Magellan outdoor binocular for the extreme enthusiast The powerful binoculars are waterproof, dirtproof and fogproof, making them ideal for activites like hiking, boating and camping.   By way of its high-index BaK-4 prisms and fully multi-coated lenses the binoculars deliver crisp, clear images while its waterproof, fogproof and dirtproof features help to ensure a great viewing experience under a variety of weather-related conditions. Additionally, long-eye relief capability and the binocular's twist up/down eyecups make them more comfortable to use over extended periods of time.   Features:   - High-index BaK-4 prisms for bright, crisp images - Fully multi-coated lenses - Hermetically sealed and Nitrogen-filled for waterproof, fogproof and dirtproof -  performance - Phase and UV coating - Long Eye-Relief with Twist Up/Down Eyecups - Large center-focus knob for fast, easy focusing - Built-in dioptic correction adjusts to individual eyesight - Internal focusing system - Environmentally friendly lead-free glasses    Specifications:   Type: Roof Prism  Magnification: 10x  Objective Lens Diameter: 42 mm  Exit Pupil Diameter: 4.2 mm  Real Angle of View: 6.0 degrees  Apparent Angle of View: 60 degrees  Field of View AT 1000 yards: 314 ft.  Relative brightness: 17.6  Eye relief(mm): 15 mm  Diopter adjustment range(mm): Over 2m-1  Eye Interval Adjustment Range(mm): 60 ~ 70 mm  Near Focus Distance: 9.8 ft.  Weight: 23.3 oz./660 g  Dimensions: 5.1 in. (W) x 5.7 in. (H) x 2.1 in. (D) Lens Composition: 9 elements in 6 groups  Coating: Full Multi-coating; Phase-coating; UV-coating 

Nitrogen filled for waterproof and fogproof performance

Built-in dioptic corrector adjusts to individual eyesight, twist down eyecups

Large center focus knob for fast, easy focusing

Lens construction of 9 elements in 6 groups

Multicoated optics for maximum image brightness and contrast

Average Customer Review: ( 5 customer reviews )
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Briefly speaking, there are 5 factors I emphasize on binoculars: 1. power (7-10x); 2. aperture (40mm and above); 3. prism quality (Bak-4 with MULTI-coating, don't be fooled by those "fully coating" lower quality ones, only consider "phase corrected" and "multi coating"!); 4. waterproof/fogproof (most binoculars in this category use nitrogen filled hermetically sealed); 5. durability: with rubber armored and roof prism style.

You can find those perfectly fitting on some Zeiss and Leica binoculars, with price [price]. They are really better than this Olympus, but bet you don't want to spend such amount on a pair of binoculars. Then there were 3 great deal falling in my category: Pentax DCF WP 8x42, Minolta Activa WP 8x42, and this Olympus model. Compared to the other two models, this one is the latest introduced (early 2001) with the latest technology (with UV coating which the other two don't have). The lower price is due to the brand equity of Olympus, which is considered not such a high price brand than Pentax and Minolta in camera world.

10 of 12 found the following review helpful:

You get what you pay forDec 16, 2004
By Thomas G. Sweetnam
These are as much 10 X 42 roof prism binocular as one can expect in the $200 price range. I don't know why Olympus doesn't break down and start using ED glass and make a binocular competitive with the E series Nikons in the $800 range. As one of the leading optics/research institutions on the planet, they certainly have the capacity to do it. My advice is this: If you want premium optics for the price, get a small pair of Steiner glasses in the 8 X 22, 8 X 24, 8 X 26 realm. These can be had now in the $200 - $250 price range, and nothing on the planet, and I mean nothing, compares with fine German glass, period.

The 10 X 42 Megellans on the other hand, are just one more also-ran in a sea of mediocre entry-level consumer roof prism binoculars (that look trendy and "birdy"). They suffer from coma, and are "nitrogen filled", not nitrogen purged, which makes a considerable difference in image sharpness. In spite of the fact that these glasses are made in Japan, it might be some indication of declining quality control in that nation, that a giant thumb print was smeared on one of the eyepieces right out of the factory sealed box. Shame on you Olympus.

9 of 11 found the following review helpful:

Great on paper, poor performanceJan 06, 2004

I wrote a review of these earlier, where I noted that the field of vision doesn't align. Well it does at infinity, but the near focus distance is entirely overated. I've seen 6 pairs of these so far, and all have the same problem and that is the field of view doesn't align. I sent them to Olympus repair and they say that they are within "spec." The focus knob has also broken free and had to be glued back to the pin. While the optics are exquisite, the alignment is ridiculously bad. I'd say move on to another pair. The Canon 8x32 wp or Nikon Monarch instead.

4 of 4 found the following review helpful:

Great deal, watch for quality problemsOct 02, 2003

I've had two of these binoculars sent, and while I agree with the previous review that they have great lens and optics, I have had two pair shipped (not from Amazon) that have collimation problems. Whenever you buy a pair, always check for this as it can cause severe eye strain as your eyes compensate for this alignment problem. I am going to try to purchase a fourth pair to see if this is symptomatic of the model or where I purchased them.

2 of 3 found the following review helpful:

Just fine at this priceAug 30, 2008
By Birdman
The Magellan 8x42's, while slightly heavy, are sturdy and compact for the price. My pair had excellent alignment, a firm focus control and a sharp, bright image with minimal distortion. The two quality issues I encountered were minimal eye relief (4 more mm might have done the trick) and one relief adjustment uncomfortably loose. It will undoubtedly need repair somewhere down the line. Large lens caps are over-sized for the unit and fall off very easily. Customer support is poor, but the warranty is competitive.

In short, an excellent starter pair of 8x42's.

In general, for about $50-$100 more, the Nikon Monarch is far superior in every respect. Prices for these binocs vary sharply from week to week, so be patient, try the Nikons at your local sport shop, and purchase them from amazon when they drop below $200.