Decent for steady hands
Written: May 15 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good magnifying power.
Cons: Maximum zoom needs a gentle touch.
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| dbirchall's Full Review: Tasco 108BRZ Zoom |
I've had a pair of Tasco's 10-20x50 zoom binoculars for a few years now. If you're new to binoculars, the number before the "x" is the magnification power - or in this case, the range - and the number after the "x" is the size of the lens opening in millimeters. 50 millimeters is, of course, just shy of two inches.
A larger lens generally results in a brighter view. Of course, larger lenses mean larger, heavier binoculars, and these aren't exactly lightweights by any means, coming in at close to two pounds. They're not particularly bigger or heavier than other 20x binoculars, though.
Unlike most binoculars, these have a zoom feature built-in. Flip a lever, and that buffalo charging toward you will look that much more frightening! They also come with the usual focusing features - a central focus wheel, and one eyepiece that focuses to allow for focal differences between your own eyes.
In run-of-the-mill use, at minimum zoom, these feel pretty much like any other pair of binoculars. Zooming in, things get a little more tricky. Adjusting the zoom will often require small focal adjustments as well, and at maximum zoom, there's no such thing as a small focal adjustment - any adjustment at all can have a big impact on clarity.
It took me quite some time to develop a gentle enough touch to adjust focus at full zoom. Maximum zoom also requires very steady hands, and I wouldn't want to use these binoculars zoomed in after a bottle of Mountain Dew! On some sort of mount or tripod, though, they might be more useful.
I've never thought of Tasco as a particularly high-end brand, nor as a "total junk" brand. They're sturdy and more-or-less utilitarian. If you don't need the zoom power, or 20x magnification at all, these particular binoculars probably aren't for you - those things add weight and price. But if you're currently lugging around a pair of 10x binoculars and a 20x spotting scope, and would rather just have one strap around your neck, Tasco's zoom binoculars might be worth considering.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dbirchall
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Member: Dan Birchall
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Reviews written: 262
Trusted by: 64 members
About Me:
Techie, writer, dad, outdoorsman, traveler.
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