The Binocular Site

Carson Binoculars

Overview

Carson Optical is a leading producer of optical devices for the recreational consumer. They make optics for sports, various hobbies, education, and recreation. The optical products from Carson are innovative in many ways, yet still being of high quality at a good value. They have a large selection of binoculars, monoculars, microscopes, and magnifiers. Customers are sure to find something they can use.

Carson binoculars are great for the outdoors, hunting, and bird watching. They have several series of binoculars of varying sizes for everyone. Clever naming of the models helps people find what they are looking for, rather than a mere product number. They have models in the Compact series called Tracker, Scout, and TrailFinder.

Ranges:

Carson Optical offers five series of binoculars. They have the Compact, JK, XM, YK, and Zoom series. The Compact are smaller models, and the Zoom series has models with variable magnifications. Models in the YK series are waterproof, the XM series includes binoculars with high definition lenses, and the JK series are full size binoculars. They also have a SuperWide model, a Caribou model, and for kids a Hawk and Wildcat model.

Magnification:

There are several fixed and variable magnification binocular models at Carson Optical. The fixed magnifications are 6X, 7X, 8X, 10X, and 12X, with the Micro VM 6X16 having the only 6X magnification available. The YK-600 12X50 having the only 12X magnification. Most of the binocular models have either 8X or 10X.

The Zoom series is home to the variable magnification models. Four models are available on in that series: the MiniZoom 5X to 15X, AutoZoom 7X to 28X, GreyHawk with 10X to 30X, and SuperZoom 20X to 80X.

Objective Lens:

The objective lens size available on Carson binoculars ranges from 16mm to 50mm. Both the YK and XM series have a 50mm objective lens model available, the YK-600 12X 50mm, and XM-050HD 10X50mm respectively. The Compact series Micro VM 6X16 is the only model with the 16mm objective lens.

Field Of View (F.O.V.):

Carson binoculars have a wide range of view on their binoculars. The F.O.V across all their models range from 98 to 489 ft. at 1000 yd. The pair giving the high 489 ft. F.O.V is the Compact MiniScout 7X18 and the 98 ft. is the F.O.V on the SuperZoom 20-80X25mm. Half of the models available have a F.O.V of 300 ft.

Product Offering:

Carson has 32 unique models of binoculars available. Some models are available in different colors, although the specifications are the same so the decision becomes which color do you like. They also sell outdoor sets that includes binoculars, a flashlight, multiple use tool, and other helpful camping equipment

They also make other optical products for the consumer. There are also models of monoculars, pocket microscopes, magnifiers, spotters, and scopes. Some non-optical offerings include reading lights and lens pens.

Price Range:

The price ranges on the Carson Optical binoculars ranges from $13 to $310. The Carson Hawk 5X30 can be purchased for $12.99, but since they are great for people with little hands it seem like a children's model. The 6X16 Micro Ultra-Compact binoculars are the next up at a price of $23.49. Carson's most expensive pair is the 10X50 Compact Binoculars from the XM series and it costs $309.99

Warranty:

The warranty Carson offers for their binoculars is one of the best warranties around. Like other standard warranties, they will repair material or factory defects for free, but unlike many manufacturers, Carson offers a discount on defective or damaged binoculars no matter what caused the damage. Carson will repair or replace damaged binoculars for only $12 and that include shipping charges.

Popular Binoculars:

Carson has a couple popular brands of binoculars. The first is the Carson Hawk 5X30 Binoculars. These mid size binoculars are lightweight, weighing 6.6 ounces, and only cost $12.99. Their size makes them comfortable to hold, even with smaller hands, and an ideal choice of binoculars for children. They have a 5X magnification and a wide 312 ft. field of view at 1000 yd.

Another popular brand is the XM Series Compact Scout 8X22 binoculars priced at $30.99. Although the price is a good reason why they're popular, they only weigh 6 ounces, making them less of a burden to carry and hold. They have a magnification factor of 8 with a 22mm eye relief and they have a field of view of 393 ft. at 1000 yd. Best used for bird watching and casual observing.


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