Nikon 7238 Action Ex Extreme 8 X 40 mm All Terrain Binoculars: Customer Reviews & Product Details

As a longtime birder I have learned the hard way that it's not a hobby for everyone. I had a close friend that when I mentioned that I was going birdwatching she looked at me, obviously puzzled, and said "Watch them do WHAT?"

However, every now and then I meet some young people who show a love for nature and it's various inhabitants. I met this particular couple through business and when they found out about my passion for winged creatures they often asked me questions about birds and birding. So I decided that a pair of binoculars and a birding guide-book would be an appropriate Christmas gift. The choice of a guide-book was easy for me but to choose a decent pair of binoculars took a little more study.

My everyday optics cost well over a thousand dollars. It was important to me that I picked a pair for my friends that was reasonably priced (I did not want to embarrass them by giving them too expensive of a gift). I also wanted to give them a gift that they would hold up well so that they could enjoy it for years to come.

I choose this pair for several important reasons:

* Porro-finder binos are not my favorite but they give much better performance than prism-finders at this price point
* I wanted a pair that were nitrogen filled, waterproof, fogproof and shockproof
* I insisted on an all-metal chassis even though they were installed in a polycarbonate shell

Nikon is a great name, one that is easily recognized even by novices but I would have happily chosen Swifts or Pentaxs or any other lesser known brand if I thought that they gave more quality for the price. I believe that this is a great pair of all-purpose optics for the price and, after giving them an thorough test I proudly gave them as a gift to some very special people. Five stars based on both quality and value.

The Sibley Guide to Birds

Really bright--seems to let in an inordinate amount of light for very crisp and beautiful viewing.
The only improvement would be eye cups to hold the glasses out from your eyes a little.

Bought for my wife to mainly watch Bluebirds. She like the size, quality and ease of use. The price was good for the fine quality of the binoculars.

These are the best ever. I use them to watch wildlife in a field afar and they are very steady. I can see the spots on our baby deer at least 1/2 mile away.

Excellent quality, very reasonably priced. But more than that, Amazon's follow up and customer service, from the initial order through delivery, continues to be exceptional.