Having used Swift Audubon 8.5 x 44 for 30 odd years we thought it bast to replace them. These are everything you would expect from Nikon, quality is superb. Light, bright and waterproof so they are much better for our mountain wanderings. In comparison to the Swifts, marginally narrower field of view but them Swift were the only company to manufacture the 8.5 x 44 and the Nikons are just as good but with a load of advantages. A really nice pair of binoculars for bird watching and general use.

An excellent all-purpose binocular!

Binocular has very sharp and contrast in the optics is excellent. Took these to a star party (local public outreach event for astronomy) and these did superbly under the stars! Moon nearly full showed good detail with minimal chroma or flaring which does plague other less expensive pairs. Also, color rendition in stars is also exceptional, even though this binocular is rated by Nikon for general purpose and not astronomy per se. Daylight views are also excellent. sharp views of landscape and distant objects. I recommend this pair for someone looking to get an excellent general purpose binocular. FYI, not a big fan of the caps. The front caps clip into the front, and DO work, but are not ideal, IMO. I rated 5 stars mainly due to the optics and general construction.

Incredible value for the money!

I've been exploring the world of mid-range binoculars for the last couple of years and in that time, have purchased several mid-tier products. Among them: Vortex HD 12x50's, Zeiss Terra HD's 10x42, Bushnell Legend Ultra HD "M" series 8x42 and out of all, I always return to the Nikons.Field of view on these 10x42's is excellent, as is the edge-to-edge clarity. There are no chromatic distortions and diopter adjustment is easy and accurate.I am no expert on optics, but I would say that I am at least somewhat able to comment on the quality and finish of these excellent glasses. Between them all, the Zeiss Terra HD's are maybe slightly better, but they also cost about $100 more (if you can find them). For the price, however, the Nikkon Prostaff7's are a true gem in the ... MoreI've been exploring the world of mid-range binoculars for the last couple of years and in that time, have purchased several mid-tier products. Among them: Vortex HD 12x50's, Zeiss Terra HD's 10x42, Bushnell Legend Ultra HD "M" series 8x42 and out of all, I always return to the Nikons.Field of view on these 10x42's is excellent, as is the edge-to-edge clarity. There are no chromatic distortions and diopter adjustment is easy and accurate.I am no expert on optics, but I would say that I am at least somewhat able to comment on the quality and finish of these excellent glasses. Between them all, the Zeiss Terra HD's are maybe slightly better, but they also cost about $100 more (if you can find them). For the price, however, the Nikkon Prostaff7's are a true gem in the value market of ~$200-300 binoculars.

Lens Caps work well if attached as designed.

Repost concerning lens caps.The lens caps are designed to tether to the strap and fit onto the eyepieces loosely enough that they are easy to quickly remove and then put back on when you are finished looking. These caps are designed for use WHILE the binoculars are on the strap around your neck. YOU MUST INSTALL THEM CORRECTLY! And when you do, when you raise the capped binoculars to your eyes, the caps practically come off by themselves and hang out of the way, and when you let the binoculars hang down again, gravity practically puts the caps back on the eyepieces. The caps for the objective ends are also meant to remain tethered to the strap, but left uncapped from the objectives the entire time while in use. How to do it? From each side, thread the strap from the ... MoreRepost concerning lens caps.The lens caps are designed to tether to the strap and fit onto the eyepieces loosely enough that they are easy to quickly remove and then put back on when you are finished looking. These caps are designed for use WHILE the binoculars are on the strap around your neck. YOU MUST INSTALL THEM CORRECTLY! And when you do, when you raise the capped binoculars to your eyes, the caps practically come off by themselves and hang out of the way, and when you let the binoculars hang down again, gravity practically puts the caps back on the eyepieces. The caps for the objective ends are also meant to remain tethered to the strap, but left uncapped from the objectives the entire time while in use. How to do it? From each side, thread the strap from the binoculars, through the eyecaps, and then through the objective caps. When ready to use, remove the objective caps and hang the binoculars around your neck, and see if you don't suddenly love the eyecap design! Try it my way, and you too may realize that these caps are GREAT!

Review of PROSTAFF 7S 10 x 42 mm Binoculars - Black

Good Points: I was only looking to spend about £70 when i started my search for binoculars as i only use then occasionally when going on fishing trips. Having watched a few youtube videos came to the conclusion that i would only be buying these once as my previous bins had lasted since the 80's so forked out the extra few £'s and having used them on a trip to France are so glad i spent the extra. The clarity,brightness, field of view and zoom are excellent and exactly what i needed. I would highly recommend.Improvement Points: The only gripe would be the lens covers could be better designed but this is a minor detail.

Shamefully Engineered Lens Caps

Love these knockers. We use them frequently. Immediately became birders, not intending to do so before purchase.4 stars for the lens cap design. Followed the instructions on how to use them, still lost them both. Lost one twice in one day. It fell off, I had no idea it was missing. Found it on the ground on the return hike. Put it in my pocket, slipped out when I went for my keys (I think). Lost the remaining cap two days later over a cliff.

Two sides to the review

As many people have noted, there are two issues to acknowledge with this product package: the binoculars and the caps designed to (supposedly) protect them.First, the unit itself. The build quality is excellent and the adjustments are good, tight and firm. The image quality is excellent for binoculars in this price point. With good maintenance and an eye to cleanliness, these binoculars will last a long time. The small size is great and they are relatively lightweight.The neck strap is ok, but if you're patient and wait for a price drop, the Matin Neoprene Comfort Strap with Quick Release is a much more comfortable strap to use for lengthy trekking.As for the one piece eyecap and the objective lens covers, well, they are indeed cheap. But you're not buying top end ... MoreAs many people have noted, there are two issues to acknowledge with this product package: the binoculars and the caps designed to (supposedly) protect them.First, the unit itself. The build quality is excellent and the adjustments are good, tight and firm. The image quality is excellent for binoculars in this price point. With good maintenance and an eye to cleanliness, these binoculars will last a long time. The small size is great and they are relatively lightweight.The neck strap is ok, but if you're patient and wait for a price drop, the Matin Neoprene Comfort Strap with Quick Release is a much more comfortable strap to use for lengthy trekking.As for the one piece eyecap and the objective lens covers, well, they are indeed cheap. But you're not buying top end binoculars. As one reviewer noted, the caps are designed primarily to protect the glass from dirt. And if installed properly on the neckstrap, they can be quite convenient to place back on the openings. The 3 pieces to have slits in their attachment lugs to facilitate easy removal if not needed. Frankly, I would be there are some out there who have figured out alternative solutions - lets hear about them !

Very Good Value

GOOD: The overall clarity of the glass is very good ... in the center of the objective lens. The focus is very progressive and easy to bring in. The construction quality looks and feels very good. COULD BE BETTER: The edge to edge clarity of the glass is less than I expected. I looked through a pair of Prostaff 7S (same make and model) about 2 or 3 years ago and they had much better clarity edge to edge. So, it seems to my eyes, that Nikon is inconsistent in its manufacturing quality. OVERALL: These are very good quality binoculars for $175 !! I cannot find any better quality in the $150 to $250 range.

Very nice Binoculars

Great pair of Binoculars the 10X42 help enlarge the birds over the 8X42. Well designed except for the lens covers. Good for low light, and have good color. I would recommend these Binoculars.

Very nice binoculars product

It was impossible for me to find the True Timber Kanati Camo version in Europe, so it was very pleasant to me to find it at B&H.Very strong product, good looking, perfect matching with my wildlife photography activity.Thanks a lot;