Binoculars are perhaps your most indispensable piece of wildlife watching equipment. The right pair of binoculars can enhance your enjoyment of and engagement with the natural world exponentially. But choosing binoculars for birding and wildlife watching can be a tricky proposition.At Ireland's Wildlife we get to try a wide range of binoculars from lots of different … [Read more...] about 12 Expert tips on choosing binoculars for birding and wildlife observation
optics
Kite Caiman 8×42 Binocular Review
Pros: Solid entry-level binocular that's comfortable and easy to use. Light, yet robust, this is an easy to handle binocular with good all-round ergonomics. Optically it delivers an impressively bright, sharp image across most of the wide field of view. Neutral colour balance, great contrast and minimal chromatic aberration.Cons: Slight "halo" effect on the periphery of the … [Read more...] about Kite Caiman 8×42 Binocular Review
Hawke Endurance 50 12-36x Spotting Scope Review
Pros: Tiny but robust travel scope with great ergonomics that delivers plenty of optical bang for the buck. Super-portable the Endurance delivers a bright, clear, razor sharp image across a wide field of view at 12x, and remains sharp and detailed (though a little darker, as you'd expect with a 50mm objective) right up to a the max zoom of a very useful 36x.Cons: While … [Read more...] about Hawke Endurance 50 12-36x Spotting Scope Review
Announcing the winner of our Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 binocular competition
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 8x42 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 wildlife experiences with his new … [Read more...] about Announcing the winner of our Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 binocular competition
Competition: win a pair of Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 binoculars
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 8x42, when we reviewed them recently.Now, thanks to the kind folks at Hawke in the UK, we're giving you the chance to win the very pair of 8x42 Hawke Endurance ED we reviewed.All you have to … [Read more...] about Competition: win a pair of Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 binoculars
Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 Binocular Review
Pros: Crisp, detailed views at a price that's hard to believe. Packed with premium features you normally only see on much more expensive binoculars. Lightweight and robust thanks to its magnesium alloy chassis.Cons: Not many... a little softening evident around the field edge, but not noticeable in normal use. Focus wheel has a bit more resistance than I was expecting, but … [Read more...] about Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 Binocular Review
Vanguard Endeavor HD 82A Spotting Scope Review
Pros: Sleek, modern-looking scope that feels solid and well made. Quite compact for an 82mm scope. Very bright, sharp image at 20x magnification that is very good up to about 40x, showing plenty of detail with good colour and contrast. Wide central sweet spot with marginal softening out towards the edge. Dual focus controls make fine-focus easy.Cons: Image degrades … [Read more...] about Vanguard Endeavor HD 82A Spotting Scope Review
Sneak peek at the Vanguard Endeavor 82mm HD Spotting Scope
We've just received the brand new 82mm Endeavor HD spotting scope from Vanguard Sporting Optics for review here at IWHQ.UPDATE: our Full Review of this spotting scope is now available here.While we're obviously going to spend a bit of time getting to know this new scope before posting our full review, I though some of you might want a sneak peek at what it has to offer, … [Read more...] about Sneak peek at the Vanguard Endeavor 82mm HD Spotting Scope
Hawke Frontier ED 8×43 Binocular Review
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 in use. Good close focus to 2m coupled … [Read more...] about Hawke Frontier ED 8×43 Binocular Review
Meopta MeoStar B1 8×32 Binocular Review
Keen birder and Ireland's Wildlife contributor Colin Barton puts the Meopta MeoStar 8x32 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. Binoculars feel very sturdy and well-built. 30 year warranty among the best … [Read more...] about Meopta MeoStar B1 8×32 Binocular Review
Vanguard slash price of ED binoculars
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 models in the Endeavor ED and Spirit ED line. However, there's a huge discount on the 10x42 and 8x42 … [Read more...] about Vanguard slash price of ED binoculars
Nikon EDG 8×42 Binocular Review
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 the EDG a superb binocular in the … [Read more...] about Nikon EDG 8×42 Binocular Review
Nikon Fieldscope ED50 Review
Pros: tiny size, lightweight, outstanding performance and image quality. Amazingly packable -- ideal travel scope or second scope for birding and wildlife watching situations where you need to keep down the bulk.Cons: pearlescent green perhaps not the most flattering of colours for a scope (go for black), low light performance not as good as full size scopes (but does … [Read more...] about Nikon Fieldscope ED50 Review
Vortex Razor HD 10×42 Binocular Review
Vortex Razor HD 10x42 Short ReviewPros: good looks, superb ergonomics and tough, lightweight design coupled with premium optics and coatings make for a very compelling package that rivals top tier European binoculars. Stunning image quality and excellent handling make the Razor an absolute joy to use. The vortex VIP lifetime, transferable no quibble warranty is simply … [Read more...] about Vortex Razor HD 10×42 Binocular Review
Meopta MeoStar B1 10×42 HD Binocular Review
Meopta MeoStar B1 10x42 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. Amazing padded strap has to be seen to be … [Read more...] about Meopta MeoStar B1 10×42 HD Binocular Review
Vanguard Spirit ED 8×36 Binocular Review
Vanguard Spirit ED 8x36: Short Review Pros: Very compact, lightweight yet robust construction. Excellent ergonomics. Impressive list of optical features for this price point. Bright, clear view with excellent sharpness and detail in the centre. Good general field of view. Good low light performance for a mid-size binocular in this price bracket.Cons: Softening of the image … [Read more...] about Vanguard Spirit ED 8×36 Binocular Review
Meopta Meostar S2 82 HD Spotting Scope
Meopta Meostar S2 Spotting Scope: Short Review Pros: Great looking scope. Robust magnesium alloy, rubber armoured body feels light and very tough. Wide field of view is exceptionally bright, sharp and detailed right to the edge of the field. Superb performance throughout the zoom range. Excellent ergonomics. Centre-ring focus dial quick, easy and accurate. Compact and easy to … [Read more...] about Meopta Meostar S2 82 HD Spotting Scope
Choosing Binoculars for Wildlife and Travel
Choosing the right optics can enhance your wildlife watching exponentially… but it can also be a tricky thing to get right. Here Jason Whitehead, who runs the excellent Best Binocular Reviews website gives us his top tips for picking the perfect binocular for wildlife and travel [IW]I travel quite a bit mostly because where I currently live in rural France is on a … [Read more...] about Choosing Binoculars for Wildlife and Travel
Vortex Viper HD 10×42 Binocular Review
Vortex Viper HD 10x42: Short Review Pros: Outstanding optical quality, superb bright image with excellent detail and very good edge sharpness. Compact and robust, great build quality, balance and handling. Bordering on an "Alpha" quality view, but only 1/3 the price of the big guns. Awesome close focus, great low light performance for a 10x. Lifetime, transferable, no fault … [Read more...] about Vortex Viper HD 10×42 Binocular Review
Ireland’s Wildlife Reviews to feature in Bird Watching Magazine
We're delighted to announce the next step in the evolution of Ireland's Wildlife's new Wildlife Gear Review section. We're partnering with Bird Watching, the UKs most popular bird and birding magazine, to bring Ireland's Wildlife Reviews to a whole new audience.Bird Watching will publish Ireland's Wildlife reviews of high quality binoculars, spotting scopes, clothing and … [Read more...] about Ireland’s Wildlife Reviews to feature in Bird Watching Magazine
Opticron Verano BGA HD 8×42 Binocular Review
Opticron Verano BGA HD Binocular: Short Review Pros: Excellent image quality from a mid range binocular that packs plenty of optical punch. Bright, sharp view with great detail even in low light and outstanding close focus. Low weight and good balance a bonus in the field.Cons: Design feels a little unrefined for a binocular that's far from cheap. Overall package is let … [Read more...] about Opticron Verano BGA HD 8×42 Binocular Review
Gear Review: Eden Quality 8×42 XP Binoculars
Eden Quality 8x42 XP Binoculars: Short Review Pros: Outstanding image quality for the price, the Eden is full of surprises. Robust, yet lightweight this is an exceptionally comfortable binocular to use and carry in the field for extended periods. Bright, clear, sharp image which packs in detail across a wide range of light conditions.Cons: Hard to fault the binocular … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Eden Quality 8×42 XP Binoculars
