What would you expect to pay for a decent pair of 10×42 binoculars? You could easily pay close to a grand for something from one of the big names in optics. But these Chinese-made binoculars from Eyeskey cost well under £100 – and their performance is nothing short of remarkable says James Marchington.
“These are the 10×42 Dreamer HD. They look good, with rubber armouring and texturing that feels good in the hand,” he says. “There’s a good big focus ring, and the hinge is just the right stiffness, so you can adjust them to the width you need but they stay put when you bring them to your eyes with one hand.”
The big question is how they perform optically – and again James was impressed. “It’s a lovely bright picture that’s crisp and sharp, all the detail you could want. I don’t see any colour fringing or colour cast. If you’re nitpicking the image isn’t as sharp towards the edges, but it’s more than good enough for deerstalking, birdwatching, that sort of thing.”
James hasn’t had a chance to give the Eyeskey Dreamer 10x42s a long-term test to find out how they stand up to life in the field. But they’re IPX7 rated for waterproofing and the build quality looks good.
“All in all they’re very impressive, and for just over 85 quid that’s got to be phenomenal value. Well worth a try,” says James.
Find out more or to purchase at www.eyeskeyoptics.com/collections/dreamer-hd-series/products/dreamer-hd-42mm?ref=fstv
