Vortex Optics Diamondback Roof Prism Binoculars 12x50

I purchased this optic in 12x50. After reading some reviews, I had some concerns as there was mention of blurriness, weight and supposedly the wrong models being shipped. I have to say that these are amazing binoculars, seriously. I was afraid the 12 power would be too heavy to stabilize or would be fuzzy appearing on closer viewing distances but that's not the case at all. I was able to acquire a nice, wide field of view with impressive clarity and crisp images in fair weather conditions. I had no issues with chromatic abberation, even looking into direct sunlight. They even perform well in low-light settings, far better than I can see without them brightness wise. These binoculars have abl rubberized outer coating on them to assist with gripping them as well as to deter damage from smacking into things, its effective and fairly unobtrusive. They also have the bulletproof Vortex Warranty in the off chance you manage to break them. My only recommendation is to ditch the standard neck strap that comes with them and get a harness due to the higher power being a bit heavy to free hand without shaking, I bought the vortex offering there too and had no trouble holding them still. All things considered I'm happy with my purchase and would buy them over again.

I was amazed at the clarity with these binoculars. I tried many pairs including much higher priced ones and these were my first choice every time. The picture is crystal clear and I'm truly amazed at how they focus perfectly on wildlife. My husband did not tell me the cost until I had selected the pair I liked best and these won each and every time. What a fantastic value for such wonderful quality!

Absolutely outstanding optics. I was stunned by the edge-to-edge clarity, sharpness and brightness, and I was using them toward the evening. Very short throw on the focus knob, a nice "hand feel" ... the case and accessories are well done. I'm amazed at the power in this relatively small package. GREAT JOB Vortex.

We grudgingly paid the price for a pair of high-end binoculars over 15 years ago, but because they were so expensive, we hated to take them out in the field, especially where there was likely to be kids asking to look through them. My wife takes school groups on guided nature hikes and she's seen what clumsy young fingers can do, proving time and again that binoculars do not bounce or float very well. We thought we paid dearly for those high-end binoculars 15 years ago, which still work well, but we just weren't using them as much as they deserved, and that had a lot to do with the fact that if we had to replace them with the current model, they're now $2700!So for about one tenth the cost of similar high-end binoculars, we bought a pair of Vortex Optics 12x50s, figuring it wouldn't be nearly as painful if an accident claimed them. What we did not expect was how well they to compare to the high-end binoculars, but they definitely do. Their depth of field is slightly less, but they have comparable light gathering, close-in focusing, ergonomics, and weight. Also the Vortex 12x50s came with an integral field harness/case. Considering cost versus performance, these are simply a very good deal for the money.Bottom line: For one tenth the cost of high-end binoculars, you get way more than one tenth the performance, more like nine tenths plus.

What vortex has done is taken their 600 dollar binoculars and turned them into Chinese. Yes these are good quality but not that impressive. Focus is good but light gathering is just average with coatings that are minimal and appear to allow too much UV and unpolarized light in. My opinion is the magnification is 11 not 12 as calculated by image size at 100 yards. Light weight does allow easier jerky motion but at this power some is to be expected. Build quality and feel is great. Overall I would recommend but for vortex I was hoping for more affordable friendly optics. Not every one can afford the 600 dollar pair not to forget the razor version at 1200 dollars.

First tried the Nikon equivalent. Horrible optics. Strained the eyes and never could really focus sharp. So I gave up and returned them.Bought the Vortex 12X50 a few month ago now. 1st pair had issues but loved the wider field of view. Called the customer service listed in the documentation. Spoke with a KIM. She was fabulous. After explaining the issues, she sent me a return label to send them directly to her. I received a new pair about 10 days later.Totally love them and agreed the first pair had major focusing issues. They have a limited low end interpupillary distance of about 59mm so if you're narrowed eyed (i'm at 60) look elsewhere. The wide front lens have a great soft rubber covers that stay affixed to the binoculars so you don't loose them, yet due to these wide 50mm lenses the retaining band interferes with my interpuillary distance, so I simply slip them back towards the eye pieces. A small nuisance for otherwise powerful, SHARP, CLEAR lenses. Great for looking at stars and with a tripod I could see the four tiny moons of Jupiter when it was close to earth in mid 2016. Now, that's quite the deal, IMO. Recommend them to anyone who wants a little more power than the typical 8x42's out there.

Very nice, crisp optics however they do not close together enough to allow stereoscopic viewing of very close objects. If your eyes are spaced wider apart than mine this may not be a problem for you. Else these are very nice. The hard case that the binocks comes with is not efficient for camping or other outdoor activities. More suitable for storing them in an RV or something. The line sports a number of harness but they seem a bit pricey.