Vortex Razor UHD 10×42 Binocular

These are really great. I wanted a set of binoculars for the sailboat… I’d loved my Razor HD 10×42’s that I’ve had for 6 or so years but I’d often forget them at home. So I needed a specific set of binos to leave at the boat. I’d compared my Razor 10×42’s to the quintessential Steiner 7×50’s that are often considered the perfect marine binocular. My 10×42’s had a larger magnification (10 vs 7 power) but had quite a bit wider field of view. The wider field of view helped provide better context and allowed you to stabilize with your eyes better while the boat moved. However, the Steiner’s were a bit brighter when night fell. Not by a lot but definitely brighter. Should be said that I was comparing to the lower end Steiner’s…When trying to find unlit crab pot buoys at dead night with a new moon off shore while running the motor its a bit of a stressful time. My Razor HD 10×42’s were my go to bino’s because the slightly higher mag worked pretty well but I was often wishing for the brightness of the 7×50’s. These Razor UHD’s are that perfect mix. The improved prism design makes them a good bit brighter. The enhanced lens coatings help make them brighter and the fact that I bought the 8×42 makes them brighter. These make it much easier to see and I think that only a FLIR system would do a better job. But this way it is always ready to go, never needs recharging, and costs less for better opitcs that will last longer.As I compare my Razor HD 10×42 to my Razor UHD 8×42 I find them to be very similar during the day. They both have slight CA issue when looking at a very dark item against a bright background you will see a bit of purple/green fringing but only when brightness differences are stark and you’re only annoyed by it if you’re looking specifically for it.However, as the light dims the differences really become a lot bigger. What I don’t know for sure is how much of the difference is because I’m comparing UHD to HD and how much of it is simply because I’m comparing 8×42 to 10×42… That all being said I bought the UHD 8×42’s for $930 and at that price I feel like I really got a wonderful piece of glass.Lastly the larger form factor and the ergonomics of the larger binocular will suit our application to using these on the boat well.. They are easier to stabilize while underway with the seas are moving you around. As well thankfully their larger weight isn’t something that I have to carry around very much while on the boat. So while I’m extremely happy with my purchase I still prefer my Razor HD 10×42’s for use on stable land and/or when I have to pack them around a lot… The weight and size savings for the HDs is a big advantage when you have to carry them. So I FULLY understand why Vortex is keeping the Razor HD and the UHD lines at the same time.So somehow Vortex has sold me the best pair of binoculars I’ve ever owned and could ever imagine owning twice. And the most amazing part is that with Vortexs’ warranty I’ll probably own these for the rest of my life.

The edge to edge clarity is perfect, depth of field and resolution is unbelievable, I compared these side by side to the Swarovski 12×50’s and the Vortex are better, hands down, coupled with the price delta…this is an unbelievable pair of binocs.

Crystal clear, easy to adjust

I have been comparing the 8×42 UHD, FL and EDG under different lighting conditions and it very hard to decide which one is better. They are all stunning optically. The UHD and the FL with their AK prism are a little brighter than the EDG. The UHD controlled CA the best with the FL 2nd and the EDG 3rd. The UHD is almost colorless so I can see why Vortex says it is Apochromatic. The EDG and UHD have a little sharper edges than the FL. They are all better than an EL at controlling glare and the UHD and FL especially are a little sharper on-axis.The one big difference is the bigger FOV of the UHD. That extra 20 feet makes a difference and makes it stand out from the FL and the EDG. The EDG has the smoothest focuser but the UHD is very close albeit a little tighter. The FL focuser is stickier and doesn’t move as smoothly as the other two. The ergonomics are great on all of them and the quality of the UHD is just as good as any alpha level binocular I have ever seen. The eye cups are perfect and the diopter on the eyepiece is superb. If I had to rank them I would place the UHD 1st and the FL and EDG tied for 2nd. The UHD WOWED me more than the other two every time I went back to it because of the bigger FOV, the excellent contrast and the superb resolution on-axis. I can see why Audubon and Best Binocular’s reviewed it so highly. It is definitely an alpha binocular.