Kowa BD25 8×25 Binoculars: Our Review

At A Glance

PROS:

• Bright and sharp image at close and medium ranges
• Large eyecups for comfortable, well-shaded viewing
• Single-hinge design makes for easier birding with fewer readjustments 

CONS:

• Not as sharp as some other binoculars, noticeable at longer ranges
• Somewhat stiff focus wheel can be slow to focus precisely
• Narrow field of view

STATS:

• Price: $275 MSRP at press time. Prices often fluctuate, so check with retailers
• Close focus: 5.9 feet (180 cm)
• Field of view: 5.5° (289 feet at 1,000 yards). More about field of view 
• Weight: 11.0 oz (313 g)—that’s about 0.4 oz (11 g) heavier than the average for pocket binoculars in our review
• Eye relief: 17.7 mm

Viewing Experience: The Kowa BD25 8×25 binoculars offer a bright, sharp image and good ergonomics at a fairly low price. At $275 (MSRP), they clearly outperform the three ~$100 models in our review. By the same token, the Kowas don’t compete in optical quality with most of the premium models in our test. Optically, their main limitations are a loss of sharpness that’s detectable at middle and longer ranges, and slightly less brightness. A Louisiana Waterthrush foraging on a rock in the middle of a small creek was relatively clear in full light, but when it ducked into the shade of the rock it was difficult to make out the shape and color of the eyebrow stripe, and we had to guess at the details of the breast streaking.

Feel and Build: These are small binoculars with narrow barrels and a grippy rubberized olive-green body that’s comfortable to hold. The single-hinge design keeps them from folding down as small as some pocket binoculars. But this also makes them better for birding because they don’t get jostled out of position as easily, making them easier and less fussy when getting onto birds. Similarly, the large eyecups provide enough room to surround the eyes and do a good job of blocking out peripheral light. The focus wheel is slightly oversized to make it easier to dial in fine focus adjustments, though it’s a bit stiff as it spins and can take some back-and-forth to get the focus perfectly sharp. The neck strap is flat, unpadded webbing.   

This article is one in a series of mini-reviews. To see how these binoculars compare to others we’ve tested, see our full review of pocket binoculars.