Home > Consumer Reviews > Swift Audubon 828HHS - Binoculars 8.5 x 44 HCF - waterproof - roof

The Swift 8.5 x 44 HHS Audobons are fine birding binoculars at an affordable price. They offer a clear, sharp image without going to the price extremes of the three big brands. They are easy to use, although the focus wheel could be larger for easier use. The rubber armoring gives them a solid feel in the hand without being excessively heavy. The 8.5 magnification is just right for birding. It is not so big that it becomes hard to hold the image steady as is the case with 10s for me. The 44 front optic allows a great field of vision and plenty of light for dawn and dusk birding. They are also nitrogen purged. I am delighted with them. They were reviewed by Better View Desired, which is where I learned about them.

I did some research and ordered three top-rated binoculars, 8 x 42, in the $300 range. Spent an hour or so outdoors with all three pairs. The Swift Audubon HHS had much crisper and brighter image than either the Nikon Monarch or the Eagle Optics Ranger 8 x 42. As with all things, there are some trade-offs. The Nikon and Eagle models were a few ounces lighter, enough to make a difference in comfort. Both models also have a much closer focus. The Audubon only focusses down to about 9 ft. I really wanted to like the Nikon better because of the weight and the close focus, but in the end the image was so superior in the Audubon HHS that was the choice I made. They're actually 8.5 x 44 and that small increase in magnification does make a difference. I'd been using 10 x 50's and loved the larger image but found them difficult for tracking birds because of the constant need for fine-tuning the focus.

I've had these binoculars for over one year. I use them mainly for birding. My previous binoculars were my almost 25 year old Leitz Trinovid 10x40's. The Trinovids were excellent binoculars in their day but they are definitely getting long in the tooth. I'll keep them because, let's face it, I'll never be able to afford the current Leica binoculars.

I tried several brands before settling on the Swift Audubon roof prisms. What I found was that some binoculars excel in some areas but fall short in others. Of those I tried, the Audubons were the most comfortable to use with good depth of field, brightness and sharpness. Oddly, the Audubons do not really seem to excel in any area--they simply provide a combination of attributes that make them pleasant to use.

I give these binoculars my highest recommendation. Unfortunately, the only way to tell if a binocular fits your vision and handling characteristics is to try them. That's impossible when ordering online so be sure to order from a place like Amazon--a place that will take them back if they don't work for you.

I have worked on microscopes as part of my career as a geologist. Because of this I have gotten quite particular about optical equipment quality. But I'm also thrifty enough to realize that although the $1K-level binculars as offered by Zeiss, Leitz, Swarovski are absolutely top shelf...I'm not trying to find a bighorn sheep a mile away in between glacial crags...I'm doing local birding and deer hunting within 300 yards. So I spent many hours researching the various price/quality levels..on the web and at local shops (I found very few shop hands that knew much in detail about binoc optics). After a narrowing down to a few options I purchased the Swift Audubon. I'm very happy with this item. At this price level I don't think you will find better optical quality. Diopter correction is easy to set, the focus is fast enough for birding, and the light gathering at dusk/dawn is excellent. Going light is good...but if something is very light, it'll be mostly plastic/composites and it'll be less likely to take a few knocks...so don't get swayed only on weight. I find these to be easy to carry and the construction is substantial enough to take normal field abuse. Buy them...you'll like 'em.

IMO it's the best roof prism pair of binoculars you can get under $500. My one and only complaint is the screw type eye relief tubes can't be locked in position except all the in or out.