Customer Reviews

Alpen PRO 8x25 wide angle compact Binocular

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased these binoculars for my wife in April 2008 after reading reviews in the following Web sites.

http://www.binoculars.com Alpen PRO 8x25
http://www.amazon.com Alpen PRO 10x25

They are pretty clear with the 430ft @ 1000 yards wide angle lens. The views are bright enough for the small 25mm object lens. My wife and I both like them for theater and outdoor.

I also purchased Pentax UCF II 8-16x21 Zoom Binoculars two weeks after buying the Alpen. My wife likes the Alpen better because the Alpen has sharper and brighter views than the Pentax. She does not get too dizzy by watching through the Alpen binoculars.

I bought these to use at NFL games, and I am very satisfied. I have only used them a couple of times so far, but they are working out great.

They are small enough to fit in my pocket, a big plus. The included case is a good fit, and does not add much size at all. I don't think the case would add much protection if you dropped the binoculars, but will protect the lenses if you carry them in your pocket like I do.

The image is clear. The viewing angle is excellent - allowing for watching the entire offensive line area, or pocket at once even at short distances. I find the focus easy to adjust on the move allowing for following plays down field and quickly looking from the playing field to the bench areas.

I have used them at day and night games. So far the lowest temperature was about 15, and I experienced no fogging or clouding in the lenses.

I love the color, the compact form, and the contoured body which allows for a sure one-handed grip. They also seem very rugged.

If you want binoculars for spectator sports I think these are an excellent choice.

I'm so glad to have finally replaced my 30 year old pair with these to use for birding and other general uses. They're small and lightweight enough to carry for hours, and are a snap to quickly adjust. Mine are always out on my kitchen counter for quick closeups of birds at my feeders. I love them so much that I purchased a second set as a gift for relatives who attend frequent concerts. Highly recommended by me.

Good compact binoculars. Other reviews have been very informative about the optics, but I haven't seen anything online giving the exact size (which I really wanted to know before buying!). The dimensions Amazon gives are the size of the box, not the actual product. The binoculars themselves are (fully folded) 4.25" wide, 3.75" long, 2.5" thick.

I'd give them five stars if the eye relief were longer (I wear glasses), although they're better than the other compact binoculars I was considering.

I used this binocular to watch concert or shows. It is compact and easy of use. So far, it is be quite useful. The only thing that is not perfect is the light. it is not bright enough when the stage is very dark. However, you can still see clearly, it is just after a while your eyes feel streneous. But i guess it has to do with how big the lens is. That is a decision you made when you chose binocular. Remeber this binocular bears compact design. if lens are bigger, it won't be compact.

I was excited to find a compact reverse porro with a wide field of view. Unfortunately these have too many down sides to recommend. I own several pair of compact and so compared them to those.

Pentax 8x21UCF R vs Alpen 8x24 wide angle vs Nikon 8x24 travelite
I've been waiting to see if these inexpensive Alpen compacts were anything special. So I'll do a simple comparison review here with two other similar compacts I own.

Cost: Approx.
Alpen $49
Nikon $82
Pentax $48.50

Length: Approx.
Alpen 4.0
Nikon 4.5
Pentax 3.2

Weight:
Alpen 11oz
Nikon 9.3oz
Pentax 7.4oz

Close focus:
Alpen 12ft approx.
Nikon 9.8ft
Pentax9.19ft

Eye relief:
Alpen 12mm
Nikon 11.1mm
Pentax 13mm

FOV:
Alpen 430ft.
Nikon 293ft
Pentax 324ft.

Each of these compacts have strong points and weak points that might make them winners or losers depending on what one deems most important for personal use.

Alpens Strong points were, and outstanding FOV that feels like a full sized binocular, fairly crisp to the edges considering. Also very inexpensive. I actually found them for $45.

Weak points were, ergonomically difficult. Hard hold and when in place the focus nob actually hits your forehead so you have to slightly back away to focus. Even with a 3.1 exit pupil which was the largest they were the hardest to place in position for viewing. The focus nob was slow and difficult to find perfect focus. Once in focus they performed fairly well. They were the darkest of the three and even less bright than the pentax 21mm. Also they placed third in overall optical clarity possibly due to the darker views.

Nikon's Strong points were very nice ergonomically. Very comfortable to hold and easy to center in the eyes. They had the shortest eye relief but it felt like the longest. The brightness was very good. Clarity very good.

Weak points were a very narrow FOV which for me is not good. Very noticeable when compared to the others. They were also the most expensive of the three bins and the longest.

Pentax Strong points. Very small compact size and ergonomically fairly decent to use considering their tiny size. Inexpensive with very bright views (maybe the brightest even though the smallest objective lenses) and very good optics on par with the Nikons. Very light weight. Decent FOV.

Weak points. Compared to the others not much. Maybe too small for those with large hands and faces.

All testing was done at dawn and durning a dark rainy day.

So, if I had to keep only one it would be that little Pentax 8x21. It seemed to be the best compromise of qualities that one wants in a small compact compared to the others. The clincher for me over the Nikon was the FOV. The Nikon just was too narrow to be enjoyable. It (the Pentax) had enough to feel somewhat similar to the Alpen. The optics are very nice and it's a bright little binocular at 21mm.

For me even with all the Travelite's strong points that narrow FOV just won't cut it for me any more. Still they make it to second place.

The Alpens unfortunately had too many weaknesses to make the cut even though they shine in with that very large FOV. I might keep them just for that and the fact that I'm lazy, but they will be a pair that spends there time as bins of last resort. The car glove box most likely. Ergonomically they are a bit of a nightmare although there is a way to cup them with your hands that keeps that focuser out of your forehead but it's not easy to do. Also they are just dark. They might be fine on a bright sunny day but I'm not giving these any kind of recommendation unless you will put up with anything for a very wide FOV.
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