I found a store which had a pretty decent selection of binoculars. I took the opportunity to compare my Promaster to Brunton Epoch 7.5x43, Leica Ultravid H 8x42, Steiner 8x44 Peregrine XP, Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, and Zeiss 8x42 FL. This is a big store with a Brunton Resolution chart on a wall about 150 feet away from the counter. I could take the binoculars outside as well.
After several decades of believing that I�d have t come up with big $$$ to get the view I found when I looked through the Promaster, I was left wondering if maybe I�d missed something. After all a $500 glass can�t be that good, can it? So I did a little research.
The short story is that with the resolution chart the Promaster is a tiny bit behind the others in terms of the detail it will pull off of the chart. If there�s a winner on the chart, it�s the Leica, followed almost too closely to tell the difference was the Zeiss. I doubt I could tell the difference in the Swarovski and the Steiner. The Brunton is outstanding as well. Take the binoculars outside and put a gun to my head, I could see no practical difference in the resolving ability of any of them. If I couldn�t quite read something outside with the Promaster or the 7.5x Epoch, I couldn�t read it with any of the others either. Any of the binoculars gives a bright, sharp, clear, crisp and contrasty view that I could live with any of them. The images do however have a different �look� to them. As I said, I doubt I could tell the Steiner and the Swarovski apart, but the Leica, Zeiss and Brunton I could. Some people will see those differences as quite profound. A lot of this is pretty subjective, but the Leica is pretty close to perfect in color rendition and no color bias. The Zeiss is the brightest. The Brunton is a bit lacking in fov. The Steiner & Swaro are a tad on the warm image side. The Promaster and Brunton are maybe not as bright as the Zeiss, but not quite as neutral as the Leica. The Promaster does fall behind the others in that it has a somewhat shallower depth of field. So The Promaster holds its own optically very well.
Ergonomics and build quality is a bit different. As it should not be unexpected for a silver mirrored prism system to not quite compare with state of the art dielectric coatings, I suppose it should be no surprise that there should be some differences here. My clear preference in ergonomics goes to the Steiner XP. It is built like the proverbial tank. It literally has the heft and feel that says �run over me with that truck�. The armor has a superb tactile feel. Diopter is on the left side. The Leica�s and the Brunton are clearly the smallest and most compact of the lot, which will appeal to many. The Swaro EL feels about like the Steiner, without the superb grip of the XP. The Zeiss feels just fine in the hand, but I can really see where some people describe it as �plastic�. I wouldn�t call it that, but Zeiss ought to take a close look at the Steiner covering. To me the Zeiss just feels to slick. For that matter Leica could be a bit better in a soft grippy surface too. The surface coating on the Promaster is better in my view than anything but the Steiner. The Promaster is not as comfortable in hand as either the Steiner or the Swarovski which both have more room between the hinges for a three finger grip, rather than the two finger grip of the Promaster. There is also more room between the barrels on the Steiner and the Swarovski than in the Promaster.
So with the $500 Promaster you get an image that for all practical purposes gives up little if anything to the other binoculars. The overall �feel� of each image will certainly influence people� impression of each of these binoculars. But image wise, there is not much difference. The big difference is a slightly shallower depth of focus. I can see where people get off on the �Leica image� or the Zeiss image� or the Swarovski image�. Now if I could wave my wand, I�d put the Leica focus system on the Steiner XP and fit it with the optional Swarovski angled eyecups, and I�d be good to go. The Brunton would fare better in this class if the FOV was better than it is. You really notice that most when outside in a comparison with another good binocular. Now, if you are in the alpha market, take a good hard look at the Steiner XP. It easily belongs in the alpha class and I see it as the Euro 4 at this point. It is also $300 less than the Euro 3. For now I am happy with the Promaster.
