This my second Oberwerk purchase review to date. The other week I
wrote a 5-Star review of the 10X60 binoculars I recently purchased and
was so impressed by the overall quality of those binoculars I decided to
get a pair of 8X40 as well. So this is my 2nd Oberwerk binocular review
and specifically for the 8X40 mariner binoculars that you will find below.

So I'm the guy in the 10X60 review who claims not to be an optics expert
in one of those other two reviews. But I do have (5) pairs of binoculars all
of which are MIL SPEC or a military style binoculars (BAK4 prisms) and
none of those have zoom capabilities whatsoever. In that other review I
forgot to mention I also have a pair of Zhumell Tachyon 25x100mm
Astronomy Binoculars that I picked up recently too and by the way I
absolutely love those Zhumell binoculars, but I came back to Oberwerk for
a 2nd purchase because they are just that good. Didn't want to loose out
on some kind of a sell out event not knowing the extent of manufacturer's
inventories or what might still be in their production pipelines.

The 8X40s still have a bottom lens cap system best left in the camera bag
and not taken into the field otherwise the overall fit and finish of the
binoculars is outstanding. These will be my every day binoculars. I will be
keeping these on hand or in the truck. I may even get a Swarovski
harness for these as I intend to use them a lot and don't yet see Oberwerk
offering harnesses yet.

O.K. so I brought up binocular harnesses in a product review on what
some might consider a compact pair of binoculars so let's talk about
image stabilization. With the 8X40s you don't need it. In the old days
image stabilization meant using a tripod and/or today it might also mean
some kind of built in electronically stabilized imagery too. Its not
necessary in a 8X40s or 7X50 magnification and so I don't even think
about stabilization until I switch up to 10X and above magnifications.
Harnesses are cool and are more about being on the go than about
stabilization. I'm taking these 8X40s with me everywhere I go.

I don't own a pair of fashionable SPORT type (roof prism) binoculars I
prefer a military style (with bak4 prisms). Sport type binoculars are lighter
in weight usually than a comparable magnification in a military style of
binoculars but the field of few is usually bigger with a Mil Spec style.

The see through experience on these 8X40s is the best of my entire
collection. Buy the 8X40s first!

Received quick shipment and they arrived perfectly. I really researched
the Internet hard for price and quality and was shopping for a Mil spec
or military style of binoculars.

This is my 3rd pair of binoculars so far. I have: Kobica 7X35 (vintage);
Steiner Marine 7X50 (expensive); and these Oberwerk 10X60 marines (just
right).

The fit and finish (outward appearance) of the Oberwerk mariner in my
opinion is heads and shoulders above my Steiner marine. I would like to
see an attached bottom lens cap system on the Oberwerk because
otherwise I would not take the bottom caps into the field for fear of loss.
That's my only criticism otherwise they are much prettier to look at than
the Steiner mariners and expect both brands are equally up to a maritime
environment.

Now I am not an optics expert. Since receiving them the nights have been
cloudy so I'm missing that comet Pan-STARRS viewable in the Western
skies just after Sunset this March. Haven't been able to see the moon yet
either. But birding I just caught 3 flight groups of SandHill cranes
migrating northward through Indiana this evening. They were spectacular.
They fly so high you hear them before seeing them. I could see their
beaks moving, long necks and tales it was a sight.

I rate the see through experience to be equal to my Steiner mariners.

I plan to order a pair of 8X40s as soon as my finances allow. I am really
pleased with the quality. I need something in a 10X40. I see no reason to
shop other brands these are the ones for me. :)

Review Summary:
I am very satisfied with the quality of the 10x60 Mariner Series binocular by Oberwerk. After a week of backyard use for astronomy, my initial impression is very good. I plan to submit another review after a few months of rigorous use. The images of star fields at night are bright and crisp. This is exactly what I wanted. Thanks Oberwerk!

Review Details:
After reading many technical articles about binoculars, I had a lot of questions about how to choose the right binocular for my purposes as a roaming amateur astronomer. The staff at Oberwerk kindly and patiently answered ALL my questions. This was important to me, as I reviewed numerous other binoculars with a bewildering array of features.

The 10x60 exit pupil closely matches my pupil dilation of about 6.1 mm for optimum viewing at night. There are few 10x60 binoculars on the market, and so here Oberwerk has a smart advantage.

The padded shoulder case is big enough to allow me to keep the ipd set wide for immediate use. The 10x60 has firm ipd and diopter adjustments so they don't shift involuntarily during use. The eye cups stay in place, the rubber grip is secure, and the whole setup is comfortable.

I would mention strictly for the sake of completeness that the objective lens covers are a bit loose, and one comes off in the case when I remove the binocular. But I think this is almost trivial. I believe that 10x60 is close to the maximum suggested weight and magnification for hand-held binoculars, but the view is definitely worth the weight!

When The product arrived in the mail I was so impressed with the packaging! The box containing the binocular was itself inside a much larger box and was carefully insulated against shock by several inches of packing peanuts. And outer box had "Delicate Instrument" warning stickers on every side. It was really the most secure packing I've ever seen.

The first night after the 10x60 arrived, I couldn't wait to try it out. I immediately spotted the M5 globular star cluster. I've never seen so many bright stars in one field of view. It was awesome.

I plan to test the waterproof quality of the 10x60 during a sailing trip in the next few months. Then I will submit another review with more details. In conclusion, I highly recommend Oberwerk binoculars! Happy stargazing!