The question I received this week comes from someone looking for a compact binocular ideal for using at a concert and for sporting events:
Steiner Safari Ultrasharp 8x22 vs Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x25
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Question:
Question:Hi, I am looking for compact binocular that is under $200 to watch concert/sport. So far I come down to Steiner Safari Ultrasharp 8x22 vs Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x25. Which one I should choose? I’m open to any suggestion. Thanks!
Answer
When choosing between these two binoculars and for your specific requirements of sports and concerts, I think there are two main areas to keep in mind:
Size
A major consideration for any bin that you are going to be taking to sporting events and to concerts is it’s size and so firstly I think you have made the right decision by opting for a compact binocular.
On the plus side for the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x25 is that it has slightly larger 25mm objective lenses than the 22mm ones on the Steiner Safari Ultrasharp 8x22.
This slightly larger shaft of light being delivered to your eyes will probably be a small advantage in poor light. At an indoor concert as it means they will be able to gather that tiny bit more light and possibly create a brighter image. However the larger 10x magnification on the Bushnell means that you get an exit pupil of 2.5mm (25 ÷ 10), which is actually slightly smaller than the 2.75mm (22 ÷ 8) one produced by the 8x22 Steiner.
For more on the importance of this please take some time to read my in-depth article on the Exit Pupil.
FOV
Another very important aspect to look for in a bin for your requirements will be it’s FOV (Field of View). This is the width of the image that you can see when looking through them. For sporting events and at concerts, a wider FOV is desirable as it means that you will be able to see more of the action at once without having to move the view on the binoculars and thus potentially miss something else happening, just outside your view.
Comparisons
Then for me, the best way to Choose Between Binoculars once you have your shortlist of candidates is to compare their main specifications and features on a table as this makes it easier to get a quick overview. Please note that as well as your two choices, I have added a few other pairs that I feel you may also want to consider:
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| Steiner Safari UltraSharp 8x22 | Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x25 | Hawke Sapphire ED 8x25 | Vanguard Orros 10x25 Binoculars | |
| Weight: | 228g | 230g | 241g | 280g |
| Length | 11cm | ? | ? | 10.4cm |
| Width | 10cm | ? | ? | 11.4cm |
| Exit Pupil | 2.75cm | 2.5mm | 3.1mm | 2.5mm |
| Eyecups | Rubber Folding | Twist-Up | Twist-Up | Twist-Up |
| Eye Relief | ? | 15.5mm | 15mm | 10mm |
| Min Focusing Dist | 3m | 1.8m | 1.6m | 2.5m (8.2ft) |
| FOV at 1000m | 125m | 95m | 119m | 110m |
| Hinge Design | Dual Hinge | Dual Hinge | Dual Hinge | Single Offset |
| Prism Type | Roof | Roof | Roof | Roof |
| Phase Correction | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| ED Glass | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Lens Coatings | Think Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated | Multi-Coated |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fogproof | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Approx Price | $150 / £95 | $160 / £215 | $220 / £180 | $90 / £90 |
Of the two on your shortlist, the Bushnell is obviously much better quality as it has much higher quality optics. This includes fully multi-coated glass, phase corrected prisms and ED glass in the lenses, which will translate to a brighter and better quality image. So whilst the Steiner does produce a slightly larger exit pupil, which may help them almost equal the brightness of the Bushnell in low light, it has lower quality optics and so I doubt they will match the image quality.
As well as the optics, you will also probably get a better build quality on the 10x25 Bushnell, with features like the twist-up eyecups as opposed to the rubber folding ones on the Steiner’s being a good indication of this.
Alternatives to Consider
As well as the two you selected, I have added a few alternative compact binoculars that I feel would also be well worth adding to your shortlist:
Hawke Sapphire ED 8x25 Binoculars
Whilst these compact Hawke binoculars are a little more expensive than the Bushnell’s in the US, in the UK they are actually a little cheaper, so they maybe a pair to consider depending on where you live.
I have added them as an option as they are very similar in quality to the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD, but unlike them these can also be found in an 8x25 configuration – see my article on the Best Compact Binoculars with ED Glass where both of these bins feature.
This means that you get a larger 3.1mm exit pupil and a wider FOV. This with the higher quality optics means that especially in low light conditions like at a concert, they will most probably be a better choice than the Steiner Safari UltraSharp.
>> Compare Prices & Buy Hawke Sapphire ED Compact Binoculars
Vanguard Orros 10x25 Binoculars
I have included these Vanguard binoculars as a great option for those who want to keep their budget to less than $100 / £100.
Even though they have a 10x magnification, their FOV is still a respectable 110m at 1000m which approaches that of some of the 8x compacts above, but you still maintain the added reach you get with the higher 10x power. If you like the idea of these, but want to make sure you have a FOV that is wide enough, take a look at the 8x25 version that produces an image that is 113m wide at 1000m and will obviously also have the larger 3.1mm exit pupil to go with it.
- Read my full Vanguard Orros 10x25 Binoculars Review
Further Reading:
I hope that at least some of my advice helps. If you have any more questions, just use the comments section at the bottom of this page or if you need any more information, please take a look at the links below on some related content:
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Have a Binocular Question?
If you are also having problems deciding which binoculars to get for your specific needs and I have not covered it on BBR and would like some advice, please drop me a line giving me as much details as you can regarding what you would like to use them for, your budget etc and I will see what I can do to help.
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