The Biblical End Times are laden with deception, with the plight of the Jews at the very centre of this spiritual war. While disgraceful antisemitic news outlets like the BBC, CNN and other legacy media organisations continue to peddle lies and misinformation about the Jews, Zionism and the so called ‘Palestinians,’ distinguished journalist and author, Melanie Phillips, sets the record straight by providing the essential facts to equip the Jewish people and the general public alike with valuable knowledge and skills to combat the narrative of hate we see on our streets and in the media. Learn how to confront pig ignorant firebrands such as Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Alex Jones and Megyn Kelly, who have shamelessly gaslit their dwindling audiences with gross perversions of the truth concerning the Jews and Zionism, the likes of which we have not witnessed since the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. This essential Handbook will equip you with the rhetorical skills and historical facts to quickly and effectively deal with mass brainwashing from across the political spectrum, and fanatical Islamists hell bent on destroying the Jews and their incalculable contributions to western civilisation.
Having tested the Zeiss Terra ED in all formats from 42mm down to 25mm, tune in soon to discover why I still consider the 8 x25 to be one of the best bangs for buck in ultra-portable optics……
A wicked, impoverishing and soul destroying ideology that deserves to be tossed into the waste basket of destructive human ideas.
An absolute must read for young adults, liberals and progressives, ignorantly peddling socialist ideas on social media, academia, and in government. Valente unpacks the many intractable problems with socialist regimes and provides very powerful arguments by means of many case studies from the former Soviet Union, China, Cambodia, Venezuela, North Korea and Cuba, which clearly illustrates its moral and economic failings, both to the individual and to society as a whole.
In the past I’ve reviewed many Nikon binoculars, but in this blog I’ll be showcasing two remarkable bridge cameras that combine the best features of spotting scopes, image stabilisation and photography in one neat package. Enter the Nikon Coolpix P950 and its bigger brother, the P1100, which offer huge potential to birders and outdoor enthusiasts without breaking the bank.
The Nikon P950 and P1100 are cut from the same cloth. With a focal length range of 24-2000mm and 24-3000mm respectively, they offer image stabilised magnifications of 40x and 60x(corresponding to 83x and 125x optical zoom), which enables you get super close to your targets in ways that far exceed the capabilities of imaging binoculars like the Swarovski AX Visio and Svbony SA208. And unlike the new line of image stabilised spotting scopes now being marketed by companies like Kite and Swarovski, they can capture excellent handheld images that can greatly enhance your days out. In a nutshell then, these Nikon super zoom cameras leave all of the above in the dust. Birds that appear as mere specks in an imagining binocular are seen close up in all their glory in these amazing cameras!
Outwardly, they’re very similar to their predecessors, the P900 and P1000 but include a number of improvements over these first generation models: primarily differing in connectivity (USB-C & Bluetooth 5.2 vs. Micro-USB & Bluetooth 4.1), some new scene modes (like Fireworks), improved ergonomics (new focus selector/control ring), and slightly enhanced image stabilization (5 stops vs. 4 stops), while keeping the same zoom lens and core sensor, with the main driver for the update being EU regulations for USB-C charging ports.
Both cameras have small, 1/2.3 inch sensors, similar in fact to those found in smart phones: a mixed blessing for sure. On the one hand it enables Nikon to pack such large focal length ranges into a portable package(they weigh 1.0 and 1.4 kilos). If a DSLR sized sensor were employed in these cameras, the lenses would be prohibitively long, heavy and unwieldy, not to mention expensive! On the downside, the small sensors don’t perform well in dim light.
Both the Nikon P950 and P1100 feature a 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor producing images both in RAW and Fine JPEG format. In addition, both cameras feature a number of distinct modes for birding, lunar imaging, fireworks imaging as well as the full gamut of traditional modes including Manual(M), Aperture Priority (A), Shutter Priority (S) and Scene(or Landscape)
Though both cameras are mirrorless, they both have an excellent electronic view finder and high resolution viewing screen that enables the user to see every last detail of your subjects.
The Zoom Nikkor lenses in both the P950 and P1100 have up to 17 elements in 12 groups, including one Super ED and five ED elements. The reader will note the multiple ED elements used in these cameras. I remember a few rank amateurs on the forums openly sceptical about adopting more than one ED element in binocular and telescope optics. All I’ll say to those folk is take a look at the optical specs on these superzoom cameras to see the folly of your scepticism
You Idiot.
The net result of having such a complex optical design is that you get images that are beautifully sharp and contrasty, with virtually no colour fringing. As a keen birder, I do most of my photography in Bird Mode, where the camera selects the best features suited to imaging birds in a variety of lighting conditions. More advanced options can be employed, including manually focusing and choosing Shutter Priority if you wish to capture birds in flight.
The cameras are capable of taking excellent wide-angle landscape photos at the 24mm setting at f/2.8. As the zoom is extended to longer focal lengths the f ratio increases to a maximum of f/8 on the P1100 and f/6.5 on the P950, necessitating good light to get the best images. The following are a selection of images taken with both the P950 and P1100 at various focal lengths. Bear in mind that all these images were shot in Fine JPEG format with little processing, and that only low resolution images could be posted on this blog. That said, I hope the reader will get a good sense of the potential these bridge cameras offer. Except for the star constellation photo shown below, all of the images were shot handheld, that is, without using a tripod or monopod.
Mute Swan Cygnet: 2000mm@f/6.5
Robin: 2400mm@f/7
Pink-footed Geese: 3000mm@f/8
Grey Heron: 3000mm@f/8
Common Merganser: 3000mm@f/8
BlueTit: 2000mm@ F/6.5
Nuthatch 1500mm@ f/6.8
Wren 2000mm @f/6.5
Buzzard: 3000mm@f/8
Cormorant: 3000mm@f/8
Jackdaws: 2000mm@f/6.5
MistleThrush: 2000mm@f/6.5
Fieldfare & Redwing?~150 metres: 3000mm@f/8
Blackbird: 1000mm@f/5.6
Tufted Duck: 2800mm@f/8
White Light Solar Disk: 2000mmf/6.5
First Quarter Moon: 1800mm f/6.2
Aircraft flying through the Stratosphere: 3000mm@f/8
As well as being very capable as landscape photography cameras, both the P950 and P1100 can also be used to take great Macro images, owing to its enormous native focal length
lengthas seen at the tripod-mounted exposures of the night sky up to 30 seconds long at various ISO settings. I find ISO 400-800 to give the best results.
I have taken both cameras along on walks with me, sometimes without binoculars. I find zooming in to 400mm and 500mm to accurately mimic the binocular view at 8x and 10x, respectively. The viewfinder offers up views that are bright enough to see pretty much all the detail I can get with binoculars. However, should you wish to have the best of both worlds, you can certainly take along a small binocular with you. The little Leica Ultravid HD Plus 8×32 is just about doable, but smaller instruments like a Leica Ultravid 8 x20, Swarovski CL Curio 7 x 21, Zeiss Victory Pocket 8 x 25 or maybe a Terra ED 8 x 25 might even be better options in this regard owing to their lower weight.
Any niggles? Yes a few: the autofocus can often play up if you’re target is surrounded by other high contrast objects, such as focusing on a small bird in a bush. It can also be quite sluggish getting locked on to your target with optimal sharpness. That’s why I use the continuous AF mode to capture a burst of images to increase my chances of getting the perfect shot. As explained earlier, it performs poorly in low light conditions or when trying to shoot a bird perched high in a tree against a bright sky background – just like binoculars in fact.
My biggest gripe however, lies with the accompanying software, which can be downloaded free from the APP store. Called Nikon SnapBridge, it sure as hell sucks! One minute it works fine and the next minute it fails to pair up with the camera, necessitating a great deal of tomfoolery before getting it working again. I’m not the first to point this out either: plenty of other folk have had issues with it. Neither camera is weather sealed, so you have to be careful protecting them from the elements. You can however make them fog proof by storing them in an airtight Tupperware container filled with silica gel desiccant. If there is a chance of rain I will usually bring an ordinary plastic bag with me to cover the camera body.
Finally, while the supplied Lithium ion battery has decent longevity, I always carry a fresh backup battery, just in case I suddenly run out of juice. Typically, I can get three one-hour sessions out of a single charge but in cold weather maybe just two.
Versatile Performers:
Man and his technology!
I hope you’ll agree that these super zoom bridge cameras from Nikon capture some excellent images- not National Geographic quality for sure – but more than good enough to share on social media. I believe that they have become a big hit with birders and other wild life enthusiasts around the world. If portability is of prime concern then the lighter Nikon Coolpix P950 should meet your requirements, but if you want to maximise that zoom potential then I’d recommend the P1100.
Why do the [a]nations rage And the peoples meditate on a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against Yahweh and against His [b]Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”
4He who [c]sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord mocks them. 5 Then He speaks to them in His anger And terrifies them in His fury, saying, 6 “But as for Me, I have [d]installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
7“I will surely tell of the [e]decree of Yahweh: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will surely give the [f]nations as Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth as Your possession. 9 You shall [g]break them with a [h]rod of iron, You shall shatter them like a potter’s vessel.’”
10 So now, O kings, show insight; Take warning, O [i]judges of the earth. 11 Serve Yahweh with fear And rejoice with trembling. 12 [j]Kiss the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, For His [k]wrath may [l]soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
Psalm 2: Legacy Standard Bible
In this blog, I’ll be reviewing the Legacy Standard Bible(LSB), published by the Lockman Foundation.
Price: $409 without filters, $505 with 2” filter set
In previous reviews, I showcased two amazing new high-performance binoculars from SkyRover: the 8 x 42 and the larger 10 x 50. These featured class-leading optical designs with ED glass, flat fields and ultra-wide angle eyepieces( 9.1 & 7.5 degrees, respectively) that left their European competitors in the starting blocks. Since their launch in 2023, the Banner Cloud series has gone from strength to strength, delivering world-class performance at prices hitherto unheard of. Customers voted with their wallets, and despite desperate attempts from ignorant trolls who condemned Sky Rover having never looked through one of their instruments, they are currently enjoying great success, bolstered by many dozens of happy user testimonies.
But SkyRover did not rest on their laurels, reaching out and listening to their client base, when they committed to bringing to market two new models in the 32mm aperture class: the 6 x 32 sporting a true field exceeding 12 degrees, and just recently, a 7.5 x 32 model boasting a field of view of 10.4 angular degrees! Of course, there have been designs like these before but never offering the same level of image quality at the edges of the field and at bargain prices. The new SkyRovers are changing all that. In this review, I’ll be showcasing the long-awaited 7.5 x 32 SkyRover Banner Cloud(SRBC), which I believe could be their best binocular yet, for daytime viewing at least! To see why, read on.
A Beautifully Presented Binocular
The SRBC 7.5 x 32 arrived in a beautiful presentation box. Many of the key features of the binocular are printed on the side, as is the new 3-year warranty.
The padded case is very well made with an eye catching red SR logo on the front. The padded neoprene neck strap is an ideal match for the weight of this binocular too. The rain guard fits over the eyecups firmly as do the objective lens covers.
The 7.5 x 32 has shorter barrels than the 42mm series making it a bit more compact. It’s still a hefty glass though, tipping the scales at 822g without the rain guard and objective lens covers attached. This makes it significantly heavier than most other 32mm binoculars – a necessity to get that class-leading field of view.
The large central focus wheel is buttery smooth to turn with absolutely no free play. I reported that the focus wheel on the 8 x 42 SRBC stiffened significantly at the end of its travel but this is not the case on the new 7.5 x 32. 1.4 turns clockwise brings you from closest focus to a little bit beyond infinity. Intriguingly, the earlier models from the series focused counter clockwise!
The dioptre compensation under the right eyepiece turns with just enough inertia to stay in place once adjusted. Indeed, I have never had any issues with this on any SRBC binocular I have had the pleasure of using.
The eye cups offer five positions in total. They click into place firmly and hold their position well. They can also be unscrewed from the binocular to get at dust and other debris picked up during extensive field use. Eye relief is very generous for the bespectacled among us. I was able to see the field stops when the cups were fully retracted while wearing my progressive glasses.
The objective lenses have multilayer antireflection coatings that ensure very high light transmission. They are well baffled against stray light and protected from whatever the weather throws at you.
The 7.5 x 32 feels great in the hands. My fingers can wrap around the large barrels to comfortably access the focus wheel. Indeed, it balances that little bit better than the 8 x 42, guaranteeing a more secure hold in field use.
Another neat feature of both the 6x and 7.5 x 32mm SRBCs is their ability to accept 2 inch filters for deep sky sweeping, which are affixed via two supplied screw-on adaptors. We’ll take a closer look at this provision later in the review.
Optics
My first test was to see how the binocular behaved when pointed at an intensely bright light source. Just like all the others in the Banner Cloud series, the 7.5 x 32 yield excellent results, with no significant internal reflections with a rather subdued diffraction spike. Checking for light leaks round the eye pupils yielded excellent results with round entrance pupils surrounded by lots of darkness: a good omen indeed in predicting how well the instrument would behave against the light.
The view can summed up in a few words: wonderfully sharp from edge to edge, exceptionally immersive, with hard, round field stops, lovely contrast, accurate colours and almost no chromatic aberration save for the merest trace in the last 10-15 percent of the field. Depth of field is also very good indeed. Pincushion distortion is extremely mild especially given the exceptional size of the field. Resistance to general and veiling glare is also well above average. In short, a world-class image with a huge wow factor owing to that enormous field of view.
Notes from the Field
In order to get the most immersive field of view with the least amount of glare, I never extend the eyecups out to their fullest extent but rather bring them down two clicks as you can see in the photo below. The left eyecup is positioned correctly for my eyes compared with the fully extened cup seen on the right:
This 7.5 x SRBC is by far the most comfortable and immersive 32mm binocular I have personally experienced. The larger exit pupil over a regular 8 x 32 certainly helps here but there is also the improved depth of focus moving from 8x to 7.5x, as well as that enormous, ultra-flat field of view. The sheer size of the field is hard to relate in numbers, but compared with say the Zeiss Victory SF 8 x 32, which hitherto presented the widest field of view in a 32mm roof prism format, the 7.5 x 32 SRBC presents a portal nearly 40 per cent larger by way of comparison!
Like the other SRBC models I’ve field tested, there is a generous amount of post infinity focusing in the 7.5 x 32, which is good news for those of us who have severe myopia. Close focus was measured to be slightly less than 2m: great for watching close up objects like insects, flowers and rocks in ‘macro’ mode.
A Comparison with a Known ‘Alpha Class’ 32mm Format Binocular
The lust of the eyes and the pride of life…..
To give the reader some idea of the quality of the view through the 7.5 x 32, I compared it with a Leica Ultravid HD Plus 8 x 32. The latter needs no introduction of course: it is widely regarded as one of the very best compact binoculars ever made. It is also the smallest of the current genre of 32mm binoculars. With a field of view of 7.7 degrees though, the view is noticeably restricted compared with the SRBC which brings a field nearly twice the size to your eyes. Central sharpness is excellent in both but that sharpness extends all the way to the edge of the SRBC field. In contrast, the little Leica glass shows a touch of peripheral softness in the outermost 10 per cent of the field. Colour tone is a little different too, with the Leica glass serving up ‘warmer,’ more saturated colours than the more neutral tones of the SRBC. What really surprised me however, was the level of lateral chromatic aberration in both binoculars. I fully expected the SRBC to show more pronounced fringing owing to its much larger field but that was not the case. Examining a variety of high contrast targets under harsh lighting conditions, it was the Leica that showed more pronounced fringing near the field stops! Pincushion distortion was much more evident in the Leica too!
The importance of a wider field of view was brought home to me one early afternoon in December while carrying both instruments with me on a two mile trek around my local estate. On one heavily overcast occasion, I was glassing some denuded tree branches with the 7.5 x 32 SRBC, when I noticed a Great Spotted Woodpecker perched on a branch in the upper left-hand corner of my field of view. I made a mental note on where the binocular was centred and then reached for the Leica glass, centring the field of view on that same spot. The Woodpecker was no where to be seen, as it was outside the field of view of the Leica glass!
Lessoned learned: with smaller fields of view you’ll be missing stuff.
Impression has a power all of its own.
The hydrophobic coatings on both the Leica and the SRBC outer lenses worked equally well in my field tests. Both instruments quickly dispersed condensation breathed on the eyepieces on cold, damp winter days. Performance against the light was very comparable in both binoculars, that is, excellent!
Now a word on the ergonomics of both binoculars. While the Ultravid HD Plus has a very nice focuser, the focus wheel on the SRBC is even smoother and easier to move. The Leica also has a locking dioptre built into the focus wheel, which is excellent, but hardly a necessity. The traditional dioptre compensation ring located under the right eyepiece is perfectly adequate to the task. It holds its position very well indeed.
A final note on the weight difference of the binoculars: the Leica weighs in at a mere 536g compared with the significantly bulkier 822g SRBC. As I’ve noted before, the extra weight allows me to hold the SRBC a little bit more stably owing to its greater inertia. This becomes important while glassing under windy conditions, when the majority of users would notice the difference. The greater weight of the SRBC generates a more stably held image. In summation, only if portability is the primary concern, would I choose the Leica over the Sky Rover.
Sweeping the Heavens
While a 32mm aperture binocular would not be my ideal choice for deep sky viewing, having an ultra-flat 10.4 degree field is not to be sniffed at. I chose the 7.5 x 32 over the 6x model since it goes that little bit deeper and has a larger image scale. My experiences of the 7.5 x 32 on the night sky were very favourable. The Moon is razor sharp against a dark sky hinterland. Placing the full Moon in the centre of the field gives the impression that the magnification is lower – an illusion caused by the magnanimity of its field of view. After all, the 7.5 x 32 can get 20 full Moons into its field! Again I could only detect some minor fringing when the Moon was placed quite a bit off axis but to speak of such fringing is academic at best.
I did do one check to estimate the field size of the 7.5 x 32. Albireo in Cygnus and the Coathanger asterism in Vulpecula are separated by about 10 degrees of sky and I was indeed able to see both in the same field of view. This was not achieved using the 8 x 42 SRBC with its 9.1 degree field.
Showpieces of the winter night sky were beautifully presented: the Hyades & Pleiades in Taurus, the Sword Handle and Belt stars in Orion could be seen in the same field of view with plenty of room to spare. Kemble’s Cascade, the Alpha Persei Cluster and the famous Double Cluster were also nice to observe. I did notice a modest drop in illumination of stars as they approached the field stops though. I didn’t do much observing with the UHC filters however. I observe from fairly dark rural skies so there would be little need to use them. Under my conditions they did show a modest enhancement of nebular objects such as M42 in Orion but at the expense of attenuating star brightness a bit.
Conclusions
Test driving the new 7.5 x 32 has been a real thrill. For a modest price of just a few hundred dollars you’re getting super nice optics that is sure to wow you from the first time you bring it up to your eyes. I consider the Sky Rover Banner Cloud series to be quite revolutionary, pushing the envelope on optical quality and setting new records in wide field viewing. Christmas has certainly come early!!
Dr Neil English runs the full gamut of binocular genres in his book, Choosing & Using Binoculars, A Guide for Stargazers, Birders and OutdoorEnthusiasts
But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should announce any “good news” to you other than what we have proclaimed to you, let that person be cursed.
Galatians 1:8
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14
Islam is rapidly gaining influence in the West, yet its origins cannot be firmly rooted in history. In this brand new biography, the distinguished Islamic scholar, Dr Robert Spencer, outlines the mythology behind its founder, Muhammad, casting a critical eye on the alleged prophet’s ‘morality,’ as well as asking the question about whether he actually existed.
Accessories: Hard case, neck strap, instruction manial and lens cleaning cloth
Price(UK:£150
Over the last year, I’ve been testing out various large aperture binoculars with a goal to selecting the most powerful instrument I could profitably use either with or without a monopod. That led me to investigate various formats: 15 and 18 x 50 Canon IS binoculars, an Oberwerk ED Ultra 15 x 56, various 15 x 70 models from Celestron and Helios, as well as a quick brush with the Opticron Oregon 20 x 80. These experiences were both enjoyable and rewarding, as I was able to compare and contrast their performance under a dark night sky.
After conducting this study, I reached a startling conclusion: the instrument that ticked all the boxes was the budget priced Opticron Oregon 20 x 80, producing the best deep sky views of all the models tested. So, I ordered up another 20 x 80 unit to conduct more tests and concluded that I had made the right choice. What follows is a more detailed review of my ‘second light’ experiences with this binocular.
A Tried & Trusted Design
The second, new Opticron Oregon 20 x 80 arrived in great shape. Collimation was excellent and the focus wheel worked smoothly and precisely. Ditto for the right eye dioptre compensation ring: which moved with just the right amount of traction as well as holding its position well.
Like I reported with an earlier unit, I noted a small restriction in aperture owing to the small Porro I prisms utilised in the design which reduced its aperture to 75mm. To my mind, this was a perfectly acceptable compromise given its modest price tag. And losing 5mm proved to be no big deal in the scheme of things.
Testing the binocular out on some bright street lights after dark, I was delighted to see little in the way of internal reflections. The same was true when I turned it on a bright October full Moon.
Mounting it on a heavy-duty Oberwerk 2000 monopod, day time views were very impressive: very sharp, nice contrast, vivid colours, with very modest amounts of chromatic aberration. But in truth, what I really looked forward to is giving this beast a good test drive under a dark country sky where it delivered in spades!
Testing on a variety of my favourite deep sky objects including M31, the Pleiades, the Belt Stars and Sword Handle of Orion, M35, M33, Kemble’s Cascade, The Alpha Persei Cluster and nearby Double Cluster, Albireo, the circumpolar galaxies M81 & M82, and the Coathanger asterism, I was immediately struck by the brightness boost of the large 80mm objectives. The central bulge and spiral arms of M31 stood out much better than any of the smaller instruments. The young, blue and white hot stars of the Pleiades sparkled much more prominently compared with the view delivered by both a 15 x 70 or a Canon IS 18 x 50, which appeared much more lacklustre in contrast. M35 was much better resolved in the 20 x 80 than any of the other binoculars I turned on it. Albireo was much more impressively resolved in the large, Opticron Oregon owing to its greater resolution and magnification. The three prominent Belt Stars of Orion could just fit inside the 3.2 degree field of the 20 x 80, with several dozen fainter stars(Collinder 70) peppering their hinterland. M42 in the Sword Handle presented prominently with a greenish hue: a colouring the smaller instruments failed to show.
The Double Cluster was stunning in the 20 x 80 showing fainter stars and more vivivid colours than any of the other instruments I had used.
Sure, the Opticron Oregon 20 x 80 doesn’t have a flat field like the Oberwerk ED Ultra 15 x 56 or the Canon 18 x 50, but its small field delivers acceptable results even at the field stops- much better, for example, than the Celestron Astromaster binoculars. Do you really need ED glass for such deep sky work? I would say no! It makes very little difference in my opinion. Even a bright first quarter Moon shows an acceptable level of fringing at the limbs, is quickly forgotten when the level of crater detail immediately stuns the eye.
In a nutshell then, aperture wins!
Neil English is authorof Choosing & Using Binoculars
In this updated and expanded edition of climate scientist Steven Koonin’s groundbreaking book, go behind the headlines to discover the latest eye-opening data about climate change―with unbiased facts and realistic steps for the future. “Greenland’s ice loss is accelerating.” “Extreme temperatures are causing more fatalities.” “Rapid ‘climate action’ is essential to avoid a future climate disaster.” You’ve heard all this presented as fact. But according to science, all of these statements are profoundly misleading. With the new edition of Unsettled, Steven Koonin draws on decades of experience―including as a top science advisor to the Obama administration―to clear away the fog and explain what science really says (and doesn’t say). With a new introduction, this edition now features reflections on an additional three years of eye-opening data, alternatives to unrealistic “net zero” solutions, global energy inequalities, and the energy crisis arising from the war in Ukraine. When it comes to climate change, the media, politicians, and other prominent voices have declared that “the science is settled.” In reality, the climate is changing, but the why and how aren’t as clear as you’ve probably been led to believe. Koonin takes readers behind the headlines, dispels popular myths, and unveils little-known truths: Despite rising greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures decreased from 1940 to 1970 Models currently used to predict the future do not accurately describe the climate of the past, and modelers themselves strongly doubt their regional predictions There is no compelling evidence that hurricanes are becoming more frequent―or that predictions of rapid sea level rise have any validity Unsettled is a reality check buoyed by hope, offering the truth about climate science―what we know, what we don’t, and what it all means for our future.
About the Author
Dr. Steven E. Koonin is a leader in science policy in the United States. He served as Undersecretary for Science in the US Department of Energy under President Obama, where he was the lead author of the Department’s Strategic Plan and the inaugural Quadrennial Technology Review (2011). With more than 200 peer-reviewed papers in the fields of physics and astrophysics, scientific computation, energy technology and policy, and climate science, Dr. Koonin was a professor of theoretical physics at Caltech, also serving as Caltech’s Vice President and Provost for almost a decade. He is currently a University Professor at New York University, with appointments in the Stern School of Business, the Tandon School of Engineering, and the Department of Physics. Dr. Koonin’s memberships include US National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the JASON group of scientists who solve technical problems for the US government. Since 2014, he has been a trustee of the Institute for Defense Analyses and chaired the National Academies’ Divisional Committee for Engineering and Physical Sciences from 2014-2019.
He is currently an independent governor of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and has served in similar roles for the Los Alamos, Sandia, Brookhaven, and Argonne National Laboratories.
Over the last several years, I’ve been delighted to showcase some very impressive binoculars marketed by Svbony. Their SV 202ED and SA205 ED series offer great bang for buck to the modern consumer, empowering more people than ever before to enjoy the great outdoors. Likewise, Svbony’s extensive range of spotting scopes has delighted thousands of individuals with their high quality optics at prices that won’t break the bank.
But Svbony has not rested on its laurels, continuing to develop new, cutting-edge technologies that enrich the outdoor experience. In this review, I’ll be showcasing a new imaging binocular: the 8 x 42 SA208 ED boasting a 6 Megapixel imaging sensor capable of capturing photographs and video footage.
Ergonomics
As usual, the SA208 arrived very well packed with a tastefully designed presentation box. The binocular was housed inside an excellent padded case with a zip lock that provides great protection of the optics and delicate electronics of the SA208 binocular.
The instrument is quite bulky, tipping the scales at a shade over 900g. That’s good news as it’s light enough for the majority of users to transport over extended distances.
The magnesium alloy chassis is encased in a textured, grey coloured rubber substrate offering exceptional grip.
The central focuser is excellent: it rotates smoothly with a nice amount of inertia and no free play that I could detect. Just over one full turn anticlockwise takes you from closest focus to beyond infinity.
The metal eyecups are covered in soft rubber and are of the twist-up variety. Four positions are available from fully extended to fully retracted. They are very firm, holding their position very well in field use.
The underside of the binocular houses the delicate electronics necessitating the extra bulk. Thankfully this does not unduly affect the handling of the SA208 as you can rest your thumbs on the underside while accessing the focus wheel with your index and ring fingers
The binocular has a LCD screen on the top of the instrument displaying important information including battery power status as well as Wifi connectivity.
The imaging sensor is mounted inside the ocular train of the right barrel. You can see it in the photo below, where it appears as a dark central spot. This reduces contrast in the right barrel owing to the central obstruction but you quickly become accustomed to it.
Because the SA208 imaging binocular does not have in-built stabilisation, capturing sharp hand-held shots is somewhat of a challenge, necessitating a steady hand. Placing it on a tripod alleviates this problem though. Svbony supply a good quality mounting bracket that screws into the front of the binocular bridge but I resorted to mounting it using velcro, as shown below:
Optics:
I shone a bright light from across my living room into the binocular to see how it would handle it. The image from the left barrel was clean and tidy with little or no internal reflections, with only a moderate diffraction spike. The view through right barrel produced a weird rainbow of colours, no doubt due to CMOS sensor placed in the optical train at the eyepiece end. This was an acceptable artefact given the nature of this binocular.
Optically the SA208 is very good; sharp, high-contrast images, excellent colour correction and accurate colours. There is very mild pincushion distortion in the outer field of view and edge sharpness is quite good. All in all, using the SA208 as a regular binocular presents no problems whatsoever.
Imaging Capabilities: To engage with the imaging system the user must download the free Viipulse App to use on your smartphone. The SA208 is turned on using the large button on the far end of the bridge. Two beeps inform the user that the binocular is ready to connect to your smartphone. Once your phone is connected, the Vjipulse App is opened which enables you to connect to the camera. Using the central focus wheel, you focus on a target in the middle distance (about 100m is ideal). You can fine focus the image by increasing the magnification from 1x all the way to 10x. The images captured however are at 1x i.e. the binocular magnification of 8x. Once the sharpest image is obtained on your smartphone, you individually adjust both the left and right eyepieces individually by rotating a metal ring under each eyepiece while leaving the central focus wheel fixed. Now you’re ready to image using the main focus wheel to adjust sharpness.
To avoid image shake, the SA208 can be set up as far as 10m away from your smartphone where you can use the latter to activate the imaging camera on the binocular. It’s easy and quick to use, maintaining a good connection over many minutes. Indeed the Viipulse App allows up to 3 smartphones to simultaneously view the images captured by the SA208 binocular!
Here’s a screenshot of the Viipulse App opened on my smartphone:
Here’s my first light image of a tree located about 40m in the distance:
The actual file size for this image was 2.5MB. Only a low resolution(150kB) image is posted here.
To get some images of birds at my garden birdfeeder. I set up the SA208 a few metres from the feeder and activated the Viipulse App from the comfort of my living room. It worked brilliantly!
Should you so wish, and in order to reduce vibrations, one can also choose to take images while at the binocular too, by enabling a 3-second delay before the shutter is opened.
The SA208 can also capture video footage in 1440p format. Battery life is good. I was able to shoot photos and capture video footage over several hours of field use before it required a recharging.
Here are a few more images zoomed in a little more:
In summary, the Svbony SA208 8 x 42 imaging binocular combines very good optics with novel imaging capabilities. Placed on a tripod, it delivers crisp photos and video footage that will appeal to many nature enthusiasts. For the money I think it offers excellent value for money.
Dr Neil English reviews hundreds of binocular models in every price category in his book, Choosing & Using Binocars
