Congratulations to Daire Cleary, who’s name was drawn at random earlier today as the winner in our latest competition. We’ll be getting Daire’s prize… a pair of excellent Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 binoculars. I was really impressed by the Hawkes when I reviewed them recently, and I’m sure that Daire will enjoy many fabulous up-close….

A good pair of binoculars is perhaps the single most important piece of wildlife equipment you’ll ever own. We were mightily impressed with Hawke’s latest offering, the Endurance ED 8×42, when we reviewed them recently. Now, thanks to the kind folks at Hawke in the UK, we’re giving you the chance….

Buying a good pair of binoculars is arguably the most important investment you’ll ever make when it comes to wildlife watching equipment. It’s not something you want to rush into, and you want to make sure you’re making the right choice for you. While there’s no such thing as the perfect….

Pros: Superb build quality, excellent balance and high quality materials give a premium feel. excellent optics deliver a pin sharp, high contrast image right to the edge of the field. View appears almost flat… with very little field curvature. Good close focus performance. Practically no colour fringing (chromatic aberration). Cons: Focus mechanism a little….

Pros: very compact design that feels solid and well made. Lightweight and easy to carry and transport. Quite bright for a compact, with good all-round image quality. Large focus wheel for a compact and good quality twist up eye cups make these very comfortable in use. They feel like a….

Pros: Superb optics in a very compact, striking and ergonomic body that’s a joy to hold and use… Minox demonstrates its optical pedigree with a bright, sharp, wide image that has great contrast and excellent colour. Cons: Individually focussing dioptres are far from ideal for wildlife. In fairness this is obvious before….

Pros: Excellent high-contrast  image with vibrant colours and good detail across the exceptionally wide field of view. Very bright optics that perform well across a range of challenging light conditions. Great build quality and finish for the price: feel very solid, without being overly heavy and excellent balance makes them comfortable….

Swarovski Optik — the renowned European premium sports optic manufacturer — has announced a re-vamp of its venerable SLC (Slim-Light-Compact) binocular range. The SLC line received a major upgrade to its 42mm models back in 2010 with the release of the SLC 42 HD. Available in both 10×42 and 8×42….

Keen birder and Ireland’s Wildlife contributor Colin Barton puts the Meopta MeoStar 8×32 through its paces, and is suitably impressed. Pros:  Great image quality — can rival the best optics on the market today. Very sharp and crisp, with great low light performance and a good wide field of view…..

I’ve just found out that Vanguard has slashed the price of its impressive ED binoculars, AND is offering a further £20 cash back between now and the end of July through UK retailers. The offer officially runs from 01 May to 31 July and the cash-back deal applies to all….

Pros: Stunning optics, high quality materials (including eco-friendly lead- and arsenic-free glass) and contemporary design combine to put this Japanese binocular up there with the best of the European competition. Bright, clear, razor sharp image practically to the edge of the field of view, coupled with excellent balance and handling makes….

Meopta MeoStar B1 10×42 HD: Short Review Pros: Outstanding image quality — superb sharpness, detail and brightness. Up there with the very best optics on the market today. Good wide field of view, excellent edge sharpness and great low light performance. Optically there’s absolutely nothing to criticise here. Body feels bulletproof…..