Leupold Binoculars -Leupold Compact Binoculars Compared
When a company like Leupold has a 100 years of experience with manufacturing a wide range of optics like binoculars, range scopes, spotting scopes and more, you can expect them to have a solid lifetime warranty on all of their products. Leupold engineers have refined optical components and purged the interior with nitrogen to ensure the highest quality lenses available.
Because my hands are small, I like compact binoculars. I also like binoculars to be lightweight and durable like the Olympic Compact Dual Hinge Series binoculars from Leupold. They fold especially small for packing. They are only 4.3 inches long and weigh less than 15 ounces.
The Katmai Compact binoculars offer full-size features and weigh only 18.9 ounces plus they are only 4.1 inches long. Both have fully coated lenses to provide the best clarity, light transmission and good contrast. Both have rugged and waterproof casings. I learned that all Leupold binoculars are fog-proof and waterproof and all of them have had their internal parts purged with nitrogen to ensure the best visibility and highest quality optical preparation.
The Olympic Compact Dual Hinge Series comes in black or with mossy oak tree camo colored casing. The Katmai is available in black. The Olympic series comes as either 8X25 or 10X25. Both of these sizes fit the compact criteria I apply. I prefer 8X25 because it is easier for me to scan the field at that magnification than it is at 10×25. That is a personal preference.
It is hard to beat the ease of using the abundant information that Leupold has for its products. They are generous with information and specs. I found it very easy to compare binoculars online before purchasing.
Both of these Leupold binoculars are superb. It is primarily a matter of personal preference and perhaps size that will make the difference for your purchasing decision. By size I refer to the distance between your pupils relative to the interpupillary distance of the binoculars. Both are about 60-70 mm. The difference between the exit pupils is less than 1 mm. I really like the Katmai because it uses full-size components in a sturdy compact optical instrument.
With the closer focus range of 4 feet for the Leupold Katmai binoculars, I could easily magnify flowers along the footpaths. I like that. The Olympic series gives close focus range only up to 8 feet which is fine for birding.
I like the full-size eye cups that the Katmai binoculars have. That is especially helpful if you wear glasses. I do. The Leupold Katmai Compact Binoculars are available in 6×32, 8×32 or 10×32 magnification. My choice is 8×32. The magnification is familiar to me and the binoculars are comfortable and sturdy in my hands. I expect them to become my first choice for all of my upcoming trips. Leupold makes such precision binoculars that I cannot wait for my new ones to finally arrive. They are worth the wait and cost.
Carin Nightingale is a birder and writer, meet her at the FREE KISS Method of Better Birding E Course.
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