Nikon 7237 Action 7x35 EX Extreme All-Terrain Binocular

These binoculars are all about quality in the largest field of view. If you want to see a wide expanse of nature or the heavens downrange from your position, these are the way to go. I got them specifically to frame smaller constellations and asterisms, the detail of which can be further examined with a scope. They help tremendously to put the object in the scope into context. Ordinarily, observing half a degree of field tends to abstract objects almost entirely from their surrounding. Since it's not practical to really "zoom" in using a single optical instrument, using these in combination with something of higher power is ideal. Don't get me wrong, I do have a zoom on the scope... it zooms from 25x to 50x -- amazing but you have to understand that this is a field of view of 2.4 to 1.5 degrees -- essentially like looking through a pipe to a drinkstraw. These Nikons however, show over 9 degrees field of view -- something which is unsurpassed in the highest-end binocular out there.There are compromises necessitated by the optical principles used to make these function. They do not have a very flat field of view, meaning objects in the center of the field (circle) can be focused, but objects nearer the edge of the field are out of focus. This is because the focused field is curved not flat. This problem is also evident in most 10x50's for example. It's less of a problem in good quality 8x42's like Nikon's Monarch for example, and obviously the high end Swarovski, Leica, Zeiss etc. This problem matters more when you have a narrow field and highly magnified image where the subject tends to fill the field of view. It matters less when the subject is focused in the center of the field and the background surrounding it is slightly out of focus.Still, even if you pay the biggest bucks for bright, flat, and sharp images from the top of the line binoculars, you'll still only see about 8 degrees true field of view, whereas these give you over 9 degrees. Furthermore, they give an apparent field of view of over 59 degrees, rivaling the top-of-the-line binoculars.If you're looking for a handy, all-purpose binocular, the roof-prism 8x42's are proven to be far more popular for a number of good reasons (more compact, more magnification while not yet needing a tripod or IS like 10x does, more competition and choices etc.) But if you're looking for the best field of view with high quality optics, this is it, and fortunately it comes at a very reasonable cost. I don't know what other 7x35's are out there, but I can tell you this is far better than Celestron or Bushnell.

These Nikon binocs are neither compact nor ultra-lightweight. What they are is useful. A 7x35 glass offers the user enough magnification for wildlife observation and sports and enough light-gathering ability for casual astronomy. This pair has a rather beefy housing covered in durable, slightly sticky-feeling rubber. Focus is smooth (it's getting cold here in Wisconsin, so I allow for stiffnes caused by the lower outside temperature). There is slight color fringing, but that is to be expected at this price. Lines are sharp all the way to the edge of the image. With the eyecups turned all the way down, there is just enough eye relief for eyeglass wearers to see the entire image. Summing up, this is the pair you should keep in the car for those times when you say, "If only I had binoculars handy".

I needed some all purpose 7 x 35 binoculars for my Hawaii vacation. I took them everywhere from hikes to boat tours to watching whales, sea turtles, wild goats, ducks and sea birds in flight, etc. Previously, I only had a mediocre set of Bushnell binoculars that I thought were pretty good. I was going to buy the lightweight compact Olympus 8 x 21 binoculars recommended by Consumer Reports for about $60. Fortunately, they were out of stock everywhere. After a little research I found no positive experience from expert birder sites on the web to back it up, unlike this Nikon.These seemed too good to be true in terms of quality and features. For $110 they had high quality construction and lenses and were designed to be truly waterproof and fogproof, so they won't go bad on you. Everything I read said the clarity was very good to excellent as well. That's an understatement. I can't imagine what more clarity or improved low light viewing you can get out of the more expensive $300 Nikons or the $500, $1000, $1500 Japanese or German expensive optics binoculars. I didn't even notice that I was using these Action EX binoculars when it was nearly dark. This is a mark of quality and these have it. The clarity is just outstanding. Why should I pay more ?They feel good in the hands and are a pleasure to use. They look great, too. It's not a super lightweight compact, but these are real binoculars. They have the usual quick central focus and left/right eye difference focus adjustment. They are fully rubber coated to handle real world use with bangs, scrapes, and drops. The binoculars have the strap and the case doesn't, so you'll have to store the case or attach it to something else. If you can use and appreciate a pair of excellent quality binoculars, this is money very well spent.

Very pleasant viewing experience. Very clear with 9.3 field of view (FOV). Could be the best of the Nikon action series. I will be ordering 2 more for gifts.