focus knob is a thin cylinder that barely clears the top of the binoculars. It turns a bit stiffly and might be a little hard to get a grip on with a gloved finger. The eyecups are our favorite design, twist-ups, but they seem rather loose and sometimes twist back down when you want them up.

New Pentax Pocket Binoculars This update was added in January, 2003 Pentax DCF MP Roof Prism 8x28 and 10x28 These are a bit larger (15.5 oz.) than the other pocket binoculars in this review, but we're adding them here because they are still quite compact. This is an outstanding, waterproof compact binocular. It has 20mm of eye relief, making it one of the few high-quality pocket binoculars useful to glasses wearers. We appreciate the build quality, the excellent optics, and the careful attention to design. Twist-out eyecups are great for dialing justthe amount of eye relief you need for your particular glasses (or lack thereof). Close focus is 9 feet. ********************************************* The original review from the 2000 BirdWatcher's Digest article, below, was for the Pentax DCF MC. Pentax has discontinued that model and replaced it with the DCF MP, described above. DCF MC 10x25 DISCONTINUED BY PENTAX Roof Prism Among 10x binoculars of any size, it's hard to find ones that let an eyeglass-wearer see the whole picture. This pocket Pentax does. Furthermore, it focuses at 6.6 feet, closer than any other 10x binoculars we tested. Slim and lightweight, it is sturdy and well engineered, with twist-up eyecups and a diopter adjustment with just the right degree of resistance. The two barrels are black, with a subtle pattern in the nonslip covering, contrasting with the stainless steel bridge. It also comes in an 8x22 model, which focuses to a respectable 9.8 feet. Pentax UCF X 8x25 Reverse Porro Prism The UCF X is one of the largest of the pocket binoculars we reviewed, but at 11 ounces it's still a light load to carry. It focuses startlingly close, at 6.2 feet. It's smooth focusing, bright, and easy to handle, and has a smooth, responsive focus knob. On some binoculars, the slightest bump undoes the diopter adjustment. Others are hard to move. The Pentax UCF X locks the adjustment with a button that must be pushed before the diopter adjustment will move. Another nice touch is the way the strap snaps securely and instantly into place. The eyepieces pop up, and there is a halfway position, for a user with a prominent brow or close-fitting glasses. Pentax UCF WR 8x24 Reverse Porro Prism This is another fairly large model that slides into our "pocket" category by weighing in just under 13 ounces. It shares some features of the UCF X: locking diopter adjustment, snap-in straps, and pop-up eyepieces. In addition it is waterproof and nitrogen filled. Swarovski 8x20and 10x25 Roof Prism We've learned to expect outstanding binoculars from Swarovski, and they did not disappoint us. The trim, elegant 8x20 (shown at right) ties with the Leica for most pocketable binoculars, and it ties with Leica and Zeiss for the best field of view among the 8x roofs. The eyecups twist up, allowing you to dial the amount of eye relief you need for glasses. The focus knob is at the far end of the bridge, where it can be turned by the ring or little finger, leaving the other fingers free to stabilize the binoculars. This is an unusual arrangement but one that some birders swear by after they try it. These Swarovskis are waterproof, fogproof, and submersible.

Swift Trekker ZWCF (A) 8x26 Reverse Porro Prism The Trekker has a pleasant non-slip surface and feels good in the hand. It was in the top group of 8x binoculars for optical resolution. The eye relief (14mm) is sufficient for most users to see the whole picture even while wearing glasses. However, the focus knob is stiff, and the rubber eyecups are a bit hard to fold down. Swift Micron CF (A) 8x25 and 10x22 Reverse Porro Prism The gray and black 10x22, shown at right, weighing in at 5.25 ounces, was the lightest weight model we looked at. It focuses no closer than 22 feet. It is waterproof. The black 8x25 weighs 11 ounces. It will let you look at butterflies only 8 feet away, but it's not waterproof. Both models have an eye relief of 8mm, making them suitable only for people who do not wear glasses.

Weaver Compact 8x24 and 10x28 Roof Prism These moderately priced pocket roofs proved themselves to be right up there with the best pocket binoculars in optical resolution. They have a pleasant nonslip black surface, a neat, slim appearance, and they're waterproof. The 8x24 costs half as much as the other waterproof 8x binoculars with equally high resolution scores. Some of our judges wished they would focus closer than 17 feet and had longer than 10mm eye relief. But if close focus is not a primary concern, a birder who does not wear glasses may find a great bargain in these binoculars. Zeiss ClassiC 8x20 and 10x25 Roof Prism These miniature Zeiss ClassiCs are among the tiniest of the pocket binoculars. The 10x25 shares with the Leica 10x25 the title for the greatest power of resolution of all the binoculars we tested. They have good eye relief (14mm), and they hang perfectly vertical. They use Zeiss's "T multilayer anti-reflective coatings." The knurled focus knob rides on one hinge, and the diopter adjustment is the smooth knob on the other hinge. The binoculars are "double jointed"—you can fold the hinges either way, so you can turn them upside down and use the index finger of your preferred hand for focusing. And they're waterproof. ************************************************* New Zeiss Pocket Binoculars! This update is being added in January, 2003 Wow! We love the new Zeiss Victory pocket binoculars. In fact, we liked them so much we're going to have to buy a pair for ourselves. The 8x20 is so compact and light weight (just 8 ounces) you don't even remember you're carrying it -- until you see a bird and remember the purpose of your life. This tiny binocular focuses as close as 10 feet. The 10x25 is a little longer in the barrel, but at 8.6 ounces still remarkably un-heavy and compact. At a close focus of 18 feet, it's not quite so good on this score as the 8x20. But both have a lovely, non-slip rubberized surface that feels nice to the hand. All black. Their appearance says "craftsmanship." Both models are incredibly sharp, and waterproof! The design is asymmetrical. The hinge is left of center. That lets you fold the left barrel tightly against the right barrel. In the photos, the eyecups are pulled out, for people who don't wear glasses. Push the eyecups in to accommodate people who do wear glasses. Diane says: I love these binoculars! Absolutely love them. PART I Why Get Pocket Optics? PART II Features to look for in pocket binoculars PART IV Chart of Pocket Optics to see which binoculars include the features you care about most.