Eschenbacharena D+ 8x42 binoculars, BaK-4 prisms, waterproof

Whilst these are bordering on proper binoculars and certainly better than the cheap £30 ish pairs I've had before, I wish I'd got a better pair. Although the optical quality is OK I find I spend the whole time adjusting them for optimal sharpness (diopter and focus) rather than paying attention to what I'm supposed to be looking at. The diopter is very stiff and I find it really difficult to get it set right. It should be 'set and forget' but I find it is more 'set, set, set, and set again', varying depending on focal distance etc. For very occasional use they're fine, but any kind of prolonged use makes my eyes hurt. By comparison, my cheaper (£45) Celestron 7x50's are marvellous, I set the diopter once and there it has stayed, and I spend time concentrating on the subject rather than the binoculars.

I have returned this item because on viewing an image against a bright background (a tree against a bright grey sky, for example) there was a distracting semi-circular glare in the lower field of view. I have tried another make of 10 x 25s (Nikon) and there was a similar effect. I don't know whether this is common to all such binoculars. My moderately priced 10x50 bins do not produce this effect. I e-mailed the manufacturer about this but at the time of returning the item to Amazon no reply had been received. So as always, try before you buy but with the decline in number of shops selling optics this is getting harder. Amazon's return service was exemplary.This item seemed otherwise well made and packaged.

Really good well made bins, great value for money. Took a while to find that the eye cups twist out (no instructions) but great after that. Vision very sharp and clear. Great size for travel and general use. Definitely recommend.

After asking a friend who has great knowledge of binoculars, i bought these for watching the birds at my feeders & surrounding trees in my garden. They are truly superb, crystal clear & not too heavy. My friend was extremely impressed with them & the price paid for them. I am now enjoying the close up beauty of Goldfinches & Siskins, to name but a few.

At first I thought they were excellent, however I year and 9 months down the line they have failed. The right hand lens in the eyepiece has come away from its housing rendering the binoculars completely useless. A lot of money for something that has only lasted a short time!.I am sure there are plenty better quality binoculars out there - do not buy Eschenbach.

Very nice binoculars, Nice shape and optics seems good for day but not as good for astronomy as you can see a bit of diffraction (blue/red) in the lenses at night. So I am not too sure about value for money. The case is nice but not very practical.

This pair compared favourably to a much more expensive similarly specified binoculars. The strap and carry case are not as well finished as the more expensive pair I compared with, but at the same time perfectly functional with a soft rubbery neck strap. I would recommend for someone who is looking for a pair of good value, high specification, robust binoculars. Ideal for bird and wildlife spotting. They are water proof so no fogging issues.

So I stupidly lost a pair of small 20 year old bins whilst out on a walk. No idea of their spec, but am I glad I lost them....as I've now got these! I'm no binocular expert, but for what I use them for which is a bit more of a view when out hiking, they are perfect. Lovely and compact, little weight to them and more power than my old ones. A good buy for me.