This is a review of the 8x32 but also a comparison to the 10x42. First, however, a comment about light transmission as determined by exit pupil. Our pupils capacity for expansion changes with age. The pupils of a 20 year old person may expand to 8mm, while the pupils of a 78 year old person, which I am, expand not past 4mm and maybe even less. Therefore, the light transmitted by the 8x32, with an exit pupil of 4mm [divide the objective lens diameter by the magnification] is as much as my eyes practically can use - not to mention than hen it's all that dark, I go home. The light transmission/exit pupil of the 10x42 is 4.2, so that aspect isn't practically different from the 8x32. That leaves the magnification, eye relief, size and weight for comparison. The 8x32 is substantially more compact and lighter than the 10x42 - but that might be an acceptable trade off if the additional magnification of the 10x42 made a substantial difference. Since I have both, I compared then in real time for three days in a row. Today, I actually carried both at the same time. I use binoculars for watching, identifying, and observing behavior of birds - and also to enjoy the beauty of some species. To test the difference, I took time on several occasions to watch a single bird with each, in turn. I also focused on one of the mountain tops in the Great Phoenix area that has radio, TV and phone towers which are several miles away. Yes, in a purely physical sense, the image in the 10x42 was [had to be]larger than the image in the 8x32. However, I found no substantial difference in what I was able to see, my ability to identify the species of a bird, observe its behavior or enjoy its beauty. The 8x32 has great eye relief than the 10x42. The 8x32 has larger field of view than the 10x42. The 8x32 has as good or better depth of field, and 3D appearance, as the 10x42. The cost is a mere $5 difference, so that's not a factor. I can't justify the larger size and greater weight of the 10x42 under these circumstances. I own more than one other pair of binoculars including one in a lower price point and one in a seriously greater price point. I find the 8x32 Carson HD as good as any, and it's a seriously good binocular. I'm keeping it and will return the 10x42. Both have focus adjustment that is just right, and the diopter ring stays put once set. They both seem to be well made and sturdy, and unlike offerings from many other binocular manufacturers they come with the very useful harness, and with lens covers for both objective and ocular lenses. A well earned five stars.

Nice! These are a step up in both price and quality from others I've tried (including Nikon Aculon Zoom and Tasco Zoom binos), and they work better for me ergonomically, so they're a keeper. I can't speak to how they stack up to premium lenses like Zeiss or Leica, but I'd guess that Carson provides a better value. I think they're fairly priced, and I'm happy with the purchase. Eventually, I'd like greater magnification and FOV (mostly to watch whales from my home and view the night sky), so I may eventually get a nautical or astronomer's monocular...but I chose this Carson binocular for general use both at home and on the go.

My Pros:
* High-quality optics; good lens clarity
* Very adjustable (even for those of us with a small head and/or a short distance between pupils)
* Comfortable (ergonomically, feel good to hold, very balanced, easy to grip)
* Good compromise between bulk/weight/power and portability
* Sensible case design, and a strap with a comfortable, wide pad
* Thoughtful details like tripod mount threading (under the front cap in between the eyepieces) and the inclusion of an optional carrying harness

My Cons:
* No lens covers (but maybe the lens coatings provide sufficient protection)
* Hokey "3D" logo that conveys an image of "fun toy," not "high-quality device"
* To hold device in magnetically closing case, an oddly cheap/awkward elastic band instead of maybe a two-sided quick-release Velcro strap

I have a minor issue with the binocular strap I received. One of the sliders that hold the strap ends in place (once they're fed back through the buckles) is loose, and the only way I could get it to stay put was to double the strap back through the slider again, creating a small loop. Perhaps the sliders are unidirectional and one was installed backwards on this strap. I'm hoping Carson might exchange the strap for me.

Another thing that surprised me was the location of the tripod mount threading, although it's probably typical (and where else could it be?). I hadn't thought it through to realize the purpose of binocular tripod adapters (duh) or I would have included that in my order.

I rarely give a perfect rating, especially for something new to me; if Amazon's scale went to 10 stars, I'd give these a 9.

After a lot of research, I came across Carson's 3D-ED 10X42 binoculars. I initially intended on purchasing a pair of Nikon monarchs or Bushnell Legend HDs, but after reading testimonials about the tremendous value of these, I decided to give them a try.

I'm not an optics expert by any means, but I've looked through expensive glass before. I'm familiar with the outstanding quality put out by Leica and Zeiss from experiences with binos owned by friends and family. In my experience and from extensive research, you get what you pay for in the world of optics. That being said, I can only surmise from trying these out that Carson is aggressively trying to increase their market share in the industry. The quality of this product mirrors that of binoculars that can be twice as expensive. To jump right into it, you're getting binoculars with lots of great qualities:

-Multi coated lenses

-Phase correction

-Completely waterproof and nitrogen filled casing to prevent fogging and internal damage.

-Generous eye relief (to the uninitiated this means the eye pieces screw out so you can find a "sweet" spot for the picture)

-Excellent field of view at range

-HIGH overall build quality

-Innovative Bino Armor Deluxe case. I was skeptical, but it's clear a lot of thought went into designing this case. It works like they advertise it to.

-Comfortable neck strap and back harness system. I didn't find any other binocular that includes these in this price range.

-Included cleaning cloth. This isn't anything more special than what comes with a pair of glasses, but it's still appreciated!

-LIFETIME NO NONSENSE WARRANTY. This is huge. Binoculars are expensive and complex tools. One bad drop can result in any pair of glasses requiring repair. It's a great relief knowing that even if I damage these by accident, I'll be covered.

The meat and potatoes of this product is the image. I plan to get a lot of use from these for hikes, and to take on vacation to look out at objects from the beach. I haven't put these through the full ringer yet, but the quality can simply be described as fantastic so far. I would describe these as "bright" optics, meaning that they transmit a lot of light. The image is also sharp throughout. This means that you'll see detail not only centered in your view but also on the edges of the view.

I haven't really found any downsides yet. You could argue the lack of lense caps is a problem along with the fact that the case isn't completely sealed from dust. This first issue is mitigated by the Bino Armor Deluxe case, given that the two are designed to be used together. Regarding the latter issue, this is easily solved by a ziploc bag when it's on your shelf.

BOTTOM LINE:

If you're looking in this price range, you'd be crazy not to have these on your short list.

If you're looking at more expensive pairs in the sub $1000 range, you'd also be crazy not to entertain the idea of these.

Hope this helps!

I've spent some time with these two and here is what I've seen so far..

Center field resolution is darn good in both and they are realistically equal. After looking at street signs, license plates, bumper stickers, etc. only once did one better the other and that was a bumper sticker where with the Vanguard I could read about 80% of the words and with the Carson I was able to read them all.
Edge resolution was good on the Carson and very good with the Vanguard. With the Carson things were crisp out to 50% and reasonably clear out to 75-80% then they became a little blurry. The Vanguard was crisp out to about 75% and only became slightly blurry all the way out to the edge.

Where edge resolution clearly went to the Vanguard, low light viewing clearly went to the Carson. Again reading signs into the evening there came a point at which I simply couldn't make the letters out with the Vanguard but the Carson was still showing them clearly. Although when looking at things not quite as distinguishable as letters, such as trees, leaves, houses, etc the difference was barely noticeable. The Vanguards have silver coatings and the Carsons have dielectric, possibly influencing the low light performance.

Looking at stars yielded crisp points of light with both bins but looking at a bright half moon there was an X through the entire field of vision on the vanguards. There's probably a name for that. You could also see it in the Carsons but to a much lesser degree. Same when I looked at a street light. Details of the moon and even the street light were still sharp.

Ergonomics was actually the deciding factor for me. Right out of the box I never really got along with the Vanguard. They were not comfortable on my eyes or nose. The Carson was very natural feeling and that is the reason I will keep them.

For the Price I give these bino's five stars. The lens quality is comparable to some of the more expensive brands. After a lot of comparisons inside and outside I opted to save some money with these since my gear gets pretty beat up. I was going to go with the vortex diamondbacks due to the lifetime warranty, however since these had the same warranty with better quality picture it was a no brainer! Lets just hope that Carson follows through with their warranty promise. The light gathering ability and crisp image with these will make any outdoorsman happy. I have had these out in the mountains looking at the deer that have come down for the winter. I've been able to test these at many different distances.. the focus is great, the detail is amazing, the power is perfect, and even in dim light these really do a great job! Unless you are in the game for 5-600 dollar binoculars then these carsons are what you need and you wont be disappointed. The fit and feel is awesome. The only thing i find is that there is only one adjustment on the eye pieces and my optimal eye relief falls in between the first setting but luckily the twist up eye pieces stay where i leave them even if not at the middle setting. The case that comes with the binoculars is superb. I like that they give you the harness too but it is a little small even when fully adjusted. The only thing missing is some eye piece covers and objective lens covers. That would have put these binoculars over the top!! But if you keep them in the case then you don't need them.

I am in Idaho and it is hard to find these binoculars in the store to compare. That is the reason i am writing this review so you can buy with confidence. But make sure you try many different pairs because comfort is everything when you have to look through a pair of binoculars for a few hours.