Nikon Action 7x35

I bought these binoculars for bird watching and for that purpose they work great. I have a pair of 10x50 and although I really like them I wanted something smaller and steadier. I will still use my 10x50's… but more for raptors in flight or bird watching in the woods, these ones are a lot more confortable when watching birds at a medium range, casual bird watching around the house or simply trying to follow a bird to its nest (due to the large field of view). There is some distortion around the outer edges but it isn't bad, I actually only noticed it because I was deliberately looking for it. The images are sharp and I am surprised at how bright the images are considering the price and size of the lenses. Some bird watching sites would have you believe that you have to spend an arm and a leg on a pair of binoculars in order to bird watch properly, that is not the case. This pair will show all the detail on birds (even the tiny ones).

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As an amateur astronomer, I am always on the lookout for good binoculars, and have had experience with quite a few - even a few very highly rated high-end types. I saw the Nikons in a sporting goods store… about 6 months ago, and was impressed at the clarity and depth of field apparent even within the store. After asking permission to take them outside, observations confirmed my initial impressions. They are nearly as bright (and clearer, better color rendition) than a "standard" brand 7x50 - perhaps because of excellent multi-coatings. The 9+ degree FOV makes them ideal for digging out fainter constellations and asterisms. Stars remained point-like nearly to the edge of the field. True, I couldn't see too many Messier# galaxies, but you can't see many with ANY 7x bino, most requiring at least a decent 10x50. The compact size also makes these useful for daytime applications, such as birdwatching and other nature related activities, or watching athletic events. This was my first experience with Nikon binoculars, and based on this purchase I soon bought the Nikon 10x50s as well. Although I thought I got an incredibly good buy at the time, I have since learned I could have saved 15% by buying on-line - no matter, they are still "keepers" with which I will never part. An incredible value. For the casual user, they may be all the binocular you will ever need.

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We bought these binoculars for a trip to Alaska. They are fairly compact and lightweight, which made them perfect for viewing wildlife and scenery while backpacking. My only complaint is that we lost one of… the objective lens caps, and it has been pretty much impossible to replace it. Nikon says that part has been backordered for 7 months, and I can't find any dealers who sell it. It seems crazy, especially after reading the other reviewer's comment about how easy it is to lose the cap.... we must not be the only ones with this problem.

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The optics are excellent. I found viewing excellent, ranging from viewing stars and Jupiter and the Moon to birds in the woods. The only slightly irritating aspect is that, while there is a strap for the… binocs, there is no strap for the case. I found myself accidentally dropping the case when taking the binoculars out, assuming the case was attached to something. On the whole, this was an excellent purchase. RC

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