Canon 8x32 Waterproof Binoculars

Canon 8x32 Waterproof Binoculars
none 4.0 1

This is an Amazon review I wrote (checks notes) 15 years ago. They were in a backpack that was stolen out of my car so I replaced them with a pair of binoculars (10x32 waterproof) with REI branding. As far as I can tell you can’t buy either pair new. Compact, wide-angle, fixed-magnification binoculars remain the best option for all sorts of observation.

Not perfect, but a great value

I bought these binoculars 4 1/2 years ago because they seemed like a good value for the money. I can definitely confirm that. The image is quite clear and very wide. 8x is a satisfying magnification for sports, birdwatching, sight-seeing and astronomy. Too much more and you really need either a tripod or image stabilization. Compared to cheaper lenses, these are noticeably better and compared to more expensive pairs from Nikon not any worse.

Now there are some problems that I had. They are deceptively heavy for their size. The original strap hurt my neck so I bought a padded strap that worked better. The case has a strap too, but I couldn’t replace or remove that one since it was sewn not clipped to the case. Canon really should provide caps for the objective lens. It was annoying to roll the rubber eyepieces down to use them with sunglasses during the day.

Except for the weight, I think the other problems are fixable. I suspect these are heavy because of the glass needed produce an excellent image in a very compact pair of binoculars. Also, the waterproofing and rubber armor that protect them add to their heft. I don’t think I’d want to compromise any of the other qualities of these binoculars for the sake of a few ounces.