Minox 8 - 14x40 Infinitely Variable Zoom, Water Proof Roof Prism Binocular with 4.6 Degree Angle of View at 8x, U.S.A.

2009-10-30T21:00:00

If you are looking for some of the finest glass out there and searching for the best value without sacrificing a thing, then you might want to consider these binoculars in the top 5 on your list. I have owned and viewed through a variety of quality glass; Steiner, Nikon, Bushnell, Leupold, Swarovski, Leica, Zeiss, and others. There is nothing missing here in these binoculars. I have throughly tested them since my purchase in snow, cloudy/dark, sunny, cold and hot conditions. They are one of the sharpest, finest, and most innovative binoculars on the market. There is no such thing as eye strain using these binoculars. All day viewing is easy and comfortable the entire time with and without eyeglasses. If you wear eye glasses like me then here is where you might really be interested and excited. Usually binoculars on the average are easier to use if you don't wear eye glasses. Not the case here, it is the same (with or without glasses). The eye relief is accurate as the specification lists at almost 20mm. This translates into very easy viewing with a wide field of view. A simple example may illustrate: I loved my Predator Steiner binoculars (eye relief was also supposed to be similar in specification), but on of the downfalls was if I wore my eye glasses not only was the view uncomfortable, but I sacrificed viewing area because of the tunneling effect. These Minox do not "tunnel" and are a lot of fun to use. The ED glass is fantastic. It is true to life, all surfaces are coated, and the colors are vivid . . . almost in 3D. Have to see to believe this. If you have not used ED glass, these are a great introduction to German Engineering. The main attention getter is the variable power from 8 to 14 power. The view as you zoom seems to almost get bigger and the light remains almost the same at full zoom. They do not get dark or fuzzy during the zooming process. Fantastic piece of engineering, especially when looking at wildlife in early morning or late evening when light is limited. It is really nice to spot a deer, elk, etc. and zoom in and seconds later know the size and detail without having to move to a spotting scope (animal moves, waste time, etc.). So if you were like me before and carried a spotting scope in addition to binoculars you might want to consider these to replace both of them. You won't quite have the zoom you have in a spotting scope, but most the scopes I've used in the $300-$900 range have half the zoom that is usable: meaning that you zoom in and the object gets darker or slightly out of focus. If you don't require the extreme zoom found in the $1,000 and up scopes then this binocular becomes quite competitive with your current set up. In the process you will save both money and weight/space if you are buying quality optics in both areas. They are also tripod adaptable. So if you shake, all you do is remove the cover on the front of hinge and screw in the tripod adapter found on the Minox website. They are a bit heavy (a little over 30 oz.), but this is due to the glass. Flourite glass is heavy due to the composition currently used. Almost any binocular you will purchase in the 40mm objective arena with ED glass will be in this category. If your binoculars are leaving you wanting, these are worth your time for a test drive.

HEIDI S.

2009-08-03T21:00:00

These are the finest glass I have used and Ive used , leica, zeiss, swaro, fuji, celestron, bushnell and various others. What is so amazing is the zoom is pin sharp from 8 to 14 right through, simply stunning. I was a bit wary about getting zoom bins, but this is something Ive wanted but never able to attain this quality,so convenient for higher mag. I did not realize how good MINOX are, but I certainly do now.

swinderby06