Your thoughts on 10x25 compact's ? (1 Viewer)

[8xMagnify]

I use 8x42 binoculars for birding and love them but recently I have been thinking of getting some compact 10x25's.

They would be for general use/back up and perhaps the extra magnification would be handy in identifying birds etc and since they are so small I could easily take both when I am out.

I have found some cheap Hawke Premier's here and would be buying those if they are worth it. http://www.hawkeoptics.com/binoculars/premier.html

What's your opinion on the 10x25's?

 

[NWBirder]

I can never found a comfortable position with those 25mm binoculars. It's very tricky for eye placements. Some models have double hinge design, which is very hard to keep IPD in control while playing with focus wheel.

 

[fugl]

I've never liked them either for the same reasons as NWBirder

 

[JWcamp]

The 10x25s will be small and light weight.

Those two factors are not the best for stabilizing a binocular with 10x magnification.

But 10x25s are small and light so you might be more likely to carry them around.

Good luck,
John

 

[black crow]

My experience with 10x compacts has meant not bright views. Plus compacts tend to a narrower fov, especially reverse porro. My favorite in a compact is 7x.

 

[Dennis Mau]

I use 8x42 binoculars for birding and love them but recently I have been thinking of getting some compact 10x25's.

They would be for general use/back up and perhaps the extra magnification would be handy in identifying birds etc and since they are so small I could easily take both when I am out.

I have found some cheap Hawke Premier's here and would be buying those if they are worth it. http://www.hawkeoptics.com/binoculars/premier.html

What's your opinion on the 10x25's?

Get a good pair of 8x32's. You will be much happier.

 

[ceasar]

The Hawkes you show have a single hinge and aren't much smaller than a 10 x 32. And they don't have phase coatings so they won't be nearly as good as one that does.

Quality optics are important with these. They can cost $500.00 and up but they can be useful and handy. I think that they are easier to use than 8 x 20's but they have narrower fields of view. Most of the double hinged ones (not Leica's Trinovid) have stops on each hinge so you only have to open one tube to get your IPD instead of fiddling around with opening both tubes.

The ones with double hinges will fit into a large shirt pocket. The Hawkes you show probably won't and a 8 x 32 definitely won't.

Bob

 

[Star Farmer]

I got Zeiss compacts.

My favorite is 6x18 with individual focus. Tiny. Fit in shirt pocket. Bright images with most stage lighting. Great indoor use, and of course, take anywhere.

The Design Selection 8x20 is not a favorite. Too bulky with its unequal hinge design. Too much glare.

The 10x25 I like. Older z hinges design. Compact enough for my pants pocket. Very sharp optics. Images a bit dark, but really comes in handy if you have the time to steady your hold and to study the details.

 

[Hermann]

There were several good threads on this topic, including this one:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=187490

I personally wouldn't use 10x25's as my main binoculars, but they sure are a good backup. You really want to get an alpha though, with small roofs the alphas are clearly better. Check the Nikon HG 10x25, it can be found at pretty competitive prices at the moment.

Hermann

 

[John Dracon]

Currently use the high end Nikon 10x25 LX. Best optics, but I don't like double hinges and the focusing knob at the front is just plain awkward to use. A 10x25 is a fussy binocular to use. Have found that some woman handle then well. John

 

[James Bean]

Zeiss 10x25T* Victory is amazing for its size, but it's not cheap. I got mine before the price went up. A tiny Zeiss 6x18T*P Design Selection is better than no binocular at all, and has the advantages of being an easy view and highly portable (shirt pocket).
But Dennis has the best advice here: buy a decent 8x32 and put up with the size/weight. You might even consider a 10x32: my Nikon HG is quite superb, and a Kowa I had was fine.

 

[absolut_beethoven]

As a few others have mentioned, eye placement is a real pain.

I bought the Nikon Premier LXL's 8x20 from B&H. After trying them out for a few weeks I returned them only because of that. They are outstanding in every other respect and while I would have preferred a single hinge, I got used to the double hinge in short order, but I just couldn't put up with the finicky eye placement.

Maybe the Bushnell Excursion 8x28 or something along those lines might be better, but I have no experience with them. Maybe others who have tried some in that category will weigh in.

 

[ceasar]

The only 32mm binoculars that could be considered compact are the Opticron Travellers which are available throughout Great Britain. They are about 2/3rds the weight of any other 32mm.

http://www.opticronusa.com/Pages/traveller_bga_mg.html

Bob

 

[Star Farmer]

I find the older Leica 8x30 Trinovid compact and very comfortable to use.

The Bushnell Elite 7x26 is real compact, gives a very nice view, though eye placement starts to be demanding with the small eyepieces. As reverse porros, they are more bulky than roofs.

Stick with 10x25 roofs if you really need the portability and magnification.

 

[Slider817]

I too am looking for a nice 10x25. I have a Swarovski Pocket 8x20, and I absolutely love it. I also have a Steiner Safari in 10x26, and I am not impressed with it, I have had them for years, and they are rugged, and have taken a beating, but they don't hold a candle to the Sarovski 8x20 in terms of optical quality and comfort of use. I know that I like the Swarovski 10x25 and the Zeiss Victory 10x25, with a slight advantage to the Zeiss, but I would love to find a better value 10x25 that is still very compact. I am considering the Nikon Premier 10x25, but it's a bit heavy, although it's much less expensive than the top 3.

Anything out there that really stands out in the 10x25 market that offers excellent value?

BTW: I have the new 8x32 Swarovision on order, so if I want to carry something larger, i will carry those.

 

[NDhunter]

A great candidate for the best value in the 10x25 class, is the Nikon Premier, LXL.
There are quite a few posts here with comparisions with the other top alphas, and these
are right there.
As far as weight goes, I have the 10x25 Nikon, and with these small optics, some weight
is needed to keep them stable.

Jerry

 

[ceasar]

I also have the Nikon 10 x 25 Premier. It weighs 10 ounces. It's a first rate binocular with almost edge to edge sharpness. It's ER is 15mm which is about as long as ER gets on these 10 x 25s. They cost about $250.00 less than their Alpha rivals.

It's a nice sunny day. I think I'll take them with me in a vest pocket when I go out this afternoon.

Bob

 

[Slider817]

A great candidate for the best value in the 10x25 class, is the Nikon Premier, LXL.
There are quite a few posts here with comparisions with the other top alphas, and these
are right there.
As far as weight goes, I have the 10x25 Nikon, and with these small optics, some weight
is needed to keep them stable.

Jerry

I also have the Nikon 10 x 25 Premier. It weighs 10 ounces. It's a first rate binocular with almost edge to edge sharpness. It's ER is 15mm which is about as long as ER gets on these 10 x 25s. They cost about $250.00 less than their Alpha rivals.

It's a nice sunny day. I think I'll take them with me in a vest pocket when I go out this afternoon.

Bob

Thanks for the advice, I sort of feel that once I am already spending so much on the Nikon LX 10x25, I might as well just get the Zeiss, but on the other hand, the Nikon has so much praise it might be the right choice regardless of price.

 

[brocknroller]

The Nikon 10x25 HGL is highly regarded, but I'd need stabilizers added to my arms for me to hold a 10x bin that small and that light steady. A small gust of wind and it's Shake City.

I'm not a fan of compacts, particularly compact roofs. Too light, too small exit pupil, too small aperture. For me, whatever I gain in portability doesn't make up for those losses.

Better to carry a 19 oz. 10x32 FL if you like tens and want a bin that's lightweight and small. It's supposed to be the brightest 10x32 on the market, so it should serve you on most days rather than just sunny days like the compact.

 

[Eimajm]

I have 10x25 Leica and they are excellent for carry around bins that you can stick in your pocket. They stay on my at all times but arnt a substitute for a proper pair of bins such as my 8x32 ultravids when I'm out proper birding.