Happy owners of a pocket 10x25? (1 Viewer)

[fazalmajid]

I wonder, who has a 10x25 and is happy with it?

Sort of. I have the Nikon Stabilized 10x25, a Japan-only model with image stabilization. It uses crackpot CR2 batteries and chews through them like candy (fortunately rechargeable CR2s seem to work). Optical quality and stabilization are remarkably good for such a small instrument (jacket-pocketable at best) but the poorly placed and too easily activated power switch only makes the battery drain problem worse.

 

[fazalmajid]

I have tried most of the 10x25's including the Zeiss Victory, Swarovski CLP and the Leica Trinovid and Ultravid but one of the best 10x25's I have ever used were the Nikon LX 10x25. The FOV is a little small, but they are surprisingly good optically, and they are waterproof. You can still get them new from Japan on eBay.

Sold in the UK, apparently, albeit at a stiff premium over the Japanese price:

10X25HG L DCF

#N/A

www.nikon.co.uk

 

[[email protected]]

Sold in the UK, apparently, albeit at a stiff premium over the Japanese price:

10X25HG L DCF

#N/A

www.nikon.co.uk

They are surprisingly good. Have you ever tried them?

 

[fazalmajid]

They are surprisingly good. Have you ever tried them?

No, I haven't, nor have I seen them for sale anywhere (I was at Selfridges to see the new Zeiss SFL 8x30 and NL Pure 8x32 just this afternoon). I can easily believe they are good, Nikon certainly knows how to make alpha-class binoculars like the EDG or WX, and their HG monoculars frm the same line are excellent. I haven't found any binocular smaller than the Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 to be comfortable to use otherwise than in a pinch, how do the HG L compare?

 

[[email protected]]

No, I haven't, nor have I seen them for sale anywhere (I was at Selfridges to see the new Zeiss SFL 8x30 and NL Pure 8x32 just this afternoon). I can easily believe they are good, Nikon certainly knows how to make alpha-class binoculars like the EDG or WX, and their HG monoculars frm the same line are excellent. I haven't found any binocular smaller than the Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 to be comfortable to use otherwise than in a pinch, how do the HG L compare?

They are surprisingly comfortable. I had a pair a couple of years ago, and I was very impressed with them. I always thought 10x25 would be a poor format because of the small exit pupil, but the Nikon's were very good and very sharp even to the edge. If you ever have a chance, try them.

 

[mwhogue]

Please share with us what you'll notice... I am curious.
I might upgrade the Terra 8x25 someday and like to have something different: 10x25 or 7x21 or 8x20. I am an fan of higher magnifications, but I also notice that the 8x25 is still pretty "heavy" in my pocket.

Reinier,

The Terra 8x25 is a very good all arounder. If you eventually want to consider a smaller and lighter 10x25, you might consider either an UV or Trinovid BL 10x25. The Terra weighs @ 315g and the UV only 265g and it is quite a bit smaller in all dimensions except for length which is the same. The Trinovid models are even smaller and lighter but the leatherette versions are now discontinued I believe.

Mike

 

[Jagu]

I have Swarovski 10-25 Pocket CL. Why 10-25? - I found it in a very descent price. I use it like EDC bino. Frankly speaking, at the beginning, I was concerned about how it will be in the real life, but now I like 10X in pocket size. You have to be more concentrated but you can see more )

 

[winginit]

I have the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x25 pocket binoculars. Because of the narrow FOV, you can't easily track birds in flight. But they provide sharp views, with good color and detail. You can often find them for under $100.

 

[kimmik]

Too much eye relief and they don't keep their IPD at all.
The ones that should be the best are nearly the worst.

Interesting take, presumably because you don't wear glasses when using binoculars.

The Leica 10x25 eye relief is very comfortable for use with glasses, and also works well without.

Shorter eye relief is good to a point (for use without glasses), then it starts to get dirty quickly from eye lashes, so I have no complaint about the Leica design even if I never use glasses.

Also the Leica 10x25 trinovid is remarkably compact and light, 242grams for the bca version i have, which is impressive because delivering long eye relief is difficult in light/compact package.

The Docter 10x25 is a fair bit bigger and heavier than the Leica.

A few years ago in an antique store, I found a reasonably recent Minolta double hinge (maybe 10x25, not sure), and quite liked it, bought it for a friend I was with for 20pounds. A galilean binocular in the same shop was marked for higher .

 

[Brummie]

I have a pair of Zeiss VP 10x25.

I think they're just as good, optically, as the VP 8x25. I'm not convinced I can see more detail in them compared to the 8x25, due to the extra shakiness, but that detail is probably easier to see (if that makes sense).

I just bought a pair of SFL 10x30, and if those work well for me, I'll probably stick to no more than 8x on true pocket models. Although if I can't re-sell the 10x25 for a decent price, then I might just keep those as a back-up pair anyway.

 

[adhoc]

Brummie, do you see more detail in the SFL 10x30 than the VP 10x25, handheld, and in light conditions other than twilight? Thanks.

 

[Brummie]

Brummie, do you see more detail in the SFL 10x30 than the VP 10x25, handheld, and in light conditions other than twilight? Thanks.

I haven't looked through the 10x30 yet. It is stuck somewhere in the USPS system.

 

[Binocollector]

Probably everything has been said yet but not by everyone.
My 2 cts - with those pocket binos it's all about the technique to hold them steady.
I only have an old Japanese 10x24 from the 70's. A bit dim but quite sharp so I sometimes do use it.
When holding it, I put the pointer finger against my brow and the thumb against the bridge of my nose and work the focuser either with the middle finger or even with the pointer finger of my left hand and hold it in both hands. This way it's just as stable as a larger model, like my DDoptics 10x45.
The little 10x24 weighs 300 gr.

 

[Trinovid]

…you might consider either an UV or Trinovid BL 10x25.

In response to the thread, how well do you like the 10x25 configuration?
Still surprised how much i like my 10x32 and 10x42, and wondering if I should also be considering a10x25 Ultravid.

 

[mwhogue]

Trinovid,

I'm a very happy owner of UV 10x25. They are smaller than the SW and Zeiss VP 25. They do have the smallest FOV of the three in 10x but the AFOV is perfectly enjoyable. Given your preferences, you would probably like the UV 10x25 as well.

Mike

 

[Elkhornsun]

I bought the Swarvoski 8x25 CL Pocket Mountain and they were OK but I soon replaced them with a 10x25 pair of the same bino. The 8x30 binos are the ones I use the most due to their compact size.