Olympus - binoclulars 8 x 21 RC II WP

Clear, compact and bright. A nice addition to my camera bag.

Free play in the focus mechanism is a pain. optics fair.

I bought the Olympus 8x21 'RCII WP' binoculars because I wanted an extra pair for watching the activity around a nest of blue tits in my back garden.I chose Olympus because I already own a pair of compact Olympus 'DPC I' binoculars which I've been very happy with. I needed the extra pair because I frequently find myself looking out of the kitchen window, reaching for my binoculars, only to realise that they were left in the bedroom! Having more than one pair seems a sensible solution.Since buying my existing pair, Olympus have introduced this new variety of compact binoculars with roof prisms, as opposed to porro prisms. I was eager to compare and see how much improvement the new system makes.The first thing I noticed as I unboxed them is that the RCII WP feel much more solid in my hand compared with the earlier model. They are also marginally heavier but it's hardly noticeable. The older, porro prism design, requires a plastic shell to enclose the internal mechanism, which makes them feel slightly more flimsy.The second thing I noticed after removing the lens caps, is that the rubber cups that traditionally shroud the eye pieces have been replaced with a new adjustable design. This new 'extendable twist tube' provides a better viewing experience for people who wear glasses when using binoculars. My wife approves of this feature.Holding the 'RCII WP' binoculars to my eyes there is an immediately noticeable improvement of contrast and colour. As I said, I have been very happy with my older Olympus 'DPC I' but now, by comparison, I see that although they're crisp and clear, sunlight flooding the lenses does leave a slight amount of haze. The new RCII WP with Roof Prisms doesn't suffer from this haze and does provide a clearer more pronounced image, where colours are much more vivid. This is a great improvement and should be a big factor when making the choice of which binoculars to buy.I chose to buy very compact binoculars simply because I resent having to lug around anything larger than necessary. The smaller the better as far as I'm concerned. When I was much younger this optical technology didn't exist and the only choice was holding up the equivalent of a pair of beer bottles to your eyes. I bought my first compact 10x25 Bausch & Lomb porro prisms over twenty years ago. They were a revelation. A couple of years later I bought my little Olympus 8x21 DPCI, that were even more compact - they blew me away. My B&L binos recently became misaligned and are no longer trusted.By the way, I hope nobody reading this review gets the idea that the older Olympus 'DPC I' are bad binoculars. In the past day comparing the two, the DPC have accounted for themselves very well. I think they are very well made, despite what I said about them being relatively flimsy. In over ten years they've withstood quite a bit of bashing and remain pin sharp. In my opinion the 'DPC I' are more comfortable to hold and are quicker to focus with one hand than the RCII. There's a lot to be said for that!Finally, these Olympus binoculars are great value for money. You can afford to have more than one pair.

Exactement ce que j'attendais : petites jumelles faciles à emporter partout mais assez grosses pour voir à l'intérieur sans faire des efforts.Idéal pour aller au spectacle.Adaptables à la vue de chacun.

Hat sich sehr gut bewährt, kompakt und leicht

Bonnes petites jumelles utiles pour le théatre ou pour aller se promener. Etanches, bonnes lentilles très lumineuses. Très légères. Le prix (60eur) est tout à fait justifié.

To start, there is nothing about these binoculars I do not like. As advertised, they are small and lightweight. Easily fit into many pockets. Easy to focus. Most excellent for travel. To borrow Rick Steves' phrase, "...those stained glass windows are far away." These are excellent for sightseeing when you need a bit of optical closeup. Looking forward to post-vaccination travel with Olympus.