Carson OperaView 4x10mm Ultra Compact Binocular (OV-410)

Been a binocular freak for years. I've got some small ones, but wanted something even smaller, easily totable in a pocket without a big lump. So I found two here on Amazon. Got both of them, so thought I'd review them as a comparison. I'll copy and paste this into both listings.First is the Hammers Mini Compact Small Auto Perma Focus Binocular.Second is the Carson OperaView 4x10mm Ultra Compact Binocular (OV-410).Both are very small, with the Carson being the smallest. It's tiny! About the size and shape of a pack of playing cards. This is an amazing little item...very good optics, and it focuses down to about 4.5 feet! So it can be used for studying butterflies, tide pool creatures etc. It doesn't have fold down eye cups for use with glasses, but it has plenty of eye relief, so it works fine with glasses as-is! That's an advantage, as one doesn't need to fold the cups to share around with spectacle and non-spectacle folks. It doesn't have separate adjustments between the eyes to compensate for unequal vision...but doesn't need it, at least for me. My eyes are fairly different, -0.5 and -1.5 diopters correction, but things look fine with or without glasses. This has to do with optics, but also being able to focus at a point that is a good compromise between the eyes. Of course with glasses, there's no issue, as the glasses correct for the eye difference.This is similar to a pair of Zeiss 10x25 I have. Again, no eye-to-eye adjustment, but none needed for them. This is not true of all binoculars--again something to do with optics. And your mileage may vary, depending on your correction, astigmatism, etc. In any case, since the Carson's have enough eye relief for glasses, it shouldn't be a problem. Some reviewers have said these feel cheap and plasticky...but to me, they feel well built and extremely light weight. The bending and focusing actions are smooth and they appear to be well put together. They will fit in almost any pocket (opened out flat and slid in long-ways), but I would not recommend putting any binocs in tight jeans pockets. As some have noted, they come with a wrist strap, and only one attachment on the right-hand side. They'd hang diagonal with a neck strap, but I prefer the wrist strap method. Still, they should have included a second eyelet on the other side for those who want it. Hear that Carson?The Hammers binocs are longer, wider, and fatter, but still much smaller than your typical mini-binoculars. However, both of these glasses are lower power than the usual minis. The Carson is 4x and the Hammers 6x. This is the price one pays for small size, but each one will be great for casual observing. The Hammers, with bigger lenses, will do better in the evening, but again, this is a price to pay for size. The Carsons are so small you'll have no hesitation popping them in any jacket pocket.The Hammers are what's called Perma Focus, meaning there is no focus wheel. I had big doubts about this..basically the focus is set at the factory. However, this has some merits. First, the Hammers are much less expensive than the Carsons. The have a very good feel and seem to be well built. The surface is more frictional than the Carsons, and that's good, because with something this small, grippier is better. The Hammers do have neck strap attachments, strap included. Back to Perma Focus...they work fine beyond about forty feet or so, typical binocular distances. With these, your eye does the focusing at intermediate distances--I can feel my eyes changing focus, sort of like when you look at your hand, then look up far away. I suppose if you have had eye lenses replaced, this might not work well.The Hammers have fold-down rubber eye cups for glasses wearers. My pair at first wouldn't stay folded down, but after a bit of massaging the folded edges and holding them down, now they stay in place. This is fortunate, because viewing without my glasses does not get good focus in my weaker eye. With the Carsons, I could compensate with the focus wheel. With the Hammers, I can close my weak eye, but since they work fine with glasses, it's not a problem. The Hammers would be great gifts for kids, since there's nothing to adjust except bending in the middle for eye width. People have to learn to adjust compensation wheels and focus, but not with these...hold 'em up and that's it. Probably makes them more dust and moisture resistant too, since the optics don't move and there's no center focus mechanism to worry about.In short, I love both these binocs. The Carsons are worth the price because of the size and optical quality, plus the wide range of focus. The Hammers are rough and tough and great for kids, with a little more power too. And a much lower price. Hope this review helps folks get to know these binocs beforehand. Neither are powerhouses, but that's not the point of something this small. Also, don't confuse these with "field glasses" which are often billed as binoculars and can be very small, even folding up. But those don't have prisms, as both of these do. Prisms allow a folded light path, which means better optics in a small size, and more power for the length.Happy viewing!

These were a little too wide for my face which made looking through them difficult. I have other bulkier binoculars for bird watching but I wanted a cute pair for the opera. I wanted these to work, they're super cute, incredibly tiny, and lightweight but I couldn't see through them with both eyes. I had to use them like a monocle to be able to see the stage. The smallest setting of these binoculars was still to wide for my face, and I dont have a particularly wide face. I sent them back.

No, they don’t have the level of construction or appearance of Nikon opera glasses, but if you occasionally attend a theater performance or museum, these do an excellent job for a good price. The look is subtle so you won’t feel silly using them. They're easy to adjust and they have a nice clear, bright image. They are very small, but it took no time for me to get used to using them. They’re barely noticeable in my pocket. The lower magnification is appropriate for theater performances and they come with a useful wrist strap and a nice little black velour storage bag.

What's in the box?Binoculars, 4x10mm (2 ounces)Carrying strapDrawstring caseUseThis is a set of compact binoculars for theater viewing. The objective is fixed and gives you 4x magnification. From 100 yards, you essentially are seeing what you would at 25 yards.The eyepieces do not have a diopter correction. A center dial allows the user to focus upon objects as close to 2 feet and for objects realistically from 50 yards away without losing detail.The case is a thin lightweight plastic. The finish is not weather resistant so outdoor and wet conditions such as an outdoor concert is not optimal for this particular set of optics. There is only one side where the strap can attach. Because of the light weight its physical durability will be limited. It will likely not survive a drop of more than 2-3 feet.Lenses are not multicoated. In lower light settings, such as a church, the visibility will be less than that of larger objectives. There are no lens covers or lens protectors so one must be cautious.There is no option for a neck strap so long periods of use can be fatiguing. This is lighter than a set of traditional opera binoculars/viewers.An ideal modification that would make this set perfect would be built in retractable lens covers, slots on each side for neck carry and a minimally increased objective size to allow for more light transmission.However, despite the minor quirks, I prefer these over compact binoculars or traditional opera glasses. These are the smallest usable set of binoculars forth purpose intended.Two thumbs up. I highly recommend them.

Lightweight and mini, so easy to fit in smallest evening bag. Yes, the case is plastic, but the optics are excellent. 4x viewing big improvement over the 3x magnification of my previous opera glasses. Eye pieces are not adjustable, but that hasn't been a problem, yet.

The Carson opera glass is light in weight but appears to be sturdy and well-made. The size is ideal for slipping in a pocket or purse for opera or theater. The finish is attractive. It has only a single central distance adjustment; individual eyes cannot be focussed separately. It comes with a velvet bag, cleaning cloth and wrist strap. I am quite happy with this purchase.