These are wonderful binoculars. Rugged, and easy to use, these binoculars have great clarity, as much magnification as you can get without spending thousands of dollars, and come with a 20 year guarantee from one of the best optic producers in the world. You really can't go wrong on this one.

I was looking for a medium-powered pair of binoculars for back yard astronomy. I had picked up a pair of Bushnell 10X50's for a few dollars less than the Nikon's and I was disappointed with the quality (there was something wrong with the optics... could not get them to ever completely focus). I promptly returned them and picked up these. What a difference! They were much clearer than the Bushnell's, and the focus is extremely sharp in the center. I take them out just about every night and they offer me a great view of the sky. If you're looking for a good all-around pair of binoculars that's worth more than what you're paying, look no further!

I know these are a fraction of the cost of some binoculars but for amateur use the Action series are fine for everyday viewing. The Nikon name also means a lot and considering that it comes with the tripod mount, they are well worth the money.

I purchased this product as last year's Christmas surplus at a very good price, but even at the list price it is a worthwhile buy.
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br /Image quality for most average uses is excellent (you would invest in something much more expensive if you were a serious hobbyist). The advantage of this pair is that it is well made, and serves the purpose over a range of multiple uses (backyard birding, airplane spotting, landscapes, etc). And at the price point, if the kids drop it into the water, not a huge loss.
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br /The unit is made well with excellent fit and finish, worthy of the Nikon name. I would recommend unhesitatingly for family use.

So far, I have used the binoculars for watching various birds and they perform well, the only drawback is that they are somewhat bulky. There is no distortion and the quality is what you can expect from Nikon.

I am very happy with the Nikon Binocular. Very reasonably priced in comparison with other retailers for this item. Objects appear very clear when using the binocular. Easy to focus.

This is a very good binocular. The only downside is its very heavy. Not for children. Good to use with Tripod ( Does not come with the binocular).
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Quality optics and solid construction, as I would expect from Nikon. Good binocs for basic astronomy. Smaller diameter of the light exiting to the eye is better for old eyes.

This is exactly what I expected after reading other reviews. The focus is precise and the magnification enough to see details of small birds at 150 m.

Excellent celestial binoculars for the price. The view is generally quite good, the device is not exceedingly heavy and they are rugged. This is an inexpensive pair of binoculars perfect for casual celestial viewing. The distortion of at the perimeter of the field of view becomes more apparent after usign them for a couple of hours, but overall the quality of viewing is good.
br /Update to my review 7-22-08. After using these binoculars for another year and some others, I can make additional recommendations for astronomical viewing. These ones still perform reasonably well for hunting down objects in dark sky (M, etc.) and are OK in bad conditions for getting oriented. However, for less money (about $50.00) I got a much better pair of Barska 15x70 at Big5 Sporting Goods. The Barskas are a better celestial scope, pariticularly in dark skies. I sometimes still start with the Nikon to get oriented, but once I am set to look in detail at things, the Barska gives a much better view, higher magnification, clearer field, less distortion. Therefore, I revise this review to indicate that the Nikons are perhaps not a great value. Also, the Barskas come with a really lame case, but who cares, cheap binoculars are meant to be out of the case and heavily used - don't baby them.

I truly love these binoculars. I have identified over 900 species of birds with my 10X50 action. Sure, they will get water in them, and they can fog up at the most infuriating times, but once you know how to treat them in adverse conditions they will always come through. There are better, but do not disregard the brightness and field of view of these binoculars. Under normal daylight, there is really not much better. Porro bins are great. In high contrast, low light conditions you will definitely miss some sharpness, but hey they are 80 bucks. Great for travel, never mind the bulk. Who wants to have to constantly worry about their $500 binoculars getting stolen? These binoculars have treated me very well and I highly recommend them to anyone on a budget.

I have owned a pair of these binoculars for years. This new pair is for my husband who has always said that MY binocs were so much BETTER than his. For catching Hawaii's red i`iwi and apapane (native birds)in the koa forests, these cannot be beat. For scanning the hillsides for sheep on Mauna Loa or elk in the Rocky Mountains, these are the best. These binoculars bring details alive in the landscape that you will totally miss out on otherwise. Long live inventions that really help!

I bought the Nikon Action 12X50 binocular from Amazon Warehouse Deals for $67.29 (and free shipping), discounted as "open box." It arrived in perfect, brand new condition. I bought it the same week that I bought a Celestron Skymaster 15X70 binocular, also from Amazon Warehouse Deals. I figured that if one or the other was defective I could return it, or if I decided that I simply didn't want one I could return it (and pay shipping), but for my amateur purposes -- birdwatching with the Nikon and stargazing with the Celestron -- I am very pleased with the Nikon and the Celestron and therefore am keeping both.
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br /The Nikon is good quality in every detail, right down to the included neck strap and case. Some binocular users apparently have difficulty holding anything over 8 or 10 power steady, but I (a big guy with big hands) have no difficulty holding the 12 power Nikon steady (whereas I cannot hold the 15 power Celestron steady enough to keep individual stars from moving about like crazy, which is why I use a tripod with the Celestron for stargazing unless I'm just scanning the sky).
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br /Before purchasing the Nikon and Celestron binoculars, I used a Bushnell 7X35 for birdwatching. There is no comparison.
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br /Amazon's current (4/8/08) retail price for the Nikon 12X50 is $88.95 (and free shipping). I'm glad I got Warehouse Deals deal, but had I paid $88.95 I would be just as pleased with my purchase. I would imagine any of the Nikon Action line binoculars are excellent quality for the price and I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a binocular in the Nikon Action line price range.

Brilliant for the price. My 9-year old son can use it... so thats that about the weight... No problems at all. If you need a good binocular, and nothing seriously exotic, then this is it. Stop hunting and buy.

My wife and I do quite a bit of bird/critter watching, including over water. These binoculars are perfect for that purpose. The 50mm objective lens gathers lots of light allowing for greater detail. The 10 power is probably as powerful as you'd want for hand-held binoculars. And let's face...Nikon is a great name in lenses.

I bought these binoculars for my husband for Christmas and since we live on the 6th floor with beautiful views of the lake and city we get a lot of use out of them. They are high quality and really aren't very heavy which will be great for hiking. I like how you can focus separately for each eye. I primarily got this so my husband can look at the moon and it has been great! Nikon has a good reputation for lenses so that's mostly why I looked into this brand.

I could not believe how much I could see and how clear and sharp things were. I purchased it because of the reviews here. I had an old 7x35 set that work great until I"d compared them to these. Wished I had got these many years ago. Nikon Action 12x50 set.

This binocular works well with back yard nature watching, powerful but not too powerful. Able to fucos on humming birds quickly.

I ordered this based on reco from my friends who are into bird watching and also use it for occasional stargazing.Its really nicely made,though not made in Japan.Optics are the best.I tried stargazing (under city lights).I was able to get clear view of nebula in ORION .Moon craters are clearly visible.Can't make out rings of Saturn .I would higly recommend using tripod for using this bino ,as it is heavy for long use.Tripod adpters are availble but are pretty expensive(~$15-20 or more).I fabricated my own adapter-L-shaped).
br /Highly recommended.

These binoculars are a wonderful buy. The price is right and the quality is excellent. I am very happy with my purchase. Sure, you can buy better ones, but for the money, you can't beat the quality. You are getting more than you paid for!

For astronomy this binocular is just great. The focus is accurate, the view is clear and sharp, the fit and finish are first rate, and the case is well made. It is what you would expect from Nikon.

I work part-time for an outdoor retailer. I have many opportunities to compare several brands of binoculars from high end to low end. I bought these because of the clarity and the quality of Nikon optics. I could not see any difference between this Nikon and the $1,000+ models from other manufacturers. They may have better coatings, etc. but nothing that I could see when viewing side-by-side. One of the leads also did the same test and wants the Nikon too.
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br /It is a little heavy and you have to be very steady with the 10 power. (That is why I did not buy the 12 power.) I am very happy with my Nikon 10x50 binoculars. I am also impressed with the 25 year warranty. It is a great value especially compared to other manufacturers.
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br /(Yes, I did get a discount, but that is not the reason I am recommending these. I was going to buy them anyway.)

I'm very pleased with this binocular, The images are very sharp, it has some edge distortion, but I can live with it. For sky watch is also a good option. Final conclusion: a good value for the money. Please excuse my English.

After reading many, many, many reviews, I went with the Action 10x50's as a gift for my wife who is a member of the local Audubon Society. I am so glad I did. This is truly a remarkable pair of binoculars for the price. They are handsome, comfortable, with very crisp and clear viewing, distance, light, color, and feel that is outstanding. They live up to the Nikon name, no doubt about it. Being built for quality, some may find them a tad bulky or heavy, but we do not. For that I would recommend using the Nikon or other harness just in case. Most of all, my wife is very happy, and so am I...so much that I am going to buy another pair for me. Can't go wrong for the price. Again, just a real super good all around pair of binoculars for the price...

Excellent product. My husband was so pleased when he recieved them as a gift. He said "He would never own another set other than these." Excellent distance and clarity.

Purchased these binoculars to replace aged Bushnell Falcon 10x50's which literally disintegrated in my hands over the last few years and have now finally completely fallen apart (the plastic threads on the main tubes cracked to the point where they won't thread together anymore, rendering the binoculars useless). The Nikon Action 10x50's seem so much more solid!! The optics are phenomenal - I'm able to see and count surfers in the lineup from miles away, and when viewing actual surfing action there's absolutely no side-to-side distortion, it's like watching up-close video even though I'm far away on the beach. Others have complained about the caps being difficult - which I don't agree with, but in my opinion the carrying case could fit tighter and be made of a more water resistant type of material. But compared to the phenomenal optics and obvious solid feel and probable longevity of these binoculars, these other issues become minor to the point of irrelevancy... These binoculars are totally value-for-money at this price point- and I'm sorry I didn't buy them a long time ago!

I used the Nikon Action 16x50 for binocular astronomy & for bird watching. I mounted it on a tripod for stargazing & lunar observation. I used it on a monopod for watching birds. (any magnification over 10x is at its best when mounted.) This binocular would be great for long distance hunting & some sporting events. It is not too heavy or too bulky for me. It is handholdable for brief periods of time. The viewing image is very sharp & very clear & has excellent detail. It also comes with a sturdy tripod adapter & a very nice case. The case can be used with the belt on most any pants, which makes it handy for storing small items.

The biggest disappointment is the fact that the Nikon Action 16x50 is made in China & not in Japan. The optics could be better under certain viewing conditions. For example, when looking at a full moon there are multiple images (ghosting) visible due to inadequate optics. If you do not need to use it for lunar observation it is a good binocular. I sold mine because Nikon lists this binocular under the heading of Astronomy & it is limited in that area.

Having used this 16x50 for astronomy & long distance bird watching I prefer my Garrett Optical Gemini 20x80LW (LightWeight) binocular because of the additional magnification & the extra light-gathering capability. The optics in my Garrett Gemini work very well for lunar observation & the additional 4x is much better for long distant terrestrial viewing.

I have been entirely satisfied with these binoculars. The image is bright and sharp with just a little fall off in sharpness near the edge of the Field of View. I have not noticed any color aberration. Most people will find it hard to hold 10X binoculars steady without bracing your hands on a railing or other object, or using a tripod. For this reason some may prefer 7X. But for me this has been the right choice

This is a great Nikon product, especially considering its low price. Adorama shipped this product to me within a fewer days than I had expected, which was awesome. The tripod adapter works well and the neck strap holds up perfectly. Buy these if you are looking for a great pair of binoculars!!!

It's hard to imagine a better pair of 10X50s. They are perfect for me. Bright, sharp, clear, no color fringes, light weight. I use it to identify birds. You can really see the details needed for the ID.

I have the 12x50 and they are wonderful. Crystal clear images and easy zooming. Great for backyard birding and butterfly watching. They do get a little heavy after holding them up for a while, so if you have weak wrists I would suggest getting a tripod for it.

the binoculars are better than I expected. Great for distance, but you cannot view things too close.Ther clarity and magnification are outstanding. To look at stars you should have the tripod- or e;lse they all lok like comets- I couldn't hold them still enough.

I love these binoculars. The images one sees are sharp, clear, and bright. I'd buy another pair in a heartbeat, if they are on sale, as these were.

THIS IS A GREAT NIKON BINOCULAR.THERE IS NO OPTICAL DISTORTION AND THE VIEWING AND PRICE I PAID WAS EXCELLENT.

Very reasonably priced for such a great item. Easy to focus, crisp, clear magnification. Very pleased.

I bought these binoculars primarily for astronomy use. I thought the 16x magnification, combined with the 50mm objective lenses would make for a nice set of binoculars for astronomy use, without necessarily having to always mount them on a tripod. My reasoning was that I could still handle them reasonably well (without a tripod) for short periods of time (which I can), while having high enough magnification to see some nice details of objects in the sky (which I can, "IF" I can see the object). The one problem (the "IF" in the previous sentence) I have with these binoculars for astronomy use is the fact that the exit pupil size is just a bit small (only 3.1mm) for use in darker conditions. What I do see in the night sky is very sharp detailed! And, quite frankly, I've seen some stunning views of the night sky while using these binoculars. BUT, because of the smaller exit pupil size, I don't always see some of the objects (primarily stars) that I can see with a good quality set of binoculars that have a larger exit pupil size. My Celestron 15x70 binoculars work better for astronomy because of the larger exit pupil size (I see MORE because of the larger exit pupil size). But, they are larger, and therefore, harder to hold than the Nikon set. BUT, I still love these Nikon 16x50 binoculars! They are GREAT for daytime use, AND I'm still able to see some stunning views of the night skies, and with great detail to objects like the moon! These are TOP NOTCH binoculars for day time use, but if you want a set for astronomy, or hunting (early morning/early evening), I recommend getting a bit smaller magnification with the 50mm objective lenses (maybe 12x or 10x).

We have owned the Nikon 7218 binoculars for nearly 2 years and we have been consistently pleased with the performance. While they are a little on the heavy side the actual performance is very good, especially for the price. The optics are great, and I have spent hours studying everything from the craters on the moon, identifying bird, to watching plays develop while watching the Carolina Panthers (from the very top row of the stadium!)
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br /Things that we enjoy
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br /- Clear optics
br /- Good value
br /- Easy to focus
br /- Comfortable viewing - eyepiece are not uncomfortable
br /- Optics seem to be pretty well sealed - I have not a problem with dust or moisture collecting on the inside of the lenses.
br /- Seem to be well built
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br /Areas to improve
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br /- Again, they are a little on the heavy side
br /- 10x magnification only - although this is pretty standard
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br / If you are a professional bird watcher or other serious user you may be slightly disappointed. However, for most of us casual users the Nikon 7218 are an excellent choice.
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br /5 stars

These are great binocs. Other than the eyepiece covers not staying in place, you will find this product fits the bill for its very good price.

For the money, these are great binoculars. Image is crisp and bright. Binoculars are comfortable to hold and not heavy. My only negative is the lens caps. They fit inside the lens and they don't fit snugly. It would have been better if they fit over the lens. This does not impact binocular performance.

I bought them for my husband who is a hunter and loves looking across the yard at deer. He absolutely loves them. He has taken them hunting quite a bit, but also they are so crisp and clear compared to his other buddies binoculars. We took them to our families lake house and we were able to see all the wildlife so well. I highly recommend them. They turned out to be a great wedding present that he actually uses.

Had a set of 10X50's but left them at home. Purchased this set and I can't believe the difference. Clearer, closer and it came with a tripod adapter and case. In this case the extra $ was worth it.

GREAT BINOCULARS FOR THE MONEY, YOU GET ALOT MORE THAN YOU PAY FOR, NIKON GOT IT RIGHT WITH THESE!!!

I am very satisfied with the Nikon Action 12 X 50 Binoculars which I purchased through amazon.com. In my opinion you can't beat these for the money.

I can see very nice things from far away. They are large, but if someone is firing at you do you care?

The reviews here are duplicated between the 10x50, 12x50 and 16x50 binoculars. As a result it's impossible to tell which product any individual review applies to, rendering them all but useless.

you get what you pay for. Need to spend money to get quality optics. You can really tell in low light and clarity.