Athlon Optics Midas Binoculars

Markedly superior (brighter, warmer, sharper) views relative to my trusty 10-year-old Nikon Monarch ATB 8×42. However, check your binocular as soon as you receive it to confirm the close focus limit, because the first Midas 8×42 that arrived had a >3m close focus point, so we returned it. The replacement focuses as closely as 2m (which meets the specs), which is great, but the eyepieces had water stains on them (how did those get there, if this is a new product?!), 99% of which were easily removed with my old LensPen.Update: each of the four pairs we’ve tried has had different build issues: two had focus knobs with noticeable play, two had close focus points that were longer than the specs, one folds down on itself when held up with one hand, one is too stiff and doesn’t bend easily, one had water spots on the eyepieces upon arrival, and one had a scratch on an objective lens and dust on the inside of the lens upon arrival. We eventually gave up and kept two of them. We’re going to give Athlon the benefit of the doubt, because we love the two pairs we have. If they have significant issues in the short-term, we’ll adjust this review…Update 10/31/2019: Although I still enjoy using the Athlon Midas 8×42, I find myself preferring my >10-year-old Nikon Monarch 8×42. As an advanced birder, I don’t need great image quality so much as I need to obtain a sharp image as quickly as possible. Songbirds are really fast, and the super-smooth Nikon focuses on them almost instantaneously. In contrast, the Athlon takes much longer to acquire focus, partly because of a shallower depth of field, partly because the focus knob is stiffer, and partly because the knob needs to be turned more than that of the Nikon.Update 12/2019: The binocular strap broke the other day, from the plastic attachment to one side of the instrument. I was lucky to catch the binocular before it fell onto concrete!

I bought these binoculars for an upcoming trip to Alaska. I was a little nervous about getting binoculars from a company I had never heard of, but, as another reviewer mentioned, the Wirecutter review caught my attention. All the other binoculars in this price range would have involved some kind of compromise, either a narrow field of view or a of lack of ED glass or a long minimum focusing distance. These binoculars ticked all the boxes for me, and I stayed within my budget (although it was the high end of my budget).Even though I am no expert, I am impressed. These binoculars are very comfortable in my small hands. They are solid without being unwieldy. The focusing is smooth and easy. Also, I am impressed with how bright they are in low light. The binoculars arrived late in the day, and I gave them their first test drive in the dark. To give you an example, I was able to focus easily and pick out tiny details in an area that my camera metered as f/2.8 and 1.3 seconds at ISO 200. That’s EV2, which is really dark.One more small detail. These binocular do have a tripod mount, which was not mentioned in the reviews or the product specs on the company’s website.No regrets here. I would highly recommend these binoculars.

Pros:• Superb optics – excellent clarity/resolution, brightness (excellent in low light conditions) and field of view• Build quality, ergonomics and “feel” of binoculars is excellent.Cons: Some “quality control” issues pertaining to focusing, as follows:• Grinding noise – I have tried 3 pair and all have a grinding noise when focusing. The third pair, which I am keeping, is acceptable but the others were distracting and very noticeable.• Focusing knob is somewhat stiff, but acceptable, but that is under hot summer conditions. I have to wonder about the performance in sub-freezing weather. I suspect the focusing will be very stiff (don’t expect quick focusing response).• Close focus is not as specified (6.5’). One pair was >10’, the third pair is about 8.5 feet. I would have expected that the specs would be conservative, meaning performance should be at least as good as specified, not worse. In contrast, my Bushnell Legends (originals), Legend UHDs and Bushnell Elites, all have smooth, silent focusing and focus closer than specified.Bottom Line: I would like to give 5 stars for the optics and overall “feel”, but quality control issues around focusing suggest 4 stars at best, possibly 3 stars. If they improve focusing knob issues, it would be 5 stars and “best in class”.

Bought it a few years ago. Fantastic binoculars! Vision field is so large, you almost need to move the eyeballs to see it all. Edges are quite clear as well, no distortion. And this thing is so bright! Used it for concerts, Africa safari, Polar bear watching, Antarctic trip, just stunning.Also, 8 times zoom is very stable when fully zoomed. It won’t do any goods if it shakes too much.

I purchased these for nature hikes. I have zero knowledge of binoculars, but did some research to the best of my ability and got these compared to the others in the price range. The build quality seems very solid (magnesium). The optical quality is super clear, nice carry case, instructions, and a lifetime warranty. I got them on sale which was a bonus.

Wonderful clarity and just a pleasure to use for general nature watching (birds, hiking, etc). You simply cannot beat them in this price range. They look and feel like $1500 binoculars. Do yourself a favor and get a pair. You’ll love them.

Friend has vortex optics and these are very similar.