Nikon Prostaff 3S 10X42 Binoculars

Product Information

If you angle yourself against the sun a certain way, you can make out a translucent diagonal "line" that runs in the top left of the FOV. Anyways I’m really glad I took the time to do this tonight as not only was this a great way to get out of the house, but it really helped me figure some things out. With 20x magnification and housing filled with dry nitrogen gas, they do not fog up in even the chilliest of foggy nights, damp conditions, or moving between different temperature conditions — even if that is just your backpack to your favorite hilltop stargazing spot!

While it has gained its reputation as an industry leader for its binoculars and cameras, Nikon’s contributions to the industry go beyond these products. Of course for a cost-of-living-crisis friendly outlay we don’t get features found on higher end binoculars from either Nikon or its competitors, such as water resistance. The Leica 10x42 Noctivid binoculars offer up Schott HT (High Transmission) glass, 12 lens elements and P40 phase-corrected roof prisms, along with anti-reflective multi-coatings to both maximize light transmission and prevent water or any other nasties sticking to the lenses. Overall though, any beginner or enthusiast who wants to birdwatch, spot wildlife, or view vehicles and air shows will find them a fantastic wide-field observation instrument that should last for many years. Despite the compact proportions the view delivered is surprisingly crisp; thanks in no small part to class-leading ED glass elements.

However, The Prostaff 7s has a phase correction coating on the prisms which is lacking in the Prostaff 3s series. High-powered binoculars can be a much more sensible purchase for skywatching at night for some because they're also useful during the day. This gives us bright and clear results in the main, with only a slight fall off in sharpness towards the edges. The 6x magnification doesn’t make them the most powerful pair of binoculars on the block, but you can upgrade to the 8x30 model – weighing just a few grams more – for just a little more outlay, which represents something of a bargain in itself.

On a practical note, our review unit came supplied with front and back lens caps – the latter of which can be threaded through the provided next strap to prevent accidental loss. Overall, Image quality is crisp and well defined in the Prostaff 7s series than the Prostaff 3s series. For astronomy one needs precise focus, even though it is fixed at a distance, and I think a regular focus is better. A 25mm objective lens wedded to a 10x magnification further ensures suitability for a wide variety of subjects, including of course wildlife watching and birding.With the excellent build quality and superb optics, I think the Vortex Crossfire HD 10x50 should be candidate binoculars for anyone looking for a step-up option to use for many years in all kinds of scenarios, from wildlife to sport to astronomy.

Still, if I were still looking at the Prostaff I'd be weighing the choices carefully between the 8 and the 10 before deciding. Stargazers will also benefit from the fact that this option can be tripod mounted, while it also has its own center support rod for increased stability. I really thought I'd go with the Action Extreme in the beginning, but in the end I think the weight is going to kill it for me. This isn't the only size available – you can get these Outland X binoculars in other magnifications and sizes too.They have a built-in standard tripod mount which may be of use for long-term stargazing to accommodate for their heavier weight and size. For the ultimate long-distance viewing, we recommend Canon's 10x42L IS WP which has built-in image stabilization to keep your far-reaching views smooth and steady, if you just starting out in bird watching or need something simple to keep in your car we can highly recommend the Nikon Prostaff P3 8x42 - which we rated as the best entry-level binocular in our guide.