Nikon 7537 8x42 PROSTAFF 7 Binocular (Black)

Having taken several journeys lately into researching various brands of binoculars, the trail always led back to Nikon. Other brands were either over priced or lacked quality in one way or other. Having owned Bushnells and a few other brands over the years I also knew most of the key factors to look for in selecting the best quality product for for under my limit of $200.00. And like other reviewers I debated over whether to go with 8 or 10 power, ultimately deciding upon the 8X42 only because of the perceptible hand-shake effect I personally experience with 10 power binocs. The 8X42 are remarkably sharp and crisp, and remain so even at low light levels bordering on total darkness. The edge to edge sharpness is perfect with no fall-off (blurring at edges) whatsoever. The focus controls, main and diopter, are well designed and perform in a precise manner. The actual feel of the binocular is as if someone gave as much though to the design of the binoc body as was given to the optics themselves. The Prostaff 7 is light weight yet substantial and has a 'this is the way it should be' feel when holding them. The neck strap is well constructed, wide enough for comfort, narrow enough to be unintrusive. The only negative/con is that while the objective lens caps fit snugly and securely, the ocular (eyepiece) lens caps are too large and do not stay on. In light of the 99.99% other positives it was easy to overlook this, and the problem was solved by simply placing small thin adhesive pads inside the inner rim of the caps to snug up the fit - problem solved ! Granted one should not have to do that, but I personnaly view it the same as buying a BMW with a smudged exhaust pipe. Conclusion: If you want a pair of quality binoculars at a low price and I do not believe you will be at all disappointed with the Nikon Prostaff 7 8X42's.

So, given the headline, why the 4 stars? The eye relief is a little less than perfect in terms of setting the cups for those of us who do not wear glasses and the lens covers are a bit of a pain in the rear. Those are minor gripes indeed and not worth changing your decision about these binoculars based upon - they are still the best value for money deal in the midsize category by my reckoning and for all but the most demanding (or indeed possibly just fashion conscious) will be superb, lifetime optics. If you don't wear glasses, make sure the cups are adjusted all the way out and click into place. If you do wear glasses, then you're in luck - these have plenty of eye relief and you can keep them on. Depth perception and color accuracy are superb, tending towards a slight excess of 3D effect. That's head and shoulders above most midrange optics where the image is very flat and 'dead' by comparison. Hand feel is good - grippy and with an impression of quality. Very comparable to Monarchs and indeed if you're looking at those I suggest you audition these as well because they're optically very close and you can get 2 pairs of these for basically the same cash as a pair of Monarchs. My review is based on physical comparison of many dozens of pairs of binoculars side by side across a broad price spectrum. This price point appears to be where quality and cost converge, with more expensive offerings (at full retail) offering fractionally improved optics within a given manufacturer's range and lower priced offerings having far more optical artifacts than I believe any reasonable user could put up with. Nikon appear to be right up there in the value for money leagues, with these being very close contenders with optics at twice the cost from some other manufacturers. It appears that most manufacturers have a 'signature' color balance which I assume is based on coating technology however, so your tastes may vary and you may find another brand which is more to your liking if you're already wedded to a 'look'. Summing up - great binoculars, great price on Amazon, solid feel and excellent depth of image. A fine set of optics and good value for money.

This set of Binocs had all the features I was looking for. I've never owned a pair of Binoculars before so I did a lot of research online. These met my minimum requirements and the price was very good. I visually inspected them and found the workmanship to be excellent. The materials were also excellent. They functioned smoothly. They are easy to grip and feel comfortable in my hands. The viewing was clear and sharp. I purchased the "OP/TECH USA System Connector Adapt-Its" and they do fit but tricky to get on. I also purchased a pair of "Opticron Universal Objective Lens Covers 48-50mm" but they were a little too snug. I would go with the 50mm to 52mm set for these binocs. I believe these are great for the quality and price. I am very satisfied with my purchase.

I received my new Nikon 10x42 Prostaff 7 Binoculars almost overnight and have thoroughly enjoyed using them. They are light weight, focus fast and clearly and have a bright field of view. The Nikon 10x42 binoculars operate and perform just like most of the other positive reviews posted on the website, the one negative just like others have commented are the poor lens covers; which is a minor thing. Overall great binoculars and I am very pleased.

I ordered these for a trip that may have put me in the tropics/marine environment. My trip went early and the package didn't make it. Optics we had available all fogged up except the nitrogen filled/sealed ones, so these would have been great. These have great eye relief and adjustable (by rotating) eye cups. I don't have to remove my glasses if I don't want to and still get a full field of view. They can focus very close up, about 3-4 M (13 ft). The views are very clear with no aberration/color at the edge of the field like you usually see on cheap optics. My only complaint is the loose fitting caps for the eyepieces. They must have used the caps for a different pair of Nikon binoculars just to save a few bucks not having to stock another part number... pretty lousy and useless for keeping dust out. The caps fit my daughter's zoom Nikon binoculars, and were probably made to fit that model (or similar) - Fix this Nikon -- I give it 3.5 only because of the lousy eyepiece caps... nice optics too bad they'll get all dusty because the caps are way too big, and keep slipping off in the case or when carried during a hike.

The day I received the binoculars I did not get a chance to use them in my back yard looking at birds coming to visit my bird feeders until the sun was low on the horizon. The feeders were in the shade and I was suprised on the brightness through the lens. The birds view was bright, clear and full of the birds features and feather detail. You cannot expect to get such quality at at such a price. Nikon has delivered a quality binocular at a very reasonable price.

buy these man!! You will not be disappointed. They are extremely clear, easy to focus and have a great rubberized coating on the outside. I use them for the search and rescue unit that i am a part of and also for hunting. Just a great product for the price. been using them for a year now and the only con i have found is that the eye cup covers fall off some, but the binoculars them selves are stellar!

After much angst over the 8x vs 10x, I ordered the 8x and am very satisfied. I use them primarily while hiking and ATV'ing the trails on Cape Breton Island, N.S. I find the optics are exceptionally sharp and the easy to use w/ w/o glasses. I would recommend these to anyone who wants quality binoculars without paying alot! I did replace the strap with a harness system and the lenses covers at both ends with ones that stay on when they are supposed to. Those products are from Eagle optics: For the objective lenses, I ordered Vortex size medium lens covers: [...] Ben Lizdas at Eagle Optics helped by actually trying them on the current model Nikon Prostaff 7 8x42 before I ordered them.

Great in all respects except the loose lens caps which could be easy to lose. Binoculars are relatively light, easy to focus, and the image is crystal clear.