Opticron Adventurer II WP 8×32 Binoculars: Our Review

At A Glance

PROS:

• Easy to focus
• Comfortable for larger hands

CONS:

• Narrow field of view
• Image is a bit dim and soft at the edges
• Feeling of tunnel vision

STATS:

• Price: $129 MSRP at press time. Prices often fluctuate, so check with retailers
• Close focus: Listed as 16.4 feet (500 cm). In tests, we could focus these binoculars down to about 8.0 feet (244 cm)
• Field of view: 6.2° (326 feet at 1,000 yards). More about field of view 
• Weight: 20.1 oz (571 g)—that’s about 2.4 oz (69 g) heavier than the average for compact binoculars in our review. Compare binocular sizes and weights
• Eye relief: 20 mm

Viewing Experience: The Opticron Adventurer II binoculars are one of the lowest-priced options in our testing, and the overall viewing experience seems consistent with the price point. The view is acceptable in the center of the field of view, but dim overall and especially around the edges. The field of view is one of the smallest in the study, which contributes a sense of tunnel vision that several testers noted. Close focus was better than the manufacturer specs, but still a bit below average for the compact group. The focus wheel was smooth and easy to adjust. Watching Chimney Swifts in a bright sky at more than 300 feet away, it was easy to keep them in focus as they wheeled and turned, and the bins were sharp enough to study the shape of the wing. The bincoculars were less useful when scanning the far shore of a pond just before dusk, when the dimness and soft edges made it difficult to distinguish distant ducks.

Feel and Build: These binoculars feel weighty and large compared to most of the other compacts—almost like an 8×42. The eyecups are comfortably rounded, but one of them stopped clicking into position sometime during testing. The neckstrap was basic and unpadded. The diopter adjuster was very stiff and difficult to move. Housing is plain black hard rubber with minimal texture.

Comments From Testers:

• Could see details on backlit bird better than I expected
• View seemed cramped
• Image was dull

This article is one in a series of mini-reviews. To see how these binoculars compare to others we’ve tested, see our full review of affordable compact binoculars.