AllBinos.com

Cons: Disappointing focussing wheel – looks good in the pictures, but in reality, it is just shiny plastic. Given the quality of the optics, this is disappointing and detracts from what is essentially a high quality optic. IMO a metal/rubber wheel would have been more versatile (appealing to a broader audience e.g. hunters) lengthened product life expectancy, reinforced the feeling of quality, and done more to create a sense of brand loyalty and pride of ownership. Additionally, the staged adjustments on the eye-cups don\'t click positively into place. This again creates a plasticky feeling that doesn\'t inspire confidence and which detracts from the overall feeling of quality. For someone who doesn\'t wear glasses, or who had to fiddle a lot with the adjusters, I can\'t help but wonder how long they would last before suffering serious wear. Lastly, while very clear in the centre, there is noticeable CA around the periphery.

Pros: Optically very good – a pleasure to look through with good colour, clarity and brightness even in low light. Good control of chromatic aberration – at least in the centre (there is some noticeable CA around the edges of the field of view). Good flare control – doesn\'t seem too fazed by direct sunlight (unlike my Zeiss Terra ED\'s). Very good field of view. Good exit pupil – so relatively easy to line up on your face. Good eye relief – so easy to use with glasses. Good solid hand feel. Relatively lightweight and compact – a real boon if you intend to carry them all day (they fit quite snuggly in the map pocket of my Swazi rain jacket) Good body armour – feels good with good positive grip. Comfy eye-cups. Great strap – very comfy with good weight distribution.

Summary: Optically, the Kowa BD 8x42 XD Prominars are very good (IMO) and a pleasure to use... but ultimately a little disappointing re some of the finishing touches i.e. focus wheel and eye-cups. For just a few more dollars Kowa could have made a really exceptional optic that could have appealed to a very broad audience while inspiring real pride of ownership and brand loyalty. Still, if it’s the optics, compactness, eye relief and field of view that matter most to you, and you are on a budget, then buy with confidence.