Nikon Prostaff 3S HONEST Talk

Hello Sir can you suggest me a best low budget binoculars. With good range and low light vision.

Just picked up a pair today for $42 on clearance at academy sports

While we're here at the cheaper side of things I wonder how would Celestron Nature DX 10×42 compare to Nikon Prostaff 3s. I think it would be a great fight between them, or am I wrong? Btw I love your videos! Subbed, liked etc.

Is nikon Prostaff 3s full multi coated?
How's eyepieces of this binocular ? Coated or like aculon series?

Ethan, looks like a fun day to be out. Nice that you're also testing / reviewing lower cost optics.
fwiw. Two points: First – I was just reading a review of the 2019 updated Vortex Diamondback 8×42 to an HD version, on the birdwatching website. I believe the Diamondback HD is about the same price as the Prostaff 3S.
They wrote, "With a standard optical resolution chart as the target, we placed an 8×42 Diamondback and a new 8×42 HD Diamondback side by side….The result was not ambiguous, and it was not close. The new HD showed a significantly sharper image, with better brightness, contrast, and resolution. " Adding that the focus knob and hinge were also both improved from the previous version and the x42 x50 binos now ships with the Vortex Glasspak harness included.

Secondly – earlier today I found a fun article from Swarovski. "Test your device yourself" (May 11 2020). You can read it online, but there is also a link to download a pdf version in German or English. It's a reprint from their birding magazine Closer. Easiest way to find the article is look at SwarovskiOptic on twitter, May 20, 2020 post – Quality is priceless. Clink on the link, its a different website that has an "at" prefix — at.swarovski dot com / corporatenews post.

Five things to look for to check for image qualiy:
1)Light-dark transition – look at license plates, trees, branches, leaves. ridge lines against bright sky. 2)Delicate structure – plumage, fur are ideal targets. Better optics have good resolution, less yellowish or bluish color fringing. 3) Starry skies – bright light points on dark background, should show no distortion. 4)Edges – look at the object of interest off center at the edges, check sharpness, no color fringing 5) Bad light, scattered light from backlit object , low light at twilight.

I would add a 6th check for collimation. Last night I looked at the moon with some $170 West Marine brand 8×42 binos I purchased last month, which triggered my recent interest in binos of this size. As I moved the binos away from my eyes, till I started seeing the tubes as a figure 8 laying on its side. The moon image in the right tube shifted down to the right. This after noon I repeated the test looking at a house with a lamp pole behind it. that is a few hundred yards away. Repeating the test. The roof line in the right dropped below the the roof line image in the left. The lamp image shifted down to the right. The image of the pole, tilted to the right in the right side tube. Forming a V shape with the pole image in the left tube. I had not noticed that problem before. Maybe I can get WM to replace it. But it shows why better optics cost more, that sort of thing is probably checked before shipped by the better optics companies. [probably/ maybe]

Hello, if you had a budget of 1,100 euros / dollars. What binoculars would you buy? I hope your answer is of great help to me. Thank you 😉 PD: sorry for my english, I'm spanish.

This is part of my consideration previously before end up with Monarch 5. Price difference is not that huge versus highest spec Prostaff 7. However the price difference is huge if compared to Monarch 7 and Monarch HD (obviously better piece of kit too)

I find it better buy/strech my budget on the best possible unit i can afford and stick with it instead of buying basic bino gradually upgrade slowly along the way and end up spending more $ than save up then buying the best outright.

I think having bino in hunger games is better than end up with spoon or some useless item like compass in Battle Royale (the Japanese movie with similar premise but much violent)

I have these Nikon Prostaff 3S 8×42 they are decently good for birding, I'm a photographer I carry these along with my 100-400mm lens in the field and they work well together. They're ever so much better optically and feel lighter than my vintage Tasco 10×25 porroprism's that I've had around the house for ages now. Eventually the Monarch 7 is my target pair of bins but I'm not in any hurry to get them, things here in Canada get pretty spendy plus taxes on top yowie. After all I'm just a poor boy from a poor family. Cheers.

🙂👍

Honesty mate goes a long way and you are right there aren’t going to put a smile on your face every time you look through them! You get what you pay for especially in optics. Btw I took some vid of the Olympus drop your email and I will send it to you.

I’m looking forward to your “Alpha” head to head.
Of course it will cost you money, so I’m patient.
If I had the money, seriously I would fund it for you just because I love your review style and presentation
Greetings from Barry, South Wales. Windy here but not as windy as there 😀