Vortex Raptor 6.5x32

[Alfian]

This is a little “late” but I’ve been a little distracted by yet another acquisition - more of which soon in another section.

Back in October I was hunting around for some low power, wide field binos to replace my ageing Vivitar 7x42 roof prism binos that have been my grab n’ go for 25 years and used for just about most things  binoculars can be used for.

By no means the best on the shelf when I bought them, they are, however, very solidly built, (Japanese) and certainly terrestrially give nice sharp views. In more recent times I’ve tended to use them for quick scans of the night sky and they have rewarded me with mostly nice pinprick views of  stars with just a little bit of flaring on brighter ones. But although having a 6.4 degree fov  (45 degree afov) I’ve become more conscious of the views having something of a tunnel vision quality to them and I’d guess I get about 5 degrees usably sharp. Also with a 6mm exit pupil I’m probably now (with older eyes) not getting the best out of them - so rightly or not I decided to find a new low power, wide field binocular as my front line quick look/see instrument. After  much searching and deliberation and a heads-up from Steve Tonkin (many thanks Steve) (see http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/227903-low-powerwide-field-binos/) the decision was made.

Old & New

The Vortex Raptor 6.5x32 Porroprism binoculars duly landed, bought on-line from The Birders Store in Worcester for £89.00 post included. I could not afford anything in the same class as my Williams Optics binos and so anything less really ran the risk of being a disappointment, but at the same that was not where I was pitching things. I did, however, expect to pay more than £89 but after reading reviews and other comments the Raptors grew on me  and I took the plunge.

Opening the well packaged small box revealed a nice case, in fact a very nice case compared to my Pentaxs, containing a beautifully proportioned set of wee  porroprism binos in a nice shade of green. Good tethered objective caps that fit over the barrels and don’t fall off or out, (unlike the WOs) and good tethered rain guards for the eyepieces that fit (unlike the Pentax 20x60s), They have a nice textured quite big (for big or little fingers) central focuser with a nice weighted feel to it so they will not easily slip out of focus. A similarly good diopter adjuster on the R/H eyepiece. Again easy to use, but its nicely stiff enough not to move once set. The eye relief is of the now common screw out type but does not have the several click stops that some have. There might just  be one very light click half way. Not an issue anyway.

I have about a 64mm IPD and I had no problem setting them up for myself and  collimation seemed spot on. The green coatings look very good. There seems to be no internal obstructions and I could not see any internal reflections although I have found two very tiny scratch marks in the matt black internal barrel coating. 

Steve (Tonkin) commented that on his pair the eyepiece bridge was a bit “rocky” but this pair seems OK, at least for now. 

Using them terrestrially, the wide 7.8 degree fov  certainly catches the attention as does the sharpness way out towards the edge. The edge does fall off (of course) but somehow it does not have that severe almost opaque blur that many binos have. (more later). They are also reasonably bright too - certainly brighter than you would expect 32mm objectives to give.   So - a very good initial impression, but the acid test would have to wait ..... and wait.

Many a nice clear afternoon with a promise of a clear evening gave way to clouded skies. Then came a nice crisp frosty evening but with of course, the almost obligitory, bright near full moon. Its hard but you have to smile! So, with viewing chair, Raptors, Vivitars and Williams Optics to hand I star-gazed. Oh my, it was good to get out under the stars!  

Firstly the moon, as it just happened to be up, - too much light to see much detail, (even with the WOs) but the resplendent rayed Tycho is always impressive. More impressive was that the Raptors showed surprisingly little in the way of CA. 

M31 wasn’t far away (visually) and I did not expect to see much, but despite the glare a distinct oval fuzz of light was visible. The double cluster was  easily seen but no real detail but lower in Perseus the star field around Mirphak was a good display of pin point stars. 

By comparison the Vivitars showed a marginal increase in brightness but with a correspondingly small but noticeable flare on brighter satrs. Views were noticeably less contrasty and just less satisfying all round. Switching to the WOs you would expect a big difference, and of course there was. Even with moon glare the double cluster was showing some detail and clarity invisible with the Raptors. 

(Switching to the WO 10x50s constantly reinforced my appreciation of them - it just grows every time I use them - heavy “lumps” they may be - but I just love them!)

Back with the Raptors I turned to look at the Milky way around Deneb, sweeping down past 31&32 Cygni towards Vega with 20&21 Lyrae also catching the eye as they always seem to do. The colour of what I later found was Gamma Draco shone a very clear orange. Then onto Beta and Gamma Ursa Majoris, the pair of stars making up the bottom of the “Plough”. This was a deliberate target. I’d already ascertained that these were very nearly 8 degrees (7degrees 54mins.) across and might test the fov of the Raptors. Indeed at the very edge of the fov I could just catch a hint of both stars which pretty much verified the quoted 7.8 degree fov of the Raptors as well as demonstrating that even with the blurry fall off at the edge, stars are still (just) recognisabe as stars. Again I was impressed.

A few days later, with a completely unexpected spell of clear skies and good seeing (and without the moon) I repeated much of the above. So much more to see, stars popping out that were not discernable before, the double cluster showed that little more “sparkle” than before and the dust lanes in M31 were - my goodness - no just kidding (of course),  but yes, M31 was distinctly better!

The Pleiades, always irresistible, looked beautiful, but the best site was the Hyades. The 10x50s could encompass the Hyades and certainly gave an absorbing view,  but like a good picture nicely “mounted”  the 6x32s “framed” them so much better - and what a lovely sight. 

Little “hints” of Ms.34, 36 and 38 were there, but  getting detailed views of DSOs is not what these binos are about and not what I bought them for. But they do deliver really nice, surprisingly sharp, contrasty, wide field views across the constellations making navigation easier and really enjoyable. I get so much pleasure in just taking it all in.

The wide field gap between naked eye observation and something like the views that most 10x50s give is in my opinion a gap worth filling.The Raptors are quite a surprising little package that do that very nicely. They have a good quality look and feel to them and are are nice to use. With good optics, sturdy construction,a good case, fully functional objective caps and rain guards, and a life time Vortex warrantee, at £89.00 I think they are fantastic value for money.

My Vivitars have been carted around all over, camping, back packing etc . The Raptors with there compact size and good build are also easily a go-anywhere terrestrial binocular and I’m sure (as Steve Tonkin found) would aso find favour with people of with smaller stature and hands than mine. So - good choice? For me, yes, definitely.

The Vivitars can now have a well deserved retirement - well semi-retired to bird watching.

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Thanks for an excellently detailed review.