Kowa XD44 Binoculars

KOWA XD44 8.5X44 (GENESIS 44)

I am an advertising photographer and I mostly shoot products for multinational companies and so one could say that I am aesthetically inclined. It is not very often that I get excited about a new product but the XD44 brought out the child in me. It is a treat to the senses! Aesthetically, the XD44 seems to embody the age-old wisdom that form follows function. The binocular has very clean lines. There are no unnecessary bells and whistles on the exterior and it seems to have an understated elegance – very chic, very sporty (hiding inside is state of the art optical technology). The large focusing knob is beautifully machined and very attractive while at the same time being ergonomic. To my eyes it takes on the color of champagne in sunlight and compliments the green rubber armoring. In natural settings, the binocular seems to melt into the surroundings.

On the optical front the binocular delivers everything that Kowa promises on paper. The image is bright with excellent contrast and seems razor sharp from edge to edge. The color is absolutely neutral and most impressive is the lack of chromatic aberration (ca). No matter how hard I tried I could not detect any ca in the center of the image. Holding the binoculars at arms length, I could see perfectly circular exit pupils.

I had purchased these binoculars for nature watching including astronomy. Looking at stars the XD44 revealed them as pinpoints. Even the brightest stars like Sirius showed up as a tight ball with no evidence of spiking. This is proof enough of good collimation. Finally, I have an instrument that reveals the true colors of stars. Also, no evidence of coma was detectable. I feel this 8.5x binocular with its wide field of view is suitable for exploring (handheld) the Milky Way and some of the larger deep sky objects like Andromeda galaxy and Orion Nebula. If I was to purchase a binocular solely for astronomy in Delhi’s light polluted skies I would go for the 10.5x model due to its higher magnification and smaller exit pupil. The resolving power would be greater with the 10.5x model while at the same time it would not magnify the light pollution as much due to smaller exit pupil yielding a darker sky that would show faint objects better. I wish that for the 10.5x model Kowa would make a tripod adapter.

The broad, well-padded neck strap that comes along with the binocular is very comfortable. One hardly feels the weight of the binoculars. Another innovation I liked, was the rubber rings, which are attached to the objective covers, which prevent them from getting misplaced.

In a market crowded with "me too" products the XD44 makes a refreshing change with its distinctive looks and brilliant optical performance.

Shiv Sahni