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Wildlife Optics

The latest in wildlife viewing optics independently reviewed by the Ireland’s Wildlife team.

Hawke Sapphire ED 8×42 Binocular Review

Hawke Saphire ED Binocular in action

Pros: Excellent image quality rivalling many much more expensive options. Superb wide field of view. Ergonomic, well-balanced magnesium alloy body gives a quality feel while remaining light. Great all-around performer offering superb value. Cons: Biggest gripe is the rain guard… which has no bearing on the quality of the binocular, but….

ZEISS Victory SF 10×42 Binocular Review

ZEISS Victory SF Review

Calvin Jones puts Zeiss’s flagship Victory SF binocular through its paces and sees how this “Alpha” optic measures up to life in the field in West Cork.

Kite Caiman 8×42 Binocular Review

Kite Caiman Review

Pros: Solid entry-level binocular that’s comfortable and easy to use. Light, yet robust, this is an easy to handle binocular with good all-round ergonomics. Optically it delivers an impressively bright, sharp image across most of the wide field of view. Neutral colour balance, great contrast and minimal chromatic aberration. Cons: Slight….

Vanguard Endeavor EDIV 10×42 Binocular Review

Vanguard Endeavor EDIV

Pros: Great ergonomics, excellent build quality and superb optics combine to make this the best Vanguard binocular yet. Sharp detailed views across an expansive field of view. Vivid contrast and natural colours with no colour fringing. New SK15 prisms give noticeably brighter view than predecessor. Protective hydrophobic coatings shield lenses and make….

Hawke Endurance 50 12-36x Spotting Scope Review

Pros: Tiny but robust travel scope with great ergonomics that delivers plenty of optical bang for the buck. Super-portable the Endurance delivers a bright, clear, razor sharp image across a wide field of view at 12x, and remains sharp and detailed (though a little darker, as you’d expect with a 50mm….

Binocular Review: Eschenbach Trophy D 8×42 ED

eschenbach-trophy-d-8x42-ed-review

Pros: Bright, high contrast image with excellent detail and vivid colours. Wide field of view. High quality materials throughout give a robust, premium feel. Cons: Design makes for curious ergonomics. While It could be argued that the angular shaping of the rubber armour helps grip, it feels odd, and smacks more of….

Hawke Endurance ED 8×32 Binocular Review

Hawke Endurance ED 8x32 Binocular Review

Pros: Bright, high contrast views with natural looking colours and excellent fine detail even at lower light levels. Impressively lightweight, yet still feel extremely robust. Packed with high-end features at a price that represents exceptional value. Cons: None worth noting. Price: Listed in the Birdwatch Ireland Shop for €230, RRP on the Hawke UK website is GB£169.99 (c. €215)…..

Vanguard Endeavor HD 65A Spotting Scope Review

Putting the Vanguard Endeavor HD 65A Spotting Scope through its paces

Pros: As with its 82mm sibling we reviewed here, this is a smart, modern-looking scope. Very solid and extremely compact. Image is very bright and sharp from 15x to around 30x. Wide central sweet spot, with some softening towards the field edges. Dual focus controls make fine-focus quick and easy. Cons: This scope uses the same eyepiece as….

Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 Binocular Review

Hawke Endurance ED 8x42 Review

Pros: Crisp, detailed views at a price that’s hard to believe. Packed with premium features you normally only see on much more expensive binoculars. Lightweight and robust thanks to its magnesium alloy chassis. Cons: Not many… a little softening evident around the field edge, but not noticeable in normal use. Focus wheel has a bit more resistance….

Olivon T650 Spotting Scope Review

Olivon T650 spotting scope review

Pros: Crisp, high resolution views with good colour and contrast throughout most of the 16-48x zoom range. Excellent wide angle eyepiece delivers expansive viewing experience without “tunnel vision” common with budget scopes. Standard 1.25″ astronomy eyepiece mount means compatible with a vast range of third party eyepieces. Cons: Non-ED version reviewed does suffers slightly from some colour….

Vanguard Endeavor EDII 8×42 binocular review

Win a pair of top-quality Vanguard binoculars

Pros: Superb build quality, excellent balance and high quality materials give a premium feel. excellent optics deliver a pin sharp, high contrast image right to the edge of the field. View appears almost flat… with very little field curvature. Good close focus performance. Practically no colour fringing (chromatic aberration). Cons: Focus mechanism a little….

Endeavor EDII: Vanguard launches new flagship binocular

Using the Vanguard Endeavor EDII

Vanguard is bolstering its range of high-performance sports optics with a new flagship binocular model. The Vanguard Endeavor EDII is an upgrade to the Chinese manufacturer’s already impressive Endeavor ED. On the face of things the EDII looks very similar to its sibling, but utilises premium optical components that promise to deliver even better….