Reviews & Ratings for Barska WP Crossover 8x30mm Porro Prism Binocular, Waterproof, Fully Multi-Coated — 1 review — Page 1

I have been a birder for over thirty years, and my prime glass for most of that time was the Nikon 7 x 35 "E" series porroprism. I augmented that with a Zeiss Oberkochen 10x 50 Wide Angle. I am not afraid of weight, I like the three-dimensional view that porroprism design gives, and they handle well with my large hands and wide frame. In the last few years I acquired roof prisms also, 8x42 Nikon Monarchs, 7x36 ED Zen-Rays, and for my wife, Eagle Optics 8x30's. Those glasses, amazingly, improved her spotting abilities (naked and magnified) ten fold, as they "fit" her and taught her how to see. I can't express how important ergonomics is, in binocular choice.

I then bought the Leupold Yosemite 6x30, which are very nice backyard and warbler glasses ("keepers", my wife exclaimed), with their wide and deep field of view. Then I noticed the Barska Crossover 8x30's, which had similar specs to the Leupold's and looked like they came from the same factory.

Well, they are a fine little back-up or lender glass, though stiff in focusing, like the Leupold. Above 60 degrees F, they are pretty smooth. If Barska spent a little more on refinement, I think they could rival any other instrument five times their price.
Pros: Almost everything
Cons: stiff focusing