The Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars are clearly multi-purpose daytime binoculars, so in case you’re out and about on a nature stroll, watching a sporting occasion or simply doing a little sightseeing, these are good. Nevertheless, when the sun units and the evening comes, how do they carry out?
Usually 10×50 binoculars are advisable for skywatching, however the 25mm aperture of those Nikon Travelite binocular lenses are simply half the diameter. We weren’t anticipating an excellent efficiency from these binoculars after we pointed them on the stars, however we have been pleasantly stunned.
Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars evaluation
Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars: Design
- Sturdy and sturdy, with a rubberized coating
- Good eye aid for eyeglasses wearers
- Pocketable due to its compact design
In hand, Nikon’s Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars really feel sturdy and well-made, with a stunning rubberized coating making them really feel properly sturdy. They weigh simply 12.5 oz (355 grams) and have dimensions of 4.3 x 4.5 inches (110mm x 116mm), so you’ll be able to actually put them in your coat pocket making them really travel-friendly.
Specs
Magnification: 8x
Goal lens diameter: 25mm
Angular discipline of view: 6.2 levels
Eye aid: 15.5mm / 0.6 inches
Weight: 12.5oz / 355g
The binoculars characteristic winding eyecups with a fairly large vary of motion, offering 15.5mm (0.6 inches) of eye aid, making these usable (however not good) for spectacle wearers. We discovered we needed to wind the eyecups out in any other case the view seems partly obscured. Focusing is easy due to a central dial.
Though our evaluation mannequin didn’t include any equipment, the binoculars often include a carry case that may connect to your belt, a double eyepiece cowl and a neck strap.
Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars: Efficiency
- Excellent distinction when observing vibrant objects
- Giant discipline of view
- Optical system gives high-definition views
The sector of view of the binoculars at 1000m (1km/0.6 miles) is 110m (361 ft). Since 17.5m at a distance of 1000m corresponds to 1 diploma of the evening sky, the binoculars give an angular discipline of view of 6.2 levels (110 divided by 17.5). For comparability, the angular dimension of the complete Moon within the sky is about half a level, so in different phrases, the sector of view of the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars is 12 full moon widths.
Certainly, after we appeared on the Moon on Dec. 27, it was a five-day-old waxing crescent, and the Moon appeared fairly small within the discipline of view. We might see loads of craters, most notably on the terminator between lunar day and evening, the place the interaction of sunshine and shadow is at its biggest.
We might additionally make out craters on the illuminated portion of the lunar floor, the place the brightness often impacts distinction. The truth is, the picture distinction by the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars appeared a bit higher than by Nikon’s Prostaff P7 8×42 that we have been additionally testing, with the crater rims higher outlined.
The pretty giant discipline of view was additional introduced house after we shifted southeastwards from the moon in Taurus (the Bull) to the constellation of Orion (the Hunter). The three belt stars — known as Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka — all match into the sector of view, whereas within the background have been many faint pinpricks of sunshine from fainter stars invisible to the unaided eye. Views of the celebrities have been extremely outlined and sharp.
When seen by Nikon’s Prostaff P7 8×42, or Celestron’s UpClose G2 10×50 binoculars that we additionally had at our disposal, these background stars appeared way more outstanding to us, as can be anticipated from the bigger gentle grasp of the larger barrels. When taking a look at Orion’s Belt, we might additionally squeeze within the fuzzy glow of the Nice Nebula in Orion on the backside of the sector. The Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars have been capable of make out a number of the stars of the Trapezium Cluster, although once more not practically as many because the bigger and extra highly effective binoculars.
Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars: Performance
- Lacks nice light-gathering energy however has respectable night-sky views
- Light-weight design
- Immune to fog and water
Regardless of the shortage of light-gathering energy, sweeping by the dusty observe of the winter Milky Way revealed gorgeous views full of stars. The viewing was a nice and comfy observing expertise, the binoculars being so gentle that we barely observed we have been holding them. There’s just about no shake affecting the view, not like the wobbly-arm syndrome that may have an effect on stargazing by bigger however heavier hand-held binoculars, due to the featherweight and enormous discipline of the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars. In the meantime, we found that the eye-relief adjustment and focusing have been each tremendous easy.
The binoculars are waterproof for 5 minutes as much as a depth of two meters, which you may by no means want to fret about whereas stargazing (or, to be trustworthy, chicken watching, except you handle to drop them in a pond someway!).
Maybe extra importantly, O-ring seals and nitrogen gasoline inside the optical system stop fogging — a design characteristic we have been massively impressed by as we moved from hotter indoor temperatures into the chillier outdoor.
Must you purchase the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars?
As beautiful as these binoculars are, it is laborious to get away from the truth that you should buy bigger binoculars for the same worth, or at the very least not rather more.
Severe skywatchers, or these trying to take their night-sky observations past the informal stage, will probably improve rapidly. Nevertheless, the Nikon Travelite gives beautiful views of a number of the brighter evening sky and daytime targets.
The additional aperture actually does make a distinction for astronomy, because it means that you can see extra element and a wider collection of targets. For instance, Jupiter’s moons have been on the sting of notion within the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars, however a pair of 10x50s (or bigger) present them clearly.
Saturn was not on present throughout our testing interval, however the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars wouldn’t be enough to indicate its rings clearly, nor its largest moon, Titan, as a result of small aperture of 25mm. Open star clusters are beautiful by the sector of view, however the decrease gentle grasp means they do not pop the best way they did by the optical system of the Nikon Prostaff P7 8×42.
If you happen to’re in search of a pocket-sized all-arounder to have interaction in informal observing with, then the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars are a superb selection, however in case you’re planning on utilizing binoculars as your predominant observing instrument, then you’ll in a short time discover the necessity for rather more highly effective binoculars with greater apertures.
If the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 binoculars aren’t for you
If the Nikon Travelite EX 8×25 aren’t for you, and also you’re in search of one thing compact, then the Bushnell H20 8×25 (opens in new tab) or Celestron UpClose G2 10×25 (opens in new tab) are wonderful selections from our choose of the best compact binoculars. They provide a sturdy design whereas permitting the flexibleness for journey, nature watching and informal skywatching, with excellent magnified views.
For binoculars which can be designed for night-sky viewing but are at a good funds that does not break the financial institution, the Celestron 7×50 Cometron are appropriate for observing the moon, stars, vibrant deep-sky targets and the planets with superb distinction and readability.
In the meantime, seasoned and critical sky-watchers will take nice delight within the Celestron SkyMaster 25×100 and Celestron SkyMaster 12×60 binoculars, which provide beautiful, high-definition sights — and larger element of nebulas, planets and galaxies — at affordable costs, relying in your funds. Be warned although, these superbly constructed devices are heavy and would require a mount (opens in new tab) and tripod for regular views.
