Bausch & Lomb Elite, Leica Trinovid BN, Nikon Venturer LX, Swarovski EL, Swarovski SLC, Zeiss Classic, Zeiss Victory

By Martin Chy

One of the most common questions we’re asked is, “Which binocular is the best?”  This is a question that doesn’t really have an objective answer, and I’m not just saying that to avoid upsetting anyone’s feelings.  The market is competitive enough to weed out anything of inferior quality – it’s pretty tough to maintain sales on a $1000 binocular that lacks optical performance or structural integrity. 

That being said, it’s also impossible to design a single binocular that excels in every measurable category because most of the categories represent trade-offs.  So, for those of you looking for the “Holy Grail” of all binoculars, you can stop looking because it doesn’t exist.  That doesn’t mean you can’t find the perfect binocular to suit your personal needs, just identify what your requirements are, then compare the models that give you the ability to forget about the binocular and simply enjoy the view.

Weight

Travelling around the country and working with different people evaluating optics I’ve noticed a pattern.  Before a person even looks through a binocular, they pick it up and comment on the weight.  A binocular is either “light” or “heavy”.  You can see in the graph below how the high-end binoculars stack up.  To someone less familiar with optics, a difference of 5 to 10 ounces may not seem like much, but once you hit about 25 ounces you can really feel every additional ounce.  Take into consideration your comfort and use.  If you have neck or back problems, arthritis or pronounced tremor, then using a heavy binocular all day may leave you frustrated.  There are certainly harnesses that can help eliminate the weight from your neck, but the lighter the binocular, the more comfortable it is.  You can compare weights of high-end binoculars in the graph below.  If weight is a major concern to you, the Zeiss Victory and Classic binoculars are the lightest, followed by Swarovski’s EL and Bausch & Lomb’s Elite models.

Ergonomics

After weight, the next thing that people comment on is the binocular’s ergonomics.  How a binocular fits in your hand is a personal decision, so my advice and comments here are fairly subjective.  I’ve tried to include not only my own thoughts, but also comments from co-workers and customers over the years to make this section more helpful.

The winner in terms of ergonomics is clearly the Swarovski EL.  This binocular has a unique design that makes it feel even lighter than it really is.  The cut-away middle lets you wrap more of your hand around the binocular barrels for a more secure grip; it even works well with one hand.  When people ask me if the Swarovski EL is worth the additional dollars (it’s about half again the cost of the others in this review), I always come back to the ergonomics.  Putting this binocular in your hand is like slipping behind the wheel of a fine Italian sports car – everything just feels right.  Since I don’t drive a fine Italian sports car, I have to admit to being a “bang for the buck” kind of guy.  But I can certainly appreciate the quality and engineering that went into creating this unique binocular.  When people pick this binocular up, the most common thing they say is, “Wow!”

There is a close tie for second place in ergonomics between the Nikon Venturer LX and the Bausch & Lomb Elites. 

Nikon’s body shape fits the hand nicely and its large, rubberized focus knob turns easily.  The heavy weight of this binocular is to some degree countered by its design.  Once they are up to your eyes they balance well and most people have no problem holding them up for extended viewing.

The Bausch & Lomb Elites were the first binocular on the market to look as if they had been built around the hands of their user.  A flared upper region nests in the web of your hand and offset thumb grooves fit most hands perfectly.  When picked up, its not uncommon to hear the phrase, “like a glove”.

The Leica BN is the latest generation of Leica’s long-lived Trinovid line.  The overall shape and weight haven’t changed, but the exterior has improved from a plastic armor to a more tactile hard rubber.  It is a slight modification, but I’ve found it’s easier to grip without squeezing as tight (less hand fatigue over a long day) and less slippery in wet conditions.

Swarovski’s SLC binoculars have a familiar rubber grip and well-defined thumb grooves.  While they aren’t a cutting edge ergonomic design, they are comfortable and easy to use.

The Zeiss Victory has the lightest and slimmest body construction.  When you get them in your hands it is surprising how much lighter they feel than the others in this review.  While many people are excited by the design, some find the placement of the strap connections awkward (the palm of my hand wants to go right over them).

The Zeiss Classic 10x40 is a body design that has been around for decades.  While it doesn’t have thumb grooves or flared barrels, the fit and feel in your hand is well balanced and comfortable.  There is a reason that this binocular reigned for decades as the binocular.

Field of View

The field of view is a measure of the area you can see when looking through a binocular.  A wider field of view makes it easier to find what you are looking for and to keep it in sight when it starts to move (not uncommon in birds and wildlife!).  Generally speaking, as you increase magnification the field of view will decrease.  If you have a difficult time finding what you want to look at, then a 7x or 8x will probably be easier for you to use.  10x magnification will give you better detail, but it is more difficult to follow fast movers like warblers and dragonflies.

The graph below lets you compare the field of view across brands, models and magnifications.
 

Eye Relief

Eye relief is the distance a binocular projects the image back from the eyepiece towards your eye.  If you wear eyeglasses or sunglasses, this measurement could make the difference on whether you see the entire field of view or not.  Insufficient eye relief leads to narrower than ideal fields of view, and is commonly described as, “like looking through a paper towel tube”.  The average eyeglass wearer needs about 15mm of eye relief.  To judge your own needs, assess your glasses.  If they have thicker lenses or sit farther from your eyes then you will need to have longer eye relief to see everything you’re supposed to.

The graph below shows eye relief for the models in this review.  If you are an eyeglass wearer, then this is a critical feature.  Determine whether your glasses will work with standard (15mm) eye relief or if you need more based on the design and shape of your frames and lenses. 

Close Focus

The measure of close focus tells you the minimum distance you can focus your binoculars.  This is most important to people interested in butterflies and birds.  There is no negative trade-off (when comparing internal-focus roof prism binoculars) to close focus ability so it is becoming more common for binoculars to focus down to 10 feet or less.  The graph below displays the close focus distance of all the binoculars in this review.  If you are an avid butterfly watcher (or even just beginning) then a binocular that focuses under 10 feet is a must.
Please note that all close focus distances are relative measurements.  Everybody’s eyes are a little bit different and each person will be able to focus the exact same binocular to a slightly different point.  Don’t be surprised if you are able to get your binoculars focused a little closer or farther than these numbers indicate.  The relative differences between models should remain constant however.

Any of the binoculars listed in this review would be considered incredibly durable.  All of them are fully waterproof and warranteed against any water damage.  All are internal-focus roof prism binoculars, which allows them to take a great deal of shock without any problems.  They all have hard twist-and-lock, or, pop-down eyecups to combat wear from eyeglass use (with the exception of the Zeiss Classic 10x40, which has traditional rubber eyecups).  In my experience at Eagle Optics, any of these companies will stand behind their products.  This support combined with the initial level of quality ensures that any of these binoculars is truly a lifetime investment.

Optics

I’ve saved this section for last since it is the most difficult to discuss objectively and also the area where these binoculars have the most in common.  The optics in these 13 binoculars are all of superior quality and performance.  All are phase-corrected and fully multi-coated with top-grade optical glass polished to perfection. 

Everyone’s eyes are a little different on what they pick up and how they interpret images.  If you put these 13 binoculars into the hands of 100 optic experts, you would get a confusing set of “best” choices. 

Testing them side-by-side on resolution and color charts, I found that all performed well resolving small detail or print.  I was unable to separate them based on resolution at all. 

When comparing brightness, contrast and color there are some differences.  In my experience, contrast and color fidelity have traditionally had an inverse relationship.  To my eyes, the Zeiss Victory, Zeiss Classic and Swarovski SLC all have excellent contrast (great for patterns on distant hawks, waterfowl or wildlife) but fall slightly short in color fidelity (colors appear a little “warmer” in tone).  In the Bausch & Lomb Elite and Leica Trinovid BN the color is excellent but at a small cost to contrast.  The Nikon Venturer LX and Swarovski EL appear very color correct and also seem to maintain superior contrast.

In all of these cases, the amount of difference is a matter of hair-splitting.  I work with these binoculars everyday and have had the chance to use them in the field on many occasions -- I don’t have a clear-cut favorite based on optics alone. 

Conclusion

The key to making a wise decision is matching up the binocular as a whole (greater than the sum of its features, to wax a little holistic) with the needs of the user.  By taking into consideration weight, ergonomics, field of veiw, eye relief, close focus, durability, optics and cost, you can narrow down the choices to a few models that would suit your needs best.  Once you get it narrowed down, talk to other people familiar with optics to try and discover ways to separate that bunch even further. 

We are proud that the staff at Eagle Optics has great familiarity with the products we carry.  You can call us anytime to discuss your individual requirements and concerns.  Since choosing the right binocular is so personal, we have an easy 30 day return period so you can get them in your hands for final evaluation without any risk.