Kowa Genesis 8.5x44
In addition low dispersion XD glass was used in the objective lenses which task is to eliminate chromatic and spherical aberration. The set of binoculars, tested here, was waterproof and nitrogen-filled and its barrel was made of magnesium alloys padded with high quality rubber.
| Magnification | Lens diameter | Angular field of view | Prisms | Eye relief | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | 44 | 123/1000(7o) | BaK-4/roof | 18.3 mm | 950 g | 3717 PLN |
| Real front lens diameter |
Left: 44+/-
0.05 mm Right: 44.1+/- 0.05 mm |
8 / 8.0 pkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real magnification | 8.36+/- 0.15x | 3/3.0 | ||||
| Transmission | 94+/- 3% | 21.5/25.0 | ||||
| Chromatic aberration | Very low in the middle and at the edge. | 9/10.0 | ||||
| Astigmatism | A bit better than average. In this equipment class could have been lower. | 6/10.0 | ||||
| Distortion | The distance of the first curved line from the filed centre compared to the field of view radius: 57% +\- 5% | 6/10.0 | ||||
| Coma | Negligible and slight even at the very edge. | 9/10.0 | ||||
| Blurring at the edge of the FOV | The blur occurs in the distance of 85% +\- 3% from the field of view centre. | 7/10.0 | ||||
| Darkening at the edge the FOV | Visible but average. | 3.3/5.0 | ||||
| Whiteness of the image | Minimal cream. | 4.1/5.0 | ||||
| Collimation | Perfect. | 5/5.0 | ||||
| Internal reflections |
|
3.3/5.0 | ||||
| Housing | Solid and massive. Plastic twist up eyecups. No reservations. Comfortable to hold and to look through. Padded with good quality rubber. | 8/8.0 | ||||
| Focusing | Very convenient central screw, moves smoothly and precisely (530 degrees). Individual focusing on the right eyepiece is comfortable and stopped, it moves the inner lens. | 4.8/5.0 | ||||
| Tripod | No. | 0/3.0 | ||||
| Interpupilary distance | from 51.4 to 75.2mm | 5/6.0 | ||||
| Closest focusing distance | 1.60-m | 2/2.0 | ||||
| Eyepieces FOV | Apparent field of view of 58.8 deg (according to simple formula) and 54.4 deg (according to tangent formula). | 10/20.0 | ||||
| Field of view | Measured by us amounted to 7.03 +\- 0.03 degrees and it was in perfect accordance with specifications. A quite wide field of view for this equipment class. | 6/8.0 | ||||
| Quality of the interior of the barrels | Tubes are dark and matt, the bottom too. No glue. Minimal specks of dust on the prisms. | 4.5/5.0 | ||||
| Vignetting |
|
8/8.0 | ||||
| Prisms quality | High quality BaK-4. | 8/8.0 | ||||
| Antireflection coatings | Pink-orange on the objective lenses. Yellow-pink on the prisms. Yellow-pink-green-orange on the eyepieces. Low intensity. | 5/5.0 | ||||
| Warranty [years] | 2 | 2/6.0 | ||||
| Final result | 78.2% | 148.5 / 190 pkt | ||||
| Econo result | 0pkt. |
Summary
Pros:
- solid housing made of high quality materials,
- high transmission,
- quite wide field of view,
- high class prisms and coatings,
- relatively low distortion,
- excellent coma correction,
- perfect correction of chromatic aberration,
- sharp image already from 1.7 meters,
- good whiteness rendition,
- good blackening inside.
Cons:
- lack of a tripod exit,
- short guarantee period for this price segment.
The binoculars virtually without flaws. It didn’t have a weak or below-the-average result in any category. If only Kowa improved a bit the astigmatism correction, the light fall-off at the edge, and added a tripod exit, we would have a market hit which would be able to compete with the most cult brands’ products. Even now we deal with an exceptionally well made set of binoculars – it would be difficult not to recommend it. A standing ovation!
