Hawke digi-scoping adapter for Endurance ED and Nature Trek spotting scopes

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Reviewer

Model number 64026 digi-scoping adapter to fit the following Hawke spotting scopes Endurance ED 50mm , ED 68mm and 85mm 2020 onwards models Nature Trek 65mm and 80mm models 2017 onwards (will not fit nature trek compact 56mm) . See our video below to see how to connect your camera.

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Hawke Frontier APO 8×42 review

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Reviewer

The Hawke Frontier APO 8×42 binoculars were introduced, not to replace the EDx, but as an addition to the Frontier family. The key word that gets the attention of discerning users is Apo or Apochromatic . This triplet lens configuration with regards the objective lens is in many cases the design that many top premium brands use as standard. Though they also may use fluorite glass, which takes things to another level.

Frontier APO 8x42 Binocular - Green
Hawke Frontier APO 8×42 binoculars

When you first take them out the box, you get same the case as the EDx and HDx, other than a slight variation on finish. Strap is a very good padded version, with drop down objective lens covers. The finish looks and feels quite different to the EDx 8×42. So it was not simply a case of changing the optics and leaving everything else as it was. Gone is the almost tacky feeling of the EDx, and in comes a much smoother body. But due to well positioned textured grip, they remain well supported in the hands, balance nicely and stay in place. I found the design of the strap connectors on the body do not protrude as much as the EDx, making them dig less into your hands, which is a good thing.

Field of view and eye relief remain the same as the EDx at 142m @ 1000m and 18mm. Though I personally found focus to be less than the quoted 2m at around 1.6m. This is great news if you like to look at miniature nature up close.

So what about the view through the eyepiece. At first glance you may not notice a difference, depending on how trained your eyes are and experience of many binoculars over the years. Brightness is very similar (in my opinion) to the EDx . But one of our customers who visited our optics weekend said straight away that the APOs were brighter than his own EDx 8×42. Which goes to prove that regards all binoculars, what one person sees the next will not, and visa versa.

The Frontier EDx 8×42 were renowned for their lack of chromatic aberration. Though those with experienced eyes will see some levels of this in challenging high contrast subjects. But any traces of CA seen with the EDx is completely vanished with the APOs. This will make a difference when identifying heavily back lit birds in trees as one example. Also the lack of CA definitely gives you sharper edges to whatever you are looking at.

Other advantages of the APOs is that any pincushion distortion seen with the other models has gone, with nice straight lines throughout the field. Also edge of field quality has improved to enhance the whole image. I personally found that after a good few minutes looking through them, there was no eye strain / correction when you take them away from your eyes.

So am I impressed with the Hawke Frontier APOs. That`s an easy yes. Compared to the price of the £1000+ top brands, you really are getting a good deal, and backed up with a life time warranty.

Any issues ?. Not really, as I will need to do some serious scrapping of the barrel to find anything. Maybe the twist eye cups (for me) come out a couple of mm to far. But maybe that`s just me. try them for yourselves.

Hope you like my little review. If so you can support us by purchasing HERE

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Visionary Wetland 12×32 monocular review

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Reviewer

Compact monocular ideal for looking at ships at sea or long distance terrestrial use. Very easy to use and hand hold with a contoured rubber armoured body. Multi-coated optics and waterproof Close focus around 3m . Field of view 4.5 degrees. Eye relief 13mm (our estimate) . 13cm long with eye cup twisted out. Weight 220g Complete with soft Nylon case, lens covers and wrist strap. Comes boxed . See the video for an in depth look.

To purchase , visit Northern Optics

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Viking Ventura 8×25 vs Hawke Endurance ED 8×25 binoculars

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Reviewer

Today we are looking at two very capable compact binoculars in the mid price range. Both have their own attributes, but with very little between them. The Ventura has a closer focus and slightly brighter image. The Endurance ED have a wider FOV and less chromatic aberration. Watch the video to see more details. Or better still come along to our optics weekends and try for yourself. See you there.

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Hawke Frontier APO 8×42 review. A customers thoughts

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Reviewer

A customer visited our optics weekends with one thing in mind. The Hawke Frontier APO binoculars in 8×42 and 10×42. After travelling some miles, they were happy to see we had one of each model. They commented on the fact there are no reviews out there on the internet, so figured it best to try for themselves.

The customer already owned the Frontier EDx 42mm binoculars. So was hoping to see an improvement. Going by the satisfied look on his face, he was more than happy with one or the 2. So which was his preferred version ?. The APO 8×42 ticked all the boxes. He noticed a brighter and sharper image compared to the EDx, and also found they were much more comfortable and set up for his eyes. The only minus point he found was a very slight slack point in the focus movement. But compared to all the plus point, he found this a very minor gripe and bought them.

So what about my point of view. In my opinion the things that put them ahead of the EDx 8×42 are even less chromatic aberration (if that was possible) in challenging high contrast subjects, better edge of field sharpness and vastly reduced pincushion distortion.

Overall for a brand name APO binocular in the sub £600 (just) range and a lifetime warranty, they represent amazing value for money.

To see more info and full spec , see HERE

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Levenhuk wise 8×32 monocular review

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Reviewer

The Levenhuk wise 8×32 monocular is an entry level monocular with a better than expected view through the eyepiece. A lightweight plastic body helps keep the cost down. But do not let this put you off, as it feels very solid and well put together. On the subject of the body, the positioning of the underside ribbed body and positioning of the focus wheel, makes it the easiest monocular to use I have ever tested.

The model comes with a soft nylon case. But depending on which batch you get, it may come in a soft cloth pouch, which I prefer. You also get a wrist strap and lens covers. Comes packaged in a colourful presentation box, showing the product and some specs.

For such a low priced monocular, the view through the eyepiece is crisp sharp. OK not as bright as slightly higher priced, 42mm models. But at well under £50 it does better than expected in this price range. Image quality falls off in the outer 15%, and is some pincushion distortion and chromatic aberration on high contrast subjects. The eye cup is twist type and has 13.5mm eye relief, which is almost but not quite enough to get a full FOV with spectacles on. I measured close focus at around 1.7m, which is less than the quoted figure. This makes them ideal for looking at bugs and butterflies when out on a walk.

Strong points – The price and good image for a starter monocular Excellent handing

Weak points – Not long eye relief.

To purchase click HERE

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Viking Ventura 8×25 binoculars review

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Reviewer

The Viking Ventura 8×25 are a great example of a binocular where a clear and crisp view can yield better results than many similar priced options in a similar price range with a wider FOV and AFOV.

The batch that we tested came in a plain outer box. Though I believe some also come in the blue and white Viking boxes. The case was a soft pouch, which I really liked, as it offered good padding, and could be folded up to neatly fit in a pocket when not needed. The binoculars come with individual lens caps that are universal on both objective lenses and eyepieces. The strap included is padded and quick release.

Straight out the box, the Ventura look very neat, and despite weighing just over 300g they feel very solid. The twist eye cups feel very good quality with a smooth twist action. They stay nicely in place once set. The focus wheel is not the smoothest I have tested, but was still very easy to operate with one finder.

I found eye relief just long enough to use with spectacles on. As mentioned earlier, these are not the widest field of view in this category at 6.3 degrees, plus the AFOV is not the widest. But as customers at our optics weekends have mentioned when purchasing from us, this is quickly forgotten when you look through them. The image is crisp and bright with very little chromatic aberration considering they are not ED glass. Proving that sometimes you have to forget what it says on the tin and try them out. You get a lovely flat field with virtually no pincushion distortion. Image is sharp to the outer 20% where you will find a little fall off in focus, but well within tolerances and better than the 10×25 I tested.

Close focus is quoted at 4m, but I found this to be around 2.5m. Overall the Viking Ventura offer a quality image, that is related in the price, with exceptional brightness for such a compact set, with very small amounts of false colour. Some may prefer a standard neck strap to quick release. But that is easily remedied. Definitely worth a look if you get a chance.

To purchase, click HERE

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Viking Cygnus ED 8×42 monocular review

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Reviewer

Straight out the box and soft Nylon case, the Viking Cygnus ED 8×42 monocular feels very solid and well built. Weighing nearly 50g more than the non ED version, their is obviously less plastic / polycarbonate in the shell.

In the hand they balance nicely, and have a secure grip. A drop down lens cover protects the objective lens, while a pull off one covers the eyepiece. The top focus wheel is smaller than some in this type of monocular, but is very smooth to use with no back lash or tight spots. The eye cup is twist type, which I estimated to be around 15mm. So just enough for most spectacle wearers. You get a nice soft wrist strap and a standard Nylon case with belt loop. The wrist strap connector can be removed to reveal a standard tripod thread which is handy.

So what about the optics ?. You are instantly met by a bright and sharp image with excellent clarity. The fully multi-coated optics with ED glass offer excellent sharpness across most of the field. Only the outer 10-15% drop of in sharpness, but only by a small amount. In the centre 60-70% there is virtually no chromatic aberration, with outside this showing only a small amount. This is s big plus point if viewing wildlife in high contrast situations. Pin cushion distortion is also at very low levels. Testing the clarity against a very challenging and heavily back lit tree, I was able to make out birds in the branches that were invisible to the naked eye. I would imagine these will great as a wide field astronomy optic.

Close focus is quoted as 2m, but I found it to be around 1.3m, Field of view is a generous 7.5 degrees. So should make tracking of moving wildlife easy. The AFOV is also wide.

Summing up this is a capable and affordable monocular that I am sure will surprise you with the clarity of image.

Plus points – Image clarity and lack of CA . Only minus point – Would have been nicer to have a better case. Excellent value.

You can purchase from Northern Optics HERE

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Celestron Ultima porro 8×32 binoculars review

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Reviewer

At a time where most new bird binoculars are roof prism, its nice to see Celestron staying with the traditional porro prism binoculars. Available in 32mm, 42mm and 50mm variants, the Ultima porro series retain an almost retro look with up to date high grade optics.

This particular set we are looking at is the 8×32. At around 520g it is an ideal option for bird watching on the go. Plus wide field hand held astronomy. 1st thing you notice out the box is how compact they are. Secondly you may wonder where the focus wheel is. Rather than the wide focus wheels you get with most porro prism binoculars, you get a narrow wheel nearer to the eyepieces. This helps make them look much less cluttered, and is a joy to use, being very smooth in operation with no slack or tight spots. The right eye dioptre adjustment is done by twisting the whole eyepiece, rather than having a separate adjuster like so many others have. No doubt this helps keep the cost down.

The rubber eye cups are fold down. These are some of the most comfortable I have used, in this design, and fold down easily. Eye relief is 15mm. One thing I did notice was a little internal reflection on the inside of the barrels. But this is easily remedied with practice, getting your eyes at the correct distance from the eyepieces.

The field of view is a very generous 142m @ 1000m or 8.1 degrees. Other than a noticeable fall off in the outer 15%, the view is very crisp and bright with good contrast. I compared to a £189 set of ED 8×32 roof prism binoculars to find the £129 (price at the time of this review) gave the brighter image. This shows that pound for pound, the porro prism binoculars can outperform similar sized roofs.

Pincushion distortion is just about evident, but hardly noticeable unless you are specifically looking for it. For a non ED glass set of binoculars, levels of chromatic aberration are extremely low, with very small levels of red , yellow and purple colour fringing only seen on high contrast subjects, such as heavily back lit tree branches.

Case included is a good quality Nylon, with plenty of room inside. You get a padded strap, drop down objective lens covers and single eyepiece eye piece caps. Though I would prefer an all in one eyepiece flexible lens cover for the eyepieces, that you can thread the neck strap through.

Optics are fully multi-coated with BaK-4 prisms. Summing up, you certainly get a bright and clear image for the low price. Very easy to handle and use if you are a beginner.

Available to purchase HERE

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Skywatcher Heritage 150P flextube telescope. A great starter scope

Posted on July 1, 2021 by Reviewer

The Skywatcher Heritage flextube 150P dobsonian telescope gives you an affordable mid sized telescope that can give excellent results. For people just starting out in astronomy, they need to complicated mount or set up time. Straight out the box, the Heritage 150P can be set up in minutes, as it is already connected to the table top mount. All you need do is remove the lower packaging and extend the OTA till it is fully open. Although described as a table top mount, it can also be used on the floor while seated.

Complete with 10mm and 25mm modified achromatic eyepieces which give 30x and 75x, you are good to go. These magnifications will open your eyes to many night sky delights. At a later date you can upgrade to better quality plossls, but these are fine for starters.

The 150mm (6″) mirror will let plenty of light in for seeing many deep space objects such and the brighter galaxies and nebula, as well as countless rich field areas and star clusters.

A helical focuser is used on the 150P and 130P Heritage flextubes. With this, you screw the eyepiece in and out for focus rather than use a rack and pinion. The helical focuser may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But I find it easy to use.

Finderscope is a single red dot type, which is easy to fit and set up. Finally if buying as a gift , the scope comes packaged in a colourful box showing info and images.Magnifications (with eyepieces supplied): x30 & x75

Available to purchase HERE

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