This is my Optisan 8×34 LR ED Binoculars review for birdwatching. This is the final review after using these binoculars for three months.  

Since I received them, I’ve used these binoculars exclusively for every birding session. Birdwatching locations have included open wetlands, dense lowland jungles, and montane forests. Additionally, some of these birding sessions have involved rainy weather.

You’ll notice many similarities between this article and the first impressions review article. This is mainly because my opinions after using it for three months didn’t differ much from the initial impressions.

Optisan 8×34 LR ED Binoculars Review

I’m always on the lookout for new birdwatching gear, especially binoculars. Enter the Optisan 8×34 LR ED binoculars. Optisan first caught my attention during the 2023 Asian Bird Fair in Kota Kinabalu, where they had a promotional booth.

There, their eye-catching birdwatching gear attracted a lot of attention. This family-owned Taiwanese company is relatively unknown within the Malaysian (and Southeast Asian) birdwatching community. The Optisan representatives were aware of this and thus were keen to expand their footprint to Malaysia. To further this goal, Optisan has graciously sent us a pair of their mid-range 8×34 LR ED binoculars for review.

What’s in the box?

• Optisan 8×34 LR ED binoculars 
• Carrying case (black, water resistant)
• Objective and ocular lens caps (attached to the binoculars)
• Neoprene neck strap with rotatable clip-on connectors
• Warranty information card (10 years limited warranty; registration online)
• User manual (leaflet)
• Microfibre lens cleaning cloth
• Thank you for a card with a photo of the Silver-breasted Broadbill. 

Specifications

Specifications were obtained from the product’s page on Optisan’s official website.

• Magnification: 8x
• Objective lens diameter: 34 mm
• Closest focusing distance: 2 m
• Field of view: 7.1 degrees
• Eye relief: 17.4 mm
• ED glass: yes (ED = Extra-low Dispersion. Reduces colour fringing/chromatic aberration)
• Prism: Bak4 w/Phase coating+Dielectric coating
• IPX-7 waterproofing
• Weight: 480 g
• Dimensions (mm): 123 x 133 x 45
• RRP:  MYR 1680 / EUR 419.99

Optisan 8×34 LR ED Binoculars review – out of the box:

Design 

One thing becomes immediately apparent after taking the binoculars out of the box – the sharp, eye-catching design. The stylish combination of olive-green and black recalls certain other, much more expensive binocular brands. A birder friend immediately remarked on the binocular’s attractiveness as soon as she saw it. 

Size and build

The binoculars have a compact and lightweight design, at only 480g. Nevertheless, the build feels solid and has a premium feel to it. The rubber armour feels firm and adds to its overall appeal. The rotating eyecups feel firm and turn with satisfying clicks while providing generous eye relief.

Lens covers

The binoculars come with protective caps for both the objective and ocular lenses. The rubber lens caps are attached to the underside and flipped down for the objective lens before use. The ocular lenses are protected by a flexible rubber cap attached to the neck strap via a short fastening strap.

Focusing dial

The focusing dial is smooth, responsive, and ergonomically placed in the centre.

 Neck strap

The neoprene neck strap has an ergonomic design. Installing the strap on the binoculars is very simple, as it uses clip-on rotatable connectors (I love this feature). This design also means changing to a harness is very easy.

Optisan 8×34 LR ED Binoculars review – field performance

Performance

The Optisan 8×34 LR ED binoculars excel in image quality. Images are sharp, clear, and crisp, and I did not observe any colour fringing or other distracting optical effects befitting their ED designation. 

The close focusing distance (2m) proved quite helpful in identifying close subjects. This feature is especially useful when birding in jungles, where the birds are often quite close and moving about erratically. The smooth and responsive focusing dial is undoubtedly an advantage in these situations.

Despite their 34mm objective lens diameter, the binoculars performed admirably in certain low-light situations. They worked very well when birding in the dimly lit forest understory, which is something I do a lot. In this respect, I did not notice any difference between the Optisan 8×34 and my previous 8×42 binoculars. 

Nevertheless, its 34mm objective lens diameter means these binoculars won’t be able to collect as much light as 42mm (or larger) binoculars. This is simple physics – if you need low-light performance, you’ll need to find models with larger objective lens diameters. Optisan offers the EVR ED 8×42 and 10×42 binoculars in their product line.

Handling

It’s comfortable to hold with both hands, although, to be fair, it took some getting used to. This was because I’ve used larger (and heavier) 8×42 binoculars for over 10 years. The lighter weight was instantly a welcome change, though. I walk a lot and carry a heavy camera when birding; therefore, the weight reduction is much appreciated!

I love how the ocular lens cover is securely attached to the neck strap via a short fastening strap. This is important as lens covers protect against the elements and are easily dropped (and lost) inadvertently while birding.

Additionally, these binoculars’ lightweight and compact dimensions make carrying them around a breeze. They’re easy to fit in my otherwise cramped birding backpack, which is a welcome difference from my previous larger (and heavier) 8×42 binoculars.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning the provided neck strap was comfortable to use, even for extended birding sessions.

Some relatively minor issues…

The objective lens covers. The covers are attached to the bottom of the barrel and flip down before use. However, these hanging covers in the field often wobble and obstruct the view, especially when I tilt upwards. Note that the objective lens covers are detachable.

Disappointingly, after just over a month of usage, both objective lens covers broke off a couple of weeks apart. On the one hand, the annoying wobbling cover problem is inadvertently solved, but now the lens covers are more easily lost. Note that the covers are still usable but no longer fixed to the barrel of the binoculars.

These issues are nitpicks as they don’t affect the most important parameter—the optical quality of the binoculars. Nevertheless, they may become annoying over time. Thankfully, these issues seem straightforward to remedy. Hopefully, Optisan will come up with a better solution for future models.

Summary of my Optisan 8×34 LR ED binoculars final review:

Pros:

• Excellent performance, even in relatively low light. Images are razor sharp, with no distracting optical effects.
• Excellent build quality – the binoculars feel solid in the hand.
• Stylish, premium-looking design
• Lightweight and compact
• Ocular lens covers are securely attached to the binoculars.
• The carrying strap comes pre-installed and uses a rotatable clip-on fastener. 
• The included neck strap is comfortable.

Cons:

• The objective lens covers often wobble and obstruct the view, especially when tilting upwards.
• The objective lens covers broke off after just over a month of regular usage. Optisan can certainly improve the design of this.
• The eyecups became a bit stiff to turn after 3 months.

The Optisan 8×34 LR ED is perfect for:

• Beginners – especially considering the budget-friendly price point.
• Advanced birders looking for lighter gear (or backup binoculars for hiking, travelling, etc.)
• Bird photographers who carry heavy gear
• Hikers/mountaineers – where every kg counts

Conclusion

One word handily summarises my Optisan 8×34 LR ED binoculars review—sharp. Not only are the images razor sharp, but the design is also sharp and eye-catching. Moreover, the lightweight and compact design means these binoculars are highly portable. Indeed, the Optisan 8×34 LR ED binoculars have usurped my older 8×42 as the binoculars of choice—I carry them on every birding session now. Nitpicks aside, these binoculars are an easy recommendation!