Nikon 7x50 Prostar

I've always lusted after the Nikon 7x50 Prostar (tells you where my priorities are). I mean, this is one binocular that is made strictly with astronomy in mind as is Nikon's "no holds barred" effort at making the very finest bino of its kind. Problem is, it has been in short supply for sometime, so I've haven't been able to get my sweaty little hands on one to take it for a test ride.

Until this morning, that is. I was scanning the inventory on the computer and low and behold, there it was. Next came a trip to the warehouse, which I left later with a big smile on my face and a Nikon 7x50 Prostar snuggled tightly in my arms.

I opened the box, removed the bino from the case and inspected this jewel for fit and finish. I was not disappointed. The Prostar is flawless on the outside and construction is heavy duty throughout. It comes with two sets of eyecups; one winged for use without glasses and one flat for use with glasses. I installed the flat eyecups and took my first look.

Again, I was not disappointed. It was bright and crystal clear with edge resolution as good as I have ever seen in a binocular. I checked in daylight for distortion and could detect only the barest hint of pincushion as I scanned back and forth on a brick wall and a glance at a sunlit metal gutter revealed only the merest trace of chromatic aberration.

So, is this the perfect bino for astronomy? Well, maybe. Eye relief is listed at 16mm, but I had to squeeze the binocular against my glasses to see the entire field of view and even then I could not see the field stops. Overall, I'd rate the eye relief as an unofficial 13mm. Still, I could live with this.

Field of view was another matter. It is adequate at 51 degrees, but I was hoping for more of a picture window rather than a porthole. After all, you buy a 7x50 to scan the vast star clouds of Sagittarius or roam the nebulae of Cygnus and Perseus. If I'm going with a 7x, as the song says, "Don't fence me in."