Execs: Prime quality optics that ship premium options and a high-performance viewing expertise at an affordable value level. Sharp, contrasty picture impresses in a spread of difficult viewing situations. Shiny, vivid colors that make the picture “pop”.
Cons: Twist up eyecups are plastic, somewhat than metallic, Vanguard Guarantee dropped from 25 years to solely 10 since I reviewed their predecessor, eye-placement proved slightly finicky for me (occasional blackout of areas on the periphery of the sphere), however prone to be a private concern that won’t have an effect on you. Slight greenish/yellowish color bias… though solely noticeable if you examine alongside different premium binoculars.
Value: GBP£399.99 (c.€455.00) — at time of writing on sale for £299.99 (c. €345.00)
Ranking: Really helpful
Vanguard is a Chinese language model that has quietly developed to change into an actual contender within the congested mid-range optics market. I’ve been significantly impressed with their Endeavor vary of binoculars up to now (I reviewed the ED, EDII and EDIV right here and located all three to supply nice efficiency and excellent worth for cash). The VEO line seems to be a revamp of their older fashions, utilizing the identical (or very related) optical programs paired with a brand new carbon composite physique building.
Should you’re on the lookout for a top quality binocular at a mid-range costs level, the Vanguard Veo HD2 is definitely price a glance.
Take a look at the Veo HD 2 8×42 on Vanguard’s web site.
Purchase the Vanguard Veo HD2 on Amazon:
Vanguard VEO HD2 8×42 Full Assessment
After being impressed by each incarnation of Vanguards Endeavor vary of binoculars over time, I used to be eager to see how their newest twin hinge premium providing, the VEO 2 HD stacked up. Let’s discover out….
First Impressions
A lot as the unique Veo ED gave the impression to be a contemporary reboot of Vanguards Spirit ED binocular, so VEO HD 2 feels very very similar to a refreshed Endeavor EDII. Evaluating the specs of the 2 binoculars, the optical programs and options, aside from the Endeavor EDII’s premium Magnesium Alloy housing, are just about equivalent (together with using Vanguard’s a lot vaunted Hoya ED Glass). The VEO HD2 is a contact lighter, thanks presumably to that Carbon Composite building Vanguard talks about. Name me quaint, however I’d take the extra 50g or so for a Magnesium Alloy physique any day.
That stated, the Veo HD2 is a great, modern-looking binocular that feels stable, with a pleasant heft to it and a high-quality really feel that means it’s going to go the gap.
Steadiness, Dealing with and Construct High quality
Vanguard’s twin hinged designs have all the time been very snug to carry and to make use of, and so they look nice. The VEO HD2 is not any exception. It’s properly balanced, feels stable and properly put collectively, and customarily seems like a premium little bit of package.
Your entire physique is roofed in a barely textured onerous inexperienced rubber armour from Mitsubishi (I’m not too certain why entrepreneurs felt it necessary to emphasize that truth) that’s tactile, and appears and feels nice. It supplies an excellent grip, is snug to carry, and helpful indents on the underside of the barrels assist information your arms to the best place for optimum steadiness and dealing with.
Vanguard pushes the all new Carbon Composite physique building as a profit in its advertising — however primarily what it boils right down to is that the binocular itself is constructed out of a carbon fibre bolstered plastic polymer, somewhat than the premium metallic (Magnesium Alloy) utilized in earlier fashions at this value level.
That’s a little bit of a disgrace… however to be trustworthy, if Carbon Composite wasn’t plastered all around the packaging and advertising materials, I’d haven’t any method of figuring out. The binocular feels stable and each bit as sturdy and properly made as its predecessors. When you do know although, there’s no getting round the truth that it seems like a little bit of a downgrade.
My private choice has all the time been for single hinge binocular designs — particularly the extra up to date single-hinge design with a narrower hinge excessive on the physique, permitting for a real, inimpeded wrap-around grip. I’ve all the time discovered the decrease hinge will get in the way in which on twin hinge designs, and whereas you may get used to them, I’d somewhat not need to.
That stated, there are advantages to twin hinge building. They lend total power, and every particular person hinge could be narrower, with out compromising the general power and stability of the design. It will possibly additionally assist scale back the general weight, and enhance steadiness… though that may be subjective.
Regardless of my private choice, Vanguards twin hinge binoculars stay a number of the most snug and greatest dealing with binoculars I’ve ever used… and the VEO HD2 picks up the place the Endeavor left off in that regard, with nice steadiness and a cushty all-around consumer expertise.
Focus & Dioptre Adjustment
The metallic focus wheel is ample, and the knurled rubber central ring affords loads of grip. Focus motion is as easy and fluid as any binocular I’ve used, and the resistance stage is properly balanced. About 2 1/2 anti-clockwise turns take you from a quoted close-focus distance of c. 2m to infinity. Whereas that’s extra focus journey than you’ll discover in lots of binoculars, I by no means discovered focusing to be too gradual on the VEO HD2, and the picture snaps with out having to hunt forwards and backwards.
Dioptre adjustment is within the common place beneath the right-hand eyepiece, and is lockable, which implies there’s no hazard of it slipping upon getting it arrange.
Eye Cups and Eye Aid
Like most prime quality roof-prism binoculars at this time, the VEO HD2 options twist-up eye-cups with 4 stops (totally down, two intermediate stops, and totally up). This could will let you alter the eyecups to afford you the complete area of view, though for me, even with the eyecups totally prolonged, the eyepiece lenses have been nonetheless slightly too shut for my eyes. It made positioning the binoculars accurately more difficult than it ought to be, and meant I’d sometimes get disconcerting peripheral blackouts on the fringe of the sphere of view, forcing me to reposition the bins.
A quoted eye-relief of 19mm is great, and will imply most spectacle wearers could have no downside utilizing these binoculars with their glasses on.
One different factor to notice right here — the eyecups seem like plastic somewhat than metallic, which implies they might be extra inclined to break and put on and tear. Nevertheless, the excellent news is, if they’re broken they are going to unscrew, so Vanguard can simply ship out a substitute you could exchange your self. Eyecups are the only most frequent level of failure on any binocular — and it’s very helpful to have the ability to exchange a broken eyecup your self, somewhat than sending the entire instrument again to the manufacturing facility for restore.
Weatherproofing
Like all binoculars at this value level, the VEO HD2 is totally sealed and weatherproof, and purged with inert fuel to stop inner fogging and condensation. Throughout testing the binocular suffered no ill-effects regardless of the worst an Irish late winter/early spring might throw at it.
Optical Efficiency
Picture High quality and Discipline of View
The view by the VEO HD2 is great: shiny, sharp, contrasty and stuffed with element.
It’s pin sharp from the centre, and stays good throughout a lot of the area, softening only a tad as you get out in direction of the very edge. The sector of view is sweet, although not distinctive for an 8×42 at 7.1 levels (124m/1000m).
On steadiness the view by the VEO HD2 is great, with little or no to criticise for an instrument at this value level.
Color Constancy, Distinction and Chromatic Aberration
Broadly talking the view by the VEO HD2 seems impartial, with no actual perceptible color bias to the bare eye. The picture is punchy with good distinction, and colors seem pure and vibrant. Should you use the VEO HD2 alongside different premium binoculars, there does seem like an ever so barely perceptible bias in direction of the inexperienced/yellow finish of the spectrum, however that is by no means obvious for those who’re utilizing the instrument in isolation.
Chromatic aberration (color fringing) is dealt with properly, and I by no means seen it when viewing high-contrast topics below regular, and even fairly excessive area situations. As with nearly any binocular, you might induce fringing by purposely viewing excessive distinction scenes on the very fringe of the sphere of view… however that’s not the way you’ll be utilizing the binocular.
Low Gentle Efficiency and Coatings
All air to glass surfaces within the optical system of the VEO HD2 are fully-multi-coated with Vanguard’s proprietary suite of coatings designed to enhance gentle transmission and scale back glare and stray gentle reflections. Coupled with high-quality Japanese ED glass and high-performance BAK4 Roof Prisms the picture produced stays shiny and clear even in difficult situations, and whereas it unsurprisingly falls in need of the most effective binoculars on the market, the VEO HD2 can greater than maintain its personal towards competitors in its personal value band, and can proceed ship as the sunshine fades.
The VEO HD2 additionally has a particular protecting armour/hydrophobic coating utilized to the exterior lens surfaces. This not solely protects the extra fragile coatings beneath, but in addition means the floor will get much less soiled, wants cleansing much less usually and, crucially, is way simpler to wash when it does change into essential.
Equipment
The VEO HD2 comes with the same old assortment of equipment you’d anticipate with a top quality optical instrument. There’s a new-design neoprene carry case, a cushty neoprene neck-strap, an eyepiece rainguard you possibly can tether to the strap, and detachable tethered goal lens covers. You’ll additionally discover a microfibre cleansing material within the field.
Guarantee
Vanguard affords a 2 12 months customary guarantee and a ten 12 months prolonged guarantee if you register your buy of one in every of its VEO line of optics.
Full particulars of the guarantee can be found on the Vanguard UK web site right here.
Conclusion
The Vanguard VEO HD 2 is an fascinating reboot of what was already a really succesful binocular design within the Endeavor ED II (which continues to be listed on the Vanguard web site on the market). Whereas the swap from magnesium alloy to a polycarbonate (primarily a plastic polymer) physique seems like a downgrade the optics, the focusing and every little thing else concerning the VEO HD2 is great.
Once you weigh all of it up, the Vanguard VEO HD2 affords loads of binocular for the cash. Should you’re out there for a high-performance mid-range birding and wildlife binocular, it’s definitely one I’d advocate including to your shortlist.
Take a look at the Veo HD 2 8×42 on Vanguard’s web site.
Purchase the Vanguard Veo HD2 on Amazon:
Technical Specs
Taken from the Vanguard UK web site:
| Vanguard Veo HD2 8×42 Specs | ||
| Optics Type | Binocular | |
|---|---|---|
| Magnification | 8x | |
| Goal Lens | 42mm | |
| Glass | HOYA Further Low Dispersion (ED) Glass | |
| Prism Kind | BaK4 | |
| Lens Coating | Multiguard® 7 | |
| View Angle | 7.1° | |
| Discipline of View | 124m/1000m | |
| Close to Focus | 2.0m | |
| Physique Materials | Carbon Composite in premium Mitsubishi Rubber Armour | |
| Weight | 710g | |
| Dimensions | 152.5 x 127.5 x 54mm | |
| Waterproof | Sure IPX 7 | |
| Fogproof | Sure | |
| Lockable Dioptre | Sure | |
| Exit Pupil | 5.2mm | |
| Eye Aid | 19mm | |
| Twilight Issue | 18.3 | |
| Relative Brightness | 27.5 | |
| Eyepiece Diameter | 42.3mm (can use VEO PA-62 for digiscoping) | |
| Guarantee | 2 Years | |
| Prolonged Guarantee | 10 Years | |
| Collection | VEO HD2 | |
| Utility | Birdwatching, Nature & Outside | |
| Color | Inexperienced | |
| Equipment | Binocular carry case, neck strap, eyepiece lens covers, goal lens covers & lens cleansing material | |
| Different | 3 stops twist-out eyecups | |
Acknowledgements
I’d prefer to thank Vanguard UK for offering the VEO HD2 8×42 for evaluate on Eire’s Wildlife.
NB. Eire’s Wildlife has no particular affiliation to any optics or gear producer, and all opinions on the location are fully unbiased and goal. Should you’re an optics or gear producer and wish to submit your product for evaluate on the location, please drop us a line utilizing the contact type and we are able to take issues from there.
