Nikon Action EX Extreme ATB 7x35

Birding is considered the most demanding use for binoculars, so we found the best comparison tests of the Nikon Action EX Extreme ATB 7x35 binoculars at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where teams of experienced birders compare it with 77 other models in various sizes and price ranges, using well-documented tests and precise ratings. Editors here give it top ranking in its price range. We also found handfuls of owner-written reviews at several sites - useful because they review the Nikon Action EX Extreme 7x35 for a wider range of uses, including travel, sports and hunting.

For the best budget mid-sized binoculars, especially for beginning birdwatchers, reviewers recommend the waterproof, fogproof Nikon Action EX Extreme 7x35. This is the size experts recommend for beginning birders (since they're less shaky when handheld), and the Action EX 7x35 provides an impressive 489-foot field of view - making the binoculars easier to aim. The multicoated lenses are made of eco-friendly glass, and the binoculars carry the excellent Nikon 25-year "no-fault" warranty. However, they're waterproof but not fogproof for use in cold weather, and eyeglass wearers give them mixed reviews. The main drawbacks are heavy weight (28.2 ounces) plus a minimum focusing distance of 16 feet - inconvenient for watching birds at feeders. For more compact binoculars that can focus as close as 18 inches, reviewers recommend the Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 (*est. $130).