Fraser optics bylite review - Fraser Optics Stedi-Eye 14x40 Bylite Gyro Stabilized Binocular

I thought I would post a review of my Fraser Bylite image stabilized binoculars in case anyone is considering buying a pair. I purchased these from Optics Planet during an incredible sale that was hard to pass up for use on my boat.

These are drop-shipped directly from Fraser but they did take a little while to arrive, I think about two weeks which I considered somewhat slow. Optics Planet was in touch with me during this time so I will definitely speak highly of their customer service. They come well packaged and include a neck strap, a cleaning kit, a pouch which is actually pretty durable and a couple of batteries. Regarding the binoculars themselves, the first thing I noticed is that they are light! I had a pair of Fraser MK-Xs and these are considerably lighter, I think these are also lighter that the Fujinon Technostabis I owned. This is a nice feature if you are planning to hold them to your face throughout the day while on your boat. They are also very well built; everything seems well constructed and built to withstand the test of time. These binoculars are supposed to be able to handle being dropped and continue working. They are also sealed with epoxy and completely waterproof. I dont have any plans to test this but given that anything can happen on a boat, its nice to know they can handle some abuse. I was also very impressed with the optics of these binoculars, the image is clean and crisp and at 14x magnification you are able to see details that would otherwise be missed. Its very easy to adjust the settings and arrive at an image that is clear. I was very happy with how everything is laid out and with the ergonomics of the binoculars. The pan speed of these binoculars is great and the image doesnt lag nearly as bad as it did with my Fujinon Technostabis. Ive not yet tested the Bylite's out on my boat yet but I found with the Technostabis that it was really hard on my eyes to look through them for very long. From what Ive read, this is not an issue when looking through the Fraser binoculars. If this proves to be true they may be worth the increased cost for that feature alone.

Regarding the image stabilization, it works great. It definitely removes the instability from your hands as you hold the binoculars. Images that are difficult to see become very clear as all of the vibration is removed from the image. While holding the binoculars I rocked my body back and forth and the image is still clear enough to discern what it is. I will say that when moderately rocking myself forward and backwards, similar to the motion you might expect while on a boat in two to three foot seas, the image does move, it is not rock steady. Compared with my Fraser MK-Xs the image of the Bylite is more stable, compared with my Fujinon 14X40 Technostabis I would say the image of the Bylite is slightly more stable. Given that the Fujinons run $1000 and the Bylites are $4000, I would have expected the Bylites to have an image that is a little bit more stable, like I said, the Fujinon 14X40 provides an image that is almost as stable as the Bylites. Most guys state that when you move to a true gyro the image is incredibly improved, I dont think I would agree with that, I will say it is improved, but the difference is not as substantial as most guys make it sound. I have not gotten my hands on a pair of Fujinon Stabiscopes so I cant compare the Bylite to the Stabiscope as of yet, but I hope to make that comparison in the near future. From what Ive heard the Stabiscope at 12X magnification has a more stable image than the Fraser binoculars. To some degree that is expected as less magnification would be less sensitive to instability in the image. However, most the guys Ive talked to (and I asked around a lot before making this purchase) also say that in every other category the Frasers are better than the Fujinons. That is to say that the Frasers are more durable, lighter, have a better warranty, cost much less to repair, use less battery life, have more magnification and cost less.

One other consideration, I recently learned that Fraser no longer services some of their older binoculars such as their MK-X binoculars. While this may not pertain to the Bylites, I did find this disconcerting as it makes me wonder how long Fraser will provide support for their current binoculars. When spending over $4000 I would hope they will support the product for many years to come. I contacted Fraser about my concern but did not even receive a response which is really disappointing.

All in all I am really happy with my purchase. The binoculars are high quality and overall very impressive. Hope this review helps someone.

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.