Image Quality
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The image of the "Nikon 12X50 CF SE" may be truly called in terms of focus, clarity and brightness, as well as collimation as "excellent". You look from the perspective feeling her so natural and unadulterated, like when looking through a clean cleaned window, but just 12 times larger. Feathering one must really consciously seek and CAs can be seen only at the edge of the image (the viewer not actively used to look) as hint (!) Of color fringing at the edges only by crass contrast objects such as chimneys against a blue sky. However, when practical observation situations stipulates a can with a clear conscience the binoculars called "CA-free".
Luminous intensity
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As we know, the actual light intensity is determined not only by the lens aperture and magnification, but to a decisive extent by the compensation. And here the Nikon trumps full! The brightness of the instrument is enormous! In the dim light was a spruce with the naked eye can be seen in about 200m distance still as gray, detail loose silhouette. Through the binoculars it looked like in the sunlight of a covered day, the pins were easily countable and even in this twilight drank color anything in "unit Grey" from, but the branches were dark green, the lighter green of Maiwuchses (currently being June), clearly and the pins were fawn. The value of the compensation was directly perceivable in the light situation and lifted by two compared binoculars similar product quality from (among other things, a Zeiss-Jena Dodekarem).
Field of view
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The field of view is actually not a "wide angle", but definitely wide enough! Let us not forget we are talking about 12x magnification, which naturally has a smaller field of view than 10x or 8x. I could nevertheless aligning no trouble quickly in the field, without the binoculars settle more than necessary. The field of view is definitely sufficient.
Ergonomics
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The housing of the binoculars is a dream! There are no hard edges! No matter where or how to handle the binoculars or in the hand takes, it is always perfect in his hands. To the rounded edges of the prism housing, the fingers add in wonderfully natural way. The gum is another plus point! The static friction of the housing is perfect. Nothing slips away. It accesses and has it with little grip pressure securely in your hand. The weight deserves only one name: Lightweight. For this it is surprisingly small for a Porro. The low weight and small size make it very handy. The eyecups are soft like foam and take the frontals downright "in receiving". Nothing expresses when preparing or triggers. "Touching" the eyecups eyebrows just gently and give immediately with great tolerance for. Very pleasant! One takes it not true conscious.
This is really an "ergonomic binoculars" Constructed under consideration of the human body!
Criticism
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Only three criticisms I've found.
1. The actuator of the focus is mounted at the eyepiece end of the actuating shaft. Why is this inconvenient? If you want to keep a pair of binoculars stable, you should take it with your hands far forward in lens close and push the eyecups against the skull and place them on the bridge of his nose. So you can binoculars with light contact pressure "Clamp" and keep very quiet. (The 12x magnification, I think in this way freehand enough quiet to be able to define small details.) In this fingering you have to focus, however, towards eyepieces embrace to come to the focus actuator. The thumbwheel had listened to the lens-side end of the focusing wave! Because then you would achieve it without changing the grip.
Is put into perspective this constructive mishap however by the enormous depth of field of the binoculars! From 200m practically everything is sharp to infinity. I almost had the impression of looking through a fixed focus device. Only on shorter distances really requires you to focus actuator.
2. Another clear point of criticism is the silly leatherette bag, which offers no protection against shock or even fall. The bag acts only as "dust", it will also change the (at this cheap bag simply acting cocky) "Nikon" logo nothing. A shipping container made of hard leather or thick and tight padded plastic bag I see as a compulsory accompaniment to a thousand-Euro-binoculars!
3. The biggest complaint I have is the lack of tripod mount. Yes, you read correctly, this has NO FG tripod mount! An absolute absurdity in a device of this quality and price range. What Nikon was thinking ... no idea.
Conclusion
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My conclusion is: This is a "binocular for life", which is a 9x63 hunting binoculars from Bresser (by which I have already looked extensively and however which costs only one-tenth of the Nikon) in terms of light intensity can be replaced - and with plenty of half of its weight and smooth the half its size and a much higher magnification. However, I would like to see in the price of the Nikon intercept a secure hard carrying case or at least a stable and well-padded fabric bag, the heavy blow or a fall from waist level is capable of, and not those supplied puny "leatherette pouch" which is more like a cosmetic bag , And definitely should get a tripod mount these binoculars!
