Zeiss SF Victory 8x42

Good Points: Easy to use, wonderful clear viewing. Improvement Points: No!

Good Points: Like having new eyes. Improvement Points: Just perfect.

Good Points: All round excellence in both viewing & build quality. The 'perfect birding' binoculars.

Good Points: Balance, ergonomics, focus wheel position, focus speed, wide field of view brightness, sharpness and lack of distortion. Improvement Points: Once binoculars have the rain guard and objective glass protectors fitted, they don't fit easily into the case. Poor design of case.

Good Points: I have had the previous version for years and remain impressed; I am an everyday binocular user for watches over a wide sea and land area. This new version bought for a friend is a different physical design but still the best I have tried - of any make. Clarity of the view is amazing with easy focus control; comments from others that have tried them have been "amazing", "fantastic". Sufficiently lightweight to be held a long time, but sufficiently solid to feel the opposite of cheap. Low light usage is really good too. Very comfortable on the eye sockets. Improvement Points: Packaging; it's OK, but who I gave to as a present missed the strap!