Porro prism binoculars are the ideal choice for newbie long-distance viewing enthusiasts who are on a budget. They are bulkier and heavier than roof prism binoculars, but yield clearer images, a wider field of view, and are cheaper. Helping you choose the right Porro prism binoculars for your next expedition serves as the purpose of this buying guide.
Best Porro Prism Binoculars
Below, we take a look at our top five Porro prism binoculars on the market to help you find the right product that suits your needs quickly.
1. Celestron – UpClose G2 10×50 Porro Binoculars
This top of the line gadget form Celestron tops the charts with great reviews. It boasts of an impressive 10x magnification, large 50mm objective lenses for the brightest images, and Bk-7 glass prisms for maximum light transmission. Its rubber-coated armor makes for a water-resistant seal, a comfortable grip, and impact absorption. It also emphasizes great value for money with all the extra accessories it comes with.
- High magnification and wide field of view, with good low-light performance.
- Water-resistant and comfortable to use.
- Great value for money.
2. Nikon 8250 ACULON A211 16×50 Binocular
The Nikon 8250 ACULON A211 boasts of a sleek design and excellent ergonomics. It comes with a high 16x magnification and a large 50mm aperture for the crisp images and a wide field of view. It comes with adjustable eyecups, a central focus adjustment knob, and a rubber-coated armor for a comfortable, non-slip grip even in wet weather.
- Great design and functionality.
- High magnification and large objective lenses.
- Excellent ergonomics and user adaptability.
3. Bushnell Falcon 10×50 Wide Angle Binoculars
This gadget from Bushnell, like the name implies, gives you falcon-eye vision thanks to its high 10x magnification and large 50mm lenses for clear images. It comes with a long eye relief to suit even glass wearers and boasts of a durable, rubber-coated, wear-resistant casing for long service life. Its excellent controls make it easily adaptable to just about anyone.
- Long-range, bright images, and wide field of view.
- Comfortable and easy to use.
- Durable rubber-coated housing with excellent controls.
4. Olympus 8-16X40 Zoom DPS
The Olympus DPS with Bk-7 Porro prisms is a true dominator in viewing range with adjustable 8-16x zoom and 40mm objective lenses. It comes with long eye relief, is waterproof, and lightweight. It comes with multicoated optics and excellent controls for great user adaptability.
- Superb 8-16x zoom with large objective lenses.
- Long eye relief, waterproof, and lightweight.
- Multicoated optics and excellent controls.
5. Bushnell H2O Porro Prism Binoculars
The Bushnell H2O with BaK-4 prisms combines excellent image quality, impressive magnification, and large 50mm lenses into a compact, durable, and waterproof housing. It comes with excellent controls that make it highly adaptable to different users and different outdoor niches.
- Excellent image quality and impressive magnification.
- Large objective lenses for wide field of view.
- Excellent control for user adaptability.
Porro Prism Binoculars Buying Guide
Porro prism binoculars offer the long distance viewing enthusiast, a cheaper option to access excellent optics. They feature a simpler internal design but are bulkier than roof prism binoculars. Choosing the right Porro prism binoculars requires you to consider a set of factors we will now look at.
Our buying guide reviews the best Porro prism binoculars on the market based on their specified features to help you make an informed choice quickly.
Magnification
The magnification of your pair of Porro prism binoculars, also called the ‘power,’ measures how close or large a distant object appears through the eyepiece. Porro prism binoculars can come with either fixed values of magnification or adjustable values using control knobs. It is always a good idea to go for the latter to give you great viewing variety.
Many people often think that the higher the magnification, the better, but it is not necessarily so. By rule of thumb, the higher the magnification, the smaller the field of view and the less stable the image. For tourism, magnifications of between 8x to 12x are ideal. Any higher, and you may be struggling to focus on an image without a tripod.
Weather Performance
When scouting for Porro prism binoculars, always lookout for a product with the ‘fog-proof and waterproof’ label to ensure you get a product that will serve you; come rain come shine. The unit should provide a tight seal to prevent possible infiltration that may cloud and tamper with the functions of the internal components.
Size and Weight
Your comfort while using Porro prism binoculars depends largely on the unit’s weight. When your binoculars are too heavy, they become a drag after extended periods of use. Even when used with a harness, your neck will eventually start to feel sore. Heavy units will also be strenuous to hold up for long and will be difficult to keep steady. It is, therefore, always a good idea to go for Porro prism binoculars as light as possible.
Features of binoculars that attract an increase in weight include its magnification and size of objective lenses. If you want some extra power, then a larger unit may be the preferred choice. If you want to set camp at a location, then it may not be a bad idea to invest in a tripod stand for Porro prism binoculars on the weightier side of the spectrum for comfort and viewing steadiness.
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