Binoculars are the most sought-after instrument for many different outdoor activities: from hunting to star gazing. However, choosing the right binocular is often very hard since there are lots of options making the job tougher. Generally, compact binoculars won’t do much of a job for professional bird watchers or hunters. An 8x42 binocular is a step up from compact binoculars whilst delivering much better optical power with greater zoom range and wider field of vision. If you are looking for a binocular that is relatively light in weight yet offering some awesome features dive into the world of 8x42 binoculars. They surely won’t disappoint you.
Recommended Product: The Only 8x42 Binocular You Need
Eschenbach is a German optical instrument manufacturer, and they are the world leaders in optical precision injection molding and offers ranges of sports optics all over the world. They emphasize more on the quality of the optics and, thus, offer premium products with high-end features. However, their Sketor range of binoculars is geared for general people who don’t want to spend some extra bucks for a decent binocular yet expect some premium features. Indeed, Sketor D 8x42 comes at an attractive price and offers some features that are only found in expensive binoculars only.
This product is designed for bird watchers, hunters, as it’s lightweight and compact weighing only 21.1 oz. The built quality of this product is amazing in a single word, thanks to the magnesium housing with anti-slip rubber coating. In fact, Eschenbach follows traditional values like skill, experience, and vision. You will get a magnification level of 8x and an objective diameter of 42mm, still maintaining the wide field of vision. These fully functioning binoculars, inexpensive considering the features, are fully multicoated. Generally, fully multicoated optics minimize light loss and produce brighter images with a greater level of clarity. So, you don’t have to worry about tough weather and the instruments are suitable for any kind of weather. No worry for the campers!
However, you need to remember that this product is not top-of-the-line products for professional avid birders and hunters. Instead, this binocular is often advertised by the company as “Roof prism binoculars at an attractive price”. As a rule of thumb, you need at least 14mm of eye relief to enjoy the entire field of view while wearing glasses. But this product comes with only 12mm eye relief. So, it might be a problem for you if you have eyeglasses. At the same time, the absence of ED glasses will definitely reduce the color fidelity to a great extent. But, this is an affordable binocular after all. You may notice deterioration in the image quality as you magnify higher, but this quite normal for any binocular, even the high-priced ones. Lastly, if you don’t want to look for an ideal binocular spending countless hour, go for it. Sketor D 8x42 is very reasonably priced and comes in with great features. In the box, you will get a protective case, carrying strap and lens cap.
Pros:
- 42mm objective lens
- 8 magnification
- Fully multicoated optics
- Roof prism design
- Affordable
- Compact design
Cons:
- Eye relief is only 12mm
- Plastic focusing knob
- Limited one-year warranty
A Definitive Buying Guide for 8x42 Binoculars:
An 8x42 binocular works great for bird watching, woodland hunting, and even for observing nature. If close range observation is your primary target, such as in your backyards or in woodland areas, then an 8x42 binocular is the best optical instrument that you can have. For viewing the objects relatively at closer range, 8x magnification provides a wider field of view while preserving the full action in front of you. In fact, this magnification works well for sporting events too. That’s why 8x42 binoculars are so popular in the market for multiple arrays of users. Here are some important features that you want to take a look before making a well-educated buying decision.
Field of View: The size of the area that you can take a look at a glance, 1000 yards from where you stand is simply termed as a field of view. The measurement is generally given in linear feet viewed from 1000 yards, or in degrees of field. A standard binocular’s field of view ranges from 250 to 600 feet, or approximately 5 to 11 degrees. Usually, a wide field of view is great to find and identify objects like a bird. However, a binocular with higher magnification will have a narrower field of view.
Magnification Power: Magnification is indicated by the first of two numbers that a standard binocular is labeled with. Magnification power of a binocular means how much time closer the target object will appear to you. Any magnification from 8x-10x works best. However, for a magnification higher than 10x, your hand movement will be amplified, making the steady viewing more difficult.
Objective Lens Size: The amount of light captured is heavily dependent on the aperture size. Objective lens size or aperture size is the later number of the two-number code of a binocular. The standard binoculars range from 20 to 60 millimeters. Remember that a large aperture is great for capturing more light and more suitable for the low-light condition. However, as your aperture size increases, the weight of the binocular will also increase.
Antireflection Coating and Optical Quality: To decrease the light reflection and prevent distortion, manufacturers often use a special type of coatings for lenses and prisms. They are often advertised as being coated, multicoated, fully coated, fully multicoated, the latter offering the best optical performance by ensuring exceptional brightness and clarity. In addition to this, the high-performance binoculars may contain features like ED (extra-low dispersion) glass. The color fidelity and resolution will surpass those of standard glasses, and they are often part of expensive fine optics. However, always remember that if you don’t want compromise with the optical quality, then you have to be ready to spend some extra bucks for your binoculars.
Weighing In: A standard binocular can weigh anywhere between less than ½ pounds to 5 pounds or more. The aperture size will be the cardinal weight-determining factor while the field of view, prism style, or construction can also affect heaviness. Generally, backpackers look for compact and ultra-portable binoculars that can easily fit into a pack or pocket. However, bird watchers, who often take only day hikes, often need a larger aperture and more magnification and can afford some heavier models. In fact, the weight issue is very much dependent on your prime use.
Why 8x42 Binoculars?
An 8x42 binocular is regarded as one of the most popular binoculars in the market. Undoubtedly, this is the best general-purpose binoculars for our daily use. Indeed, the 8x magnification is a step up from 6/7 and works great for bird watchers and hunters. There are some certain other reasons for which 8x42 is more popular than other binoculars.
- More steadiness to the image compared to the higher magnifications like 10x.
- Wider field of view to catch all the action live.
- More eye relief ensures comfort for everyone, including eyeglass wearers.
Additional Products to Consider: In addition to the aforementioned recommended product, here are some amazing binoculars with cool features that you can certainly take a look into.
Nikon 7576 MONARCH 5: Compact, lightweight, and powerful. This brilliant 8x42 binocular comes with Nikon’s premium ED glass that ensures sharper, clearer, and phase corrected images. The fully multicoated eco glass provides crisp images with true color rendition. The construction is state-of-the-art, weighing only 21.5 ounces. With this binocular, you will get some user-friendly features like turn-and-slide rubber eyecups, flip down lens caps, and smooth central focus knob. Rugged construction provides absolute water and fog proofing, making the binocular ready for use regardless of weather condition. However, this is a mid-range binocular after all. So, at a time the images may look dull in comparison with some above the line counterparts, but you have to remember the price as well.
Athlon Optics Midas: What sets apart this binocular is its amazing optical stats, especially the massive field of view. The angle of view is 8.1 degree which translates to 426 feet wide field of view when measured at a distance of 1000 yards away. With Athlon Optics Midas on your hand, you can say goodbye to chromatic aberration, thanks to the ED glass. Moreover, the ESP dielectric coating reflects more than 99% of the light to give you a clear and bright image. Also, bag some other standard features like fully multicoated glass, argon purged waterproof and fog proof construction, phase corrected prisms. It’s really hard to find downsides of this binocular being one of the best value binoculars currently in the market. For near range hunting, bird watching, wildlife observation, this is an ideal binocular.
Nikon Prostaff 7S 8x42 ATB: This sleek looking Nikon Prostaff 7S is a compact binocular that is great for almost any outing, thanks to the phase corrected fully multicoated optics. The images of this great value 8x42 binocular are crisp and sharp. Considering the price, the clarity and optical quality of this product are praiseworthy. Another great thing about this product is it comes with three additional accessories: Nikon LensPen cleaning system, FogKlear dry anti-fog cleaning cloth, and Spudz Microfiber cleaning cloth. Well, don’t expect the stupendous level of optical clarity with this binocular since it’s a budget-friendly option.
Final Thoughts:
An 8x42 binocular can be your best companion for your every outing. These binoculars offer you great featured and high-end optical performance without having to compromise the compactness. Easy to carry and pack inside while still giving you an ultimate edge for your job. Since 8x42 is the most popular model of binoculars in the market, there is an enormous number of options for you. However, the listed binoculars are heavily tested and reliable for any use at any time. In fact, these binoculars can add a new dimension to your vivid experience in the field.