Vanguard VEO HD 2 8×42 Binocular Evaluate

Execs: Prime quality optics that ship premium options and a high-performance viewing expertise at an inexpensive worth level. Sharp, contrasty picture impresses in a variety of difficult viewing situations. Vivid, vivid colors that make the picture “pop”.

Cons: Twist up eyecups are plastic, quite than steel, Vanguard Guarantee dropped from 25 years to solely 10 since I reviewed their predecessor, eye-placement proved slightly finicky for me (occasional blackout of areas on the periphery of the sector), however prone to be a private concern that will not have an effect on you. Slight greenish/yellowish color bias… though solely noticeable while you evaluate alongside different premium binoculars.

Value: GBP£399.99 (c.€455.00) — at time of writing on sale for £299.99 (c. €345.00)

Ranking: Advisable

Vanguard is a Chinese language model that has quietly advanced to turn out to be an actual contender within the congested mid-range optics market. I’ve been notably impressed with their Endeavor vary of binoculars prior to now (I reviewed the ED, EDII and EDIV right here and located all three to supply nice efficiency and excellent worth for cash). The VEO line seems to be a revamp of their older fashions, utilizing the identical (or very comparable) optical methods paired with a brand new carbon composite physique building.

If you happen to’re in search of a top quality binocular at a mid-range costs level, the Vanguard Veo HD2 is definitely price a glance.

Try the Veo HD 2 8×42 on Vanguard’s web site.

Purchase the Vanguard Veo HD2 on Amazon:

Vanguard VEO HD2 8×42 Full Evaluate

After being impressed by each incarnation of Vanguards Endeavor vary of binoculars over time, I used to be eager to see how their newest twin hinge premium providing, the VEO 2 HD stacked up. Let’s discover out….

First Impressions

A lot as the unique Veo ED seemed to be a contemporary reboot of Vanguards Spirit ED binocular, so VEO HD 2 feels very very like a refreshed Endeavor EDII. Evaluating the specs of the 2 binoculars, the optical methods and options, except the Endeavor EDII’s premium Magnesium Alloy housing, are just about equivalent (together with using Vanguard’s a lot vaunted Hoya ED Glass). The VEO HD2 is a contact lighter, thanks presumably to that Carbon Composite building Vanguard talks about. Name me quaint, however I’d take the extra 50g or so for a Magnesium Alloy physique any day.

That mentioned, the Veo HD2 is a great, modern-looking binocular that feels stable, with a pleasant heft to it and a high-quality really feel that means it is going to go the gap.

Stability, Dealing with and Construct High quality

Vanguard’s twin hinged designs have all the time been very snug to carry and to make use of, they usually look nice. The VEO HD2 isn’t any exception. It’s nicely balanced, feels stable and nicely put collectively, and usually appears like a premium little bit of package.

Your entire physique is roofed in a barely textured laborious inexperienced rubber armour from Mitsubishi (I’m not too positive why entrepreneurs felt it essential to emphasize that reality) that’s tactile, and appears and feels nice. It supplies an excellent grip, is snug to carry, and helpful indents on the underside of the barrels assist information your palms to the best place for optimum steadiness and dealing with.

Vanguard pushes the all new Carbon Composite physique building as a profit in its advertising — however basically what it boils right down to is that the binocular itself is constructed out of a carbon fibre strengthened plastic polymer, quite than the premium steel (Magnesium Alloy) utilized in earlier fashions at this worth level.

That’s a little bit of a disgrace… however to be trustworthy, if Carbon Composite wasn’t plastered all around the packaging and advertising materials, I’d haven’t any method of figuring out. The binocular feels stable and each bit as sturdy and nicely made as its predecessors. When you do know although, there’s no getting round the truth that it appears like a little bit of a downgrade.

My private desire has all the time been for single hinge binocular designs — particularly the extra up to date single-hinge design with a narrower hinge excessive on the physique, permitting for a real, inimpeded wrap-around grip. I’ve all the time discovered the decrease hinge will get in the best way on twin hinge designs, and whereas you may get used to them, I’d quite not must.

That mentioned, there are advantages to twin hinge building. They lend general power, and every particular person hinge may be narrower, with out compromising the general power and stability of the design. It could actually additionally assist cut back the general weight, and enhance steadiness… though that may be subjective.

Regardless of my private desire, Vanguards twin hinge binoculars stay a number of the most snug and greatest dealing with binoculars I’ve ever used… and the VEO HD2 picks up the place the Endeavor left off in that regard, with nice steadiness and a cushty all-around consumer expertise.

Focus & Dioptre Adjustment

The steel focus wheel is ample, and the knurled rubber central ring affords loads of grip. Focus motion is as clean and fluid as any binocular I’ve used, and the resistance degree is nicely balanced. About 2 1/2 anti-clockwise turns take you from a quoted close-focus distance of c. 2m to infinity. Whereas that’s extra focus journey than you’ll discover in lots of binoculars, I by no means discovered focusing to be too sluggish on the VEO HD2, and the picture snaps with out having to hunt forwards and backwards.

Dioptre adjustment is within the common place beneath the right-hand eyepiece, and is lockable, which implies there’s no hazard of it slipping upon getting it arrange.

Eye Cups and Eye Reduction

Like most top quality roof-prism binoculars as we speak, the VEO HD2 options twist-up eye-cups with 4 stops (absolutely down, two intermediate stops, and absolutely up). This could can help you alter the eyecups to afford you the total discipline of view, though for me, even with the eyecups absolutely prolonged, the eyepiece lenses had been nonetheless slightly too shut for my eyes. It made positioning the binoculars accurately more difficult than it ought to be, and meant I’d often get disconcerting peripheral blackouts on the fringe of the sector of view, forcing me to reposition the bins.

A quoted eye-relief of 19mm is superb, and may imply most spectacle wearers could have no drawback utilizing these binoculars with their glasses on.

One different factor to notice right here — the eyecups seem like plastic quite than steel, which implies they may very well be extra inclined to break and put on and tear. Nonetheless, the excellent news is, if they’re broken they are going to unscrew, so Vanguard can simply ship out a alternative which you could substitute your self. Eyecups are the one most frequent level of failure on any binocular — and it’s very helpful to have the ability to substitute a broken eyecup your self, quite than sending the entire instrument again to the manufacturing facility for restore.

Weatherproofing

Like all binoculars at this worth level, the VEO HD2 is absolutely sealed and weatherproof, and purged with inert gasoline to forestall inner fogging and condensation. Throughout testing the binocular suffered no ill-effects regardless of the worst an Irish late winter/early spring might throw at it.

Optical Efficiency

Picture High quality and Discipline of View

The view by means of the VEO HD2 is superb: brilliant, sharp, contrasty and stuffed with element.

It’s pin sharp from the centre, and stays good throughout a lot of the discipline, softening only a tad as you get out in the direction of the very edge. The sphere of view is nice, although not distinctive for an 8×42 at 7.1 levels (124m/1000m).

On steadiness the view by means of the VEO HD2 is superb, with little or no to criticise for an instrument at this worth level.

Color Constancy, Distinction and Chromatic Aberration

Broadly talking the view by means of the VEO HD2 seems impartial, with no actual perceptible color bias to the bare eye. The picture is punchy with good distinction, and hues seem pure and vibrant. If you happen to use the VEO HD2 alongside different premium binoculars, there does seem like an ever so barely perceptible bias in the direction of the inexperienced/yellow finish of the spectrum, however that is by no means obvious if you happen to’re utilizing the instrument in isolation.

Chromatic aberration (color fringing) is dealt with nicely, and I by no means observed it when viewing high-contrast topics below regular, and even fairly excessive discipline situations. As with virtually any binocular, you would induce fringing by purposely viewing excessive distinction scenes on the very fringe of the sector of view… however that’s not the way you’ll be utilizing the binocular.

Low Mild Efficiency and Coatings

All air to glass surfaces within the optical system of the VEO HD2 are fully-multi-coated with Vanguard’s proprietary suite of coatings designed to enhance mild transmission and cut back glare and stray mild reflections. Coupled with high-quality Japanese ED glass and high-performance BAK4 Roof Prisms the picture produced stays brilliant and clear even in difficult situations, and whereas it unsurprisingly falls in need of the perfect binoculars on the market, the VEO HD2 can greater than maintain its personal in opposition to competitors in its personal worth band, and can proceed ship as the sunshine fades.

The VEO HD2 additionally has a particular protecting armour/hydrophobic coating utilized to the exterior lens surfaces. This not solely protects the extra fragile coatings beneath, but in addition means the floor will get much less soiled, wants cleansing much less usually and, crucially, is far simpler to wash when it does turn out to be crucial.

Equipment

The VEO HD2 comes with the standard assortment of equipment you’d count on with a top quality optical instrument. There’s a new-design neoprene carry case, a cushty neoprene neck-strap, an eyepiece rainguard you may tether to the strap, and detachable tethered goal lens covers. You’ll additionally discover a microfibre cleansing material within the field.

Guarantee

Vanguard provides a 2 yr customary guarantee and a ten yr prolonged guarantee while you register your buy of certainly one of its VEO line of optics.

Full particulars of the guarantee can be found on the Vanguard UK web site right here.

Conclusion

The Vanguard VEO HD 2 is an attention-grabbing reboot of what was already a really succesful binocular design within the Endeavor ED II (which remains to be listed on the Vanguard web site on the market). Whereas the swap from magnesium alloy to a polycarbonate (basically a plastic polymer) physique appears like a downgrade the optics, the focusing and every part else in regards to the VEO HD2 is superb.

While you weigh all of it up, the Vanguard VEO HD2 provides loads of binocular for the cash. If you happen to’re available in the market for a high-performance mid-range birding and wildlife binocular, it’s definitely one I’d advocate including to your shortlist.

Try the Veo HD 2 8×42 on Vanguard’s web site.

Purchase the Vanguard Veo HD2 on Amazon:

Technical Specs

Taken from the Vanguard UK web site:

Acknowledgements

I’d wish to thank Vanguard UK for offering the VEO HD2 8×42 for evaluate on Eire’s Wildlife.

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