Vanguard VEO HD 2 8×42 Binocular Evaluation

Execs: Top quality optics that ship premium options and a high-performance viewing expertise at an affordable worth level. Sharp, contrasty picture impresses in a variety of difficult viewing situations. Brilliant, vivid colors that make the picture “pop”.

Cons: Twist up eyecups are plastic, relatively than metallic, Vanguard Guarantee dropped from 25 years to solely 10 since I reviewed their predecessor, eye-placement proved a little bit finicky for me (occasional blackout of areas on the periphery of the sector), however more likely to be a private challenge that will not have an effect on you. Slight greenish/yellowish color bias… though solely noticeable if you examine alongside different premium binoculars.

Value: GBP£399.99 (c.€455.00) — at time of writing on sale for £299.99 (c. €345.00)

Ranking: Advisable

Vanguard is a Chinese language model that has quietly developed to turn into an actual contender within the congested mid-range optics market. I’ve been notably impressed with their Endeavor vary of binoculars previously (I reviewed the ED, EDII and EDIV right here and located all three to supply nice efficiency and excellent worth for cash). The VEO line seems to be a revamp of their older fashions, utilizing the identical (or very related) optical programs paired with a brand new carbon composite physique building.

In case you’re on the lookout for a top quality binocular at a mid-range costs level, the Vanguard Veo HD2 is definitely price a glance.

Try the Veo HD 2 8×42 on Vanguard’s web site.

Purchase the Vanguard Veo HD2 on Amazon:

Vanguard VEO HD2 8×42 Full Evaluation

After being impressed by each incarnation of Vanguards Endeavor vary of binoculars through the years, I used to be eager to see how their newest twin hinge premium providing, the VEO 2 HD stacked up. Let’s discover out….

First Impressions

A lot as the unique Veo ED seemed to be a contemporary reboot of Vanguards Spirit ED binocular, so VEO HD 2 feels very very like a refreshed Endeavor EDII. Evaluating the specs of the 2 binoculars, the optical programs and options, except for the Endeavor EDII’s premium Magnesium Alloy housing, are just about an identical (together with using Vanguard’s a lot vaunted Hoya ED Glass). The VEO HD2 is a contact lighter, thanks presumably to that Carbon Composite building Vanguard talks about. Name me quaint, however I’d take the extra 50g or so for a Magnesium Alloy physique any day.

That stated, the Veo HD2 is a great, modern-looking binocular that feels strong, with a pleasant heft to it and a high-quality really feel that implies it would go the gap.

Steadiness, Dealing with and Construct High quality

Vanguard’s twin hinged designs have all the time been very comfy to carry and to make use of, they usually look nice. The VEO HD2 isn’t any exception. It’s properly balanced, feels strong and properly put collectively, and customarily appears like a premium little bit of equipment.

The whole physique is roofed in a barely textured onerous inexperienced rubber armour from Mitsubishi (I’m not too certain why entrepreneurs felt it vital to emphasize that truth) that’s tactile, and appears and feels nice. It gives grip, is comfy to carry, and useful indents on the underside of the barrels assist information your palms to the best place for optimum steadiness and dealing with.

Vanguard pushes the all new Carbon Composite physique building as a profit in its advertising — however basically what it boils right down to is that the binocular itself is constructed out of a carbon fibre bolstered plastic polymer, relatively than the premium metallic (Magnesium Alloy) utilized in earlier fashions at this worth level.

That’s a little bit of a disgrace… however to be trustworthy, if Carbon Composite wasn’t plastered all around the packaging and advertising materials, I’d haven’t any method of understanding. The binocular feels strong and each bit as strong and properly made as its predecessors. When you do know although, there’s no getting round the truth that it appears like a little bit of a downgrade.

My private choice has all the time been for single hinge binocular designs — particularly the extra modern single-hinge design with a narrower hinge excessive on the physique, permitting for a real, inimpeded wrap-around grip. I’ve all the time discovered the decrease hinge will get in the best way on twin hinge designs, and whereas you may get used to them, I’d relatively not should.

That stated, there are advantages to twin hinge building. They lend total energy, and every particular person hinge will be narrower, with out compromising the general energy and stability of the design. It may well additionally assist scale back the general weight, and enhance steadiness… though that may be subjective.

Regardless of my private choice, Vanguards twin hinge binoculars stay a number of the most comfy and finest dealing with binoculars I’ve ever used… and the VEO HD2 picks up the place the Endeavor left off in that regard, with nice steadiness and a cushty all-around person expertise.

Focus & Dioptre Adjustment

The metallic focus wheel is ample, and the knurled rubber central ring affords loads of grip. Focus motion is as clean and fluid as any binocular I’ve used, and the resistance stage is properly balanced. About 2 1/2 anti-clockwise turns take you from a quoted close-focus distance of c. 2m to infinity. Whereas that’s extra focus journey than you’ll discover in lots of binoculars, I by no means discovered focusing to be too gradual on the VEO HD2, and the picture snaps with out having to hunt backwards and forwards.

Dioptre adjustment is within the common place beneath the right-hand eyepiece, and is lockable, which suggests there’s no hazard of it slipping after getting it arrange.

Eye Cups and Eye Aid

Like most top quality roof-prism binoculars as we speak, the VEO HD2 options twist-up eye-cups with 4 stops (absolutely down, two intermediate stops, and absolutely up). This could will let you alter the eyecups to afford you the complete subject of view, though for me, even with the eyecups absolutely prolonged, the eyepiece lenses had been nonetheless a little bit too shut for my eyes. It made positioning the binoculars accurately tougher than it needs to be, and meant I’d sometimes get disconcerting peripheral blackouts on the fringe of the sector of view, forcing me to reposition the bins.

A quoted eye-relief of 19mm is superb, and will imply most spectacle wearers can have no downside utilizing these binoculars with their glasses on.

One different factor to notice right here — the eyecups seem like plastic relatively than metallic, which suggests they may very well be extra susceptible to break and put on and tear. Nevertheless, the excellent news is, if they’re broken they may unscrew, so Vanguard can simply ship out a substitute you can exchange your self. Eyecups are the only most frequent level of failure on any binocular — and it’s very useful to have the ability to exchange a broken eyecup your self, relatively than sending the entire instrument again to the manufacturing unit for restore.

Weatherproofing

Like all binoculars at this worth level, the VEO HD2 is absolutely sealed and weatherproof, and purged with inert fuel to stop inside fogging and condensation. Throughout testing the binocular suffered no ill-effects regardless of the worst an Irish late winter/early spring may throw at it.

Optical Efficiency

Picture High quality and Area of View

The view via the VEO HD2 is superb: brilliant, sharp, contrasty and stuffed with element.

It’s pin sharp from the centre, and stays good throughout many of the subject, softening only a tad as you get out in direction of the very edge. The sector of view is sweet, although not distinctive for an 8×42 at 7.1 levels (124m/1000m).

On steadiness the view via the VEO HD2 is superb, with little or no to criticise for an instrument at this worth level.

Color Constancy, Distinction and Chromatic Aberration

Broadly talking the view via the VEO HD2 seems impartial, with no actual perceptible color bias to the bare eye. The picture is punchy with good distinction, and hues seem pure and vibrant. In case you use the VEO HD2 alongside different premium binoculars, there does seem like an ever so barely perceptible bias in direction of the inexperienced/yellow finish of the spectrum, however that is by no means obvious when you’re utilizing the instrument in isolation.

Chromatic aberration (color fringing) is dealt with properly, and I by no means observed it when viewing high-contrast topics below regular, and even fairly excessive subject situations. As with virtually any binocular, you can induce fringing by purposely viewing excessive distinction scenes on the very fringe of the sector of view… however that’s not the way you’ll be utilizing the binocular.

Low Mild Efficiency and Coatings

All air to glass surfaces within the optical system of the VEO HD2 are fully-multi-coated with Vanguard’s proprietary suite of coatings designed to enhance gentle transmission and scale back glare and stray gentle reflections. Coupled with high-quality Japanese ED glass and high-performance BAK4 Roof Prisms the picture produced stays brilliant and clear even in difficult situations, and whereas it unsurprisingly falls in need of the very best binoculars on the market, the VEO HD2 can greater than maintain its personal in opposition to competitors in its personal worth band, and can proceed ship as the sunshine fades.

The VEO HD2 additionally has a particular protecting armour/hydrophobic coating utilized to the exterior lens surfaces. This not solely protects the extra fragile coatings beneath, but additionally means the floor will get much less soiled, wants cleansing much less usually and, crucially, is far simpler to scrub when it does turn into crucial.

Equipment

The VEO HD2 comes with the same old assortment of equipment you’d count on with a top quality optical instrument. There’s a new-design neoprene carry case, a cushty neoprene neck-strap, an eyepiece rainguard you may tether to the strap, and detachable tethered goal lens covers. You’ll additionally discover a microfibre cleansing fabric within the field.

Guarantee

Vanguard gives a 2 yr commonplace guarantee and a ten yr prolonged guarantee if you register your buy of considered one of its VEO line of optics.

Full particulars of the guarantee can be found on the Vanguard UK web site right here.

Conclusion

The Vanguard VEO HD 2 is an fascinating reboot of what was already a really succesful binocular design within the Endeavor ED II (which remains to be listed on the Vanguard web site on the market). Whereas the swap from magnesium alloy to a polycarbonate (basically a plastic polymer) physique appears like a downgrade the optics, the focusing and every thing else in regards to the VEO HD2 is superb.

Whenever you weigh all of it up, the Vanguard VEO HD2 gives lots of binocular for the cash. In case you’re available in the market for a high-performance mid-range birding and wildlife binocular, it’s definitely one I’d advocate including to your shortlist.

Try the Veo HD 2 8×42 on Vanguard’s web site.

Purchase the Vanguard Veo HD2 on Amazon:

Technical Specs

Taken from the Vanguard UK web site:

Acknowledgements

I’d wish to thank Vanguard UK for offering the VEO HD2 8×42 for overview on Eire’s Wildlife.

NB. Eire’s Wildlife has no particular affiliation to any optics or gear producer, and all opinions on the positioning are utterly impartial and goal. In case you’re an optics or gear producer and wish to submit your product for overview on the positioning, please drop us a line utilizing the contact type and we are able to take issues from there.