Compact Binoculars

Look relatively compact and light but is this something you need?

Exit pupil is only about 2.6 mm, ok for bright daylight but dark under low light situations such as examining the details of a cathedral interior or evening wildlife.

No spec on eye relief. More of a concern for those of us with prescription glasses.

No spec on field of vision. I prefer a wide field of view.

Biggest concern would be not being able to check the optical quality by hands on use.

Best binoculars is one that someone else packs and is willing to share.

I found a pair of comparable compact binoculars at a local sporting goods store, so I could try them out before purchasing. I hauled them all over Europe for 3 weeks and never used them once. They are in my car now, and I do use them occasionally out in the woods, so not a total waste of money.

I have a small pair that I think are comparable. The numbers on the RS ones say "163m at 1000m;" my Bushnells say "314 ft at 1000yds."

I use mine a lot. They're good for looking at detail of church frescoes, carvings, etc. Also I use them to home in on architectural details on building exteriors. They're not great quality, but for checking out detail at a distance, they're much better than my eyes. And they're small enough to fit in the cross-body bag that I normally carry while traveling. You should probably compare prices, though. Sporting goods stores or even Wal-Mart should have these.

I have the RS compact binoculars and have taken them to Europe for 13 years and use them some of the time but enough that I keep bringing them. They are difficult to use with my eyeglasses. No problems for my wife. They are small and lightweight.

They are difficult to use with my eyeglasses.

http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/education/eye_relief.html

What is a good eye relief for glasses wearers?

If you wear glasses, you need binoculars whose
eyepieces are specially designed with long eye relief. You need a
minimum of about 16mm. Even more than 16mm is better yet.

Janet,

I used to carry a set of compact Binoculars years ago, but found that I never used them so they sit at home in a drawer now. I never felt they were of any use on any of the eight RS tours I've taken, especially as my zoom lenses have greater reach than the Binoculars.

I have them and have used them. But like my camera I often neglect them. They were useful in the Sistine Chapel.