Annual BBR Awards 2015

[FLO]

The Best Binoculars Reviews website has announced it's 2015 winners, some of the models are available at The Binocular Shop  

Binocular choice is subjective and rarely do two people agree but the BBR website has a reputation for thorough reviews so is worth bookmarking if you are interested in binoculars. 

Steve 

[FLO]

Best Astronomy/Long Distance Binocular 2015

Celestron Echelon 20x70 

"Using very high end Japanese glass, Celestron Echelon binoculars are put together by hand in their plant back in the US where the focus is very much on precision and quality. Designed for long range terrestrial use as well as astronomy, they feature very large 70mm objective lenses as well as fully multicoated optics that ensure as much available light as possible gets to your eyes for the brightest images and really do excel compared to many of their competitors in low light conditions. As you would expect with a large instrument like these, they are tripod adaptable as well as fully water and fog proof and come with an included and very high quality hard carry case." 

[FLO]

Best Wildlife/Hunting Binocular 2015

Pentax ZD 8x43 ED

"With Aquaphobic and anti-scratch protective coatings added to the exterior lens surfaces, a tough yet lightweight fog and waterproof magnesium housing, lockable diopter ring and masses of eye-relief on the high quality and tough rubber coated metal eye-pieces you can be sure that the 8x43 Pentax ZD ED binoculars will easily handle even the toughest conditions when out in the field.  Add to this a fully multi-coated optical system using the highest quality glass and coatings that includes aspherical designed lenses with ED glass elements, phase corrected and dielectric coated BaK-4 roof prisms that combine to not only deliver the brightest image possible, but one with less distortions than ever for a higher resolution image with less color fringing and other defects. Then you literally have an outstanding binocular (their BBR score is 80% = Outstanding), which is exactly what the Pentax ZD 8x42 ED is and is for these and many other reasons that I can, without hesitation endorse it as an excellent choice for general wildlife observation and hunting."

[FLO]

Best Compact Binocular 2015

Opticron Discovery WP PC 8x32

"By utilizing a really condensed optical design this incredible Opticron Discovery has the same outer dimensions as many of the larger true compacts yet is way smaller than most other mid-sized binoculars with similar sized objectives. 

Thus the real beauty of this is that the combination of the larger 32mm objectives and the really high quality glass and coatings means that you still get the same higher performance of high end, mid-sized optics (when compared to a true compact), but in a package that does not look out of place in a line-up of these true compacts! Unless size is critical, it is a definite win-win situation.

In fact if you compare the Discovery's dimensions (LxHxW) of 4.3in (10.9cm) x 1.8in (4.6cm) x 4.6in (11.7cm) with that of a genuine and excellent compact like the Swarovski 8x25 CL Pocket Binoculars (winner of this award in 2013), with it's dimensions of 4.3in (10.9cm) x 1.8in (4.6cm) x 3.9in (9.9cm) you can see that it is only the width where the Swarovski has the advantage in terms of size!

Add to this 17mm of eye-relief, a very wide field of view (393ft @ 1000yds) and a minimum focussing distance of only 3.9ft then you have a go anywhere, take anywhere binocular that excels in most situations, but is great for birding, wildlife, travel, outdoor sports and butterfly, flowers and other close range observation! Superb."

[FLO]

Celestron Echelon and Pentax ZD ED binoculars winning awards isn't really a surprise but it is good to see the more affordable Opticron 8x32 Discovery WP PC also gaining recognition. It really is remarkable what they have achieved with that model. I remember Grant and I spent two whole days photographing and testing binoculars for The Binocular Shop website, we were both impressed with the Opticron and Grant now owns one. 

[Grant]

I love the Discovery WP 8x32 - they are a perfect take anywhere size but still plenty of aperture - the fit and finish is gorgeous and the views are lovely, bright and clear