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FUJINON HC (Hyper-Clarity) new roof prism binos (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter A2GG
- Start date
John A Roberts
Well-known member
. . . and one example is from Todd Vorenkamp of B&H Photo & Video at:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explor...quality-with-premium-hyper-clarity-binoculars
It does provides some interesting additional detail about the HC's features and handling (e.g. although the eyecups appear to be metal, they are rubber)
However, it does not go into a lot of detail about the optical performance, other than:
‘The view through both the 8x42 and 10x42 binoculars is fantastic — bright and clear. I couldn’t detect much in the way of color fringing or
a degradation in sharpness, even at the extreme edges of the view. These binoculars offer an exceptional viewing experience’
John
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explor...quality-with-premium-hyper-clarity-binoculars
It does provides some interesting additional detail about the HC's features and handling (e.g. although the eyecups appear to be metal, they are rubber)
However, it does not go into a lot of detail about the optical performance, other than:
‘The view through both the 8x42 and 10x42 binoculars is fantastic — bright and clear. I couldn’t detect much in the way of color fringing or
a degradation in sharpness, even at the extreme edges of the view. These binoculars offer an exceptional viewing experience’
John
Attachments
Last edited:
binomania
Well-known member
Ciao dall'Italia
I am testing a specimen of 8x42 in these days. I will able to present my video review, this friday..please...follow binomania.it
The Fujinon 8x42 HC facing its 8x42 competition
Late last year, I had indicated that I would have a closer look at the new new Fujinon 8x42
HC (“Hyper-Clarity”) and compare it to a number of current 8x42 (upper) middle class
binoculars (I did not find it useful to include any of the more expensive premium class).
I chose eleven binoculars for comparison, many of which are in the same price range as the
Fujinon. Some are a bit more expensive and some are cheaper; all of them appear to be
widely available today.
This is the group of 8x42s included in the comparison:
1. Fujinon 8x42 HC
2. Kite Ibis ED
3. Leica Trinovid HD
4. Zeiss Conquest HD
5. GPO Passion HD
6. Nikon Monarch HG
7. Vortex Razor HD
8. Meopta MeoStar B1
9. Kite Lynx HD+
10.Bushnell Forge
11.Kowa BD II XD
12.Hawke Frontier ED X
This review will be posted in two parts:
A. Description of the Fujinon HC and select specifications for the entire comparator group
B. Side-by-side optics comparisons between the Fujinon HC and individual competitors
Due to the bad weather conditions here in the last few weeks, part B. is still in process and
will be posted as soon as it can be finished.
PART A.
The Fujinon 8x42 HC: First Impression and Comparison of Specifications
The attached table shows some specifications for all included binoculars.
The Fujinon HC (hereafter “HC”) comes as a well built, well finished, compact binocular with
a modern design. Pleasant haptics; excellent grip, dry or wet. The HC is shorter than all the
competitors included in this review, is neither front- nor back-heavy, well balanced, with the
focus wheel comfortable to operate with the index finger. Given the short build, the HC is
comparatively heavy:
Weight (with eyepiece covers and strap, see attached table)
1. Nikon Monarch HG 715 g
2. Kowa BD II XD 722 g
3. Vortex Razor HD 756 g
4. Kite Lynx HD+ 797 g
5. Leica Trinovid HD 812 g
6. Hawke Frontier ED X 815 g
7. Kite Ibis ED 819 g
8. Fujinon HC 865 g
9. Zeiss Conquest HD 866 g
10.Bushnell Forge 938 g
11.GPO Passion HD 942 g
12.Meopta MeoStar 1027g
The central hinge is easy to adjust with just the right amount of stiffness. The screw-type
eyecups are made of metal, with a ring of rubber at the top, and feel comfortable on the eye
sockets. Between the fully out and the fully in positions, there is only one intermediate
clickstop; it is well defined and keeps position, but more intermediate stops would have been
welcome to find the right position for various needs.
The focus mechanism, nice and smooth and precise to operate, initially presents a bit of a
surprise: it is very slow, less than half as fast as the focus in some of the comparator group.
Even “slow-focus” binoculars such as the Trinovid or the MeoStar operate at a much faster
focus speed:
Focus Speed (degrees rotation from 3m to infinity, see attached table)
1. Kowa BD II XD 200 deg
2. Hawke Frontier ED X 230 deg
3. Koite Ibis ED 250 deg
4. Zeiss Conquest HD 260 deg
4. Vortex Razor HD 260 deg
5.GPO Passion HD 270 deg
6. Nikon Monarch HG 290 deg
6. Kite Lynx HD+ 290 deg
7. Bushnell Forge 295 deg
8. Zeiss Leica Trinovid HD 335 deg
9. Meopta MeoStar 360 deg
10.Fujinon HC 480 deg
Otherwise, there is little to criticize: the mechanism works consistently and neither too stiff
nor too easy.
There is ample excess travel beyond the infinity position:
Excess Focus Travel beyond Infinity (details see attached table)
1. Hawke Frontier ED X ample
2. Nikon Monarch HG ample
3. Meopta MeoStar ample
4. Kite Lynx HD+ ample
5. Fujinon HC ample
6. Zeiss Conquest HD sufficient
7. Vortex Razor HD sufficient
8. Kite Ibis ED sufficient
9. GPO Passion HD sufficient
10. Bushnell Forge sufficient
11. Leica Trinovid HD sufficient
12. Kowa BD II XD tight
The diopter adjustment ring below the right eyepiece cannot be locked, but operates at
sufficient tightness, smoothly and precisely, with the “0” position” correctly set at 0 dpt.
Inspecting the HC from the front end: it is of course difficult to assess the quality of AR
coatings. They look fine on the HC, but relatively bright reflections on bright light sources
could indicate that a bit less light will reach the eyepieces than in some top binoculars, and I
wonder whether transmission will be over 90%, despite the “Hyper-Clarity” label. This is
speculation, though, until it is measured.
The tubes appear very well blackened and baffled.
The eyepiece side reveals relatively well rounded exit pupils, with quite a bit of bright
“structures” around the EPs; small false pupils become visible when you look at the
eyepieces at an angle, but they may be sufficiently removed from the exit pupils to do harm.
The ease of view (“Einblickverhalten”) is good, despite the lack of several intermediate
clickstops on the eyecups. No kidney beaning when eyecups are extended. Useable eye
relief is not grandiose, but sufficient to observe the entire FOV with slim eyeglasses:
Useable Eye Relief (see attached table)
1. Zeiss Conquest HD 16.5mm
2. Hawke Frointier ED X 16mm
3. Kowa BD II XD 15mm
3. Meopta MeoStar 15mm
3. Nikon Monarch HG 15mm
3. GPO Passion HD 15mm
4. Fujinon HC 14.5mm
4. Kite Ibis ED 14.5mm
4. Leica Trinovid HD 14.5mm
5. Vortex Razor HD 14mm
6. Bushnell Forge 13.5mm
7. Kite Lynx HD+ 13mm
Minimum focus distance: the Fujinon “leads the field” here with 1.55m:
Minimum Focus Distance (see attached table)
1. Fujinon HC 1.55m
2. Kowa BD II XD 1.6m
3. Vortex Razor HD 1.65m
4. Kite Ibis ED 1.7m
5.Leica Trinovid HD 1.75m
6. Nikon Monarch HG 1.8m
6. Bushnell Forge 1.8m
7. Kite Lynx HD+ 1.95m
7. GPO Passion HD 1.95m
8. Hawke Frontier ED X 2.15m
9. Zeiss Conquest HD 2.3m
10.Meopta MeoStar 2.6m
I had mentioned earlier that, since the measured EP diameter is 5.1mm (according to specs:
5.25mm) while effective aperture is 42mm, the true magnification of the HC must be 8.2x,
instead of the specified 8.0x. However, that’s obviously no cause for big concerns, just worth noting.
Observing with the HC:
The specs state the RFOV to be 7.8 degrees = 136m / 1000m. Funnily, a small mark below
the left eyepiece of the HC reads “8x42 8.0 deg”. My own measurement came to 7.7 deg =
135m. This gives the HC roughly a position in the middle field of the comparator group:
Field of View (see attached table)
1. Kite Lynx HD+ 151m
2. Nikon Monarch HG 145m
3. Kowa BD II XD 143m
4. Bushnell Forge 142m
4.Hawke Frontier ED X 142m
5. Meopta MeoStar 137m
6. Fujinon HC 136m
7. Vortex Razor HD 130m
8. Zeiss Conquest HD 128m
9. Kite Ibis ED 126m
10.GPO Passion HD 125m
11.Leica Trinovid HD 124m
Image quality: only a few rermarks here, more detailed information will be provided in the
one-to-one comparisons in Part B:
Central sharpness / contrast / “brilliance”: good / very good and in line with my expectations for this class
(“upper middle class”?) of binoculars. Brightness is very good but not “hyper” good in my
view, compared to competition.
Off-axis sharpness is okay, but not overwhelming. Blurring starts at about 70% from the
image center and increases towards the edge.
There is little rectangular distortion, but still for my eyes almost no recognizable
globe effect when panning, panning is quite comfortable.
The HC doesn’t show a flat-field image; field curvature is clearly visible, but not dominant.
CA: little in the center, but noticeable if you look for it; more further out, but nothing dramatic.
Stray-light: appears to be well controlled in the HC; with full sunlight on the front lenses,
there are occasional reflections when moving the binocular, and a bit of glare, mainly at the
bottom of the image, which can be reduced or prevented by moving the eye position. Overall
very satisfactory.
Very little ghosting. Spikes are clearly visible on bright light sources, they cover about 75%
of the FOV but are no major hassle at all.
Color fidelity: the HC is for my eyes one of the best in this respect; very neutral image,
maybe you can detect a very slight reddish tone, but the HC appears more neutral than
almost all of its competitors.
Initial tentative summary:
At a price in the lower half of the comparator group, the well built and well finished HC
presents itself as an attractive newcomer in the middle/upper middle class of binoculars.
Excellent mechanics, a bright image, and a very compact body come in a modern design
that may appeal to many.
Whether its very slow focus mechanism can win over birders remains to be seen.
PART B.:
Side-by-side comparisons
{to be updated}
fwiw
Canip
Late last year, I had indicated that I would have a closer look at the new new Fujinon 8x42
HC (“Hyper-Clarity”) and compare it to a number of current 8x42 (upper) middle class
binoculars (I did not find it useful to include any of the more expensive premium class).
I chose eleven binoculars for comparison, many of which are in the same price range as the
Fujinon. Some are a bit more expensive and some are cheaper; all of them appear to be
widely available today.
This is the group of 8x42s included in the comparison:
1. Fujinon 8x42 HC
2. Kite Ibis ED
3. Leica Trinovid HD
4. Zeiss Conquest HD
5. GPO Passion HD
6. Nikon Monarch HG
7. Vortex Razor HD
8. Meopta MeoStar B1
9. Kite Lynx HD+
10.Bushnell Forge
11.Kowa BD II XD
12.Hawke Frontier ED X
This review will be posted in two parts:
A. Description of the Fujinon HC and select specifications for the entire comparator group
B. Side-by-side optics comparisons between the Fujinon HC and individual competitors
Due to the bad weather conditions here in the last few weeks, part B. is still in process and
will be posted as soon as it can be finished.
PART A.
The Fujinon 8x42 HC: First Impression and Comparison of Specifications
The attached table shows some specifications for all included binoculars.
The Fujinon HC (hereafter “HC”) comes as a well built, well finished, compact binocular with
a modern design. Pleasant haptics; excellent grip, dry or wet. The HC is shorter than all the
competitors included in this review, is neither front- nor back-heavy, well balanced, with the
focus wheel comfortable to operate with the index finger. Given the short build, the HC is
comparatively heavy:
Weight (with eyepiece covers and strap, see attached table)
1. Nikon Monarch HG 715 g
2. Kowa BD II XD 722 g
3. Vortex Razor HD 756 g
4. Kite Lynx HD+ 797 g
5. Leica Trinovid HD 812 g
6. Hawke Frontier ED X 815 g
7. Kite Ibis ED 819 g
8. Fujinon HC 865 g
9. Zeiss Conquest HD 866 g
10.Bushnell Forge 938 g
11.GPO Passion HD 942 g
12.Meopta MeoStar 1027g
The central hinge is easy to adjust with just the right amount of stiffness. The screw-type
eyecups are made of metal, with a ring of rubber at the top, and feel comfortable on the eye
sockets. Between the fully out and the fully in positions, there is only one intermediate
clickstop; it is well defined and keeps position, but more intermediate stops would have been
welcome to find the right position for various needs.
The focus mechanism, nice and smooth and precise to operate, initially presents a bit of a
surprise: it is very slow, less than half as fast as the focus in some of the comparator group.
Even “slow-focus” binoculars such as the Trinovid or the MeoStar operate at a much faster
focus speed:
Focus Speed (degrees rotation from 3m to infinity, see attached table)
1. Kowa BD II XD 200 deg
2. Hawke Frontier ED X 230 deg
3. Koite Ibis ED 250 deg
4. Zeiss Conquest HD 260 deg
4. Vortex Razor HD 260 deg
5.GPO Passion HD 270 deg
6. Nikon Monarch HG 290 deg
6. Kite Lynx HD+ 290 deg
7. Bushnell Forge 295 deg
8. Zeiss Leica Trinovid HD 335 deg
9. Meopta MeoStar 360 deg
10.Fujinon HC 480 deg
Otherwise, there is little to criticize: the mechanism works consistently and neither too stiff
nor too easy.
There is ample excess travel beyond the infinity position:
Excess Focus Travel beyond Infinity (details see attached table)
1. Hawke Frontier ED X ample
2. Nikon Monarch HG ample
3. Meopta MeoStar ample
4. Kite Lynx HD+ ample
5. Fujinon HC ample
6. Zeiss Conquest HD sufficient
7. Vortex Razor HD sufficient
8. Kite Ibis ED sufficient
9. GPO Passion HD sufficient
10. Bushnell Forge sufficient
11. Leica Trinovid HD sufficient
12. Kowa BD II XD tight
The diopter adjustment ring below the right eyepiece cannot be locked, but operates at
sufficient tightness, smoothly and precisely, with the “0” position” correctly set at 0 dpt.
Inspecting the HC from the front end: it is of course difficult to assess the quality of AR
coatings. They look fine on the HC, but relatively bright reflections on bright light sources
could indicate that a bit less light will reach the eyepieces than in some top binoculars, and I
wonder whether transmission will be over 90%, despite the “Hyper-Clarity” label. This is
speculation, though, until it is measured.
The tubes appear very well blackened and baffled.
The eyepiece side reveals relatively well rounded exit pupils, with quite a bit of bright
“structures” around the EPs; small false pupils become visible when you look at the
eyepieces at an angle, but they may be sufficiently removed from the exit pupils to do harm.
The ease of view (“Einblickverhalten”) is good, despite the lack of several intermediate
clickstops on the eyecups. No kidney beaning when eyecups are extended. Useable eye
relief is not grandiose, but sufficient to observe the entire FOV with slim eyeglasses:
Useable Eye Relief (see attached table)
1. Zeiss Conquest HD 16.5mm
2. Hawke Frointier ED X 16mm
3. Kowa BD II XD 15mm
3. Meopta MeoStar 15mm
3. Nikon Monarch HG 15mm
3. GPO Passion HD 15mm
4. Fujinon HC 14.5mm
4. Kite Ibis ED 14.5mm
4. Leica Trinovid HD 14.5mm
5. Vortex Razor HD 14mm
6. Bushnell Forge 13.5mm
7. Kite Lynx HD+ 13mm
Minimum focus distance: the Fujinon “leads the field” here with 1.55m:
Minimum Focus Distance (see attached table)
1. Fujinon HC 1.55m
2. Kowa BD II XD 1.6m
3. Vortex Razor HD 1.65m
4. Kite Ibis ED 1.7m
5.Leica Trinovid HD 1.75m
6. Nikon Monarch HG 1.8m
6. Bushnell Forge 1.8m
7. Kite Lynx HD+ 1.95m
7. GPO Passion HD 1.95m
8. Hawke Frontier ED X 2.15m
9. Zeiss Conquest HD 2.3m
10.Meopta MeoStar 2.6m
I had mentioned earlier that, since the measured EP diameter is 5.1mm (according to specs:
5.25mm) while effective aperture is 42mm, the true magnification of the HC must be 8.2x,
instead of the specified 8.0x. However, that’s obviously no cause for big concerns, just worth noting.
Observing with the HC:
The specs state the RFOV to be 7.8 degrees = 136m / 1000m. Funnily, a small mark below
the left eyepiece of the HC reads “8x42 8.0 deg”. My own measurement came to 7.7 deg =
135m. This gives the HC roughly a position in the middle field of the comparator group:
Field of View (see attached table)
1. Kite Lynx HD+ 151m
2. Nikon Monarch HG 145m
3. Kowa BD II XD 143m
4. Bushnell Forge 142m
4.Hawke Frontier ED X 142m
5. Meopta MeoStar 137m
6. Fujinon HC 136m
7. Vortex Razor HD 130m
8. Zeiss Conquest HD 128m
9. Kite Ibis ED 126m
10.GPO Passion HD 125m
11.Leica Trinovid HD 124m
Image quality: only a few rermarks here, more detailed information will be provided in the
one-to-one comparisons in Part B:
Central sharpness / contrast / “brilliance”: good / very good and in line with my expectations for this class
(“upper middle class”?) of binoculars. Brightness is very good but not “hyper” good in my
view, compared to competition.
Off-axis sharpness is okay, but not overwhelming. Blurring starts at about 70% from the
image center and increases towards the edge.
There is little rectangular distortion, but still for my eyes almost no recognizable
globe effect when panning, panning is quite comfortable.
The HC doesn’t show a flat-field image; field curvature is clearly visible, but not dominant.
CA: little in the center, but noticeable if you look for it; more further out, but nothing dramatic.
Stray-light: appears to be well controlled in the HC; with full sunlight on the front lenses,
there are occasional reflections when moving the binocular, and a bit of glare, mainly at the
bottom of the image, which can be reduced or prevented by moving the eye position. Overall
very satisfactory.
Very little ghosting. Spikes are clearly visible on bright light sources, they cover about 75%
of the FOV but are no major hassle at all.
Color fidelity: the HC is for my eyes one of the best in this respect; very neutral image,
maybe you can detect a very slight reddish tone, but the HC appears more neutral than
almost all of its competitors.
Initial tentative summary:
At a price in the lower half of the comparator group, the well built and well finished HC
presents itself as an attractive newcomer in the middle/upper middle class of binoculars.
Excellent mechanics, a bright image, and a very compact body come in a modern design
that may appeal to many.
Whether its very slow focus mechanism can win over birders remains to be seen.
PART B.:
Side-by-side comparisons
{to be updated}
fwiw
Canip
binomania
Well-known member
Dear Canip,very beautiful comparison. Thanks. This night i will publish my review with a video review. I think I saw the same things that you perceived. I only noticed an excellent correction of chromatic aberration, during the days in which I tried it and also my specimen from three meters to infinity focuses in 320 ° I have included many pieces of video where I show how it looks in binoculars in various conditions. I also disliked the metallization which is too bright and high when hit by the sun. I would have preferred a green color, thanks again.
Kevin Conville
yardbirder
Nice work Canip! Thank you.
PART B.:
Side-by-side comparisons of optical performance
This is the follow-up to PART A of my review, see:
www.birdforum.net
In contrast to the many concrete measurements in PART A above, what follows is to a large degree a very individual assessment of binocular performance. Even when taking long time experience with optical devices into account,, the heavy “involvement” of my eye apparatus and individual physiological characteristics such as color perception etc. make the following a “personal account” rather than anything reliable. Caveat lector.
1. Main characteristics of the Fujinon HC
2.. Fujinon HC and Kite Ibis ED side-by-side
The slim and relatively light Ibis exhibits a clearly warmer image than the HC. Image brightness is comparable; the FOV appears clearly narrower in the Kite. The Kite shows even less distortion than the HC, but a bit more field curvature. CA is more prominent in the Kite; on the other hand, the Kite exhibits better central and better edge sharpness than the HC for my eyes. It shows almost no reflections or glare, spikes from the roof edge have about the same intensity as in the HC.
3. Fujinon HC and Kite Lynx HD+
The compact Lynx comes with a very slightly yellow image tone, cpmpared to the neutral HC. Brightness appears comparable, idem for field curvature, but distortion is slightly more apparent. CA is much more prominent in the Lynx. Central sharpness is about the same as in the HC, but the sweet spot is quite narrow, and edge sharpness is worse in the Lynx. In terms of reflections and glare, the Lynx appears about as good as the HC, but its spikes on bright point-like light sources are much worse.
4. Fujinon HC and Leica Trinovid HD
The image in the Trinovid appears slightly warmer than in the HC. Brightness appears a bit lower, but this finding may be partially impacted by the fact that the FOV of the Trinovid is clearly narrower than in the HC. Distortion is comparable, the Trinovid shows virtually no field curvature. CA is definitely better controlled in the HC than in the Trinovid. Central sharpness appears higher in the Trinovid, but edge sharpness higher in the HC. In terms of stray-light control and spikes, both binoculars show comparable performance.
5. Fujinon HC and Zeiss Conquest HD
The image in the Conquest exhibits slightly warm-reddish tones when compared to the HC. The brightness of both binoculars is high and comparable, field curvature and distortion more or less the same. CA is a bit better controlled in the HC; the Conquest clearly beats the HC in central and edge sharpness and with its wider sweet spot. Spikes and reflections / glare are about the same in the Conquest as in the HC.
6. Fujinon HC and GPO Passion HD
The image in the GPO appears slightly more yellow. Image brightness is comparable, field curvature more prominent in the GPO, distortion about the same as in the HC. The GPO exhibits more CA than the HC. Central sharpness is at about the same level in both binoculars, edge sharpness slightly higher in the GPO. Similar spikes in the GPO as in the HC, reflections and glare seem slightly better controlled in the GPO.
7. Fujinon HC and Nikon Monarch HG
Also in the Nikon, the image appears clearly more yellow than in the HC, and brightness seems slightly inferior. In the Nikon, distortion is lower than in the HC and field curvature virtually non-existent. CA correction seems very slightly better in the HC, but the Nikon rules with both better central and edge sharpness, despite its clearly larger field of view. Spikes are brighter and larger in the Nikon, reflections about the same as in the HC.
8. Fujinon HC and Vortex Razor HD
Again, the color tone of the image in the Razor is much warmer than in the HC. Comparable brightness and distortion of both binos contrasts with clearly more field curvature in the Razor. CA may be just slightly better controlled in the HC. The Vortex takes the lead with very good central sharpness and better off-axis sharpness than the HC. However, the FOV is narrower in the Razor, and it shows more than I expected from reading the specifications. In terms of both spikes and reflections / glare, the Razor seems to have slight advantage over the HC.
9. Fujinon HC and Meopta MeoStar B1
Earlier versions of the MeoStar exhibited an even more yellow color tone, it is better in more recent versions, but still quite visible (and not necessarily a bad thing). The image brightness appears comparable, the MeoStar shows clearly more distortion, but almost no curvature. The MeoStar (non-ED model) exhibits more CA; both central and edge sharpness of the HC don’t reach the levels of the MeoStar. Spikes appear more prominent in the MeoStar, but stray-light control seems even better than in the HC. Interesting observation: although both HC and MeoStar have virtually identical FOVs according to their specs, the field in the MeoStar appears clearly wider (I am still puzzled by this, will review further).
10. Fujinon HC and Bushnell Forge
Color fidelity is better in the HC, the Forge has a warmer image tone. Brightness appears comparable, filed curvature more pronounced in the Forge, the same with distortion. CA correction is comparable (the Forge has a much longer body and presumably also focal length), central sharpness at about the same level, edge sharpness better in the Forge. The Forge seems also slightly ahead of the HC in terms of spikes and stray-light control (overall, good performance of the relatively “cheap” Forge was THE surprise to me in this comparative review).
11. Fujinon HC and Kowa BD II
The Kowa shows an image with a slightly warm, reddish tint. Brightness is good, field curvature limited, distortion and CA correction comparable to the one of the HC. Central sharpness is slightly below the HC, edge sharpness comparable. The FOV is wider than in the HC, but this does not show as much as you would expect. Like the HC, the Kowa exhibits a little bit of ghosting and a similar amount of reflections on bright light sources, but more prominent spikes than the HC.
12. Fujinon HC and Hawke Frontier ED X
With its very slightly more reddish/yellowish tint, the image of the Hawke is comparable in brightness to the HC. The Hawke exhibits much more field curvature and more rectilinear distortion than the HC. Also, CA correction of the Hawke is not at the level of the HC. In terms of sharpness, both in the center of the image and at the periphery, the HC is ahead of the Hawke, not by a big margin, but noticeable. Like the HC, the Hawke shows a little bit of ghosting on bright light sources and exhibits roughly the same amount / intensity of spikes and reflections.
To sum up:
The Fujinon 8x42 HC does not need to hide among its competitors in this little review. It shows no major flaws and performs overall well. CA correction is very good for such a compact binocular, and Fujinon have proven that they know how to control stray-light. In terms of color fidelity, the HC outperforms all others in this review. And in terms of build quality, finish and mechanics, the HC is very good indeed. On the other hand, if the label “Hyper-Clarity” raises high expectations with regard to image brightness and sharpness, the HC did perhaps not fully satisfy such expectations. Brightness and sharpness are good, but not outstanding.
fwiw
Canip
Side-by-side comparisons of optical performance
This is the follow-up to PART A of my review, see:
FUJINON HC (Hyper-Clarity) new roof prism binos
The only reviews I see are from folks who are selling them. Did I miss something?
www.birdforum.net
In contrast to the many concrete measurements in PART A above, what follows is to a large degree a very individual assessment of binocular performance. Even when taking long time experience with optical devices into account,, the heavy “involvement” of my eye apparatus and individual physiological characteristics such as color perception etc. make the following a “personal account” rather than anything reliable. Caveat lector.
1. Main characteristics of the Fujinon HC
- Excellent color fidelity; if there is a color tone at all, it is minimal towards red
- Good image brightness, which appears relatively uniform across the FOV
- Little field curvature; it is there, but not “intrusive”
- Little rectilinear distortion
- Excellent CA correction; almost none in the center, a bit more further out
- Good central sharpness; moderately wide sweet spot
- Decent off-axis sharpness; blurring starts at about 70% from the center
- Moderate spikes on bright light sources, across about 50% of the FOV
- Good stray-light control
- A bit of ghosting, but of little relevance
- Some reflections / glare, particularly on the opposite side of light sources outside the FOV (i.e. at the image bottom when observing against sun), but never a major disturbance and somewhat controllable by repositioning the eyes behind the exit pupils
2.. Fujinon HC and Kite Ibis ED side-by-side
The slim and relatively light Ibis exhibits a clearly warmer image than the HC. Image brightness is comparable; the FOV appears clearly narrower in the Kite. The Kite shows even less distortion than the HC, but a bit more field curvature. CA is more prominent in the Kite; on the other hand, the Kite exhibits better central and better edge sharpness than the HC for my eyes. It shows almost no reflections or glare, spikes from the roof edge have about the same intensity as in the HC.
3. Fujinon HC and Kite Lynx HD+
The compact Lynx comes with a very slightly yellow image tone, cpmpared to the neutral HC. Brightness appears comparable, idem for field curvature, but distortion is slightly more apparent. CA is much more prominent in the Lynx. Central sharpness is about the same as in the HC, but the sweet spot is quite narrow, and edge sharpness is worse in the Lynx. In terms of reflections and glare, the Lynx appears about as good as the HC, but its spikes on bright point-like light sources are much worse.
4. Fujinon HC and Leica Trinovid HD
The image in the Trinovid appears slightly warmer than in the HC. Brightness appears a bit lower, but this finding may be partially impacted by the fact that the FOV of the Trinovid is clearly narrower than in the HC. Distortion is comparable, the Trinovid shows virtually no field curvature. CA is definitely better controlled in the HC than in the Trinovid. Central sharpness appears higher in the Trinovid, but edge sharpness higher in the HC. In terms of stray-light control and spikes, both binoculars show comparable performance.
5. Fujinon HC and Zeiss Conquest HD
The image in the Conquest exhibits slightly warm-reddish tones when compared to the HC. The brightness of both binoculars is high and comparable, field curvature and distortion more or less the same. CA is a bit better controlled in the HC; the Conquest clearly beats the HC in central and edge sharpness and with its wider sweet spot. Spikes and reflections / glare are about the same in the Conquest as in the HC.
6. Fujinon HC and GPO Passion HD
The image in the GPO appears slightly more yellow. Image brightness is comparable, field curvature more prominent in the GPO, distortion about the same as in the HC. The GPO exhibits more CA than the HC. Central sharpness is at about the same level in both binoculars, edge sharpness slightly higher in the GPO. Similar spikes in the GPO as in the HC, reflections and glare seem slightly better controlled in the GPO.
7. Fujinon HC and Nikon Monarch HG
Also in the Nikon, the image appears clearly more yellow than in the HC, and brightness seems slightly inferior. In the Nikon, distortion is lower than in the HC and field curvature virtually non-existent. CA correction seems very slightly better in the HC, but the Nikon rules with both better central and edge sharpness, despite its clearly larger field of view. Spikes are brighter and larger in the Nikon, reflections about the same as in the HC.
8. Fujinon HC and Vortex Razor HD
Again, the color tone of the image in the Razor is much warmer than in the HC. Comparable brightness and distortion of both binos contrasts with clearly more field curvature in the Razor. CA may be just slightly better controlled in the HC. The Vortex takes the lead with very good central sharpness and better off-axis sharpness than the HC. However, the FOV is narrower in the Razor, and it shows more than I expected from reading the specifications. In terms of both spikes and reflections / glare, the Razor seems to have slight advantage over the HC.
9. Fujinon HC and Meopta MeoStar B1
Earlier versions of the MeoStar exhibited an even more yellow color tone, it is better in more recent versions, but still quite visible (and not necessarily a bad thing). The image brightness appears comparable, the MeoStar shows clearly more distortion, but almost no curvature. The MeoStar (non-ED model) exhibits more CA; both central and edge sharpness of the HC don’t reach the levels of the MeoStar. Spikes appear more prominent in the MeoStar, but stray-light control seems even better than in the HC. Interesting observation: although both HC and MeoStar have virtually identical FOVs according to their specs, the field in the MeoStar appears clearly wider (I am still puzzled by this, will review further).
10. Fujinon HC and Bushnell Forge
Color fidelity is better in the HC, the Forge has a warmer image tone. Brightness appears comparable, filed curvature more pronounced in the Forge, the same with distortion. CA correction is comparable (the Forge has a much longer body and presumably also focal length), central sharpness at about the same level, edge sharpness better in the Forge. The Forge seems also slightly ahead of the HC in terms of spikes and stray-light control (overall, good performance of the relatively “cheap” Forge was THE surprise to me in this comparative review).
11. Fujinon HC and Kowa BD II
The Kowa shows an image with a slightly warm, reddish tint. Brightness is good, field curvature limited, distortion and CA correction comparable to the one of the HC. Central sharpness is slightly below the HC, edge sharpness comparable. The FOV is wider than in the HC, but this does not show as much as you would expect. Like the HC, the Kowa exhibits a little bit of ghosting and a similar amount of reflections on bright light sources, but more prominent spikes than the HC.
12. Fujinon HC and Hawke Frontier ED X
With its very slightly more reddish/yellowish tint, the image of the Hawke is comparable in brightness to the HC. The Hawke exhibits much more field curvature and more rectilinear distortion than the HC. Also, CA correction of the Hawke is not at the level of the HC. In terms of sharpness, both in the center of the image and at the periphery, the HC is ahead of the Hawke, not by a big margin, but noticeable. Like the HC, the Hawke shows a little bit of ghosting on bright light sources and exhibits roughly the same amount / intensity of spikes and reflections.
To sum up:
The Fujinon 8x42 HC does not need to hide among its competitors in this little review. It shows no major flaws and performs overall well. CA correction is very good for such a compact binocular, and Fujinon have proven that they know how to control stray-light. In terms of color fidelity, the HC outperforms all others in this review. And in terms of build quality, finish and mechanics, the HC is very good indeed. On the other hand, if the label “Hyper-Clarity” raises high expectations with regard to image brightness and sharpness, the HC did perhaps not fully satisfy such expectations. Brightness and sharpness are good, but not outstanding.
fwiw
Canip
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John A Roberts
Well-known member
Apparently the HC won the iF Design award:
fujiaddict.com
Fujifilm Wins Record 23 iF Design Awards - Fuji Addict
The design that realizes beautiful appearance, high performance, and comfortable operability in products in a wide range of business fields is highly evaluated The Largest Number of 23 Products Ever Won The Prestigious “iF Design Award”! FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) has...
fujiaddict.com
John A Roberts
Well-known member
A quick search of the net doesn’t show any additional reviews in English of the HC’s
- so Fujinon does not seem to be making any effort at all in promoting their new line!
Piergiovanni has published a review on the Italian site Binomania at: Videorecensione del binocolo Fujinon HC 8x42 Hyper - Clarity - Binomania
It can be translated by opening Google Translate, pasting the address into the left panel and then clicking on the right panel.
Unsurprisingly, both B&H Photo and Adorama have reduced their prices, currently listing the HC 8x42 at US $725 and the 10x42 at $775.
So considerably cheaper than the Zeiss Conquest and the Leica Trinovid alternatives, all of which are around $1,000.
Taking into account Canip’s and Piergiovanni’s observations, the HC could be an attractive choice for some.
John
- so Fujinon does not seem to be making any effort at all in promoting their new line!
Piergiovanni has published a review on the Italian site Binomania at: Videorecensione del binocolo Fujinon HC 8x42 Hyper - Clarity - Binomania
It can be translated by opening Google Translate, pasting the address into the left panel and then clicking on the right panel.
Unsurprisingly, both B&H Photo and Adorama have reduced their prices, currently listing the HC 8x42 at US $725 and the 10x42 at $775.
So considerably cheaper than the Zeiss Conquest and the Leica Trinovid alternatives, all of which are around $1,000.
Taking into account Canip’s and Piergiovanni’s observations, the HC could be an attractive choice for some.
John
After I read the Complete Fujinon HC Canip Review along with all the others on the internet that I could find, I did not find one Negative Review that would have persuaded me not to purchase one of these binoculars. These are the two paragraphs from Canip’s part A/B hands on review of the Fujinon HC Binoculars that convinced us, along with the great Black Friday prices to order a pair. They should be here next week. The reason I am responding to this topic is because of how it started out. General questions on Fujinon’s ability to compete in this highly competitive Binocular Market, along with questions on the binoculars themselves. Then a few members here who never even handled a pair, took the discussion to how these binoculars would probably be discontinued in a few years or be not well received. Whether we like these or not when they arrive, at least our opinions will be based on the fact that we actually handled and looked thru a pair. Thanks Canip for the Hands On Review.
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The Fujinon 8x42 HC Binoculars arrived today. My first impression of these before I even took the binoculars out of their supplied Binocular Case was …. Their noticeable heft. This being said, it’s not due to their excessive or heavy duty armor covering or their physical size. I do not mean this to be taken as being a negative but just the opposite. While these have to be the least armored of any 8x42 I have ever handled, the armored technique Fujinon applied goes hand in hand with their really cool styling. Their heft I believe is because of their outstanding construction, no cheap plastic in these. While one can definitely buy a 8x42 binocular lighter, having a thicker armor covering. Their overall appearance just gives the impression of impeccable quality. They have a very smooth center focus which is as good as it gets. We really like the focusing (slow)speed of these. My wife really likes the very bright/clear view she sees and even with my not so good eyes I am impressed. Their eye relief is really good, making them comfortable to use. The eye cups are large and function as they should, solid with no movement in their extended position . My wife only had these in hand for a few minutes before claiming these hers to keep. While my wife admits to not wanting to carry these for an extended amount of time. I on the other hand find their weight to be a plus to help keeping them steady in hand and with their very nice wide comfortable strap, I feel I could carry these for a extended amount of time with no problem. As far as cost, for what we paid … $599 on sale, definitely worth every penny.
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fanoSatchmo
New member
I have been looking for bins for about two months now, steadily and consistently caught in "analysis paralysis". I never really wanted to spend so much, as over the years I've had many hobbies. The most I decided I was willing to spend was about US $400, until I read about bin construction and lenses. Then I raised it to $500, which for a while had the Monarch M7 and the Vortex Viper tied. Again, I was paralyzed by analyzing the specs.
Then I read a very, very dangerous line in some review of some binocular: "scrounge up the extra $100 if it would put you in a better class of binocular. It's definitely worth it." I looked some more. I came across so many good bins that were definitely out of my price range. And I noticed that no matter how much one is willing to spend, the reviews will always mention some negatives. The old game of "give and take" again. There seems to be no perfect binocular. So I leaned toward the M7, and was looking around for some Black Friday sale, and found nothing for the Monarch.
Then I came across the Fujinon HC. While there seem to be comparatively few reviews, (thank you Canip for that incredible review!!) I very am familiar with their outstanding lenses, so I explored it a bit further. $800, while I think a very competitive price, was still out of my league. Until a cyber-week sale I came along and had it listed for $600 for that proverbial and damningly unspecified, "limited time." I took the plunge and ordered it. It's coming the day after tomorrow. Thank you, goole, for your reassuring comments. I will follow up with my experiences with it after using it for a week or so.
No Binoculars are perfect no matter how much you pay and it’s always best to try before you buy but most of the time they are out of Hands reach. I find this to be true for me also. I used to buy most of my binoculars from OpticsPlanet(a out of state purchase) never having to pay Sales Tax. This year changed, now I do not know who doesn’t charge a sales tax except when included in some special sales offer. Before this new Sales tax law went into effect, Optics Planet had the Fujinon HC Binoculars on sale with a discount code for a short period for around $540 shipped. I hesitated, then the xtra sales tax kicked in with them also being unavailable. Now having said all this, This Black Friday sales reduction of these binoculars is now the lowest price I think you could have gotten. Whether you like these Fujinon Binoculars or not will probably be decided on your personal preferences to their handling, Weight and eye relief needed. I do not think there will be much room if any in complaining about their Optical view or the way they were constructed.
