Viking Badger 10x42 Binoculars

Product Information

A wide FOV is also less important when you are observing larger, slower, or predictable moving birds – many water birds and raptors falling into this category. In addition to this, the Viking Badger contains nitrogen in the lenses. The nitrogen helps to reduce any potential fogging. This ensures that you are able to achieve the highest possible results regardless of the weather. The nitrogen also helps to eliminate any dust or dirt from building up within the lenses. This helps to maintain the overall condition of the lenses. If these factors are very important AND you want/require a smaller binocular that is easier to carry about and store, then an 8x40 will be the right choice for you. The 10x magnification gets you just that bit closer to the action, meaning that you can see birds with just that little bit more detail. The more powerful magnification is obviously especially important over longer distances, so if you are bird watching from a hide or observing birds that just won’t let you get very close like many birds of prey. Conclusions The Viking Badger binoculars are an affordable set of binoculars that are ideal for casual users or beginner birdwatchers. With multicoated lenses for a clearer image, as well as waterproof design, they can be used in all weathers, making them ideal for the volatile British climate. They also come with a rainguard, case, and carrying strap, meaning they are ready to go straight out of the box.

I will also go over which types of environments and conditions where 10x42 binoculars will be more suitable for birding than an 8x42 and then lastly, I will recommend a few articles from campingfunzone.com and the best binoculars that I have tested and reviewed over the years. 8x42 vs 10x42 Binoculars So as you can see there are some areas of birding where it may not be essential to have a very wide field of view. Eye-Relief Increasing the magnification also magnifies any movement or shaking, which can lead to it being quite difficult to keep the image still. Even tiny movements in the view can make it quite hard to then observe fine details, especially over long distances, which negates the advantage of a bigger magnification. A really wide field of view may not be that important if you are bird watching out in the open, like at the side of a lake, at the sea, on open fields, or on marshes. Here the birds are often quite easy to locate and to follow. Obviously increasing the magnification further will most likely reduce your field of view, but as you say if you are in wide open areas and viewing over larger distances, this could still be ok.

How much eye-relief you need will depend on your glasses, but most people advise about 16mm or more. The Viking Badger binoculars perform exceptional in every aspect. Considering the price that these binoculars are available for, you will certainly find excellent value here. These are a suitable option for both beginners and intermediate users thanks to how accessible these binoculars feel. They are able to achieve this without compromising on any of the quality. Verdict The Viking Badger 10x42 binoculars have a 6.44-degree-field-of-view, equivalent to 102mm at 1k distance. With an 10x magnification and 42mm objective lenses, these binoculars are easy to handle and offer a wide, close view when spotting from a good distance. For both glasses wearers and non-glasses wearers, these Viking binoculars are comfortable to use. Offering an 13.3mm eye relief and twist down eyecups to ensure long viewing is comfortable and strain-free. Built for the outdoors Finally, the last point worth mentioning is how efficient the twist-down eyecups are. As previously mentioned, adjusting these eyecups provides more comfort during long-term use. They also allow for those that wear glasses to take the full view of the binoculars in. The level of eye-relief that each model offers is the important value here. The Viking Badger 8x42 binoculars offer the most eye-relief to the user at 18.2mm. This provides fantastic comfort to the user when using these binoculars.This helps make the binoculars the perfect choice for all outdoor activities. The eye-cups are easy to use and the overall operation is smooth. Performance

The Twilight factor is not a measure of brightness, but a rough guide to the amount of detail that can be resolved in low light. A larger twilight factor indicates that you may be able to see more detail in low light, or to put it another way, a larger twilight factor indicates a better resolution when viewing in the twilight or dim light. However, despite the lightweight design, these binoculars are still incredibly durable. These binoculars incorporate a rubber-armour coating into the design to offer protection during use. The rubber-armour design provides a high level of protection whilst making the binoculars easy to grip. Furthermore, this rubber coating ensures that the binoculars are safe from water damage. The Viking Badger 10×42 Binoculars are modestly priced binoculars offering excellent optical clarity and value for money. They are ideal for beginners or younger nature-watchers as they are rubber-armoured and fully waterproof to protect against the elements. As well as this they are easy to use and have twist-down eyecups for comfort and to help with spectacle wearers. The reason it only indicates resolution at twilight is because the actual factor that has the greatest impact on resolution or image detail, is dependent upon the amount of light available during the time of observation. During daylight hours, when your eye pupil size will be only about 2 to 3mm, magnification will be the principal factor in image resolution. At night, with the eye pupil dilated to 6 to 8mm, aperture size is the controlling factor. In twilight conditions both of these factors control resolution effectiveness and thus the twilight factor is the term that compares binocular performance under these conditions. As I have already written an in-depth, but somewhat generalist article (with an included video) on the main advantages the 8x42 vs 10x42 configurations have over each other (see link above), I won’t go over it all again here, rather I will focus on my attention on how they compare against each specifically where bird watching is concerned.It must also be said that whilst an exit pupil that is larger than your eye’s pupil may not make the image seem brighter in these conditions, it can make the binocular slightly easier to use as it’s easier to position your eyes in line with the larger column of light – not only is this a nice feature but can really help those who have shaky hands for example. It is when the light is poor and your pupils dilate, binoculars with a larger exit pupil (and all else being equal) will seem to produce a brighter image.

The high-quality available with the optic lenses makes these binoculars suitable for all occasions. The image quality is bright and defined thanks to the inclusion of the multi-coated lenses. These binoculars just feel great to use and consistently deliver high quality results. Furthermore, these are suitable for use in all weather conditions and environments. The addition of features such as the nitrogen in the lenses prevents any fogging. The Viking Badger Binoculars have become one of most popular lines within the Viking Optical range and after getting our hands on a pair to try out it's easy to see why. These binoculars offer a cost-effective approach to achieving fantastic visual quality and perfectly suitable for beginners and more serious hobbyist birders alike.The Viking Badger 10x42 binoculars feature a rubber armoured coating, allowing for a firmer grip in harsher conditions – even when wearing gloves. As well as being waterproof for up to 1m/3min, so the binoculars are prepared for spotting in different environments and the unpredictability of the British climate. Weighing only 590g, these Viking Badger binoculars are lightweight and easily portable.