Picking up my review pair of 8 x 32 Conquest HDX bins, the first thing I noticed was the obviously robust construction. To be honest, there is no way I’m going to start throwing a review (or any!) pair of bins around to test just how robust they are, but there is an undeniable air of strength and durability with these. At 132mm long and weighing 630g, they are noticeably shorter than my trusty 10 x 32 SF’s but slightly heavier, two things that undoubtedly contribute to their sturdy feel along with the solid bridge. The magnesium housing has kept the weight down without compromising on this strength, and the durability of this range has been lab tested with the hinge, eyecups and focussing wheel moved thousands of times.
They’ve even been subjected to “the shake test”; 1.5 hours of continuous vibrations on three axes that would be enough to worry many other bins in this bracket. They’re fog proof, nitrogen purged and have been certified waterproof to 4m for 2 hours immersion. That’s enough for a rainforest, and should you have the ability to transport yourself from a tropical monsoon to the frigid Antarctic realms in mere minutes, they have been shock-tested from +400C to -250C in just three minutes. Even going from the hottest cabin to a zodiac in the pack ice would be taken in their stride. The rubber armour has been updated and tested against premature ageing, porosity and colour change, plus with the inclusion of optional ergonomic lens caps for the objective lens that can be fitted very snugly over the ends of the barrels, being out in the muck and rain is something that you’ll shy away from before these bins do.
Holding and using them is a very comfortable experience. The focus wheel is smooth and fast, just 1.3 rotations are needed for the full range, and clearly the vast majority of use will be within a fraction of turn. The wheel is large, and easy and natural to find, even with gloves on. The eyecups are fully adjustable, removable for ease of cleaning and are incredibly ergonomic. These are perhaps the most comfortable eyecups I have ever used, and I beg for them to be available as an upgrade on other ZEISS models! They have a curvature to them that fits snugly inside the edge of the eye socket, and they are also slightly narrower, making for an incredibly comfortable experience.
The view itself is, of course, up to the usual high standards on offer from ZEISS. They feature edge-to-edge image sharpness from their ED glass, aspheric lenses and “FieldFlattener” technology, as well as 90% light transmission, a large field of view (140m at 1000m), true-to-life colours with the Zeiss T* premium lens coatings and phase corrected roof prism. The icing on the cake is the ZEISS LotucTec hydrophobic lens coating that repels water, dust and errant fingerprints.
It’s a truly excellent image, and one that belies its mid-range price-tag. For me, the comfort of the eye cups just emphasised the crisp image, I don’t know why. Perhaps there was less of a feel of looking through binoculars, instead it’s a very immersive experience. The colour rendition is excellent, bright and with remarkable contrast, and you really feel as though you are looking through a pair of premium binoculars. Currently retailing around the £850 mark, these truly are remarkable at nearly a third of the cost of the top end flagship models. For anyone who wants a mid-range pr of binoculars and for whom quality of image and ruggedness are two major considerations, then these represent an excellent choice.
ZEISS Conquest HDX Binoculars | The ideal premium all-round binoculars
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