Vortex Diamondback Binoculars is very nice product. If you’re used to roof prisms and/or a center focus wheels these will take some getting used to. First, the Auto Focus absolutely works as described. Adjust the diopters once (if needed from the default setting) and then let your eyes focus on the subject as you look around.
This was the part I had to get accustomed to. Instinct is to reach up to the focus when changing ranges. With the Steiner AF you just need to wait a moment while your eyes adjust. Odd at first but quickly gotten used to.
The CAT coating (with its ridiculously 90s-looking logo stuck on the side) seems to work well despite a slight rose-tinge in brighter light. I get VERY good depth perception and peering into darker sections of woods was easy and seemed every bit as bright as my naked eye.
Second; if you’re only familiar with the roof prism binos (or haven’t used porros in a while) you’ll realize there are a few tradeoffs. Porros are the older style but produce clearer images with wider fields of view (because the light passes through fewer prisms) BUT they are physically larger.
This 8×30 is as large as (but much lighter than) my 10×40 Leupold roof prisms (when perpendicular to each other).
