Nikon 16000 PROSTAFF 7S 8x30 Inches Compact Binocular (Black)

I had narrowed down my search for some compact Nikon binoculars to 4 waterproof models. (The last thing you want is to spend $100-200 for binoculars and have them ruined by being exposed to moisture.) They were the 16013 ACULON W10 10x21, the 7486 PROSTAFF 12x25 Waterproof All-Terrain, the 8-24X25 Aculon Zoom and these 16001 PROSTAFF 7S 10x30's. Long story short, there is really no comparison - the Prostaff 7S is the clear winner.I use my binoculars for viewing wildlife, scenery and for concerts. The 7S not only feels the best in your hands because the slightly extra length and weight help keep them steady, but they are the best compact Nikons because they have the brightest image and the widest field of view. That wide FOV is really great when you are at a concert and want to see more of the band than just one player at a time. I have a full-size pair of Bushnell's and these compacts are the same 10x power and FOV but are actually a little brighter. The only negative is that on the extreme edges of the lenses they get quite blurry. But that is fairly common on compact binoculars and doesn't affect your primary viewing target.The runner-up in my test was the Aculon Zoom. At the standard power of 8x they were nearly as bright as the 7S and they stayed bright up to 12x, but after that the brightness greatly diminishes up through their 24x power. The zoom function is pretty cool but the image is very dim at the higher ranges. What I didn't like about them is that the native power is only 8x (a 25% difference from 10x) and the FOV was so narrow I felt like I was looking through a telescope. That plus the shiny exterior finish is so slick I felt like they were going to slip out of my hands every time I used them. Also a minor inconvenience is that you sometimes have to refocus when you zoom.In third place was the 7486 PROSTAFF 12x25 All-Terrain's. This was actually a surprise to me because they are the ones I thought I'd like best. But they had many problems. Their somewhat fat shape is awkward in the hands. The image was noticeably darker than the 7S or Aculon Zoom. And although I thought the 12x power would be an advantage, it is actually a negative because with such a small shape they are difficult to hold steady. They also have a much narrower FOV than the 7S. Lastly, the strangest thing to me was when I looked through them and then removed them to view the scene with my naked eyes I was cross-eyed for a moment while my eyes readjusted. This was very annoying and I believe it is due to the Porro prism design they use to make them more compact, which has a jog in the light path through each barrel. The Roof prism design used in the 7S lets the light go straight through, resulting in a brighter image and not having to adjust your eyes.Lastly, the Aculon W10's are a "get what you pay for" product. Good power at 10x, same as the 7S, but much dimmer image and narrower FOV. But if you were looking for something extremely light and small enough to carry in your purse or pocket, these would be great.Bottom line, the Prostaff 7S 10x30 binoculars are the best bang-for-the-buck. They are the perfect size, have the widest clearest brightest view, and they are the perfect power to get close to your subject without having a problem holding them steady.

So here is my chronology of how I selected the Prostaff 7S 10x30 binocular.I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and we have a locally legendary science museum called the Exploratorium. I am in my fifties now and I have taken multiple field trips to this wonderful location beginning in elementary school.They have recently moved to a new location near the famous Pier 39. At this location, they have an observation deck that is equipped with a Nikon Trailblazer 10x25 binocular. My daughter and I could not believe the clarity and ease of focus from these tiny binoculars. We were astonished on how well they performed. I could see, clearly, the clock tower located on the University of Berkeley campus, which is located a few miles inland from across the entire bay!I have not used binoculars in years and these little guys literally blew my mind, so I decided right then to quickly purchase these particular binoculars. I compared the Trailblazer between more expensive Bushnell, Leupold and Vortex binoculars at various sporting good stores in my area and I could not believe how these Nikons outperformed the competition. The only comparable glasses in size, but a bit more expensive, that outperformed the Trailblazers were the Nikon Prostaff 7S 10x30.I was astonished that the brightness was so much more noticeable than the Trailblazers. The clarity was also better but not as noticeable as the brightness. The deciding factor that swayed me to buy the 7S was the size. These binoculars are essentially, at most, a ½ inch longer than the Trailblazers! They are thicker, thus heavier, but feel understandably more durable.I work in a profession where cargo pants are routinely utilized and these binoculars are compact enough to fit nicely into my cargo pockets. To have these binoculars always with me and the ability to utilize them at a moments notice is incredible. Their size is also compact enough for my wife to use these same binoculars at the symphony!There is another area upon which my infatuation with the Nikons' had grown. I have always been fascinated with astronomy and I have usually owned an inexpensive telescope so I can peer into the cosmos on occasion. I was flabbergasted when I gazed upon the night sky with these binoculars! I understand they are only 10x30's, but even in the light polluted metropolitan area upon which I live, I was able to see the subtle ring shape of Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy and the Messier 13 Globular Cluster, all on the first night I purchased these gems. Seeing the stars shimmer and twinkle with astounding colors and clarity was just an unbelievable and unexpected delight. Observing the night sky with both eyes, rather than with just one with a telescope, makes for an incredible and extremely pleasurable experience. Just the 10 fold increase in the amount of stars that I could see with the binoculars, with the sky itself appearing darker interestingly enough, gave me the impression I was in a rural area. The easy to use binoculars and the unexpected revelation of the night sky was purely a beautiful bonus!For never really being interested in, “Binoculars” since childhood, due to the cool magnification but crappy clarity, the Exploratorium and Nikon have now introduced to me the fascinating world of, “Sport Optics.” Until you experience what binoculars where supposed to always have been, you are missing a fascinating aspect of technology that makes me now wonder how I ever lived without these things.

In the realm of binoculars, these are lower mid-priced. I have owned expensive Swarovski's and Steiner's in the past and these are comparable in external quality, fit and function. I can't vouch for the internal build quality as I will not open these up to check. As some may know, the robustness of an optical device is hidden on the inside. The materials used for lens mounts, for example, can make a big difference in durability in the event of a drop. Plastic internals will not survive like aluminum or brass will.Optically, these are clear and bright with little to no chromatic or spherical distortion across the whole field of view. My wife uses these for work to read serial numbers on shipping containers from about 100 yards away in both day and night conditions - including inclement weather. The combination of magnification and objective lens size offers adequate brightness at night with acceptable steadiness and weight. Larger obectives would make it brighter but much heavier. Higher power would make the image darker (without increasing the objective size) and harder to steady the image by hand.This is a good compromise size and would be a fine binocular for bird watching, short range target shooting, glassing for hunting, concerts, or other outdoor activites while viewing relatively stable subjects These are less than ideal for field sports as the higher power may limit yor field of view and result in shakier images.Based on past experience with Nikons, these should provide many years of service.

The Nikon PROSTAFF 7S 8x42 represent everything binoculars should be: light weight, comfortable, durable, great build quality, ease of use, value for your money, and above all, crystal clarity with no bluriness. The high amount of light transmission to your pupils is simply amazing, producing very sharp, bright, clear, and STEADY images. This is an added benefit in low light situations. No disappointment here!

Excellent delivery time, item new and functional as described. Would deal with this seller again.

All the folks that will buy this model of binocular will be amazed by the quality of the optics on this nice product.If you want good quality and ease of use then get this.It's great

Great binoculars

Good light, good range and width of view, easy to focus and all in all, an excellent deal. A great improvement on old binnoculars, great for wearers of glasses, and easy to hold.