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34 of 34 found the following review helpful:
 ExcellentOct 18, 2006
By Rima Hooja
This binocular was rated No 1 in the Cornell winter 2005 review of birding binocular in the economy class and it certainly desreves its No 1 spot. In this price range it is simple the best binocular for the begining birder, the budding sports fan. Being fully rubber armored and fully water proof they make very good hunting binoculars as well. The field of view is simply the widest i have ever seen. They are slightly on the heavier side at 28 oz, but the weight distribution is such that they feel much lighter than many 23-25 oz roof prisim binoculars. Eye glass wearers will also not have nay problem with these and the feature 17 mm + of eye relief and twist up eye cup with detents and feature not normally found in binoculars of this price range.
The only negative about these binoculars is that the eye piece cover is a bit to tight fitting and take a bit of effort to take off, but thats not much of negative considering all the other positives.
Highly recommended.
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
unbelievable valueOct 23, 2007
By Lund Wolfe
I needed some all purpose 7 x 35 binoculars for my Hawaii vacation. I took them everywhere from hikes to boat tours to watching whales, sea turtles, wild goats, ducks and sea birds in flight, etc. Previously, I only had a mediocre set of Bushnell binoculars that I thought were pretty good. I was going to buy the lightweight compact Olympus 8 x 21 binoculars recommended by Consumer Reports for about $60. Fortunately, they were out of stock everywhere. After a little research I found no positive experience from expert birder sites on the web to back it up, unlike this Nikon.
These seemed too good to be true in terms of quality and features. For $110 they had high quality construction and lenses and were designed to be truly waterproof and fogproof, so they won't go bad on you. Everything I read said the clarity was very good to excellent as well. That's an understatement. I can't imagine what more clarity or improved low light viewing you can get out of the more expensive $300 Nikons or the $500, $1000, $1500 Japanese or German expensive optics binoculars. I didn't even notice that I was using these Action EX binoculars when it was nearly dark. This is a mark of quality and these have it. The clarity is just outstanding. Why should I pay more ?
They feel good in the hands and are a pleasure to use. They look great, too. It's not a super lightweight compact, but these are real binoculars. They have the usual quick central focus and left/right eye difference focus adjustment. They are fully rubber coated to handle real world use with bangs, scrapes, and drops. The binoculars have the strap and the case doesn't, so you'll have to store the case or attach it to something else. If you can use and appreciate a pair of excellent quality binoculars, this is money very well spent.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Excellent value for the moneySep 24, 2007
By Francis C. Farley
"Cory"
I've owned several pairs of binoculars over the years, and these are by far the best at anywhere near the price. The image is sharp, colors are accurate and the relief for eyeglass wearers is the best I've seen. I recommend them without reservation.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Startlingly clear images and the widest field of view I've seenOct 25, 2008
By Wings42
I've had my pair for about 3 years now and use them a lot for birding, the opera, and hiking. We keep them on the kitchen table to look at birds at our feeders, so they get almost daily use. The optics amaze me, and the binoculars have been perfectly dependable and easy to use. The very large eye relief makes them perfect for us, as we both wear glasses. I also like the adjustable eye cups. Rubber eye cups that curl back for use with glasses only last a year or two before cracking. These threaded eye cups should last indefinitely.
They're a bit heavy, so we bought a well padded camera strap to replace the thinner strap that came with the binocular. The case that comes with the binoculars works well, and has cutouts for straps.
We like this binocular so much that we are soon going to order another one so we both have one when hiking. I'm not tempted to get the 8x40 because the optics are so clear and bright that we can see birds much better with these than our previous, cheaper 8x binoculars. Also, a wide field of view is critical at the opera. The 8x40 is a little heavier, with a little narrower field of view than the 7x35.
Regarding the objective lens cover, I cut three slits into the sides of each cup so they slip on easily. Also, I've attached all the lens covers to the binocular with woven fishing line so they're never lost. They hang down about 8 inches when the binoculars are in use.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Outstanding value and opticsDec 30, 2010
By A photographer
I'm something of an optics nut. Having been a photographer for a long time, I appreciate what good glass is capable of doing for you. I also know how much poor optics can ruin your day. Binoculars are different from camera lenses but binoculars are easier to judge. You just have to pick them up, adjust the diopter correction to your eyes and focus them. Judging other aspects such as durability, weight, speed of focus, comfort, fit to specific use and all the other non-optical issues takes a little longer.
As to the binoculars in question, these 7x35 Action Extreme EX Nikons impressed me a lot when I looked through them for the first time. Costing under a hundred bucks, I was astonished at the optical quality for the price. They may be the best bargain going in a basic binocular. I can compare this binocular to several other binoculars in the household and they will come up rivaling those that cost up to five times more in the sharpness, brightness and overall clarity of the image. No, the image is not razor sharp across the entire field. But, then again, most binoculars aren't sharp around the edges either. If you want sharp edges, consider spending over one thousand dollars as opposed to one hundred dollars. You will not get perfection for one hundred dollars but you will get outstanding quality for that money.
In Amazon's introductory description of these Action Extremes, there is some confusing information. The chart being used (as of this writing) shows comparisons of another series of Nikon binoculars. Since Nikon makes a lot of different binoculars, I'm not sure which specs are used in this chart--probably Monarchs since they are mentioned in the description. Needless to say, this information has nothing to do with the Action/Action Extreme binoculars and will only get first-time binocular buyers confused. It's best to go to Nikon's website for current information on size, weight, eye relief, etc.
Back to the Action Extremes, I can't recommend this binocular enough to first-time buyers on a budget. Nikon also has an even lower priced series in the Action (no "Extreme"). This series is also known for value and optical quality. In comparing the Action Extreme binoculars to the standard Action series, you get a little more for your money. I haven't compared them recently but the last figures I saw showed the Extremes to have better eye relief--something not just good but a necessity for those who wear eyeglasses. The Extremes are also rated as "waterproof" by Nikon whereas the standard series are not. These days "waterproof" does not always mean they are truly and totally waterproof. Usually it means a binocular can withstand being used in the rain without suffering failure. Drop them in a lake for a few minutes before fishing them out and you probably will need to buy another "waterproof" binocular. I don't know how waterproof the Extremes truly are but it's good to know they are sealed better than average. That's worth the extra cost to me. If you don't wear eyeglasses and will never need moisture resistance in your binoculars, the standard Action series may save you a few bucks.
Compared to more expensive binoculars, with these Nkon Action Extremes you may be giving up longterm durability. Don't expect to bang these around daily on your expedition to the summit of K2 and still have working optics. They are ruggedly built but unlikely to withstand prolonged abuse. The roof prism design that is used in the top-of-the-line, high-end binoculars can usually be made stronger and more durable than porro prism design binoculars like these Nikons. Porro prism binoculars, on the other hand, are simpler designs that are easier to build with good optical quality. Porro prism binoculars, like these Nikons, are larger and generally heavier than roof prism binoculars of the same power. With prolonged use, the weight of a binocular can cause fatigue. The more powerful the binocular, the larger and heavier they become. The 7x35 is the smallest of the Action Extreme series. Going to a higher power magnification can help in some instances but 7-power is usually good enough for most situations. You get a wider field of view with less chance of image shake. I have binoculars in 7, 8, 8.5, 9 and 10-power in the household and I really don't find I'm giving up anything with the 7-power.
Based solely on optical quality for price involved, the Nikon Action Extreme EX 7x35 are highly recommended.
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