Athlon Midas 8x42 vs. Viper HD vs. Vanguard ED II (2 Viewers)

[rajiggyfizzle]

Hi there!

I recently decided to buy a first pair of all-purpose binoculars, and tested the following:

Athlon Midas 8x42 ($220)
Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8x42 ($300)
Vortex Viper HD 8x42 (pre-2018, Japan made) ($300 used).

I have to say that for me there was very little difference in optical quality between the Midas and the others (at least to my untrained eye). I tested in bright, low and night light conditions.

I loved the Midas FOV, and found them more comfortable to use than the others. Here are my brief notes:

Midas - compact, great to hold, well balanced, quick to use and focus on an image, comfortable, bright, great FOV. I found that I could pick these up and get a nice picture the quickest of the three.

Viper - felt heavy, and smaller FOV was noticeable. Took longer for me to get a comfortable image when picked up (ie a bit of repositioning on my face each time). Kept seeing black (barrel?) reflections when first putting to my eyes. Couldn't see an obvious big improvement to the Midas in terms of optical quality.

Vanguard ED II - was a close call between these and the Midas. Preferred the open bridge design, product felt very well built, albeit a little longer and front-heavy vs the Midas. Slightly narrower FOV, at the margin maybe a slightly better image quality than the Midas (but not a huge difference to my eyes). Accessories (carry case, strap) were nicer.

I didn't feel that the Midas felt particularly 'cheap' in terms of build quality, with specs right up there and lifetime warranty, all at a lower price. Most importantly they were the pair that I personally found the most comfortable to use, and we're satisfyingly quick to use. Plus that FOV was great.

I see the Midas frequently compared to lower-end binoculars, and coming out favourably. Was wondering why they aren't more often compared to the next price tier, as my view is that they hold their own extremely well. Even with the Vanguards at an attractive price point, the Midas were the set that I found the easiest and most comfortable to use, and I couldn't really see why I would pick the Vanguards over them. Maybe slightly better build quality (although both made in China)?

Be interested to hear any thoughts, and what I might be missing!

Thanks

 

[jgraider]

You're not missing anything IME. I had the Midas and compared it several times to the Viper HD. I agree with your findings, along with the fact that my sample of the Viper had a very loose hinge (mine was the current Chicom made Vortex though), and the eyecups weren't near as comfortable as the edge was more sharp and not rounded like I prefer. Optically the Midas was superior to my eyeballs, as you say, and FOV was way better. I think the Midas is a HUGE bang for the buck and hard to beat at $400 and under.

 

[Steve C]

From your post, I would recommend the Midas. The main thing about getting a binocular is getting one that is easy for you to use. It has to fit your face and hands, it has to be easy for you to use. Seems like the Midas checks those off best. There are certainly others, but at the entry level, or any level for that matter, selection can be very well over thought.

I have not seen the Endavour, but I agree with your, and JGR's assessment of the Midas vs. Viper. I am pretty well impressed by the Midas, and frankly, if I were looking for a good, entry level binocular, I don't have one in mind that would really challenge what I have seen from the Midas. The Maven C 1 is a better glass at $325, but it is a bit fov challenged at 8x.

Somebody will undoubtedly come along with the spec sheet files and offer otherwise. Fit, price, and function trump pure specifications every day. I think the Midas is a good learning binocular that will show you what you need while you learn what you need without breaking the bank.

 

[Dennis Mau]

That's easy. The Vanguard EDII 8x42 easily has the best optics of your three choices.

 

[gunut]

Vanguard.....

 

[chill6x6]

I don't know a thing about the Midas, other than what I've read. I have owned the other two. Personally between those two I'd much rather have the Vanguard any day of the week based on value and optics.

Saying this. Heck, you've USED the three side by side. If YOU like the Midas a little better then I'd say that's the one for you. Binocular preference comes down to many things. You have the tangibles such as size, weight, ER, FOV, etc then you have a many very important items to each individual that may matter just as much. Many different things come into play for one to pick their "favorite" binocular.

 

[rajiggyfizzle]

Chuck, Steve, completely agree - I spent ages going over forum posts, reviews, specs - back and forth to see why I couldn't appreciate what others did - and ultimately the decision is simple: which one is best for me, which one is the easiest and most comfortable to use, which one is going to irritate me the least!! I landed on the Midas, and am happy that I got to try all three out rather than just go by others' opinions.

I guess I couldn't figure out why the Midas doesn't often get directly compared to the other two as I didn't see much difference in quality. It was hard to find a decent comparison/test. At first I thought it was down to manufacturing issues, but I know the Vanguards and Vipers also have their fair share of things falling/breaking off, and all three have great warranties. Maybe the Midas simply gets excluded as its at a lower price point, or maybe Athlon is just a newer company that is seen as somewhat unproven vs the others.

Either way I am happy with them, my personal view was that even though the Vanguards were great and very nicely priced, they weren't 35-40% 'better' in my eyes - Maybe I just don't have the skills to pick out the differences, but I would rather put the $80 difference towards my next set of binoculars!

Thanks to everyone for their views so far - I can see why people get immersed in these instruments.

 

[PhilR.]

In case you haven’t seen it, a site called “The Wirecutter” has an interesting review of the Midas, along with other binos.

 

[eitanaltman]

In case you haven’t seen it, a site called “The Wirecutter” has an interesting review of the Midas, along with other binos.

I’m friends with the reviewer, Dan Cooper, who’s a top birder and ornithologist here in SoCal. Very good dude, and see no reason to doubt his findings

As others have noted, nothing is more important than a binocular that FITS you. It doesn’t matter if binocular A is slightly crisper and sharper when reading the nutritional info on the cereal box across the room in your indoor resolution test... if you have trouble finding the bird and you end up with eyestrain and some frustrating misses after a few hours in the field :smoke:

 

[Steve C]

"A simple trick for spotting stuff faster with binoculars: Don’t hold your binoculars up to your eyes and then pan and scan for what you’re trying to spot. You’ll never get there. Instead, with the naked eye, stare up at what you want to see, then raise the binoculars to your gaze. That’ll allow whatever you’re looking at to instantly pop into your magnified view".

This is the best comment of the Wirecutter review. It has always been my opinion that far too many birders rely far too much on the binocular, and far too little on their own eyes. Birding is about observation, knowledge of behavior and habitat. Magnification (with adequate optical quality) works hand and eye with the whole experience. A big fov is certainly nice, but it is not a panacea.

There are perhaps some questionable binoculars included in his work, but honestly, I have paid little recent attention to some of the price range he worked from here. When looking at binocular usage from a real world perspective, far more people have needs that do not need to be served by more expensive stuff. Frankly, most people will not be able to tell much difference between the Midas and much more expensive glass. I looked a Midas over again today, and for the $200 price currently offered by CameralandNY, it is a deal.

 

[Dennis Mau]

The Midas may be good optically IF you can get a good one. I must admit I had a chuckle reading the reviews on the Midas on Amazon.com. With a less than $300.00 binocular that is MIC you are really playing the lottery as far as getting a decent one. Life is too short for that! Here are a couple review's from Amazon.com. and a link to the other reviews. One of them purchased the Midas based on the Wirecutter review. Pop some popcorn and have a good laugh! The Vanguard EDII had better reviews as far as quality than the Midas but it is not stellar either. I think I will change my recommendation to the MIJ Vortex Viper HD or better yet the MIJ Nikon EII 8x30 then you know you are not going to have any problems.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YLTG7DA?tag=od-ui-st-20&th=1#customerReviews

"Markedly superior (brighter, warmer, sharper) views relative to my trusty 10-year-old Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42. However, check your binocular as soon as you receive it to confirm the close focus limit, because the first Midas 8x42 that arrived had a >3m close focus point, so we returned it. The replacement focuses as closely as 2m (which meets the specs), which is great, but the eyepieces had water stains on them (how did those get there, if this is a new product?!), 99% of which were easily removed with my old LensPen.

Update: each of the four pairs we've tried has had different build issues: two had focus knobs with noticeable play, two had close focus points that were longer than the specs, one folds down on itself when held up with one hand, one is too stiff and doesn't bend easily, one had water spots on the eyepieces upon arrival, and one had a scratch on an objective lens and dust on the inside of the lens upon arrival. We eventually gave up and kept two of them. We're going to give Athlon the benefit of the doubt, because we love the two pairs we have. If they have significant issues in the short-term, we'll adjust this review...

Update 10/31/2019: Although I still enjoy using the Athlon Midas 8x42, I find myself preferring my >10-year-old Nikon Monarch 8x42. As an advanced birder, I don't need great image quality so much as I need to obtain a sharp image as quickly as possible. Songbirds are really fast, and the super-smooth Nikon focuses on them almost instantaneously. In contrast, the Athlon takes much longer to acquire focus, partly because of a shallower depth of field, partly because the focus knob is stiffer, and partly because the knob needs to be turned more than that of the Nikon.

Update 12/2019: The binocular strap broke the other day, from the plastic attachment to one side of the instrument. I was lucky to catch the binocular before it fell onto concrete!"




"They are a nice set of binoculars, but my rating has to do with the focal-adjustable eye piece. One of mine works, the other the rubber comes off and the mechanical bit doesn't turn any glass effectively making this a monocular.

I'd happily RMA these and see if a second pair has similar issues, but I wouldn't buy them again due to the lack of quality assembly of my first pair.

Pitty, because I bought these on the WireCutter's recommendation which is usually stellar."

 

[dries1]

Boy, I guess he did not get a good sample. I wonder how many others go through this scenario with other budget glass and just give up, and never provide review info to Amazon. Another thing to think about; when these are returned to Amazon what happens to them?, I often wonder.
Buying one of these from Cameraland should be the same as buying one from Amazon, right?

Think about it.

Andy W.

 

[gunut]

Boy, I guess he did not get a good sample. I wonder how many others go through this scenario with other budget glass and just give up, and never provide review info to Amazon. Another thing to think about; when these are returned to Amazon what happens to them?, I often wonder.
Buying one of these from Cameraland should be the same as buying one from Amazon, right?

Think about it.

Andy W.

It is the same....Cameraland Is just way better at re-packaging.....because their sales staff is more savvy….also a lot of demo sales....

 

[18000bph]

I was disappointed with a repackaged "new" Canon 14x32 recently from B&H.

The inner packaging was all ripped up, the strap was already attached backwards, the batteries left installed (luckily not leaking), and worst of all the objectives were covered in fingerprint smudges. The binoculars turned out to be fine, I just wish they would have put some effort into repackaging them in a closer to new condition.

I suspect the original return was due to the limited diopter correction since it as received it was maxed out.

 

[dries1]

It is the same....Cameraland Is just way better at re-packaging.....because their sales staff is more savvy….also a lot of demo sales....

So if a glass has issues and is mailed back to the dealer, they are just repacked/ recirculated?, ergo the increased demo sales. I buy demo glass, however I will always check, if it fails it goes back and I look elsewhere. There must be a lot of junk just being passed on to one consumer to another.

Andy W.

 

[Stawanski]

Did anyone compare the Midas Gen. 2 with the 1st. Generation model? Is it worth the price difference? I can't try them out in a shop and wonder because the older version is available for good price now.

 

[Maljunulo]

I would think that an older version of a better glass would be a smarter choice, but that is only my strictly speculative opinion.

 

[Rob from Texas]

I venture to say that the first and most important trait a binocular can have, is the ease at which you step into the view when you first pull them to your face. If the Midas provides this the best and the optics are reasonably close, you're done.

 

[Stawanski]

I would think that an older version of a better glass would be a smarter choice, but that is only my strictly speculative opinion.

Any specific suggestions?

 

[Maljunulo]

Any specific suggestions?

I'm afraid not, for two reasons.
1. I have very limited experience with different binoculars.
2. I would never make a recommendation based on reading spec sheets.

I'm sure more recommendations will be forthcoming, so stick with it.