The Opticron Aurora BGA VHD 10x42 binoculars take design to the next level, bringing more than half a century of manufacturing experience to this ED-lens binocular.
Opticron's latest premium class flagship features a sleek, slightly understated look, precise mechanical design and outstanding optical quality.
The most important part of any binocular is the optics, which in the case of the Opticron Aurora BGA VHD 10x42 binoculars are made up of optical elements that meet perfectionist standards. Once again, the manufacturer has gone the extra mile, with an all-new design that rewards the user with a huge field-of-view experience, with highly corrected edge distortion at the edges of the image.
The use of expensive ED glass materials with low colour dispersion eliminates chromatic aberration to a high degree, even in extreme conditions. The excellent light-harvesting ability of the optical system, as well as its sharp and contrasty imaging, is guaranteed by the multi-layered anti-reflective coating on all surfaces, in addition to the BAK4 material of the roof prisms. The prisms are of course phase coated as well as Opticron's unique Oasis coating for brilliantly vivid colours.
The field of view of the binoculars is 116 m at 1000 m which guarantees a very rich field of view at 10x magnification, which is also outstandingly sharp along the edges thanks to the "field flattener" technology of the VHD optical system. The good news for those interested in the macro side of nature is that it can easily track butterflies, reptiles and other animals and plants up to 1.9 metres away.
The front lenses of the telescope are located a good 10 mm further in than the end of the entire tube, which is very advantageous because it eliminates the side rays that can cause flare-ups in cheaper binoculars. With the Opticron Aurora BGA VHD 10x42, there is no trace of flare or light flare, and the image you see is natural with brilliant saturated colours, fantastic contrast, fine detail and stunning sharpness.
The matte black rubberized cover covering the magnesium alloy frame provides a very comfortable, ergonomic grip, even during prolonged use. The neoprene neck strap is also wide and soft enough to keep the binoculars in use for long periods of time.
Unlike many binoculars, the focus ring of the Opticron Aurora BGA VHD 10x42 binoculars has a comfortably large diameter, is free of backlash and moves smoothly 500° from one endpoint to the other. Here you'll also find a 5 diopter adjustable roll knob, which can be pulled back - and pushed back - to lock the adjustment mechanism in place, so there's no chance of accidental misalignment.
Naturally, the magnesium alloy housing is nitrogen charged and also waterproof. The manufacturer claims that it can survive 5 metres of water without soaking (although it's not advisable to test this directly).
Glasses wearers are recommended to use their binoculars with their glasses off if they can, but there are some eye problems that do not allow this, but such wearers will be able to use their instruments with glasses thanks to the 18 mm pupil of the binoculars. The retractable eyecup can be adjusted to the correct pupil distance in 4 stages to suit individual needs.
Two more pieces of good news: the product is manufactured in Japan and comes with a 30-year manufacturer's warranty from Opticron.