I recently got a chance to examine the new Nikon Prostaff 16-48x65 spotting scope. Since this new scope is regarded as a replacement for the Nikon Sky&Earth spotting scope, I pulled a Nikon 15-45x60 Sky&Earth model we still had on the shelf and placed it side by side with the Prostaff.

So, is the Nikon Prostaff just a repackaged Nikon Sky&Earth or is it a new design with some real differences? Let's face it, Nikon tends to change numbers and models for nothing more than a change in the color of the box.

After playing with the scopes this afternoon, I had to conclude that the Prostaff is indeed a different scope. Yes, it is similar in overall feel to the Sky&Earth, so it shows its heritage there, but there are enough improvements for it to stand on its own.

First, the Prostaff is listed as fully "waterproof", while the Sky&Earth has always been listed as "water-resistant". Not a big deal, I suppose, to a casual user, but the "water-resistant" stigma of the Sky&Earth made hunters and other hard users hesitate. Now they have a Nikon in the same general price range that is fully waterproof.

The thing I most appreciated, though, with the Prostaff, is the much improved eyepiece. It is a bayonet mount, with twist up eyecup and feels more substantial than the old Sky&Earth (RA II) zoom. It is a larger eyepiece with a slightly larger lens diameter. I wouldn't rate it quite as good as a Fieldscope 7467 zoom, but it is a definite step up from the Sky&Earth. It is a bayonet mount (with a lock), so it will not work on the Sky&Earth.

Other items that make the Prostaff different include a "target sight" that actually clips to the scope body as a sighting aide. Can't say as I was impressed. It is plastic and it looks less than durable. Questionable improvement, here.

Focusing on the Prostaff is similar to the Sky&Earth, but on these two models, the Prostaff focused smoother and with less effort.

I put both scopes on the resolution test target and cranked them up to 45x. The 65mm Prostaff edged out the 60mm Sky&Earth, but only by a small margin. I'd credit that to the slightly larger objective, rather than a major improvement in optical quality. Apples to apples, I'd say the two series are about the same in this department, once you account for different lens sizes.

Okay, neither the Prostaff or the Sky&Earth will match up against a Nikon Fieldscope or one of the other premium grade Japanese and European scopes, but they are still among the ones to beat in their price range. In my opinion, the Prostaff is a worthy successor to the Sky&Earth.

Includes
- case for eyepiece
- stay on case for scope
- carry strap (attaches to scope)
- cap for eyepiece with tehter hole
- snap on plastic finderscope with pointer (fits in accessory shoe)
- rubber tethered obj cap

"OpticsPlanet is now a proud sponsor of Astronomical League. Composed of over two hundred and forty local amateur astronomical societies across the United States, the Astronomical League is one of the largest amateur astronomical organizations in the United States. OpticsPlanet is expanding our support of astronomical community and increasing our astronomical telescopes product lines."

This is the opening paragraph explains it all, but for me personally, it warms my heart to see us joining this prestigious group. Goof job, OpticsPlanet.

I was out under the stars the other night and having a blast with my Kowa 663 fitted with the Kowa 20x wide angle eyepiece. I asked myself what I was losing by not using a 20x binocular, instead. Conventional wisdom says a 20x binocular will have a much wider field of view than a 20x spotting scope, so I checked the specs.

My Kowa with the 20x eyepiece has a 3.3 degree field for 173 feet at 1000 yards. A Celestron 20x Skymaster binocular has a 3.2 degree field for 168 feet at 1000 yards. An Oberwerk 20x80LWD had a slightly larger 3.5 degree field.

Considering my Kowa is sharper than any giant bino I have tried,not to mention lighter and more compact, I think I will pass on getting a jumbo binocular anytime soon.

I admit it; I am a compact binocular fan, so when I heard we were adding Brunton to our line of binoculars, I was naturally eager to give the Brunton Epoch 10x25. It's priced like a Swarovski and Leica, but would it perform like those ultimate compacts?

Optically I had no complaints. Edge definition was very good as was resolution. Image brightness and contrast were a bit behind the Leica and Swarovski and the published eye relief of 15mm was more like 13mm in actual use. Okay, I could live with that.

What I could not live with was the design of the focusing knob. It is entirely too small, too slippery and recessed far too deeply within the frame. It made it impossible to focus with one finger. The only way to operate it was with one finger above and below the knob. No way could you ever wear gloves when using this binocular. For this kind of money, you should get more. Hopefully Brunton will address in some future redesign.

I was recently sent a Carson 8x42 XM HD binocular for review and testing. The new HD represents Carson's finest and their first viable entry into a very competitive price point. Unseating the king of the $300 roofs, the Nikon Monarch 8x42, would be no easy task, so I was curious as to how the Carson HD would compare.

The Carson HD, like the Monarch, is made in China. There are those, of course, who will hesitate at a product made in China, but these days, almost everything at this price is made there. Furthermore, this is not necessarily a sign of poor quality as Chinese production has made great strides in recent years. In fact, these binoculars will exceed the performance of similarly priced models made ten years ago due to continuing advances in optical manufacturing technology.

Enough of the background. How did they test out? On my resolution charts, the Carson HD edged out the Nikon Monarch by a slight, but detectable margin. To my eye, it also appeared brighter. Color and contrast were good, edge sharpness was excellent and there was only the barest hint of pincushion distortion. Overall, for the asking price of $280, this is optically a great buy.

There's more to a binocular than optics, however. Handling for one. Here I also liked the Carson. It balanced perfectly in my hands and passed the "hard to put down" test with flying colors. In fact, after I started passing it around the staff here at OpticsPlanet, it grew harder and harder to get it back. That's saying a lot.

Will the Carson HD unseat the Nikon Monarch? That will be an uphill battle, given the lack of name recognition facing Carson. Will it make a dent in the Monarch"s sales? I don't have a crystal ball, but if I have anything to say about it, yes. The Carson HD definitely makes "Joanie's List" for a binocular at this price.

We are now a proud sponsor of the Steiner Birding Store. Steiner, long known for providing binoculars for the military and for hunting, has been making great strides in providing binoculars suitable for serious birding. I have field tested and used the Steiner Peregrine 10x42 and can recommend it in this regard. Recently, I put the compact Steiner Wildlife 8.5x26 through its paces and was favorably impressed. This model is an excellent option for those who prefer to travel light (myself included).

We've moved! We are now up and taking orders in our new, ultra-modern, state-of-the-art facility and it is a beauty. Everything is spacious, new and high tech, right down to the last wire. Wow! For the first time in my career here, I have more room than I need and so does everyone else. It's quite a nice change and it will allow us to keep expanding for years to come. My special thanks to our IT and Warehouse teams for their 24/7 efforts to get us up and running so quickly.