Viking Badger 10x42 Binoculars

Product Information

Viking Optical have been manufacturing premium optics for over 30 years and are the brand who make RSPB Binoculars. We are huge fans of Viking at liGo with two of their models taking the top spot on our list of Best Buy Binoculars: I’ve had my Celestron 12x60 for almost a month now so here is my analysis. They are significantly bigger and heavier than 8x24s (at 3.3.lbs) but we already knew that would be the case.

Finally, the compact build design feels great to hold. The size of the binoculars makes them extremely portable which is perfect for long days out. The additional accessories that arrive with the binoculars only add to this further. Despite the compact size, the Viking Badger binoculars are incredibly durable and this holds up throughout testing. The rubber-armour finish protects these binoculars from any potential damage and ensures that they are waterproof. The main reason that most people suggest using a lower magnification for birding over something like a 10x binocular is that in general 7x and 8x binoculars will have wider fields of view (FOV). So assuming all other factors are exactly the same, we can see that a 10x42 binocular has the potential to provide you with a better image resolution in poorer light conditions than when compared to an 8x40 or 8x42 bin. Image Stability

Higher magnifications do make it harder to hold the image that you are looking at still because any hand movement is magnified as much as the image is. One of the main features of the Viking Badger 10×42 Binoculars is their lightweight, compact and portable nature. They are perfect to have in your car as a spare travel binocular, or to have as your main binocular to take with you on your nature-watching adventures. The Badger’s excellent optical quality compared to their low cost make them ideal to give as a gift to someone wanting to get into nature and bird watching. In daylight, the pupils in your eyes contract to about 3mm, which is narrower than the exit pupil of the 8x40, 8x42, and 10x42mm binoculars and so much of the light coming out of the binoculars will fall outside the pupil and never actually enter your eyes at all and thus the image you look at won’t seem any brighter in either binocular.

The high-quality available with the optic lenses makes these binoculars suitable for all occasions. The image quality is bright and defined thanks to the inclusion of the multi-coated lenses. These binoculars just feel great to use and consistently deliver high quality results. Furthermore, these are suitable for use in all weather conditions and environments. The addition of features such as the nitrogen in the lenses prevents any fogging. To explain why, in this article, I will take a close look at the main characteristics of 10x42 binoculars (10x magnification and 42mm objective lenses), which will demonstrate why in certain circumstances and some users they may actually be a better choice for bird watching. All other things being equal (glass and optical coatings quality etc), 8x42 binoculars will in theory be able to produce a brighter image than an 8x40 binocular, which in turn may seem brighter than a 10x42mm one in certain light conditions: The reason it only indicates resolution at twilight is because the actual factor that has the greatest impact on resolution or image detail, is dependent upon the amount of light available during the time of observation. During daylight hours, when your eye pupil size will be only about 2 to 3mm, magnification will be the principal factor in image resolution. At night, with the eye pupil dilated to 6 to 8mm, aperture size is the controlling factor. In twilight conditions both of these factors control resolution effectiveness and thus the twilight factor is the term that compares binocular performance under these conditions. As I have already written an in-depth, but somewhat generalist article (with an included video) on the main advantages the 8x42 vs 10x42 configurations have over each other (see link above), I won’t go over it all again here, rather I will focus on my attention on how they compare against each specifically where bird watching is concerned.So as you can see there are some areas of birding where it may not be essential to have a very wide field of view. Eye-Relief However for me personally the amount of difference in image stability between 8x and 10x binoculars is almost indiscernible. Once you start using 12x or higher magnifications then image stability really becomes an issue and so I would suggest that unless you have particularly unsteady or shaky hands this is not something to be too worried about when deciding between 8x42 and 10x42 binoculars.

So for example, if you look at the 10x42 Celestron Trailseeker’s above, it has a 6.5° / 341ft @ 1,000 yards wide FOV, which actually beats many 8x42 bins out there.I will also go over which types of environments and conditions where 10x42 binoculars will be more suitable for birding than an 8x42 and then lastly, I will recommend a few articles from campingfunzone.com and the best binoculars that I have tested and reviewed over the years. 8x42 vs 10x42 Binoculars For those that don’t know, the exit pupil is the diameter of the column of light coming out of the eyepieces, a wider column means more light gets to your eyes and therefore in theory and in certain conditions (see below) may seem to generate a brighter image.

What is also important to note that some 10x binoculars with really wide FOV’s may actually have a view that is wider than an average 8x binocular. If however most of your birding is done during the day in reasonable light, a 10x42 may seem just as bright as an 8x42. Twilight FactorThe Viking Badger binoculars are an affordable set of binoculars that are ideal for casual users or beginner birdwatchers. With multicoated lenses for a clearer image, as well as waterproof design, they can be used in all weathers, making them ideal for the volatile British climate. They also come with a rainguard, case, and carrying strap, meaning they are ready to go straight out of the box. Finally, the last point worth mentioning is how efficient the twist-down eyecups are. As previously mentioned, adjusting these eyecups provides more comfort during long-term use. They also allow for those that wear glasses to take the full view of the binoculars in. The level of eye-relief that each model offers is the important value here. The Viking Badger 8x42 binoculars offer the most eye-relief to the user at 18.2mm. This provides fantastic comfort to the user when using these binoculars.This helps make the binoculars the perfect choice for all outdoor activities. The eye-cups are easy to use and the overall operation is smooth. Performance The Twilight factor is not a measure of brightness, but a rough guide to the amount of detail that can be resolved in low light. A larger twilight factor indicates that you may be able to see more detail in low light, or to put it another way, a larger twilight factor indicates a better resolution when viewing in the twilight or dim light.