Some of us have fond memories of the old Leica (then Leitz) 7x35 Trinivid. For several decades they were the binoculars many a birder aspired to. They were small, had a wide field and good eye relief, and, with some effort and expense, could be adjusted to focus closely. Though they were never advertised as waterproof, I know of at least one Leica dealer who used to keep a pair in a fish tank full of water in his front window and pull them out to demonstrate to customers. Unfortunately they have no direct counterpart in the new Leica Ultra line, and though there was some talk of bringing them back as a lower-cost Leica alternative, that doesn't seem likely now.
And the truth is, while they were excellent binoculars, they would not compare favorably with the best of the new breed of phase-coated roof prisms. Direct comparison would show that the image is just slightly softlacking the snap and extreme clarity of modern roofs. Every feather is sharply defined, but the inner detail of individual feathers, the individual barbs and fuzzy edges of ruffled feathers, are softened and indistinct. Of course, the same difference would have been evident in a direct comparison with the best porros of their own dayand that didn't stop birders from lusting after the Trinivids. Their handling, their durability, their weatherproofness and that certain panache that goes with owning precision European roof prism binoculars convinced many a birder that their view was better than it actually was.
And honestly, in 90% of birding situations, it was undeniably good enough. There are few situations where a birder needs the extreme high resolution of today's best optics. Certainly if most of your birding is done close in, the extra detail you gain in going from optics that are simply good enough to optics that are truly superior is not going to significantly increase your chances of making any identification, or of enjoying the birds you watch. As distances increase, or as light levels fall, better binoculars will extend you range, but the differences, though clearly evident, are still fairly subtle.
And why, you might ask, would anyone settle for less than the best view? The reasons that made the Trinivid popular still apply. Compactness, good handling, close focus and long eye-relief, weatherproofness, durability, and a good-enough-for-most-birding view. Then, too, there are always economic considerations. Some of us simply can't justify the cost of binoculars that would be everything we want, so we have to compromise somewhere.
For those who are addicted to the best possible viewthe same kind of brightness, the same kind of clarity, the same snap and bird-in-the-hand detail that the best roofs provide, that often means high quality birding specific porroprism binoculars in the $200 to $400 range. For the best view we give up some field worthinessa measure of compactness, durability, and weatherproofness...often some eye-relief and some field of view, and generally some close focus.
On the other hand, today, if you are willing to settle for a good enough view, you can get all the other features of the best roofs at an affordable price.
The Bausch and Lomb Discoverers, the Leupold WindRiver roofs, the Celestron Regals® Regals are all field-worthy, bird-worthy waterproof roof prism binoculars. In the field they handle as well or better than the Leicas, Swarvskis, Elites, and Zeisses. The Regals, in particular, are even a bit more compact and manageable, and their close focus sets new standards. (See The New Optical Landscape for more complete discussion along these lines.)
The Swift Eaglet is clearly a close sibling in the Regal line. It shares the basic body shape, waterproofing, and, one suspects, internal workings, but in a scaled down, ultra compact 7x36 configuration. Field of view is adequate at 374 feet at 1000 yards. Eye-relief is excellent and close focus is an amazing four feet (you read that rightsitting in a chair here with my foot up in another I can just focus on my toes if I lean back slightly). Handling is also exceptional. The body is compact and fits comfortably in most hands, focus is easy and natural, and the slightly soft, attractive mat gray armor is very easy to grip.
The view is also exceptionally easy and comfortable. There is no strain in looking through the glasses. (Which is what you might expect from Swift, who, with the Audubon series, have proven themselves masters of the easy view.)
Optically, the field is fairly flat, with good sharpness right out to the edges. Resolution and contrast are very good, but direct comparison with the best roofs and porros shows the Eaglet's limitations. It is that matter of inner feather detail and the ability to maintain performance as distances approach the limits of what is reasonable. We are talking subtle differences here...the kind that are only evident in direct comparison. Certainly almost any birder would be delighted with the optical performance of the Eaglets.
The real strength of the Eaglets however, is not any one feature, but the sum of their many charms. They are easy to carry, comfortable in hands, water and weatherproof, easy to look through, and optically adequate to most birding situations you might run across in a day in the field. They fit in the pocket of most field jackets, and tuck easily into a brief case or carry on. I find that, even though I know there are slightly better views sitting on my shelf, the Eaglets are getting more than their share of use. They live by the window overlooking the feeder. My oldest daughter, at 10, has adopted them as her own field binoculars, displacing the 8x42 Ultralites. She likes the way the Eaglets feel. I suspect the 7 power view is also significantly easier for her to hold steady.
The Eaglets are the closest thing you are likely to find to a reincarnation of the old Leitz Trinovids. While they have their limitations, they are very easy to like. I like them. I like birding with them. And in the end, that probably counts, today as it did in the time of the Leitz, more than any small compromises you might make in ultimate optical performance. After all, the best binoculars are the ones you have with you when you see a bird...the ones you enjoy carrying and using enough to carry and use them all the time. By that criteria, I have a feeling that most birders would rate the Eaglets as great binoculars.
I confidently expect the next revolution in optical excellence to be produced by aspheric lens technology. Aspheric design holds the promise of eliminating the last and most stubborn of the residual aberrations that have always limited the quality of the view through binoculars and scopes. The difficulty is that the improvement, while certainly visible, is going to be fairly subtle. The best binoculars will get just a bit better, but to see the difference most people would have to make direct, side-by-side, comparisonsand then they might have to be told what to look for. To implement high end aspheric technology will also require extreme precision and the best quality glass to match the quality of the system that the designer is trying to improve. That gets expensive, fast.
Perhaps that is why aspheric technology is making its first appearances, not at the high end of the optics spectrum, but at the low, where even a basic cast plastic or simple glass aspheric element in an eyepiece design can make a dramatic improvement in performance...and, in some cases, actually reduce manufacturing costs.
Nikon's Action series has always been their entry level effort. The series has gone through some pretty radical changes over the years. Nikon seems to be much more adventuresome at this price point than they are in their top of the line products. The latest Action binoculars all feature aspheric lens technology.
The 8x40 Egret II is probably the glass of most interest to birders. It is a wide angle design, with 8.5° of field (that translates to 446 feet at 1000 yards), a close focus in the 12 foot range and eye relief of about 10mm. The limited eye relief means that spectacle wearers will not see the full field...but the usable field for most people will still be relatively wide when compared to many 8x40s on the market (especially at this price point). The body is mat gray armored. The smooth armor is sufficiently tacky to provide a good grip, but some gripping aids (ridges or patterns) might have made it more secure in the hands. Body design is standard porroprism, slightly on the chunky side, but comfortable in the hands, with a large comfortable ribbed focus control. The focus might be a stretch for those with small hands.
Optically, the Egret II gives the extra bright, extra sharp first impression that I have come to associate with Nikon's applications of aspheric technology. While the view is not the equal of that provided by glasses like the Swift Ultralite 8x42 (current BVD Reference Set Best Buy in an 8x glass), glasses which cost over twice as much as the Egret II, it is certainly very close.
When compared to the current BVD Reference Standard for bargain binoculars, the Bushnell 8x42 NatureView, the Egret is slightly brighter, with a bit more snap (likely due to the lack of multi-coating on the NatureView). The NatureView, however, has much better eye relief and a bit more comfortable view. While the NatureView retains its Reference Standard designation for the moment, the Egret IIs are certainly very fine binoculars in the same price range...a BVD Starred Product, highly recommended to anyone who wants bird-worthy binoculars on a budget. Really, if you start birding with the Egrets, it may be a long time before you feel the need to upgrade, and it will certainly spoil you for many a lesser glass that just happens to cost more.
C.F.=close focus in ft, E.R.=eye relief, IpD=Interpupilary distance, St.Pr.=average street price Com=Comment BVD Starred=a highly recommended product