GPO German Precision Optics Passion ED 8x42mm Binoculars, Lightweight Binocular for Hunting, Wildlife Observation or Sports, Tripod Compatible, Charcoal Black Magnesium Micro-Bridge & Body (B340)

The high resolution is what struck me first about this binocular. A clump of grass typically has live and dead, fat and thin blades of grass in it --- all are individually visible with this binocular. I have and have had many binoculars including the most costly and best and can say these are a dynamite value. The quality and character of the images through these are most similar in my opinion to those through the Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 which cost twice as much.

Large field of view, crisp and clear image. Handling it one can tell the quality. Very impressed with these optics.

Its very good for the money paid !!! I haven't used it extensively. But it is sharp and very bright to view through !!!

Update 2 (September 2019): I've had this binocular for over a year now, and I just had to contact GPO support for the first time. The funny thing is that it wasn't due to a malfunction with the binocular, but actually was to request objective covers that I did not receive with the original purchase. In truth, I didn't know at the time that it was supposed to have objective covers, but I noticed later on the GPO website that the binocular was supposed to include them. I sent an email after 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and I received a reply back crazy fast - something like 15 minutes after I sent my request. Even better, it was a friendly response saying no problem, they would ship them right out the next day. And just a few days later they arrived, exactly as promised. Needless to say, I am quite impressed with that level of service. Of course, a warranty and service are only good as long as the company is in business (and a few optics companies have gone out of business in recent years), but I hope GPO succeeds for many years to come.A quick update on the binocular's performance over the past year. Honestly, I have not tested its durability much, as I take good care of my optics and have not subjected it to any true rigors, but everything is working fine. I am still very impressed with the look and feel of this particular instrument, and the views have never failed me. In the past year I've been able to look through quite a few binoculars that cost twice as much as this one if not more. Yes, they look better. Yes, the mechanics are a bit better. But the Passion ED is still a great binocular that I enjoy using. The views are nice, and it is easy on my eyes. Sure, it would be nice if the sweet spot was a bit larger and the view was sharper closer to the edge, but that center spot provides an enjoyable view nonetheless. My one quibble mechanically is that the focus knob has a little slack in it, so you can wiggle it a bit without changing the focus. Yet that is nothing uncommon in this price point from my experience, and it really doesn't bug me much. YMMV. If you are willing to spend more, you can get an instrument without these minor issues - and that's exactly how it's supposed to be. Yet even next to more expensive binoculars that I own, the Passion ED is my favorite in terms of look and feel. All of this is very subjective, of course, and the aesthetics aren't as important as it's performance. In that regard, after using the Passion ED for a year and comparing it to a dozen or more binoculars of varying price points, I would say it performs (mechanics and view) quite well in its price class while it looks and feels as good or better than binoculars costing twice as much.Update 1: After using the GPO Passion ED for a couple months, I'm still very happy with the quality, both mechanically and optically. No issues to report. Just great views. I did update the info in my review below about the brightness and coatings.Original Review:I was debating between the GPO Passion ED 8x42 and the Bushnell Engage 8x42. I own the Engage 10x50 and have been impressed with the quality and views for the price. My goal was to find similar or better optics in a slightly smaller package. Having owned a number of binoculars in varying brands and sizes, I've discovered that binoculars are all about personal preference, and every optic has compromises in some areas.With the GPO, I was immediately impressed by the look and feel of both the binocular and the accessories. The diopter was super easy to set, and within no time I was happily looking out over the valley and town from my backyard. Below I've tried to summarize my thoughts in different categories. For the purposes of this review, I compared the Passion ED directly to a Bushnell Legend M 8x42 and to a lesser extent to a Vixen Optics Foresta 8x32 DCF HR. I’ve always been impressed with the image quality of both of these models, though the Legend M is a closer comparison in both features and size.Optical Quality: 4.5/5In this price range, most binoculars I’ve tried seems to have good sharpness and resolution, and the GPO is no exception. They are all significantly better than cheap binoculars.The Legend M and Passion ED have a stated 426' FOV, while the Vixen Foresta checks in at 420'. In my basic tests that seemed about right. If anything, the Passion ED seemed just a tiny bit wider even then the similarly spec'd Legend M.Glare is well-controlled, as is chromatic aberration. Edge sharpness is good - a bit better than the Legend M, in fact. There is some pincushion distortion, but it was also a bit better than the Legend M. It wasn't noticeable until I specifically went looking at straight horizontal lines near the edges of the frame.After comparing the Passion ED and Legend M at twilight and looking at stars, I could tell that the Passion ED is just a smidgen darker in the eyepiece. During daylight hours, this difference is not noticeable. It was only by direct comparison while looking at dimly lit objects that I was able to see the difference. GPO does not say if the Passion ED has dielectric prism coatings like the Legend M. They don't even mention it for the flagship Passion HD model, so it might be part of their GPObright tech - I don't know. The difference in brightness could be a result of the prism coatings or possibly just differences in the optical formula. Either way, I don’t think this difference in brightness should affect a decision to purchase the GPO or not.Update: Having had these binoculars for a few months, I am even more impressed. I wanted to update the point about brightness. I found other reviews online that state the Passion ED does have dielectric coatings. Also, I realized one day (and as a photographer, I should have realized this much sooner) that the slight difference in perceived brightness was in fact due to the GPO having more contrast than the Bushnell. The darks seem darker, and the colors seem just a bit richer. It's another point in favor of the GPO.Build Quality and Mechanics: 5/5This is the best quality binocular I’ve ever held, period. It is solid but not overly heavy. I also wouldn’t call it light, though, and I imagine some people might think it is a bit too heavy. But I like the slight heft. The finish is great. It looks sharp. Compared to the Legend M, this binocular is more compact and looks and feels just a bit more refined. I would say it is a bit better balanced in the hand as well.The eye cups have 3 stops. They don’t extend as far as my Maven C binocular, but they are sufficient for my eyes and don’t seem shorter than most.The focus knob is very, very smooth. Many binoculars I've tried are not - they either start hard, have too little resistance, are jerky, or some combination. This binocular is easily the smoothest focusing of all. Focusing doesn’t require a lot of travel, but neither is it so fast that it’s hard to fine-tune the focus. The diopter ring is also smooth, though with a lot more resistance. It doesn't lock, but the resistance means it shouldn't lose its place easily, so I don't anticipate a problem here.Accessories: 4.5/5It comes with a great hard shell case, which in all honesty I’ll probably never use except when storing at home. The case is just a little too large for my preference, but it is nice. It also has an extremely comfortable neoprene neck strap that is probably the best quality strap I’ve ever received with a binocular. I should warn, however, that the neoprene portion of the strap is rather wide. I'm a large guy, so this is a bonus in my opinion, but some folks might find it less ideal. The eyepiece cover is pretty standard – it slides on and off well and is a nice flexible rubber, rather than hard plastic like some are. The only knock on the accessories is the lack of objective lens covers. I know you don’t have to have them and they can just get lost and whatnot, but I personally like to use them.All in all, this is a great binocular for a reasonable price. If I get the funds, I will seriously consider purchasing the Passion HD just based on the quality of the ED.Note: I feel like whenever I give a positive review I have to leave a disclaimer...so here goes. This review was not endorsed or compensated for in any way. I'm not affiliated with GPO. I just happen to like the product, and I tried to give a fair and honest review. In truth, I own more Bushnell sports optics than any other brand, for what it's worth.