Has anyone experience with focus free binocular?

H

Harayasu

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Jun 18, 2009
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I am looking for a new binocular and in the webshop where I regularly buy some gear, I saw the Barska Focus Free. According to the website this binocular requires no focussing, it is done by your eyes. Has anyone experience with this binocular or a focus free binocular of other brand? Does it really work as simple and well as they say?

I don't know if it is relevant, but I wear glasses and take them off before using a binocular.
 
I wear glasses as well, and with my astigmatism, I have a hard time using binoculars without my glasses. When I do, I have to set the eyepiece diopter as far as it will go on most brands, so I haven't really given the focus-free a chance. I just can't imagine them working well.
 
Same problem here. I can see them working at a sports event if you're far enough back that everything is pretty much the same distance from you, but if you have to track something near to far moving fast, forget it, I can't see it happening.

Binoculars can be a nuisance adjusting focus but once you get good with a particular binocular, it becomes automatic to fiddle a good image.

If the problem is that you need a quicker image but can get by with lesser quality, check out a good monocular.
 
I have had mixed results with focus free binoculars. I have a pair of Jasons that I bought 30 years ago. They worked great for me, until recently. Now they are fuzzy. I have no idea why. I bought a pair of Tasco small binocs and they are great. I use them for football games and hiking. I decided to get a second pair to put in my other vehicle and bought a small Barska. They were fuzzy right out of the box. I have astigmatism and use my binoculars without my glasses. I can't see squat through binos with my glasses on. Not sure what happened to the Jasons, why the Tascos are clear as a bell and the Barskas sucked brand new.
 
I've used a set of Steiner Military/Marine binocs for many years and never had any issues with them going out of focus. You focus each eyepiece separately on the same object at about 50 ft distance and you are good to go. I wear glasses also, so I marked the settings for with and without glasses on the eye pieces. Set them and use them.

I usually use them on the ocean, so I am not doing a quick near to far scan, but I can easily scan near to far and back again slowly while watching baits or lures without any focus problems.

I don't know how it works, but it does.

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RP #63
 
i have the steiner's as well.

the focusing works pretty well, but i do find i need minor adjusements depending on distance from time to time.
 
Katdaddy said:
I have had mixed results with focus free binoculars. I have a pair of Jasons that I bought 30 years ago. They worked great for me, until recently. Now they are fuzzy. I have no idea why. I bought a pair of Tasco small binocs and they are great. I use them for football games and hiking. I decided to get a second pair to put in my other vehicle and bought a small Barska. They were fuzzy right out of the box. I have astigmatism and use my binoculars without my glasses. I can't see squat through binos with my glasses on. Not sure what happened to the Jasons, why the Tascos are clear as a bell and the Barskas sucked brand new.
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As you age, your eyes don't adjust as finely. That's why the Jasons on't work for you any more. I've never bothered with Barska. Like the Jasons, they probably just don't have the precision optics you need now.

I carry a small 8x22 Tasco monocular and it's a pleasure to look through.
 
I have a pair of the Tasco High Sierra focus free binocs, and I love them. I am an eyeglass wearer with astigmatisim. I have had people tell me the focus free does not work for them, but they always love my binocs once they try them.
 
Focusing mechanisms, whether they are used for one eye or two eyes, can't correct for astigmatism. They can only correct for focal distance. If you have astigmatism, leave your glasses on when using or testing binoculars or a monocular. Also be sure the things have enough eye relief to see the full field with your glasses on. Military binoculars are often individual focus to keep the construction simple, light, and more water resistant. These binoculars are seldom used for close up work. If you work at or near an infinite focus, the self focusing binocs will probably work better.
 
Thanks for your input guys. I decided not to buy the focus free binoculars. I have an old binocular that my father gave me years ago, still work fine, but I am just looking for a new one and now I am looking at Bresser their Spezial Jagd series. They are not very expensive and my budget isn't very high. I use the binocular mainly when searching for and studying deer and other animals that live in the national parks here.
 
My main outdoor binocs have been a pair of Steiner 10x50 Military/Marines for four or five years.
I find they're not "focus free", I periodically have to adjust focus depending on distance. I'm still quite happy with them for the use they were bought for, but I don't think I'd ever buy a set of binocs based even partly on "focus free" technology. That wasn't a factor in the Steiners, it just came along with them.

I'd concentrate more on optics quality and body strength.
Good luck.
Denis
 
I sold binoculars for around 3 years and not once did I sell a pair of focus free binoculars and like it. Even the Steiner ones and for the first place I don't even really like Steiner optics at all. Barska is a good brand I hear but I do not think that I will ever buy a pair of focus free binos. So in short do not buy them no matter the brand.
 
I also have astigmatism and wear glasses (not w/ my binos) BUT I LOVE my compact 10x25 Focus Free Tasco's!!! small VERY usable package(as well as cheap) and I have hunted Montana Elk as well as Colorado and Oklahoma Deer:D!! If you have the opportunity a hands on test is the best!!!:D:p
 
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