A Work Commenced December 22 2024

2024 has been a great year for the binocular enthusiast. Sky Rover launched their new series of Banner Cloud (SRBC)binoculars in 42mm, 50mm and 56mm apertures which has taken the community completely by storm. Delivering world-class optics at very reasonable prices, they have silenced the hate-filled idiots who tried desperately to dismiss them, and completely outclassed all their competition. In the New Year, a new, smaller set of Banner Cloud binoculars with 32mm apertures and flat fields up to 12 angular degrees wide are sure to make heads turn and perform better than anything the woke, out-of-touch European manufacturers are churning out at a fraction of the exorbitant prices they currently demand. The hobby will likely be further transformed for the better by these new arrivals. Check out this hilarious thread over on the bino porn site. I detect a wee bit of cognitive dissonance from the usual brood of vipers. Are you not entertained?

Moi? I’m fully sated by their 8 x 42 model for daytime use. Its produced enchanting, crystal-clear images in all weathers. Not only has it been abroad with me during the summer, but it’s accompanied me on vacations to the Scottish Highlands earlier this autumn, where it has continued to deliver in spades. I’ve nicknamed it the “Bruiser of Egos.”

Needless to say that it’s my favourite birding glass, giving alpha-class performance in every conceivable scenario and whatever the elements throw at it. Personally, I’ve no interest in the smaller 32mm models being launched next year as moving from 42mm to 32mm is an exercise in compromise: lower light gathering power and lower magnifications that are too pedestrian for my tastes, despite their wider fields of view. The 8 x 42 is a far better performer under lower light conditions, as I was recently reminded of testing a nifty, inexpensive, 7 x 35 classic Porro I binocular. An 8 x 42 is light years ahead if you want to see the night sky. Indeed, there is much truth in the general consensus that the 8 x 42 is the ideal, ‘jack of all trades’ instrument. 

As wonderful as the 8 x 42 SRBC is, I’ve been thinking of ways of enriching my time with it, by capturing good images of some of the more memorable targets I observe through this amazing glass. My first foray into the world of wildlife photography was with the little Canon Powershot Zoom monocular which I’ve enjoyed using for almost a year. This device features a 100mm base setting with 4x optical zoom(400mm), as well as 2x digital zoom(800mm), but its small aperture had its limitations, including rather poor resolution, especially in compromised light. What I was after was a small, ultraportable camera with a powerful zoom function and that led me to buy-in and test both the Canon SX60HS and SX70HS with their super-powerful 65x optical zooms but while these bridge cameras performed well in the field, they were a tad on the heavy side, both tipping the scales at over 600g. Using a standard DSLR with a large and heavy telephoto lens was also out of the question. Then my attention was drawn to the Canon SX740HS. Launched in 2018, this little camera weighs just half that of the SX60 and SX70HS and can easily fit in the smallest pocket. 
Going forward l, I was not looking for perfect pictures, just ones good enough to build up a portfolio of visual memories.
primarily garnered through the eyepieces of the SRBC 8 x 42.

Let’s take a closer look round the camera. Measuring just 4 inches across, 2.3 inches wide and 1 inch thick, the SX740HS weighs a mere 299g(with the battery and SD card inserted), about the weight of a pocket binocular. It has a 20.3 Mega pixel DIGIC 8, processor, Canon’s most advanced image processing system. The zoom lens goes from 24mm to 960mm focal length or 40x optical zoom, as well a further 1.6x- 4x digital zoom with 5-axis image stabilisation. 

The Canon SX740HS has many of the standard features you’d expect to find on a quality bridge camera including, manual mode, aperture priority and shutter priority. For most applications, the auto mode takes care of the majority of situations you’re likely to encounter. It shoots video in 4K but only captures images in JPEG format. Big RAW files are of no interest to me, so that’s a non-issue. One downside of the SX740HS is its lack of a viewfinder which takes a bit of getting used to. The built-in 3-inch LCD screen is bright enough and has enough resolution(Very impressive!) to work in pretty much any lighting conditions, from bright sunshine to dull and overcast.

Though it’s not waterproof, I can tuck it away in my coat pocket should the weather change suddenly. It has built in WIFI and bluetooth connectivity if I wish to access the images remotely.

Some Results:

The SX740 HS is also a very capable lunar imager:

During my night walks over winter, I’ve managed a few long exposure photos with the SX740HS. The camera gives a maximum of 15 seconds @ ISO 100 but you can use exposure compensation to increase the light gathering power a little more. This is shot at 24mm focal length setting:

One of the great virtues of having a zoom camera that can bring things closer than any binocular is its ability to identify new bird species. And that’s exactly what happened during my walk around the estate on Christmas Eve. I was glassing the pond to see what was out on the water when my 8 x 42 picked up an unusual target. At first glance I thought it was a Black Headed Gull about 100m in the distance, but a second more studied look revealed it was something else entirely. It was then that I reached for my SX740HS and took some handheld shots at 40x zoom, and then closer in at 160x zoom:

When I got home, I put the second picture into the Merlin Birding App and it told me it was a male Northern Pintail Duck, a migratory species that probably arrived from Iceland or Northern Scandinavia to winter here.

How cool is that!

I’m positively delighted to have discovered this amazing little camera. It has proven ideal for capturing very satisfactory images to complement and extend the reach of the great views served up by my 8 x 42. It will be my constant companion in my ongoing exploration of the Creation.

Dr Neil English explores the world of binoculars in his latest book, Choosing & Using Binoculars, A Guide for Stargazers, Birders and Outdoor Enthusiasts.

De Fideli.

A Work Commenced May 8 2023

It’s been nearly two years since I first hit on the new high-performance Svbony SV202 ED binoculars. It was pure serendipity on my part; I was drawn to the list of features the 8 x 32 model possessed with an eye to discrediting the claims. Why? Because the price was simply too good to be true. I found out however that far from being marketing hype, these instruments delivered in spades, with excellent coatings, brilliant images and superb ergonomic construction. Thus far, I’ve tested all four models; the 8 x 32, 8 x 42, 10 x 42 and 10 x 50, but I settled on the newest addition to the series; the formidable SV202 8 x 42 ED; an instrument that has become one of my favourite field glasses in over five years of optical testing and evaluation involving hundreds of models across all price ranges. Indeed, I’d go so far as to say that these amazing instruments have set in motion an unstoppable revolution that’s bound to continue in the coming years, as European manufacturing enters a self-inflicted, suicidal death spiral owing to the wicked green agenda that is destroying industries for the sake of the pseudoscience of anthropogenic climate change. Our school teachers have become activists, brainwashing and indoctrinating our children with lies. There is no discipline and no boundaries. No wonder they’re so ill-equipped to cope with life in the modern world. It’s a recipe for disaster.. Our universities too are churning out ignorant, woke ‘graduates’ who simply can’t compete with the academic excellence coming from Chinese technological universities. They’d eat ours for breakfast. Small wonder, therefore, that Chinese optical quality is rapidly approaching the so-called alpha class of western-made binoculars. For me, the SV202 line of roof prism instruments are on the cutting edge of that revolution.

Optical Quality

I’ve owned and used the SV202 8 x 42 ED now for about six months. It’s been a reliable companion in all weathers the Scottish climate can throw at you: rain and hail, snow and ice, wind and sun. My journals reveal that it’s clocked up about 100 hours of service. And in all that time it’s behaved flawlessly, delivering pin sharp images within a large sweetspot. Brightness and contrast are second to none. It’s sharper and better colour corrected than my Nikon E II 8 x 30- my favourite Japanese-made Porro prism binocular – and has served up some incredible views of birds, trees, hills, rivers, ponds, valleys, flowers, insects, and other wildlife. It’s got great close focus too at just over 2 metres, and exhibits superb control of internal reflections and glare. Indeed, the Svbony SV202 ED quickly became my control instrument when testing and evaluating many other roof prism models featured in my up-and-coming book. I’ve tested it against very high quality binoculars costing many times more, up to and including the likes of the Swarovski EL 8.5 x 42 and I’ve never felt like it was pulling much behind; it’s just that excellent!

Ergonomic Excellence

The SV 202 8x 42 ED is, without a doubt, built to last. I was horrified by the response of some individuals on Birdforum who continuously expressed their doubts that such instruments simply couldn’t last the test of time. Such individuals are speaking in ignorance, of course, as they’ve never actually bothered to test these instruments out for themselves. I was particularly delighted to hear of one recent poster who decided to buy the 10 x 42 model out of curiosity as well as the excellent price with which they are now selling on sites like Amazon and AliExpress. He provided his honest opinion of it, reporting that it delivered 90 per cent of the image and build quality of his 10 x 42 Nikon Monarch HG. This was especially poignant given that the same individual bought the Svbony SV202 for just £70 with a coupon. The Monarch HG, in comparison, retails in the region of £1000 UK. He’s absolutely correct in making that claim; the Svbony wonder binoculars are really that good!

The instrument has a basic, no-frills design, with a sensibly located right eye dioptre compensation ring that has not budged one iota since I first adjusted it. It’s very tight; just set it and forget it. The focuser moves with silky smoothness and exhibits no backlash or free play. The multi-position twist-up eyecups are of identical quality to the Monarch HG and lock rigidly in place. They have never let me down. I’ve tested the instrument’s waterproof status(IPX7 rated) and it’s lived up to those promises.

I’ve also observed on many occasions over the winter that it’s fog proof. Condensation builds on the outer lenses when brought in from the cold but the interior always remained bone dry. The excellent non-oxidising rubber armouring is possibly unique. It’s incredibly easy to grip and is an absolute pleasure to hold in my hands, weighing in at just over 700g. All in all, the 8 x 42 has been an absolute powerhouse of optical and ergonomic virtue, so much so that it’s the only full-size roof prism binocular I now use. Furthermore, I consider all European brands to be a profligate waste of money.

Roamin’ in the Gloamin‘

May 9

The evening light of May is arguably the most beautiful of the year. The setting Sun drenches the trees with their young leaves, creating spectacular light shows – known colloquially as the gloaming. The SV 202 8 x 42 ED is the ideal companion for soaking up the riot of detail in full view. Forests walks are especially thrilling, where I routinely glass busy Chaffinches foraging on the forest floor. The brightly coloured males are especially frisky this time of year. Indeed, I’ve seen them mating on many occasions over the last few weeks Like Robins, they’re quite at home with humans. Indeed I’ve been able to get within a few metres of many of them and use the 8x glass to admire their beautiful plumage. Their fearless nature endears me to them.

The spring rains cause dandelions to flourish in the more exposed parts of the forest and where they grow, colourful Goldfinches are never far away. Rarely do I observe these in isolation. Where there’s one, there’s usually two or three nearby. The males have bright yellow feathers on their heads, necks, and chests, while their wings and tail are black with white markings. Their backs are a light brownish-grey colour, and they have a distinctive black patch on their foreheads. The females, in contrast, have similar colouring, but their plumage is more muted, with less yellow on their heads and chests. I like to stand and watch them from a distance of about 5 or 6 metres, where the 8 x 42 provides exceptional views of these striking birds. Later in the season, they’ll concentrate on eating the seeds of thistles in the open fields around my home.

After heavy rain showers, the air becomes laced with the smell of wild garlic growing on the forest floor. Its leaves are ripe for the picking. We crush them into a fine paste with a pestle and mortar creating delicious salad pesto. It’s always worth while glassing these temporary explosions of green. Little Wrens are often found scampering among them, especially near burns that meander their way through the forest. Sometimes a sunbeam would break through when the wild garlic begins to glisten in the gloaming, its leaves drenched with life-giving rainwater. Such light shows are to be cherished, spectacles provided us by our Creator, the fountainhead of all that is beautiful and true.

Elon Musk is Everywhere!

May 10

I ventured out shortly after local midnight, May 10, to enjoy a few minutes under the stars. The 8 x 42 accompanied me on the vigil. Lyra and Cygnus had risen to a decent height above the northeastern horizon, Bootes was approaching the meridian and the Big Dipper loomed large nearly overhead. Scanning the sky with my 8 x 42 revealed some shocking results; nearly everywhere I pointed my binocular I could see a satellite racing through the field of view! “Elon Musk!” I exclaimed. His Star Link satellites are everywhere, changing the character of the night sky utterly and forever. I can’t imagine astro-imagers would be too happy with these developments. The visual telescopic astronomer; not so much.

Personally, I don’t mind it. It’s inevitable anyway; technological progress to be sure, linking up more people from every corner of the globe. Indeed, it’s even prophetic. I remembered the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:14

Musk’s armada of satellites will help bring the gospel to even the remotest people groups of the Earth, just as Jesus had foretold. Judging by the state of our world with all its wickedness and immorality, we’ve got to be close!

Comparing Instruments

May 14

The afternoon of May 14 was grand and bright, allowing me to capture some images with my cell phone of the Svbony SV 202 8 x 42 and the Hawke Frontier EDX 8 x 42.The images are unprocessed and the same file size, so they’re quite comparable.

While the Hawke Frontier EDX 8 x 42 has a slightly larger field than the Svbony, I think you’ll agree that the images through both instruments are quite comparable. What’s more, the Hawke retails for about three times the price of the Svbony and has already garnered an excellent reputation from birders and binocular reviewers alike, so why not the SV202 also?

It just doesn’t seem fair to me!

The Hawke also suffers from more glare than the Svbony. And while it’s a very capable binocular, the Svbony glass is just as sharp and fits in my hands better. Just some of the reasons why I chose the SV 202 as my go-to mid-size roof prism binocular.

May 17

Observing at Dusk

Now that I’m on my long summer vacation from teaching and writing commitments (yes, the first draft of my book has now been submitted), I’ve extended my glassing to later in the evening and sometimes well into dusk. This is when the benefits of a 5mm exit pupil really comes into its own. While I do most of my daytime glassing with smaller 8 x 30 and 8 x 32 instruments, their smaller aperture and smaller exit pupils limit the amount of detail you can see when the Sun falls out of the sky. This time of year, twilight encroaches, extending the time of dusk, enabling me to make use of the 8 x 42 SV 202 more extensively to watch for owls, badgers, deer and even the odd fox. Standing still under the cover of bushes, I’ve been enjoying watching badgers roam about in the gloom, sniffing the ground and uprooting plant tubers. One of the local farmers told me he has had lambs lost to badgers but is powerless to act because they’re protected under UK law. They seem quite cute to me but get in their way and they can unleash great ferocity with those powerful jaws..

I’ve tried other 5mm exit pupil formats for this kind of ‘on the move,’ low-light observing, including a 10 x 50 and a smaller 7 x 35, but neither of those cut the mustard compared with my Svbony. The former is too too large to carry about for extended periods and has too narrow a field of view to boot. And the latter doesn’t gather nearly enough light during these challenging lighting conditions. Moreover the 7x lacks the reach of an 8x glass. The 8 x 42 format, with its nice wide field, excellent light transmission and moderate weight, makes for the ideal tool for such activities.

May 28

Serendipitous Sightings

This is the height of the pollen season. The air is chock full of it from all the trees and bushes bursting into bloom, bringing misery to many hay fever sufferers. Thankfully, that’s not me. The surface water at Culcreuch Pond gets covered in a scum from it as it accumulates over the days and weeks. And it gets on everything -clothes, lenses, tripods, you name it! When you think of the amount of genetic and epigenetic information stored in these tiny structures, the mind boggles. It must be orders of magnitude greater than all of mankind’s digital code combined. The Lord God is a masterful designer!

On the evening of May 28, I took myself off again for a saunter up the country road towards Cuclreuch Castle. As a keen beginner birder, I’ve been learning where to scan with my binocular for interesting birds that might come into the area. One endlessly fruitful activity in this regard is to glass the fences on either side of the road. I’ve learned to scan them intently since many small passerines seem to rest there from time to time. This is where I’ve successfully spotted Goldfinches, Chaffinch, Stonechats, Robins and Wagtails, to name but a few species.

I had little luck this evening and turned to walk back towards the house. In the distance, I saw my eldest son and two of his mates approaching me, and stopped for a brief chat. But over their shoulder, I saw a small bird, no bigger than a Robin fly in and land on the fence about 30 yards in the distance. I quickly brought my SV 202 to my eyes and noted its colours, which were very easy to discern, as the setting Sun strongly illuminated it. At first glance, I thought it was a male Bullfinch, but there was something distinctly odd about it. Yes, it had a bright orange belly and flank, but its beak was long and slender, not muscular like most finches I’d observed. Its lower head was jet black but above its eyes it was white with a grey cap, and bluish grey wings. Excited, I asked the boys to quieten down as I took another steady look. This was a bird I’d never seen before but I memorised its appearance as best I could. And I had no idea what it was until I got home and leafed through my RSPB book. Finally, there it was in all its glory on page 263; a beautiful male Redstart! The first of its kind I had ever seen!

As I later reflected on the the sighting, I realised just how lucky I was to get a glimpse of this summer migrant to the British Isles, amber-listed in the handbook. Apparently they are more common in Wales and the West Country, but the accompanying map illustrating its distribution also showed that some sightings have been made here, just north of the Scottish central belt.

When it comes to birding, you make you’re own luck.

Chance favours the prepared birder!

Sodom 2

Cities & Towns Are No-Go Areas

The wicked month of Sodom is now upon us and that means one thing for me. I avoid the cities and big towns where they ‘celebrate’ these depraved lifestyles. I refuse to enter any premises flying the rainbow flag and give them no business. There will be all sorts of lude behaviour at these gatherings; drink and drug-fuelled orgies, men pretending they’re women and women pretending they’re men, and chemically castrated children, not to mention a complicit general public pronounced guilty(in the eyes of a holy God) by association. Monkey pox, herpes and other STDs will be spreading. As the Bible teaches:

I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.

Psalm 101:3

Redstarts

Since my first sighting of the male Redstart, I’ve since glassed it several more times, and always in the same location; at the top of the castle drive before the pond and between two great oak trees. Methinks it’s rearing young and that requires a female. I’ve tentatively made one observation of a possible female(mate). I spotted a small bird, rather like a Robin, but without its intense red breast. At this stage I can’t be sure though.

The SV202s Going from Strength to Strength

I took a look over at Amazon this afternoon to see how the SV202s were doing. I’m delighted to report that there are now 80 reviews; a huge increase over the last time I looked with an average score of 4.5 stars out of 5! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; these are amazing binoculars! Indeed, it’s really all you could possibly want in a roof prism binocular.

The notion that you can’t get excellent ergonomic and optical quality at a price that is now affordable to many. Why pay more? These instruments will grow the hobby, allowing many more folk to get out and enjoy the creation, in all its glory!

Sodom 14

A Redstart Family

Since first sighting the male Redstart at the top of the castle drive, I’ve now observed it many more times since. Indeed, on almost every evening I take a walk there I catch a glimpse of it. What’s more, I’ve also spotted a female, with its more subdued colours. The clincher for me was identifying their nest site – a grand old oak tree. That comports nicely with the details given in the RSPB handbook which states that they indeed like to nest in oak trees. They’re incredibly graceful birds, being capable of hovering in mid-air in search of insects. I’ve often seen them foraging in the grassy kerbs at the side of the road, just like Goldfinches.

Discovering these birds so close to my home inspired me one afternoon to set up a spotting scope to study them in more detail and to maybe capture some images of these handsome creatures. I’ve been test driving a really nice spotting scope manufactured by Svbony; the SA405, an 85mm ED model with a zoom magnification range from 20x 60x. It works like a dream, delivering crisp images throughout the zoom range. While you really don’t need ED glass below about 30x, it sure does help reduce colour fringing beyond these powers. I’ve been very successful getting great close up visual views of both the male and female Redstarts, but imaging them is an entirely different matter. Because the CCD camera has a larger image scale than even the 60x setting on the zoom eyepiece, its more challenging to get the birds centred on the CCD chip. What’s more, these highly-strung birds never stay put for long; once you think you’ve got them framed, they fly off making the whole enterprise an exercise in frustration more than anything else.

Consistency

My up-and coming book on binoculars has given a well-deserved pride of place to the SV202 ED binoculars. While reflecting on their success, I realised that they all seem to have excellent control of internal reflections; right up there with the very best European models in fact. Take the appearance of the exit pupils, which I’ve photographed in the past as part of my reviewing work. Here they are again for interest:

Now, that’s what I call consistent!

Good round pupils with an extensive area of darkness surrounding them. And no false pupils either!

Sodom 25

Horses for Courses

Though I’m a big fan of high-quality Porro prism binoculars, there are tasks that roof prism binoculars just excel at. One of these is comfortable close focus ability.  I say ‘comfortable’ because although my beloved Nikon E II 8 x 30 actually focuses closer than my SV 202(1.95m versus 2.2m), glassing anything closer than about 5 or 6 metres is quite uncomfortable in the E II, necessitating an adjustment of the interpupillary distance downwards below my natural 65mm. In contrast, the SV202 delivers images that are much easier on the eye. This advantage really comes into its own viewing small birds at close distance, such as Willow Warblers and Treecreepers. My experiments in forests with both roof and Porro prism binoculars have also compelled me to favour the former over the latter in such environs.

Seeing the Light

The images served up by the SV202 8x 42 are very bright and sharp. I’ve compared it side-by-side with much more expensive binoculars with high(~90 per cent) light transmissions and have failed to see any significant differences in low light conditions. When I first began my binocular studies, I often came across statements which claimed that binoculars with ED glass deliver brighter images and words to the effect of, “the ED glass gives you an extra five minutes when the light really begins to fade.” Now, I’ve compared models of exactly the same specification, with one having ordinary crown-flint glass and the other possessing an ED element under rigorous low light tests and not noticed any differences. I wondered where this false meme originated from, since there is always a grain of truth to most of these ideas. It was after studying some of the physics of Augustin-Jean Fresnel(1788-1827) that I got a lead. His equations provided important advances in computing how much light is transmitted and reflected with materials possessing different refractive indices.

Many of the Fresnel equations are quite complex, as they involve light incident upon a surface at different angles. Let’s look at one particular equation:

R = Cos x – (n² – sin²x)^1/2/Cos x + (n² – sin²x)^1/2

Where R = the amount of reflected light from an optical surface

x = the angle of incidence and n= the refractive index of the material.

We can simplify this greatly by considering light arriving directly along the normal( i.e. looking at the centre of the lens head-on, so x =0), from which we obtain the much simpler equation:

R= [1-n/1+n]²

So the amount of reflected light only depends on the refractive index of the optical glass used. Now consider regular crown and flint glass having a refractive index of about 1.5. The amount of light reflected off such glass for normal incidence is

R = [1-1.5/1+1.5]² = 0.04

Note: This is the origin of the 4% figure often quoted in telescope optics texts for uncoated glass.

Next consider extra low dispersion (ED) glass like fluorite or FPL 53 or some such, with a refractive index of 1.44. Plugging this number for n into the Fresnel equation delivers a value of 0.03 or 3 per cent.

This means that regular crown or flint glass transmits 96 per cent of the light incident upon it compared with 97 per cent for ED glass.

This is a very small difference but considering that only one or two elements in the optical train employ ED glass, and the applications of multiple layers of antireflection coatings further reduce the light losses for both types of glass, the visual difference in brightness will be all but indistinguishable.

So there you have it! Although the Fresnel equation allows for a one per cent difference in transmission, it amounts to effectively negligible differences in overall transmission, all other things being equal.

.

Don’t believe the hype!

To be continued……………..

De Fideli.

A work begun November 5 2020

The Leica Trinovid HD 8 x 32 has been my constant companion over the last few months, having gone on long days out, both at home, and on vacation to the Scottish borders. It has also been a marvellous instrument in my ongoing exploration of the binocular night sky.  It’s one of those pieces of kit that keeps on delivering, time and time again, and while it is expensive as binoculars come, I think it was worth every penny, for reasons that I wish to elaborate on in this blog.

A Blaze of Autumn Glory

The vibrant colours of autumn are a visual gift from the Lord, a pick-me-up before the dull, cold days of winter. They’re meant to be enjoyed and there is no finer glass I’d rather use to explore them. Many Leica aficionados have described the extraordinary vibrancy of reds, oranges and greens they get from their binoculars.  For a while, I dismissed that claim as subjective prattle, but having enjoyed the 8 x 32 Trinovid for several months now, I can more fully understand what they meant. And there may be some science to back that up. For example, the opticians at Leica can optimise the colour correction to peak in the green-red part of the visible spectrum, while leaving the blue end less corrected. I see evidence for this using the 8 x 32, since it does show some blue-violet fringing on highly contrasted targets. The fringing is only very slight mind you, and very lovely; in an innocent way; so I think it’s an acceptable compromise.

While the human world is increasingly dark, psychotic and distressing, I make a special effort to get outside and make the most of my free time, enjoying the wonders of creation. Unlike humans, mother nature still behaves as God intended it. The low autumn Sun creates extraordinary light shows, illumining the hills round my home. The contrast in this little Leica binocular really has to be seen to be believed. Its exceptional control of veiling glare produces images that are truly sumptuous to my average eyes. Details just pop. The intricate graining of tree trunks, the contours of exposed rock formations, the stark beauty of ruined farmhouses, castles and water mills – things and places hardly anyone notices have suddenly become worthwhile glassing targets, though I still get the odd funny look from passers by lol.

The exceptional close focus on the Leica Trinovid brings objects a smidgen less than 1 metre away into sharp focus. That’s unmatched by any binocular on the market, with the exception of the Pentax Papilio (with its 0.5m close focus). I have been able to get up-close and personal with rocks by the riverside and succulent autumn berries, and golden leaves glistening in weak sunshine after a shower of rain. The Scots are always moaning about the rain, but it is the key ingredient that creates and maintains the surreal beauty of the Scottish landscape. Long live the wet and the wild!

A Great Birding Binocular

I’ve found the Leica Trinovid HD 8 x 32 to be the ideal birding binocular. With its 32mm objective lenses, it provides significantly brighter images than the best 25mm pocket glasses, particularly on dull, overcast conditions in the open air and in lower light conditions, such as under a forest canopy. And when the light is feeble, such as at dawn and dusk, the highly efficient light transmission(90 per cent) of the Leica glass really comes into its own, picking off details that elude lesser glasses. The silky smooth and fast central focusing wheel on the Trinovid is particularly well suited to birding, since it’s easy to adjust the focus as birds vary their distance from me. Added to this, is the instrument’s impressive depth of focus, allowing one’s subject to remain in sharp focus  over a large range of middle-to-long distances.

My interest in birdwatching really took off during the cruel,in-human lockdowns starting in March earlier this year, and since then, I have continued to learn from books, as well as  gaining some solid practical experience in the field. I have fitted new bird feeders in my garden and seed-laden fat balls that have served to lure many an avian species within striking distance. When I joined the RSPB, I was gifted a small bird box which our family has since erected about 2.5 metres above ground level on a conifer tree in the copse  to the west of our large back garden. I have high hopes that it will become a cosy nesting place for some small bird come the spring.

The exceptional optical quality of the Leica has allowed me to observe all manner of bird; robins, finches, tits, wrens, tree-creepers, carrion crows, jackdaws, chaffinches, wood pigeons, collar doves and blackbirds, to name but a few, in glorious detail. I have also learned to recognise their distinctive voices, which helps me to pin down more elusive visitors that hide away in the bushes and hedgerows near my home. To date, my most thrilling sighting is a greater spotted woodpecker that keeps a keen eye on the fat ball feeder outside of my office. Having enjoyed all manner of small birds flitting to and fro for most of the time, I was overjoyed  to observe one helping itself to a nutritious snack one afternoon in early October. Compared with all the other birds that usually come to visit, this handsome woodpecker, with its black and speckled white plumage and crimson red flank, seemed positively enormous in comparison. Indeed, I thought at one stage that it was going to tear down the fat ball feeder owing to its relatively large size, but all was well. In addition, my Leica was able to make out a small red nape on the bird which revealed to me its male sex. Isn’t that funny; unlike the fairer human sex, male birds are created to be more colourful in general than their female counterparts. Then again, I know some blokes who love nothing more than to dress up in garish, migraine-inducing colours, so maybe the distinction is not as well founded as I had thought lol.

Since then, I have identified another great spotted woodpecker in the large trees on Kippen Road, adjacent to the sports field in the village. They’re such timid creatures though, standing motionless for many minutes high in the canopy, and if it senses a threat, will quickly move to the opposite side of a tree trunk in order to hide. Beautiful birds!

Last year, I reported that a small squadron of magpies had taken up overnight residence in the rowan tree in my back garden. After a couple of months, they moved on., But this year, a couple of magpies have once again come to sleep in the same tree. Lots of folk have taken a disliking to these birds but I have found them to be charming and intelligent. Like Roman legionaries preparing for an overnight camp, I have observed them arriving at dusk, and carefully making their way to the centre of the tree, so protecting themselves from predators. And they’re up and away before dawn!

Culcreuch Pond, about half a mile walk from my home, and featured in the image above, remains a favourite haunt of mine to observe ducks and mute swans that thrive in the small artificial waters immediately in front of the 12th century castle, that up to recently served as a popular hotel and retreat before it was shut down in January of this year, just before the China virus arrived. The beautiful, variegated hues of autumn trees flanking the shores of the pond makes for wonderful glassing opportunities and I’m always on the lookout for the odd grey heron hiding in the reedy shallows, and even a cormorant that took up residence there during the winter months of 2019. Hopefully, I will see one again this year, but so far with no luck.

On a recent October family vacation to a favourite farmhouse holiday cottage on the outskirts of Wigtown, on the Solway Firth, in Southwest Scotland, I was amazed to discover that the town had a little ‘harbour,’ which we had not visited before simply because we always took a different route down to the salt march. Though we’ve been no less than five times over the years, we had no idea that a tower hide had been constructed, dedicated to twitchers and other wildlife enthusiasts, which overlooks a pretty stretch of salt marsh, and which serves as a home to all manner of gull and wading bird.  Alas, we only ‘discovered’ the hide on the final morning of our vacation. Thankfully, it was a bright and sunny spell and we were able to share some wonderful views of these creatures before making our way home. It’s amazing what lies right under your nose if you’re not looking for it! Needless to say, this will become a favourite spot for birdwatching on our next trip.

Extended Walks

At weekends and during our family vacations, I like to take off on longer 4-5 mile walks, exploring forests and hills. There are extensive forested regions near Newton Stewart, Wigtonshire, which provides great days out for families and groups of ramblers, with extensive forest trails to explore, either on foot or on mountain bikes. The feather weight of the Leica Trinovid 8 x 32 binocular allows me to carry it effortlessly through miles of difficult terrain. I am attracted to the riot of life that abide in forests. Fallen trees are a favourite glassing target in good light, where I can explore the vibrant colours of lichens, mosses and fungi that thrive on their rain-soaked surfaces. I have no compelling reason to glass in these places other than the aesthetic appeal of seeing the wondrous complexities of the creation, to activate the visual, auditory and olfactory senses as you wade through mud and decaying autumn leaves underfoot. The exceptionally robust build of the Trinovid lowers my anxiety levels, as I negotiate through bramble bushes and especially dense thickets of vegetation. This is an instrument that will easily negotiate knocks and bumps and still come up smelling of roses.

On our journey home from Wigtown, we hooked up some old friends who live in a charming bungalow overlooking Tinto Hill near the village of Thankerton, Lanarkshire. Tinto soars just over 700m above the surrounding valley and makes for a good hill walk in the Spring and Summer months. But on this occasion, we decided to visit an old Roman fort dating to the Antonine Period in the mid-second century AD. Not much of the fort remains, save an old ditch that one can still walk around. There is also a bath house somewhere near the fort but we never got to see it that afternoon The fort overlooks the valley below, with Tinto imposingly rising to meet the sky on the far side.

A striking colonnade of trees leads the way up from the valley floor to the fort and is especially beautiful on a sunny afternoon, when the rich colours of autumn leaves dazzle the eye. One would be forgiven for thinking that the Romans created this too but such trees don’t live that long!

The Romans had an active presence in Scotland during the High Empire but never attempted a full-scale invasion. The Scots love to pride themselves in claiming that the ancient Celts inhabiting these lands were too fearsome or intimidating for the Roman legions, but having studied Roman history at degree level, I understand that the likely truth is that they decided that it was just not economically viable to completely Romanise the northern part of Britannia. But try telling that to the Scots!

There is something really appealing about glassing a valley from a raised vantage. In my mind’s eye, I imagined the lonely vigils of a Roman auxiliary patrolling the turf ramparts of this ancient fort, looking down on the fields below and wondering if some raiding party would attack. What thoughts would have coursed through his mind?

Glassing in wide open terrain like this confers advantages to higher power binoculars. In this capacity, I hope to acquire another smaller Trinovid, the BCA 10 x 25, or a Zeiss Terra ED 10 x 25 in the near future, to enable me to explore this kind of terrain in greater detail.

Things Done Well

The 8 x 32 Trinovid was made for the great outdoors. I have used it in sub-zero temperatures, during the wee small hours of the morning observing the night sky. Even after an hour or so in such conditions, focusing remains silky smooth and precise, and the outer lenses remain fog free. When the instrument is taken in from the cold, some condensation does form on the ocular and objective lenses but disperses very quickly owing to the effective hydrophobic coatings applied to the exterior lens surfaces.

I have also tested the binocular in regard to its water proofing. Sound crazy? Perhaps! I filled a basin full of freshwater to a depth of about 8 inches and submerged the instrument in it, leaving it there for 15 minutes. I observed no air bubbles throughout the duration of that 15 minute episode, and after taking it out of the water and drying it at room temperature, I was delighted to see that it performed as good as it ever has. This little Trinovid is actually water proof to a depth of 4 metres, so my testing in this regard was rather modest. I suspect that many binoculars of lesser quality than this Trinovid are not really waterproof since they are not hermetically sealed. That’s just a hunch but I know of no one who is willing to sacrifice their binocular to the water gods, for fear that they might receive a nasty surprise!

The firmness of the eye cups on the Trinovid are marvellously engineered; certainly among the best in the industry. They offer several settings to accommodate virtually anyone’s taste, and once set in place, they remain firmly in place with absolutely no wiggle room. With lesser quality binoculars, you’re always wondering when and if the eyecups will fail, but with these, you can be 100 per cent confident that they will work flawlessly again and again and again.

Most economically priced binoculars possess eye cups that can’t be removed. In contrast, the Leica Trinovid eye cups can be pulled off to get at trapped grit, sand and other air-borne debris that accumulates under the cups with repeated use. This enables you to thoroughly clean both the ocular lenses and their supporting structures before popping the cups back on again. And when the day comes when the cups finally give up owing to wear and tear, I can call the folks at Leica who will send out replacement caps! Now that’s what I call service!

Exploring the Heavens

The Leica Trinovid  8 x 32 has become my constant companion under the stars. In the last few months, I’ve greatly reduced my telescopic observations in favour of binocular  surveys. Indeed, I have elected to learn the night sky completely anew using this binocular, choosing a patch of sky within a constellation, and carefully studying each binocular field that I chance upon. I have ‘discovered’ many new asterisms, star clusters and nebulae in this way using the 7.1 degree field of this binocular. The project will likely preoccupy me for years to come, but I derive great joy from it. After spending many decades peering through all manner of telescopes, it is so refreshing to re-learn the constellations using this fantastic binocular. Call it a new lease of life!

I’m very much looking forward to observing the great planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which reaches its climax just a few days before Christmas 2020. The Lord created the heavens to reveal His great power and glory. But He also gave us the starry heaven for signs & seasons. I understand this up-and-coming conjunction to be a possible sign that Yeshua foretold his disciples about the times concerning the closing of human history. Indeed, many of the other signs He prophesied have manifested before our very eyes; apostasy & the purging of the Church, a marked escalation in human wickedness which leads to lawlessness, false prophets, pestilences, wars and rumours of wars etc. What is more, the heavens similarly proclaimed the first coming of our Lord two thousand years ago with the Star of Bethlehem, that could well have been another planetary conjunction, a few of which occurred in the year spanning 2 to 3 BC. Like the fading of Betelgeuse last year, I believe the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction could well represent an unmistakable message from our Creator – that He will be returning soon for His Bride.

Even so, come Lord Yeshua!

Neil English is the author of seven books in amateur and professional astronomy, as well as several hundred magazine articles over the past 25 years. If you like his work, why not consider making a small personal donation, or purchasing one of his books. Thanks for reading!

De Fideli.

 

April 14 2020

As my regular readers will know, I’ve spent quite a lot of time in recent years seeing what’s what in the binocular market. But just like the telescope market, all is not what it seems. You don’t always get what you pay for and you can find genuine bargains that offer much better bang for buck than those usually presented on internet forums frequented by amateur astronomers, birders and the like. The trouble with these forums is that they usually become hijacked by folk who insist on using and promoting premium products that are usually way beyond the price range of most enthusiasts and many good products simply fall below the radar and so never see the light of day. In this blog, I’ll be presenting three binoculars from the pocket, compact and mid-size aperture range that offer exceptional value for money, having been thoroughly tested(not the usual ‘mickey mouse testing’ seen on the internet) by yours truly in a variety of field conditions.

I’m writing this fully in the knowledge that a lot of folk are hurting financially at the moment, owing to the international crisis precipitated by the corona virus. Millions of people’s mobility has been severely restricted and so there may be quite a few individuals out there who may be looking for cost-effective products that will make life in lock-down that little bit more palatable. What better way than a good binocular to bring the world closer and to examine the beauty of the creation from the vantage of a garden, rooftop or balcony?

All of the binoculars featured in this blog are well made, coupling very good mechanics with excellent optics, all have price tags under £150(UK) and all come with a ten-year guarantee so that if you’re not fully satisfied with the product you can always return it in due course. These instruments include:

The Opticron Aspheric LE 8 x 25 pocket binocular

The Nikon Prostaff 7S 8 x 30

The Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42

 

The Opticron Aspheric LE 8 x 25:

Are you looking for a well-made pocket glass that you can take anywhere to deliver very sharp, high-contrast images of your environment? The Opticron Aspheric LE 8 x 25 may be all the binocular you might need. Opticron is a well established British firm with a long history of delivering high quality optical products to their customers. The unit has fully multi-coated optics, high-reflectivity silver coated, phase corrected BAK-4 prisms to maximise light transmission. My glare tests using a very intense artificial light source shows to show up internal reflections and unwanted glare revealed that not one, but two of these instruments produced very satisfactory suppression of stray light. This is a good indicator of high contrast optics even in difficult lighting situations, such as glassing artificial light sources at night and observing heavily back-lit daylight scenes. The unit shown above was purchased for my wife and was acquired before the newer model was brought to market. The only difference between the newer and older models is that the former are fully water- and fog-proof, purged internally with inert, dry nitrogen gas.

Tipping the scales at about 290g, the little Opticron pocket glass has good quality, twist-up eye cups that hold their position well and possess generous, 16mm eye relief, making them well suited both for eye-glass wearers and non-eye glass users alike. The Opticron also features a built-in lanyard for easy transport in the field so there’s no need to fit a strap. Focusing is smooth and precise, and the newer unit has slightly better rubber armouring for comfortable handling in the field. Close focus is also exceptional on these units. I measured one at 1.4 metres!

Optically, these little Opticrons serve up very sharp, high contrast images and their aspherical ocular lenses ensure that the image does not degrade appreciably even when subject is imaged at the edge of the field. The only slight downside with these units is their relatively small field of view; just 92 metres at 1000m(~5.2 angular degrees),  but the fine optics more than makes up for this small field!

The newer model comes with a beautiful neoprene carry case that perfectly fits the binoculars.

Retailing for £129(UK), these pocket glasses will provide years of hassle-free entertainment that is sure to delight anyone who uses them! I’ve often employed them for limited astronomical applications too, where they have proven their worth in delivering razor sharp and glare free images of the Moon, bright planets, and with an almost flat extended field, are well suited for glassing larger star fields and bright deep sky objects.

 

The Nikon Prostaff 7S 8 x 30:

The next binocular featured in this blog was a very pleasant surprise! I took a punt on the Nikon Prostaff 7s 8 x 30 out of sheer curiosity, since the vast majority of comments made by their owners were very positive indeed. And I can now say they weren’t wrong!

Weighing in at 415g, the Prostaff 7s 8 x 30 is very light weight for a binocular with these specifications. The optics are fully broadband multi-coated and the prisms are phase (and silver) coated for bright and sharp images. Being significantly larger than a pocket glass, they are easier to hold and easier to engage with owing to their larger exit pupil( 3.75mm). I was very surprised to learn that the Prostaff 7s has a higher light transmission than Nikon’s more expensive offering, the Monarch 8 x 30, as revealed in my more in-depth review I conducted on this binocular earlier this year. With a length of only 12cm, it is only one centimetre longer than the Opticron pocket glass keeping it very small and tidy!

Despite being very light weight, it’s very easy to hold steady in my hands owing to its shorter bridge which exposes a larger area to wrap your hands around the barrels. The big focus wheel is buttery smooth and moves effortlessly with zero backlash or slack from close focus (just over 2 metres) to infinity in less than one revolution. The Prostaff 7S has well-made, twist-up eye cups that offers generous (15.4mm) eye relief to suit both eye glass wearers and those that don’t. The poly-carbonate body is overlaid by a thick rubber-like armour with exceptional grip. In addition, the instrument is fully water proof (1m depth for 10 minutes according to the user manual) and being filled with dry nitrogen gas, is also fog proof.

My tests show that the little 8 x 30 was superior to the Opticron in suppressing glare and internal reflections, which came as yet another pleasant surprise to me. Optically, this compact-sized binocular packs a powerful optical wallop. Having a true field of 114m @ 1000m (6.5 angular degrees), the image is very sharp and contrasty, and retains its sharpness almost to the very edge of the field. In addition, there is very little attenuation of light as one moves from the centre to the field stop, unlike many other models I have tested(sometimes costing many times more). This level of optical excellence is achieved by keeping the field of view on the small side compared with many other 8 x 30/32 units you are likely to encounter. I found this a very acceptable compromise though, as 6.5 degrees is still plenty good enough for most applications.

Although the Prostaff 7S units don’t employ ED glass, the chromatic aberration is, to all intents and purposes, non-existent, and delivers no appreciable reduction in performance over an equivalent unit employing ED glass. Like I said before, don’t fall for marketing hype. Most users won’t be able to tell the difference between a unit with ED glass elements and one without, provided that quality optical components are properly assembled in house.

Having both larger objective lenses and exit pupils, the Nikon Prostaff 7s is noticeably superior to any pocket glass in low light conditions, where it serves up brighter images at dawn or dusk or on dull winter days. But its biggest performance difference over pocket glasses comes into play when turned on the night sky, where its greater light grasp pulls in significantly fainter stars, making deep sky observing more rewarding.

Together with a good rain guard and high quality padded neck strap featuring the Nikon logo, this 8 x 30 unit is likely to please the vast majority of users and will deliver flawless performance for many years. All in all, the Nikon Prostaff 7s 8 x 30 offers exceptional value for money in today’s market, combining great ergonomics with remarkable optical performance for its modest price tag (~£140 UK).

The Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42:

Now for a very special binocular. When I started out looking at the modern binocular market, I took the advice of a number of more experienced glassers who recommended I try a Barr & Stroud roof prism binocular. Now, several years on, I’m very glad I did. Every model I have tried for their range has been impressive. But one model in particular stood out from the crowd; the Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42. Having owned and tested two samples of this product, I can say, hand on heart, that it’s got to be one of the best bargains your money can buy.

Built like a proverbial tank, it sports a whopping 143m@1000m true field; one of the widest on the market for a binocular with these specifications. But unlike a string of other models in this modest price class, you get an extraordinarily well corrected field with an enormous sweet spot that keeps the object well focused even near the edge of the field.  With a larger exit pupil of 5.4mm, the 8 x 42 is supremely comfortable to use, even by complete novices, since it is very easy to get good eye placement. The body is covered with a thick rubberised armouring, which provides excellent grip even in tricky conditions. Unlike most other roof binos in this price class, the Savannah has its dioptre ring located just ahead of the focus wheel, making it very easy to access should you wish to tweak the optics in the right barrel. On the downside, its location makes it that little bit easier to knock out of place while glassing in the field and so a little bit more care should be afforded to it when removing the instrument from its hard, clam shell case.

Everything about the Barr & Stroud exudes quality. The focuser is a joy to use and one of the best I have experienced in an 8 x 42. It is buttery smooth and moves effortlessly with absolutely no backlash or bumpiness in either direction, taking nearly two full revolutions from its closest focus (under two metres) to beyond infinity. The eye cups are of very high quality and twist up to give extremely comfortable eye relief. What’s more, they remain firmly in place even when significant pressure is applied to them. The instrument is fully waterproof(1.5m for three minutes) and is dry nitrogen purged to eliminate internal fogging when used in cold, damp conditions.

My glare and internal reflections testing showed that the Savannah has exceptional control of stray light and the result is that you get very punchy, high-contrast images. Indeed, the only binocular that has produced better results than the Barr & Stroud Savannah is my little Leica Trinovid BCA 8 x 20, but at a price fully three times the asking price of the former! It has noticeably superior control of diffraction spiking (tested on night light sources) compared with a Zeiss Terra ED 8 x 25 and the aforementioned Nikon Prostaff 8 x 30 and Opticron Aspheric LE.

The first model I acquired was second-hand but developed a dioptre fault. But I received a brand new instrument from the parent company who own Barr & Stroud,Optical Vision Limited(OVL) and the rest, as they say, is history. The model features fully broadband multi-coatings on all optical surfaces and phase coated Schmidt-Pechan prisms to boost light transmission and image contrast. It ‘s extremely sharp, even when compared with premium models. In one series of tests I conducted in the summer of 2019, the Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42 yielded images that were only very slightly less sharp compared with an optically perfect Swarovski EL Range 10 x 42. I believe the vast majority of users will be delighted when they look through this instrument. Don’t let zealous binocular gayponauts coerce you into buying a model costing many times more before checking this unit out first!

It might be all the 8 x 42 you need!

The 8 x 42 serves as one of the best all-round binoculars for a wide variety of glassing applications, whether it be bird-watching, hunting in low light and for casual stargazing. Its nearly flat, super-wide field will delight those who wish the cruise the Milky Way or  ogle large deep sky objects. The only downsides are its weight and slightly lower overall light transmission compared with premium models; at 820g the Savannah is not light by any means but I suppose that, in creating the highly impressive near-flat and super-wide field of view, it needs more optical components to execute this correctly and thus the trade-off is reduced portability and reduced overall light transmission. That said, unlike the two other binoculars discussed in this blog, the Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42 can easily be affixed to a tripod or monopod for ultra-stable viewing, should you require it.

This impressive binocular is always a joy to hold in one’s hand and the images it serves up keeps you coming back to it again and again and again.  And while you can pick this model up for about £120, I would rank it as my personal favourite binocular. It’s just a supremely sweet instrument made by a company that once supplied optics to the British Navy during two world wars. And that counts for something!

Storing and Transporting the Binoculars

There is further good news when you purchase any of these binoculars. They all come with good quality carry cases. I have already highlighted the nicely designed yellow and black neoprene case fitting the newer Opticron Aspheric LE(illustrated earlier in this blog). The Nikon Prostaff 7s comes with a black padded case with the Nikon logo on the front and fits the binocular very well together with its strap wound tightly around the body. The Barr & Stroud Savannah has arguably the best quality case of the lot though. As you can see form the image below, the 8 x 42 comes with a hard clam shell case that can be zipped up to seal in the binocular and keep out dust and moisture – the destructive enemies of all optical instruments. As with all of my binoculars, I highly recommend placing a sachet of silica gel desiccant inside their cases, as well as  leaving the caps for both the objective and eyepiece lenses on for added protection.

Well, I hope that you found this short blog useful. Above all, I hope you’ll agree that you don’t have to spend a small fortune to get good optical and mechanical quality. Indeed, those days are well and truly behind us!  And if you take reasonable care of your binocular it will provide flawless performance for many years to come.

Thanks for reading!

Neil English is the author of seven books and several hundred magazine articles in amateur and professional astronomy. He has many decades of experience testing and evaluating all manner of astronomical equipment. You can help him continue this work by purchasing one of his books. 

 

De Fideli.

Many binocular enthusiasts will often recommend a good 8 x 42 as the near perfect all-round instrument for birding, hunting and astronomy. This recommendation seems sensible enough given their medium size, weight and decent light gathering power for use in bright daylight, low light conditions and stargazing. But the increasingly popular compact 8 x 32 has also earned a respectable place in the hearts of many birders and sightseers owing to its lighter weight but greater light gathering power over a pocket binocular. But that raises an interesting question; which model is more versatile in the long run?

To begin to answer that question, I’ve spent some time comparing and contrasting the efficacy of two binoculars in these size classes; a Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42, which I have written enthusiastically about in a past blog, and more recently, a Celestron Trailseeker 8 x 32, described in more detail here.

Let’s first look at the specifications of both models at a glance:

The Barr & Stroud 8 x 42

Fully multi-coated

Phase coated(probably silver or enhanced aluminium)

8.2 degree FOV(143m@1000m)

5.25mm exit pupil

18mm eye relief

Dry nitrogen purged

Waterproof

810g

Retail Price: £120 UK

The Celestron Trailseeker 8 x 32

Fully broadband multi-coated

Phase coated(high reflectivity dielectric coatings)

7.8 degree FOV(137m @1000m)

4mm exit pupil

15.6mm eye relief

Dry nitrogen purged

Waterproof

453g

Retail Price: £125(recently reduced for clearance owing to the discontinuation of the model)

Performance in Bright Daylight Conditions

Both instruments serve up  very sharp, high contrast images of well-illuminated targets with virtually no chromatic aberration(this is widely exagerrated by many reviewers but is actually not really an issue in any realistic situation. Indeed, in my comparison of smaller high-quality ED and non-ED instruments there has never been a target that I have imaged where ED glass made any meaningful difference to the viewing experience). The Celestron has a narrower field of view and a smaller ultra-sharp sweetspot. The Barr & Stroud displays a wider, flatter field with a noticeably larger sweetspot. The larger exit pupil on the latter makes viewing that little bit more comfortable, since positioning the eye over a larger shaft of light is easier to achieve. Both instruments generate images that are about equally bright under these conditions though. Near equal too is their ability to suppress glare and internal reflections owing to good baffling and high-quality coatings applied to all optical surfaces. The objective lenses are also deeply recessed in both binoculars, offering protection against rain, wind-blown dust, as well as serving as an effective barrier against peripheral glare.

I also noted slight differences between these instruments in colour tone when observing brightly illuminated daylight targets. The Celestron had a more neutral colour tone, whereas those of the Barr & Stroud were ever so slightly yellower and darker in comparison.

The focusing wheels on both instruments are notably different in field use however. The Barr & Stroud possess one of the best focusers I have personally experienced(indeed they have been very good in a number of other instruments marketed by the same company). It is buttery smooth and very easy to adjust in situations where rapid changes of focus are necessary. The Celestron focuser has much more tension in comparison, even after using it for a considerable number of hours in the field. When rapid focusing is required, the Barr & Stroud Savannah is clearly superior, which makes a significant difference when scanning fast-moving targets like birds flying across the field of view.

There is also a significant difference in eye relief between the two instruments. The Barr & Stroud has a whopping 18mm eye relief whereas the Celestron Trailseeker only exhibits 15.6mm in comparison. What this means in practice is that the latter is far more comfortable to use while using eyeglasses. I can see the entire field of the Savannah if I use my eyeglasses but it’s a lot more challenging with the Trailseeker.

The weight difference between the models is considerable however; with the Celestron tipping the scales at just over half the weight of the Barr & Stroud. Indeed the latter is one of the heaviest  8 x 42s currently available, while the Celestron Trailseeker is one of the lightest models in its aperture class. This has a significant  bearing on  prolonged use and transport in the field, where neck strain is effectively eliminated in the light-weight Celestron.

Low Light Performance

On paper, one would reasonably expect that the significantly larger 8 x 42 would prove better in low light conditions, such as those experienced at dawn and dusk, but my testing revealed some surprising results! In a nutshell, the Celestron Trailseeker proved to be much closer to the Barr & Stroud under such conditions! Immediately after sunset on several late January evenings, I found that both instruments produced very similar performance in terms of the brightness of the images garnered of a heavily lichen-adorned tree branch located some 50 metres off in the distance. Indeed, the 8 x 42 only pulled noticeaby ahead well into twilight when the last light of day was ebbing from the landscape. This seemed genuinely puzzling to me, as I fully expected the results to be well, like night and day.  But why though?

The first significant difference between the models relates to the coatings used on the roof prisms in both instruments. The Celestron Trailseeker has state-of-the-art dielectric coatings that significantly improve its light transmission over a similar sized model with lower reflectivity aluminium or silver coatings. Maybe the Trailseeker has better anti-reflection coatings applied to the lenses making up the objectives and the eyepieces? The second thing that I noted is the significantly larger frame of the Barr & Stroud Savannah, which will have commensurately larger prisms than the smaller Celestron, with the implication that more light will be absorbed while traversing the former. That said, I still couldn’t understand why an instrument with 42mm objectives was not pulling very far ahead under such low light conditions than an instrument with only 32mm aperture objectives. Quite frankly, it still didn’t add up!

It was then that I realised that the best explanation possibly pertained to the size of the exit pupil under the same conditions. As any amateur astronomer worth his/her salt will tell you, the pupil of the eye is designed such that it dilates in low light conditions to allow more light to reach the retina. Indeed, this is one of the ABCs in telescopic deep sky observing, where a fully dilated eye pupil shows you much fainter objects than eyes that are newly accustomed to the dark. But while some dilation certainly occurs under low light, I wondered whether there was a limit to how much dilation actually occurs during early twilight, when the differences were observed to be most similar in both instruments. If my eyes only extended from say 2.5mm during bright daylight to a liitle over 4mm in early twilight, the extra millimetre or so offered by the 8 x 42 would be of no significant benefit. Maybe my eyes were just not capable of using the 5.25mm offered up by the larger 8 x 42 under such conditions?

I also noted that the tests on both binoculars were carried out more or less simultaneously for the duration of about 15 minutes, so not long enough to induce big changes in the ratio of rhodopsin(which reaches higher concentrations in darker conditions) to retinal(which exhibits higher concentrations in bright light conditions) In addition, the eye takes quite a long time to effect these biochemical changes, and most certainly longer than the 15 minute duration over which these tests were conducted. Moreover, rhodopsin is still rather labile even in low light conditions such as those encountered during the twilight sessions. However, these findings were quite in keeping with the subsequent experiences I had with both binoculars under well-adapted dark conditions; specfically under a clear night sky with no Moon.

Dark Sky Performace Compared

Donning some dark sunglasses I sat out in a deck chair for about 25 minutes after leaving a bright indoor environment to accelerate dark-eye adaptation. By then I was sure that my eye pupils had dilated to their maximum extent and the process of rhodopsin biosynthesis was well under way. Examining the region centred on Orion’s belt stars, I immediately noted a very significant difference between the glasses; this time the clear winner was the 8x 42 Barr & Stroud binocular. It was easy to see that it was pulling in more numerous and fainter stars in Collinder 70 than the smaller 8 x 32. The same was true when I critically examined the Sword Handle of Orion, and in particular, the marvellous gaseous nebula of M42. The 8 x 42 was very much superior, indicating that my eyes were indeed gathering in more light( as they should do) owing to its larger exit pupil of the 8 x 42 binocular.

That said, the 8 x 32 was more comfortable to hold over prolonged periods(several minutes), owing to its much lower weight and transmitted a surprising amount of light; far more than any pocket glass (25mm aperture or less) I had recalled from memory, yielding quite impressive views of star fields and open clusters like the Auriga Messier trio, then very high overhead in the winter sky. The slower focus wheel on the Celestron was far less of a problem under these viewing conditions owing to the relatively tiny focus adjustments required when viewing astronomical targets, and especially when moving from the zenith to objects imaged nearer the horizon.

Overall Implications

So which instrument is more versatile? Unsurprisingly, this is a deeply personal choice and, as such, there are no absolute answers. If you don’t mind carrying around the extra weight, then the 8 x 42 would get my vote. I just love the way the instrument feels in my hands, its solid, Spartan construction, wonderfully sharp, super-wide field of view and spectacular bang for buck. The 8 x 42 is exceptionally easy on the eyes with its very comfortable 18mm eye relief(compared to the considerably tighter 15.6mm on the Celestron) and larger exit pupil, so pulling well ahead as an astronomical instrument, or when glassing under deep twilight conditions. It’s only significant downside over the 8 x 32 is its lack of dielectric coatings on the Schmidt-Pechan roof prisms, but it more than makes up for this with its fine optical quality and sturdy mechanical design. Indeed, the 8 x 42 Savannah remains this author’s personal favourite binocular!

But if weight is a big issue and you like to do all or nearly all of your glassing during daylight hours, then a high-quality 8 x 32 will certainly deliver the readies and thus deserve serious consideration.There are some other models in this binocular size class that are as good, if not better than the Celestron, and at prices that won’t leave you out in the cold; the Vortex Diamondback HD 8 x 32(with its famous ‘no questions asked’ VIP warranty), the Nikon Monarch 7( 8 x 30) and the Hawke Frontier X HD, immediately come to mind, all of which retail in the UK for between £200 and £300 and well worth checking out. If possible, you should try before you buy to avoid disappointment.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Neil English is the author of several books on telescopes and astronomical observing, but does not endorse bling. He is seriously considering writing a similar text dedicated to binoculars in the future.

PostScriptum: I intend to have my fully dilated eye pupil size measured on my next visit to my optician.

De Fideli.

The march of technology continues apace and never ceases to amaze me. This is especially true when it comes to telescope and binocular optics. You can now buy very decent optics at budget prices that display a level of quality we could only dream of a couple of decades ago. And technologies that were only available on premium optics up to fairly recently are now being offered by companies offering much more economical packages to sate the requirements of the masses.

That’s exactly how I feel about my recent foray into binocular testing. Advances in coating technology, in particular, has allowed many new optical firms to offer products that are edging ever closer to the performance levels only available on premium models until recently. Even entry-level roof prism binoculars feature decent anti-reflection coatings on all optical surfaces(which can be as many as 30 in a good roof prism binocular), as well as phase correction technology that significantly increase contrast, accurate colour rendition and image brightness. These less expensive models used either aluminium or silver coatings to boost light transmissions to as high as 80 to 85 per cent, but one can now obtain very economically priced models that also feature super-high reflectivity, broadband dielectric coatings that have increased light transmission to above 90 per cent, in touching distance of the most expensive, premium binoculars money can buy.

Unfortunately, many amateurs who enjoy using quality binoculars mistakenly conflate high-level optical performance with the introduction of extra low dispersion (ED) glass, but the truth is that such an addition contributes little to the quality of the optical experience. Much more significant is the use of higher quality coatings that significantly increase both the brightness and contrast of the images, which in turn enables one to see those finer details, thereby boosting resolution(perhaps this is why the Helios has HR in its name?). Of course, many(but not all) premium binocular manufacturers use a combination of ED glass elements and the finest dielectric coatings, making it all the more difficult for the user to assess the relative importance of either component. But I was able to explore and confirm the dramatic effects of the latter by putting a couple of  mid-priced 8 x 32 compact roof prism binoculars through their paces; a Helios LightWing HR and a Celestron Trailseeker(both pictured above), both of which feature premium quality dielctric coatings on the prism surfaces as well as high-quality broadband anti-reflection coatings on the multiple lenses and prisms used in their construction. Neither instrument contains ED glass elements however. For more on this, check out this short youtube presentation by an experienced glasser and binocular salesman describing one of the models I will be evaluating in this blog(the Helios LightWing),  and who formed the same conclusions as this author.

Both instruments were acquired from the same source, Tring Astronomy Centre. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff have offered exceptional service with a number of past purchases and I had thus no hesitation approaching them again for the acquisition of these 8 x 32 compact binocular models.

The first model I acquired was the Helios LightWing HR 8 x 32, which set me back £127 plus £5 to ensure an expedited delivery of the package within 24 hours of ordering. As soon as it arrived, I inspected the contents, which included the binocular with a rain guard, soft carry case, a lens cloth and generic(read single page instruction sheet) and padded neck strap. Within minutes of its arrival, I had the binocular out of its case to perform my iphone torch test in my living room to see how well an intense beam of white light behaved as it passed through the instrument. As I outlined in a few previous blogs, such a test is extraordinarily sensitive, showing up even the slightest stray reflections in the field of view and revealing how well the optical components suppressed the tendency of the light to diffuse across the field, reducing contrast as it does. Well, to my great relief, the result was excellent! Despite the torch being set at its highest setting in a darkened room, the Helios LightWing HR showed only the feeblest level of ghosting on axis. What is more, there was no difraction spikes or diffused light in the field! The image was exceptionally clean. Indeed, comparing the result to my control binocular, a Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42, which also exhibits exceptional stray light control, the Helios was providing even better results!

To put this in some additional context, the torchlight test result for the Helios 8 x 32 was better than my Zeiss Terra ED 8 x 25 pocket binocular and a Swarovski EL Range 10 x 42, as I recall from my notes!

I now had a new standard by which to measure all other binoculars!

The same was also true when I placed the light beam just outside the field of view. Only a very minimal amount of glare was seen in the field.

Wow!

This told me that the binocular ought to produce very high contrast images in even the most demanding conditions, either by day, glassing in strongly backlit scenes, or at night, when looking at bright light sources, such as artificial street lighting or a bright Moon. No doubt, this is attributed to a variety of factors including excellent multi-layer coatings on all optical surfaces, as well as a sound knowledge of how to adequately baffle the instrument.

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Note to the reader: My pet peeve is seeing excessive glare and strong ghosting from internal reflections in a binocular image. Indeed, I am quite intolerant of it! Moreover, I usually dismiss any reviews that do not test for this phenomenon. Unfortunately, that also entails taking the majority of user reviews I read online with a large dose of salt!

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Examining the Helios, I noted the unusual colour cast of the anti-reflection coatings on both the objective and ocular lenses. They seemed to be immaculately applied! I also noted how the objectives were recessed very deeply; with ~ 10mm of overhang. This is a very good(and often overlooked!) design feature, as it cuts down on peripheral glare during bright daylight observations and also affords considerable protection from dust and rain.

Mechanical assessment: The Helios is very well constructed. The chassis is fabricated from a magnesium alloy which combines light weight(500g) with good mechanical strength. This is an unsual offering in such a low-cost instrument, with cheaper polycarbonate or even ABS plastic being the rule rather than the exception on models offered at this price point. The central hinge had enough tension to maintain my particular IPD but I would have liked it to be just a little bit stiffer(just like my wonderful Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42). I found handling the binocular to be unusually tricky, as the rubber eyes needed to attach the neckstrap protrude from the barrels a little too much, making it rather more awkward to get the binocular comfortably placed in my hands while observing.

The focus wheel is very large in relation to the overall size of the instrument. Indeed, I thought it was a little too large! Although I could get a good grip, rotating it showed that it was somewhat clunky and offered unusual resistance to movement. In contrast, the dioptre ring moved with silky smoothness, and you can actually see the right ocular field lens moving as you rotate it!

The eyecups are rather stiff but do extend upwards with two clickstops. With an eye relief of 15.6mm, eyeglass wearers will find it difficult to image the entire field. Fortunately for me though, this wasn’t a problem, as I don’t wear eye glasses while glassing. The cups are made from quality metal covered by a soft rubber-like material. They are very firm and hold their positions securely even when undue pressure is applied to them. Overall, a very nice touch!

The chassis is covered by a rather thin rubberised skin, which was somewhat thinner than I’ve seen on a variety of other binoculars I’ve sampled. As a result, it has slightly less friction while man handling, which can prove important, especially if used for prolonged periods in the field. It also means that it would wear down that little bit faster after extended use.

The Helios can be attached to a tripod or monopod for increased stability via the built-in bush located between the barrels, toward the front of the instrument.

Optical daylight testing: Scanning some autumn leaves in my back garden confirmed what I had witnessed in the torchlight test. The image was very bright and tack sharp with wonderful contrast and colour fidelity. There was nary a trace of chromatic aberration( which continues to affirm my belief that ED glass is unnecessary: -a marketing gimmick? – for such small, low power binoculars). However, this was only true in the central 50 per cent of the field. The outer part of the field became progressively softer with the edge being out of focus. Examining a telephone pole about 25 yards in the distance unveiled very strong field curvature as it was moved from the centre to the edge of the field of view.

I hit another snag when I attempted to image the Fintry hills about a mile in the distance. The focus wheel was racked to the end of its natural focus travel but I still could not quite reach a sharp focus. Adjusting the dioptre ring on the right barrel allowed me to just get there but the left barrel was still not sharply focused. After dark, I did a test on the bright star Vega, which unfortunately confirmed my daylight tests. Although I could achieve pinpoint sharp images in the right barrel, the left barrel showed that the star was badly bloated. Another test on the Moon showed the same thing. The right barrel gave a razor sharp image with exceptional contrast and no internal reflections or diffused light around it, but the image at the edge was badly out of focus.

The whole experience left me somewhat bewildered. Why expend so much effort into applying state-of-the art coatings into a binocular with nice mechanical features, only to see excessive field curvature in the outer part of the field? It just didn’t make sense! I mean, Helios could have made the field a little smaller(it has a true field of 7.8 degrees) with sharper edge definition and I would have been happy.  In reallity you see, I had been spoiled by the nearly flat fields presented by my Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42(and over a larger field to boot- 8.2 degrees), as well as those presented by my Zeiss Terra pocket and my other models with aspherical ocular lenses. Needless to say I was disappointed and decided to contact the staff at Tring the same evening, explaining my findings.

Next morning, they contacted me, apologising for the defective optic, as well as suggesting that I could have a replacement Helios LightWing, or try a Celestron Trailseeker 8 x 32, which apparently had very similar specifications to the former. Now, I had a bad experience with an 8 x 25 Celestron Nature DX(an entry-level roof prism binocular) which showed far too much glare and internal reflections for my liking. But I had a good look at the specifications on the Celestron Trailseeker models, which were recently discounted by 20 per cent and were now being offered at the same price as I had paid for the Helios LightWing. After some deliberation, I decided to accept their offer of trying the Trailseeker. And to their credit, Tring shipped out the binocular, together with a return label for the Helios, the same day, and I received it less than 24 hours later!

How about that for customer service!

With some trepidation, I opened the package and inspected its contents. First impressions looked good. I received the binocular, a much higher quality carry case, a binocular harness, tethered rubber objective caps and rain guard, a decent quality padded neck strap, a lens cleaning cloth and a comprehensive instruction manual dedicated to the Trailseeker  line of binoculars( in five languages).

The Trailseeker binocular specifications looked very similar to the Helios, which included the application of premium-quality phase and dielectric coatings, a 7.8 degree field (136m @1000m), Bak-4 prisms, o-ring sealed, dry nitrogen purged, making it fog proof and water proof(though to what extent was not revealed). And just like the Helios, the Trailseeker can be mounted on a tripod or monopod.

As with the Helios, the Trailseeker has very deeply recessed objectives (again about 10mm) but the anti-reflection coatings looked different in daylight;

Just like the Helios, the Celestron Trailseeker has a rugged magnesium alloy chassis but the focus wheel is significantly smaller. Weighing in at just 450g, it is 50g less bulky than the Helios. The Trailseeker build quality is excellent; rugged, much easier to handle than the Helios and overall having better ergonomics. The tough, rubberised covering has better grip than the Helios too, and small thumb indentations on the belly of the instrument makes it that little bit more comfortable to hold in the hand.

Well, you can guess what I did next; yep, I set up my iphone torch, turned it up to its brightest setting and placed it in the corner of my living room with the curtains pulled to cut off much of the daylight. With a good close focus of about 6.5 feet, eagerly I aimed the Trailseeker binocular at the light and examined the image.

Drum roll……………………………………….

An excellent result! Internal reflections were minimal, diffused glare was all but absent and diffraction spikes were very subdued. Comparing the Trailseeker to my Barr & Stroud Savannah 8x 42 control binocular showed that it was on par with it. What a relief! To be honest, I had some reservations about the Celestron, owing to my unfavourable experience with the cheaper Nature DX model, and so I half expected that they might skimp on this important process. But no, they did a very good job! So far, so very good!

I was also impressed with the mechanical attributes of the Trailseeker, which is difficult to ascertain vicariously without man handling it. Though quite conservative in design, the eyecups are of high quality(metal over rubber) but have a nice feel about them. They twist up much more easily than those on the Helios and have two settings. Like the Helios, the eye relief is pretty tight(15.6mm) for eye glass wearers but is plenty good enough for those who observe without glasses.They do not budge even when considerable force is applied to them. I would rate their quality as very high, so much so that I don’t think I will have much in the way of problems with them going forward.

The focus wheel has a ‘plasticky’ feel about it but unlike the Helios, infinity focus does not lie at the extreme end of the focus travel. This is actually useful for ‘focusing out’ some of the aberrations at the extreme edge of the field. Unlike other user reviews of the Trailseeker, the focus wheel on the unit I received was quite stiff to operate out of the box but this will surely loosen up with more use. Rotating the focuser both clockwise and anti-clockwise revealed little or no backlash or bumpy spots that you often encounter on cheaper binoculars. Some users balk at the idea of using a plastic focuser but I cannot for the life of me understand why it would make much difference. I mean, if it works, it works! What’s to give?

The dioptre ring is located under the right eyecup. It rotates smoothly with just the right amount of friction.

Optical daylight testing: As I’ve illustrated above, good mechanical design and great control of stray light don’t count for much if the images don’t deliver. So I was eager to see how the Celestron Trailseeker behaved when looking ’round the landscape. Accordingly, I examined the same autumn leaves in my back garden set a few tens of yards away. This time, the results were very much more encouraging! The leaves focused beautifully, throwing up excellent brightness, contrast and sharpness with a much wider sweet spot than in the Helios, which I estimated to be about 70 per cent of the field.  I could immediately tell that there was much less field curvature in this binocular than in the Helios, allowing me to sharpen up the edge of field definition with only minor tweaking of the focus. This much reduced field curvature was also apparent when I examined the same telephone poll I observed with the Helios. Instead of the strong off-axis distortions I encountered with that instrument, as the pole was moved from the centre to the periphery of the field, the Trailseeker proved much more forgiving.

What a relief!

Having said all of this, there was more off-axis field curvature in the Trailseeker than in my Barr & Stroud Savannah 8 x 42, which, in comparison, throws up a wider and flatter field nearly all the way to the edge. As I’ve said many times before, the Savannah is a phenomenal operator given its very modest price tag. Perhaps some of the drooling gayponauts reading this blog right now could get off their fat backsides and confirm it!

Nah, probably too much to ask!

Nightime testing:

After dark, the Trailseeker delivered excellent results on artificial street lights, just as my torchlight tests reliably anticipated. There was no annoying glare, internal reflections and the diffraction spikes were small and very subdued. Turning the instrument on a low Moon skirting the horizon showed wonderful sharpness on axis, with well above average contrast. And when I placed the Moon at the edge of the field, it remained quite sharp, though visibly softened by a small amount of field curvature. Needless to say, it was in a completely different league to the Helios in this regard!

Later in the night, with the Moon having set, I examined the appearance of the large and sprawling Alpha Persei Association located nearly overhead at the time. This provided an excellent test of how its many bright stellar members would behave from the centre of the binocular field to the field stop. To my relief, the stars remained acceptably small and sharp across the entire field, with the stars at the edge of the field requiring only a small tweak in focus to improve their definition. They did not balloon to stupidly large sizes like I observed in the Helios.

Turning the binocular on the Hyades in Taurus gave very pleasing results too. Contrast was excellent with its many colourful stellar components remaining acceptably small and crisp even at the edges of the field.

I considered these results to be very acceptable. This is one small binocular that can be used profitably for nightime observations!

A Walk in the Countryside with the Celestron Trailseeker 8 x 32

Although the Celestron Trailseeker 8 x 32 is a small, high-quality and lightweight instrument, it is not readily pocketable, unless you have a coat that has rather large and deep receptacles. Having tried a few 8 x 32 binoculars, I personally find them a little awkward to use in comparison to my two favourite pocket binoculars like my Opticron Aspheric LE and my Zeiss Terra(both of which are 8 x 25 formats) or a larger instrument such as my 8 x 42. I just find the 8 x 32 format a bit kludgy in my rather small hands. That said, the 8 x 32 seems to be a popular choice for birders and other nature enthusiasts, who tire of schlepping around a larger instrument for hours on end. In good light, there’s no real advantage in using a larger format binocular and so I tend to use my pocket binos most often. But if you are observing in low light conditions, such as a dull, overcast winter day, late in the evening or early in the morning, the 8 x 32 would definitely be a better choice. I have verified this wisdom by comparing the views through my  8 x 25 Terra and the 8 x 32 Trailseeker at dusk, where the brighter images served up by the latter are plainly in evidence. And because you have a relative abundance of good quality light to play with, you can see more details in the image. Shimples!

The consensus view is that larger binoculars are more comfortable to use since their larger ocular lenses make it easier to place your eyes in the correct position to see and immerse yourself in the field of view. I believe there is definitely some truth in this, but in the end it’s really about what you get used to. I personally have no trouble lining up my eyes with the smaller eye lenses on my pocket binos, so I never see this as being much of an issue.

All that having been said, the Trailseeker 8 x 32 is a very handy companion on my daily two-mile ramble ’round Culcreuch Castle Estate, which has some extensive wooded areas, a fast-flowing river, numerous small brooks, open fields which extend towards the surrounding hills and a small pond, where I enjoy watching the antics of a variety of water-loving avian species. The field of view is very generous at 7.8 degrees, which is quite large as most 8 x 32 binoculars go, though some models sport still larger fields in excess of 8( ~ >140m@1000m) angular degrees. The razor sharp optics on the Trailseeker has given me many wonderful views of golden autumn leaves glistening in weak November sunshine. I especially love to stand under a tree and glass the branches above me, focusing in on their wondrously complex contours. The low autumn Sun this time of year illumines the trunks of the trees in the wooded areas around the estate, highlighting the wonderful texture of the tree bark and the play of light upon the lichens and mosses that live symbiotically with it.

If time is not against me, sometimes I like to stop and focus in on a stretch of water flowing from the numerous small streams that feed into the Endrick, imaging the contours of rocks laden with fallen leaves and closing in on the foamy organic bubbles that swarm along the fast-flowing stretches. And when the Sun shines on the water, I can feast my eyes on the beautiful and intense reflections emanating from its surface. This is where glare control is paramount, as even a small amount of light leakage can ruin an otherwise compelling binocular scene.

Binoculars have come a very long way since their founding days. I find it amazing that one can acquire quality optics and durable mechanics like this at such keen prices. The Celestron Trailseeker 8 x 32 has been a very pleasant surprise, combining wonderful ergonomics with state-of-the-art optical science. I think a lot of people will enjoy it.  And now that its price has come down significantly, this is a good time to grab yourself a real bargain and enjoy the wonders of nature up close and deeply personal.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Neil English has fallen in love with what binoculars have revealed to him, and is seriously thinking of compiling a larger portfolio of  binocular experiences for a future book-length treatise on their various applications.

 

De Fideli.