Rob from United States, TX Public Profile

Been using these for about a year now. Can't imagine not having them. They might replace my 10x42's for general birding. I took them shore birding last week. Absolutely amazing at longer distances. I thought they would be at a disadvantage as a 7x, but were not. The sharpness and color resolution made up for any perceived loss of magnification, not to mention the vast Field of view.

They are also very compact and the ergonomics are delightful for their size and weight. I cant find anything wrong with this model. It is fairly unique in the busy world of 8x42 and 10x42 binoculars, and well worth adding to a collection. (Or as a single go-to binocular.) I suspect that Celestron is phasing out this series. If you have ever wondered about the merits of a 7x binocular, these are would be the perfect and affordable example.

For less than $300, you never know what you are getting in Binoculars. That is why I'm reviewing this model. I caught a special on it here in Optics Planet, it was a sub-$300 purchase.

Size/Description:

These Optika were evidently assembled in the Czech Republic. They are of medium/compact size in a nice sage-green color. It is almost the identical size of my Vortex Viper 10x42's. The single hinge is slightly smaller than the Vortex, so it is a bit handier to hold. The hinge is stiff, which is great because it holds the width setting well and doesn't stray. The eye cups have 4 settings, the highest setting is very firm and will not collapse on your face. Evidently, they unscrew off the binocular body for cleaning as well, but have not tried this yet. The focus wheel is "fast" meaning it covers a lot of distance with very little adjusting. It is firm with a very slight bit of play at any given position. The slight play is easily mastered to provide outstanding focus adjustments.

This pair is listed to weigh 1 ounce less than the Vortex Vipers. I can't prove otherwise, but to me they feel a tad heavier than the Viper. Perhaps it's due to the thinner rubber molding on the Optika. It is well textured and firm, but still grippy, and somewhat better than the newer Chinese-built Vortex. The Optika molding is about halfway between the lush Japanese Viper and the tight, slicker molding of the Chinese Viper. When I first opened the new Optika, the molding had a new odor, like a fre

I am a big fan and supporter of the Sightron SII Blue Sky 8x32 and 10x32 series.
I own both and they are remarkable for the money.
These new 10x42's turned out to have a very sharp picture.
Sharper than most 10x42's.

I do have some concerns that keeps me from giving them a 5 star rating.
The first concern is merely personal preference.
The easiest way to explain it, is to visualize a petite or compact item you may own
...perhaps a handy little pocket knife, or even a small sports car.
Now blow it up 60% and it loses something, …handiness, utility, perhaps ergonomics.
That's what I feel with these. It's not a fault, just a preference.
These are very large binoculars.
There are hundreds of very large binoculars to choose from.
I will admit they are quite light though.

My other concern is the focus wheel. It is a bit small.
In fact, it's the same focus wheel from the small 8x32 and 10x32 models.
It feels out of place on this large pair.

These are still a very reliable and worthy pair.
Binoculars are nothing if they are not sharp,
and these are sharp.

I could not resist trying these. Glad I did.

These actually are my 2nd pair of 7-power binoculars.
My first pair was the Sightmark Solitide ED 7x36, which I enjoy very much and have previously reviewed here on Optics planet.
Now, with the addition of the Granite 7x33, I think it might be helpful to contrast the two binoculars,
as they are both in the same class and similar in size and power.

Both pairs have an outstanding optics build for this price range.
They contain objective lens of ED glass, fully Multi coated lens and BAK-4 prisms with superior coatings.
They both exhibit positive characteristics of a true "HD" binocular.

Build and Ergonomics:

The Granites win here easily. The charcoal-grey rubber coating is super tight and attractive.
The Sightmark provided a thick, but perhaps, overly, thick black rubber.

The Granites have perfectly firm tension on the main focus wheel, center hinge and extendable eye cups.
The Sightmark were a bit loose in all these areas.

The granites were handier,...mainly because of the 33mm objective lens and thinner, but attractive rubber coating.
Both pair are about the same length, so at over 5 inches long, they don't quite fit into the "compact" category.
But, having said that, they are both somewhat smaller and lighter than the usual 8x42, and yet both offer vastly better
view than 99% of more "compact" type binoculars. But don't expect them to slip inside your jean pocket.

Eye Relief:

Oddly enough, Celestron always seem

I wanted these 10x50's for twilight performance.
I have to admit, they do rule the twilight.
But I am still disappointed in them.
I'll explain.

I own the original Vortex Viper HD 10x42 from Japan.
Let me describe the difference between those and this new 10x50 Viper.

First thing I noticed was no "HD" emblem on the front of the barrels like the original had.
The "HD" emblem is on the product box and the Optics Planet web site,
but strangely enough not on the actual binoculars barrels anymore.

There are also obvious, cost-cutting measures evident on the new pair.
The rubber texturing is thinner, less grippy.
The center focus knob less texture.
The eye cups stops are not as solid.

Of course, these are mostly just nits. I'll present the real issue.

The picture is not as sharp as I hoped. The colors are not as vivid as I expected.
I mean, do they bring things closer? … Yeah, 10 times closer.
Do they gather a heck of a lot of light? … Yeah, lots and lots.
Is the picture bright? … Yeah, it's very bright.
But
Not a good bright, not a detailed bright. Not with vivid colors.
Everything is there, bigger and brighter, but nothing stands out.
All the best optic lens and prism builds and coatings, but they still offer mediocre color definition.

I think Vortex went all out to produce the brightest picture they could. In this, they succeeded.
And this is maybe not wrong, considering the only reason to lug 10x50's around is for gathering additional light.
But it

I am raising my initial rating from 4 stars to 5 stars. Yeah the exterior hasn't become more deluxe, but I'm beginning to not care.
These are so fun to use,... they deserve top rating.
The optic build remains outstanding and they are the ultimate in being user friendly.
The eye relief, vivid color and remarkable depth of field make then a pleasure to use.

Also today, I was comparing them to a $500 pair of compact ED binoculars that were exhibiting chromatic aberration (color outlines at the edge of a viewed object). While the higher priced ED compact binoculars showed this mistake, the Sightmark 7x36's did not.

With the recent price drop, I am forced add them to my "less than $300" list of all time best binocular buys.

The greatest "less than $300" list >>

Sightron SII Sky Blue 8x32 ~ $200
Carson ED 8x32 or 10x42 ~ $280
SightMark Solitude XD 7x36 ~ $290

Right now, I'm using these Sightmark 7x36's more than my expensive pair. No regrets.

Yes, I am pleasantly surprised by these. I paid well under $300 using an Optics Planet coupon, and these furnish an absolute amazing view. I think part of the reason for this quality of picture is the new ED glass that Sightmark is using in the objective lens. Obviously this is complimented by great phase-coating of the prisms. But another part of it is the unique build of the 7x36 binoculars. Not only are they sharp and vivid, but they have a tremendous depth of field and a 9 degree field of view. This means that when I bring them to my face, I'm seeing a whole lot of planet earth, and most of it is already in focus. Pick out a section and fine focus, and "bamm".. simply amazing detail and contrast. It's down-right entertaining.

Alas, not all is perfect, ... here's few cosmetic things that I've noticed. The protective rubber coating is top-notch, except where it meets the lanyard loops. Here, the rubber laps over the open metal slot of the lanyard loop. You can wiggle the rubber with your finger-tip and it's not hard to imagine a metal clip wearing it away at some point. I would have preferred the metal loop exposed, with the rubber sealed at it's base.

Also, as with many open-bridge designs, the width adjustment tends to be less than firm. That is the case here, not enough looseness to cause issues, but it could use a bit of tightening.

Finally, the Diopter works great (base of right eye piece), but the reference mark on it is about the width of a fire ant leg. I'm not

I'm reviewing the 10x32 Meopta Meopro. The key here is "10x32". No one in their right mind should prefer a "10x32". Life with an 8x32, 8x42 or 10x42 is much easier. Also the 10x32 build is not the best pick for eye glass wearers, they seldom have enough eye relief. It just comes down to the laws of optics. All in all, most 10x32's are just plain scary.
These, however, are not.

Optics
The optics are outstanding. Very clear, bright and absolutely pin sharp. They rival the best of my 10x42's. These have the ED glass in the objective lens and all the latest/greatest prism and lens coatings. This all works together to produce an amazing picture.

Body
I like the size, color and built of this binocular. They are about 3/4" shorter and 3/4" thinner than the average 10x42 binocular. Probably about 4 ounces lighter as well. These are certainly not pocket binoculars, but still a very handy size. I like the sage green, because, despite what most optics manufacturers think, we don't all live in dark spruce forests.

Ergonomics
Very user friendly. Large eyecups that twist up. They lock at two reasonable settings. There is a bit of movement, but it's not been an issue. These large eyecups make the use of compact binoculars more enjoyable. (I own a pair of reverse porro prism in 8x26 and the eyecups are the size of bottle caps. So despite the great optics, they are a chore to use.) Not so in this case. Great big, full eyecups.

The focus wheel is large and easy to use. It is not firm e