ZEISS Terra ED Binoculars 8x32 Waterproof, Coated Glass for Fast Focusing for Optimal Clarity in All Weather Conditions Bird Watching Hunting Sightseeing Gray

This wasn’t even on my list for consideration. Bushnell and Vortex are the first brands to my mind - unfortunately the local selection is rather limited for Bushnell, and none for Vortex. As I wasn’t sure I’d get it right the first time, it simply wasn’t viable to buy something from Amazon US. Then I tried a friend’s Nikon Monarch 7 - while the optical quality is impressive, I felt it is let down by the quality of the accessories. On the other hand, I thought the Prostaff 7 represents a much better value, so that was what I first got. When I received the unit, I found the optics though still respectable, is quite a bit off the Monarch’s; the objective lens covers are jokes like many people have pointed out - spending another $30 on a pair of decent Vortex caps is a REAL consideration, again from Amazon US. After nearly a month of hesitation, I decided to return it. Then as I continue to browse the selection, I came across the ZEISS. I was quite surprised by the price tag as I know glasses of the Big 3 go in the north of $1000. Oh, well. I said to myself, no harm to try. When I received the unit, I was blown away, especially comparing to the Prostaff 7 - they feel like products from a different world. - objective lens caps are attached to the body, yeah! - the hard case is a world above that of Nikon in both quality and design; - it comes with just a simple diagrammed quick use guide, compared to 3 thick heavy booklets of Nikon that i have no use of; - the package is properly sealed, while the Prostaff is not; - inside the package, there is a beautiful scenery photo, making you wanting to use the binoculars straight away; the Nikon only has a photo of the Nikon. Above all, it just feels every bit like a real ZEISS, not just some cheap OEM that so many brands do for their low end stuff. Of course, it’s not perfect. CA is quite noticeable, but this is not a camera, so it’s nothing major to me; it’s made in China, but so do iPhones and millions of other premium stuff nowadays. I feel ZEISS, a company renowned for its quality (and high price tag), has done a fantastic job of coming up with an entry-level killer, which in my option is unbeatable in value. Highly recommended!

The focus it out on them

Amazing compact binoculars for ameture but passionate birdwatcher like me...

These are great for bird watching.

Since I already owned and loved my Nikon Monarch7 8x30 binoculars, I decided to buy similar format binoculars, after my Nikon fell apart after a few years (rubber skin practically melted and came apart). I can easily say that these, supposedly ED glass optics, are good, but inferior to Nikon. Clarity is simply not there for a reason I cannot explain. I checked the alignment, and there is no problem there. One thing I noticed, it states "Designed by Zeiss" on the product. Does it mean that they designed it, but are not responsible for quality? Other than that, it feels solid in hand, which I like very much. Also, it has exceptional viewing angle, which is possibly the best feature of this binocular. Case is well made, but not very functional if you attach the strap to the binocular, which you need to. Overall, it's good product, but overpriced relative to its performance.