You're so professional, your voice is so assuring and the way you explain things just makes it so so easy to understand and learn at any age... If I just had teachers like you when I was in school. Your review on these Vanquish binoculars still holds true today and the reasoning for getting this unit for what I was wanting them for also does. I now have the grandkids listening to your videos and when they explain something to their friends about binoculars they sound so intelligent ha ha . I now have three pairs of binoculars that I use for different scenarios without wasting hundreds of dollars on ones I would just throw in the closet never use. I would just say watch all your videos many as you can before you make a decision. One of my favorite videos you explain the pupils of your eyes and how they relate to the exit pupils on binoculars in different lighting. Thank you friend.
Hi, many thanks for the very kind words - It means a lot. Funny thing is I don't think I'd ever make a good teacher in the traditional sense as i don't have much patience, so I am glad to hear I'm ok on video :-)
Hi Jason, thanks for the well put together material about 10x26/32 pocket binoculars. I've been looking for a long time for a binocular, small but bright, portable, that won't get in the way in long hikes, but will give the kind of image I wanted - sharp, bright and pleasant to look at. I have 12x45 binoculars, good old production, but they are big and heavy. After reading your article I knew which brand and model to buy. It fell on the Vortex Vanquish 10x26. You hit the spot. Today I received it and tested it. I am mega satisfied, as for me it is the ideal nature-scouting binoculars. Once again a huge thank you. Great job, reliable and to the point. The comparator is a revelation!!! That's the point!!! Warm greetings, Marek
Thanks Jason, I feel so lucky finding BBR! I did a “binocular reviews” search because I am in the market for a quality pair. I recently had double cataract surgery and promised myself the treat of a quality instrument when the healing process was over. Great fun listening to your presentation of fact and opinions.
You are most welcome, glad my site is helpful and thanks for the kind words. Wishing you a speedy recovery - love to know what binocular you eventually settle on as a treat to yourself.
Hi, many thanks for the feedback and it is great to hear that I have been of some small assistance and thanks very much for the feedback, it is much appreciated.
I got a Bausch and Lomb 10X28s for the same purpose 20 years algo. They look similar, reverse porros, but the binoculars were mucho more expensive and heavy metal with rubber armor.
The Leupold BX-1 Rogue is essentially the same thing as the Vanquish and comes in at around the same price point ($100) but can often be found on sale for closer to $70 making it a good alternative. It comes in both 8x25 and 10x25
Jason, I purchased these vanquish for the same reason as you, holiday and business travel to Africa. I love the shape, grip and eye relief for 10x binoculars. My only reservation is that they are pretty good in sunny days for general purpose but , they lack colour vibrancy and a bit more contrast, the image seem a little washed out but at this price point they are definitely worth $100
Hi, Yes you are correct. there is no way even a high quality compact can compete with a quality full sized binocular, especially in less than Ideal light. But then again, in the right situations, having a compact with you (instead of nothing because you could not be bothered to carry a larger device about) is all you need and as you sat, for the price these and porro prism compacts like them are really are tough to beat. Having said that, if you can spend a little more, I do prefer the twin-hinge design roof prism compacts that fold up into a true pocket sized binocular. However you do need to spend more to ensure that the level of optics matches that of the porro prism: www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/compact-pocket-binoculars-07/
When I started searching for binoculars your channel kept coming… and it is one of the best… I love the vortex and I have also seen the Nikon Aculon 8-24X25 or even the Pentax Papillio II…it’s for overall use.. night too but mostly days….i had some real low budget before and wanna take a little step forward…what should I get? I’d love get your recommendations! Tks!
I was horrified to find out the current price tage of the Zeiss Victory 8x20 pocket binocular I bought years ago. Thus, for trekking I have purchased a Nikon Traiblazer pocket 8x25 for $79 US. This is a roof prism bino. How embarrassing! As far as I can tell, the optical and the build quality of the Nikon is just as good as the Zeiss.
Great video! I was looking for a pair of compacts that I could take hiking and use for casual observing. I think the 8x are a good choice for me, since my hikes involve open and forested terrain.
Hi, Glad it was helpful and yes, I would agree, for most general uses I would opt for an 8x over a 10x - you also get a better low light performance as well as a wider field of view
Great review as always and the website is fantastic! So I am thinking of getting these but wondered if there are more recent compacts your impressed with seeing as this review is nearly 2 years old or these are still a great purchase, I will be using them for mainly daylight use and beach holidays. Many thank,
Hi Chris, firstly thanks for the kind words - means a lot. At this price range (Under $100 /£/€ ), I still highly recommend these compacts. For some other compacts at different price ranges have you seen my awards for the Best Compact Binoculars www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/compact-binoculars/best-compact-binoculars-2021.php
Hi there, personally I would probably go for an 8x26 - just so that you get a better low light performance, that is unless you will be out in the open and viewing over longer distances more than say in forests and looking at birds at close range.
Your website is extremely helpful. I was looking for reasonably priced binoculars--I have never owned anything other than the cheap, non-branded types that aren't very good. Based on reading your website, I think I would go with the 8x power, because I just wanted to use them for hiking. How would you compare the Vanquish to the Diamondback HD 8x28 or 8x32? With sale prices, the price difference between them isn't very different, considering that the Vortex binoculars come with a warranty and would hopefully last many years. The Diamondback line is supposed to be higher in quality, which I do not doubt, but after I read your page on roof prism design being more expensive to produce compared to porro prism, it's hard to know whether the price difference between the two models is due to the prism design alone. Thanks in advance!
Hi Sarah, thanks for the question: You are right, at the lower price levels a porro prism binoculars are often the way to go, but with the Vortex Diamondback HD, you have risen to a level where the quality of the optics and the coatings used is of a high enough quality to counter the downsides of using a roof prism: the prisms on the Diamondback have both Phase Correction and the highest-rated Dielectric Coatings, which are likely to be the main reasons why they are more expensive than the Vanquish - if the prices are currently similar where you are buying them: www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/buy-binoculars.php?binocular=Vortex%20Diamondback%20HD&typeofproduct=Binoculars&id=brand , then If it was me and as good as the Vanquish is in its price range, I would certainly go with the Diamondback HDs - hope this helps.
Hi, If you are out in the open and generally looking at further distances in decent light then the 10x42 would be the best option. If you are more enclosed in the mountains, and or often have low light, then the 8x42. Also if the light is good, maybe consider an 8x32 or 10x32, which will be more lightweight and compact and easier to carry which I assume would be important to you? You can easily compare some here: www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/binowizard/comparetable/?type=size&value=Mid%20Size
Hi Julie, thanks for the question. Whilst I have not tested them I have heard good things about the Vortex Diamondback HD series, but yes, the 8x32 configuration is a good one for things like travel and hiking, so I am pretty sure they will be great 👍
Hey Jason, could you help me with something? I just bought these binoculars, but I'm wondering if there might be a mount/adapter to take some smartphone photos with them. Is there any budget mount that you would recommend? I've been charmed by your channel, thanks for making such good content!
Hi Juan. I can try - take a look at my page on accessories - you will find a section on Digibinning & Camera Adapters www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/binocular-accessories.php of those, the ones I like that I have used are the SnapZoom Universal Digiscoping Adapter and the Carson Universal Optics Adapter - hope this helps
@Best Binocular Reviews Been looking at the Vanquish 10x26 and the Crossfire HD 10x42, but i really don't know what to pick. I will primarily be using it for wildlife and birdwatching.
Hi Falken - The good news is all are better than nothing and there is no completely wrong choice! As for the size, your choice of 10x26 vs 10x32 vs 10x42 largely comes down to convenience versus image brightness (especially in low light) - So if you strongly value ease of carrying over low light performance and image brightness or if you only go out on bright sunny days then a 10x26 is the way to go. If however you want a binocular that better handles lower light conditions, and are fine with carrying a larger, heavier instrument, then the 10x42 is the way to go. The mid-sized 10x32 - is often a good balance between the tow. One point to mention here is unless you are viewing over longer distances. You can go for 8x instead which will improve low light performance even more in all size categories as well as widen the view, which for birding in forests etc can be important. For more, take a look at the following videos and guides: 8x42 vs 10x42 Binoculars www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/8x42-vs-10x42-binoculars-10/ this will explain what I mean about 8x vs 10x and also look at 8x32 vs 8x42 Binoculars www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/8x32-vs-8x42-binoculars-11/ which will go over the advantages the respective sizes have over each other.
@@Bestbinocularsreviews Thank you for the detailed answer. I now know that a x42 bino is going to be a bit too bulky for me, but I'm still not sure if I should go for 8 or 10 magnification. I don't own any binoculars yet so it's hard for me to get a visual representation of the differences.
@@Martin.W.F Personally I use my 8x binoculars more than a 10x as I just find them more versatile and forgiving. The difference in magnification or the detail that you see between 8x and 10x at a close, medium, and even fairly long distances are not much at all, yet an 8x offers a wider field of view and improved performance in poor light conditions, which becomes much more noticeable in mid-sized and compact binoculars where the objective lenses are quite small and thus collect less light than larger instruments.
@@Bestbinocularsreviews As I don't own a pair of binoculars yet I'll get the 8x for the versatility. You are by far the best and most in depth bino channel on RU-vid ! And thank you once again for your detailed explanations and advice 👍
I'm interested in getting my first pair of binoculars for general use. Would this be a good option for under 150$? If not what binoculars would you recommend for general use under 150$? Thanks
Hello Yehoshua - for general use, I usually recommend an 8x42 as being the best configuration as an all-rounder: At your budget, take a look at my guide to the Best Budget Binoculars of 2020 www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/best-budget-binoculars.php - there are a few 8x42 binoculars that I recommend and have fully reviewed on this page for you to look at. Hope this helps - please let me know if you need any further assistance or advice.
Yes I agree, just a pain that you have to do it and then return it to your desired setting every time you use them - I admit it is a very small thing, but nicer if you did not have to.
Hi, i bought 8x26 vanquish to be my hiking binos. What would you succest to be pair for it, if you go for fishing and hunting needing better low light performance?
Hi Matti - for better low light performance, you need good quality optics and coatings as well as t bigger lenses, but at the same time keep the magnification down to reasonable sizes. Some something like an 8x42, or if you don't mind going larger you could get a 50mm binocular, so something like an 8x50 or 10x50 is a popular choice. See my article and video on 10x42 vs 10x50 Binoculars that should help: www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/10x42-vs-10x50-binoculars-09/ - let me know if you need any further assistance
With an exit pupil of 5mm ( www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/exit-pupil-06/ ) and reasonably high quality optics, yes these would be pretty good in low light and certainly MUCH better than the 8x26 with its 3.25mm exit pupils, but as you know the downside for hiking is the fairly large 50mm lenses, so it just depends on you preferences.
Hi, yes, the IPD settings on these can go down very low - I would just make sure you get the lower 8x version if you decide on these. In my opinion, it is just a pity they don't make them with an even lower power for kids. Have you seen my page on Kids Binoculars www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/childrens-kids-binoculars.php - there are some more alternatives split down into age ranges that may also be of interest.
Hi Kyle, they are very well respected brand with binoculars made in Czech Republic in a factory that also makes OEM parts for many other well respected brands. So excellent quality, but not cheap :-)
Hi In terms of the characteristics a 7x50 setup generally offers excellent low light performance, have a wide field of view and very good image stability and are some of the main reasons it is often used on marine binoculars: www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/marine-binoculars.php and can also be a popular choice for wide-field stargazing: www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/7x50-binoculars-for-astronomy-04/ - I also like using them for birding/wildlife observation in thick forests where light is usually poor, especially if I get up early before sunrise or late into the evening - On the negative sides, the 50mm lenses are large and thus a 7x50 is not that compact and with 7x power you get less image detail at longer distances than a higher powered device.
We dont know difference between all these types of binoculars like hiking, hunting, bird watching, spotting. Make a detailed technical video on how basis and characteristics we can choose a binocular. We want a detailed video on it
