Compact Binoculars I have loved.

I've always been a fan of compact binoculars even though I am more than cognizant of their shortcomings. Maybe it's because compact binoculars have been such a constant companion while the big stuff got left behind due to size and weight. Maybe it's because I have never really missed the performance of large binoculars, even at my fussiest. Maybe it's because I have identified more birds with compact binoculars simply because they were there and some bird made an unexpected appearance. And, yes, maybe it's because compact binoculars are … just plain cute. How could you not love them?

My first love in a compact binocular was the older Bausch&Lomb Custom Compact 7x26 which survives to this day as the Bushnell Custom Compact 7x26. If there is a better compact out there for the price, I don't know what it is. Only shortcoming for the Custom Compact is that it is not waterproof. Okay, not your best choice for that rain forest expedition, but this is a great choice to get anyone over their disdain for compact binoculars.

My next love was the classic Swarovski 8x20 Pocket, but though I drooled over the Swarovski mystique and elegance, I could not get along with the eye relief. Like the fickle lover I am, I moved on.

Next stop was the Leica Trinovid 8x20 and here I stopped for many years. During that time I had short flings with the Zeiss Victory 8x20 and a Zeiss Classic 10x25, but those were mere infatuations. The Leica Trinovid had my heart and we had many years wonderful together.

The one day I heard about an upstart Japanese compact in the form of the Nikon Premier LX 10x25. It was waterproof, whereas my Trinovid was not, so I thought it would make a nice rough weather backup. One look, though, and I began to drool. Was it possible? Could it be that good, optically, even as good (or sssh! Maybe better) than my Leica?

It was. Now I had two binoculars after my heart and I was torn emotionally. What to do?

The solution came with the arrival of the Leica Ultravid 10x25BL, my current love. It offered the waterproofing of the Nikon with the rear placed center wheel of the Trinovid with design improvements to boot. I have become so enamored of this binocular, that I have sold my large binos and cannot honestly say I miss any of them. I am a Leica girl to the end.

Maybe.