CarsonVP-842 8x42 VP Series Full Sized Waterproof and Fog-proof Binoculars

After painstakingly researching various binocs between £100-200, I finally settled on the pair which ticked the most boxes for me - these Carson VPs.Straight from the off, they have been brilliant. Subjects in the field are crystal clear, with excellent light transmission making viewing even at dawn/dusk straightforward. I use them for birding, and the benefit of this additional brightness and vibrancy is that it makes species identification much easier. Who needs ED glass?!In terms of haptics, the feel afforded by the VPs is great: just enough rubberised coating to provide some grip, but not so much as to make me fear that the coating will easily degrade over time. The focus wheel has a nice touch to it as well, with a bobbled surface conducive to achieving a good grip and a smooth turn. Likewise, the diopter has the same surface, and clicks into place when turned.Whilst there is a clamour to have the lightest possible pair, I feel as though a bit of weight is necessary to keep my hands steady when attempting to view subjects, especially at longer ranges. I bought 10x42, so some wobble is more easily noticeable. Therefore I am greatful that these have a little bit of heft behind them. That being said, they are not heavy enough to feel cumbersome when worn around my neck, even for hours at a time.The eyepieces twist at three intervals, and are very comfortable around my eyes. I have used these both whilist wearing glasses, as well as without, and have found them just as comfortable to use both configurations.Bag provided is decent, with some padding, and a zip pouch for a cleaning cloth/accessories. Likewise, the strap is reasonably good, comprising a nice wide area of fabric for the part of the strap which rests on the back of your neck. This has been comfortable when I've worn them for an entire day whilst out walking.I managed to get these whilst on offer, but seriously, if you pay up to £200, you've still snagged a bargain. They also come with an extended warranty which can be activated online, so Carson are confident that they will last a long time.Here's hoping, because the Carson VPs are superb!

These Carson vp series 8x42 binoculars are absolutely great for the price paid.. fully multi coating and phase coated glass produces a very sharp image.. central resolution is excellent. Close focus is 2 metres and the field of view at 7.5 is very pleasing to look through plus 17mm or eye relief worked well enough with glasses on. The diopter adjusts smoothly and clicks into place and does not move once set. A very solid binocular with price/performance ratio being superb.. you don’t necessarily need Ed glass and dielectric coatings to produce a very usable field binocular. All lens caps and covers are of decent quality and fit snugly and the case is adequately padded and includes a nice little zipped compartment for storing a lens cloth, the binocular strap is also thick & wide and of good quality. Get these while they are going cheap, you won’t regret it.

Very good optics for the price with smooth and positive controls. A quality product.

They are so good that I have just ordered another pairThese binoculars are exactly what I was looking for. They are so good that I have just ordered another pair. I have tried many more expensive binoculars and these ones are much better.

When I opened the box the case was the first impression and it was a poor one. Cheap black nylon with no padding and a velcro fastener - so when ever you see something and open the case it frightens it away - but many manufacturers do that, I don't know why.The binoculars themselves feel well made and sturdy. They come with caps over the glass and a strap. They feel as well made as a five hundred pound pair.Using them is easy, they are well thought out and well made. The focus wheel turns slowly and positively and goes through its full range very quickly. The dioptic wheel on the right lens is firm and once set hasn't moved.Vision through the binoculars is where I see the difference between these and more expensive ones. When looking at the top of a range of hills or the top of trees against the sky there is a slight purple / yellow edging - only visible when looking at something with the sky as a backdrop. At all other times the view is excellent, no edging, good colours etc.For the price these are excellent. Are they as good as my Leica or Nikon ones, no, but they are £600 cheaper. For occasional use or when not wanting to carry expensive kit these are excellent. To be fair I've been using them most days instead of unpacking more expensive ones, I leave these lying around to just grab and go and I'm very pleased with them. They are way better than nearly all in the same price bracket, so unless you need or want invest £500 plus I think you will struggle to get better.I have the 8*42 and was so pleased I bought the 10*50 as well.