Imagic BGA VHD 10×42 | Opticron | Feb 2017 | Binoculars
The Technical Stuff:
Specifications 10×42
Product Code 30680
Field (m) 113
Min Focus (m) 2
Eyerelief (mm) 21
IPD (mm) 58-74
HxW (mm) 152×124
Weight (g) 705
Price £ inc. VAT 459.00
The Maker’s View:
The Imagic BGA VHD remains true to the original Imagic concept offering the discerning buyer a stylish lightweight ergonomic binocular with outstanding performance for its price.The VHD are the seventh in the series and set another new benchmark for light transmission and colour correction. These characteristics mean they are particularly suited for use in woodland, under cover or in low light extremes at dawn or dusk. To compliment this, focusing is geared to one half turn from 5m to infinity distance for quick accurate focus.Manufactured in Japan to the highest standards and finished in a textured natural armour for comfort and grip, the Imagic BGA VHD offers the serious enthusiast a genuine alternative to premium brands at a fraction of the price.Features include:* Compact, lightweight roof prism design with textured rubber armouring* Fully multi-coated VHD optical system with high quality phase corrected PGK prism units and Oasis prism coating* Wide field, long eye relief eyepieces* Nitrogen gas filled waterproof (3m depth)* 3-stage twist type retractable eyecups* Close focus to 2m (42mm), 3.5m (50mm)* Tripod adapter socket* 30 year guaranteeModels are supplied in a soft Cordura case with rainguard, neoprene bungee strap and rubber objective lens covers.
Fatbirder View:Optically these are very good value for money indeed when compared with the market leaders. I use two of the top brands and they compare well with brands that cost, literally, more than twice as much. In variable lights, they seem colour true and offer crisp and bright images. Moreover, the focus adjustment is fast yet still gives a crisp image from the far distance right through to close focus. I was particularly impressed with close focus when in a hide, I saw movement perhaps a dozen feet below me and immediately focussed on some reed buntings hopping about on the patch of weedy gravel, incredible detail. Where they do not quite match the best was at far distance when one might normally use a scope, the light transmission was still good but the images were not quite as sharp as my top end models. At that rang I found my optics had an edge; I guess one has to ask was it a £500 – £700 edge?’Feel’ is very much a personal judgement but the iMagics did not feel quite right in my hands… I think it was that the natural place for me to hold them made for a slightly awkward movement to the focus wheel. Otherwise the hard rubber coasting and texture feels like the best quality. The weight is right too, an insignificant difference to my own. The dioptre adjustment was one I admit to fiddling with… but being short-sighted in one eye and long-sighted in the other its always a struggle for me to get it right and what seems perfect at fifty feet isn’t right at 200 feet and vice versa, that said I found the placement of the dioptre adjuster slight awkward too. I don’t want to be too harsh as its often a case of what you are used to.The eye-relief arrangement feels a bit ‘clunky’ too. I’m used to using bins where the eye-relief slides out rather than sits over where the lenses are (hard to describe but I’m sure you’ll get it). They do the job fine; it’s like having a plastic bung in a wine bottle, somehow it never feels like a quality wine unless there is a cork in it even although its often better at keeping the wine than the real thing.They come supplied with a decent strap and rainguard and a choice of dustcaps, those that come off and those that attach to the bins with rubber rings so you can open or close them. The bag is also great quality except for one really irritating failing – the catch. It’s basically a metal stud over which the flap closes by pushing the stud through a hole in a leather flap. Come on people, there are a dozen better ways to do this with my favourite being a magnet. When you are offering a really good product with an optical quality challenging the expensive rivals don’t spoil the ship for a ha’porth of tar! My overall assessment – well worth the step up in price from moderate quality. What’s more they are close enough to the really expensive optics in performance to really make you ask if you are paying for the label rather than the quality. A few tweaks to the accessories and mechanics and they would convince everyone except determined fashionistas to choose iMagics.