Fujinon Polaris 16x70 FMT-SX Binocular

This binocular in my opinion measures up to the many excellent reviews posted on line and once again Eagle Optics is my go to source when it’s time to make a purchase.

I ordered the 16x70 Fujinon to replace my substandard 20x80 binocular which I purchased at least twenty years ago. Back then I based my choices on power and size and I assumed that if it was a name brand and sold in a nice camera shop, it must be top of the line.

I have since learned otherwise and as I gained knowledge I have accumulated somewhat of a collection ranging from an inexpensive Tasco, a few very good mid-priced binoculars and the stunning new Swarovski Swarovision. My new Fujinon makes an excellent addition and is a top performer.

The one aspect of this binocular that I am adjusting to is the individual focus system. All my other binoculars are center focus so at first I found it somewhat awkward but it is getting easier the more I use it and when I bring a distant object into sharp focus the wow factor is definitely there.

The two surprises for me is that I can hand hold the binocular much more comfortably than I had anticipated so I don’t need to only use it on a tripod. Also, the 12.4mm eye relief doesn’t seem to be a problem for me. If I don’t feel like taking off my glasses and fold down the rubber eye piece cups I can get an adequate field of view and the full field with my glasses off.

I have only had this for a few days but already along with my Swarovision the Fujinon ranks as one of my finest.

These are amazing Binos. Super clear, great light gathering. Great price and fantastic services.
Thanks

The 16x70 FMT-SX is a wonderful binocular. Bright, with tremendous light gathering ability. Easy to focus. Flat field. Huge depth of field beyond a moderately close, distant focus point. Hand holdable for short intervals. Hand holdable with monopod for much longer intervals. Fantastic on tripod. A sharpness and definition that surpasses many alphas, especially out toward the edge. Excellent contrast. A very relaxed, coherent view that sucks in visual information. Shock and impact resistant. All of this is to say nothing of how great the binocular is for astronomical use. Now, if I had a light weight, medium sized pair of these in 12x45 in a roof prism binocular . . .

The Fujinon FMT-SX binocular has outstanding light gathering capablity and resolution for astronomical use. M57 (ring nebula) appears as a tiny round ball of fuzz surrounded by a fairly rich star field. The carbon star T Lyra appears as a brilliant red ember glowing against a pitch black sky under my magnitude 5 rural location. Double stars are easy right down to a separation of 8 arcseconds. At 7 arseconds double stars of equal brightness begin to touch each other. All stars are pinpoint out to 3/4 from the center of the field of view. Only at the very edge of the field of view do star images become unusable.

The only reason I gave this binocular a four star rating is because of its short eye-relief. I don't use glasses for binocular observing, but still have to unscrew the rubber eyepiece cups to get close enough to the eyepieces to see the full field of view.

This binocular is light enough to be hand held for short periods of viewing, but its awsome capablity can only be gained when mounted on a tripod.

The magnification of these binoculars is too great for me to use hand held--I cannot hold them steady enough. In fact a standard light-weight camera tripod is not sufficiently stable. One evening I barrowed a sturdy wooden tripod with mount from a friend who uses it with her 4x5 large format camera. I was then able to appreciate the superb optics that these binoculars employ. However, it is difficult to view objects very far above the horizon with the binoculars mounted in this manner because my neck doesn't flex well enough. One needs eye pieces with a 90 degree angle for viewing objects high in the sky with high magnification binoculars that are tripod-mounted--particularly if you wear glasses. I finally exchanged the 16x70 for the Fujinon Polaris 10x70 with which I am very happy. I am greatful to Eagle Optics for their willingness to work with me as I agonized over what binoculars are ideal for me.

The optics of either Fujinon Polaris binoculars is excellent. If you get the 16-power ones, be sure you have a very stable method of mounting them.

These are binoculars for mid to long range views over water, ridgelines and skies.

Their specifications appear to be accurate and their good reputation well deserved, with crisp views. While individual focus (IF) would be a drawback for some daytime uses, it works well once the range gets over a few hundred yards and your eye can accommodate the small changes needed to keep focus scanning along a ridge or the far side of a water body. Closer observation of static subjects (watching a nest) could be a good fit for these too, but not tracking moving subjects that change in distance.

What I like about these:

• No-compromise waterproof, rugged construction, reminiscent of an inherited WW2 navy binocular, this is thanks to the marine use design of the FMT’s
• IF is precise and stays as set
• No prism cutoff: perfectly round, bright exit pupils
• good lens coatings, bright images are free from ghosts
• sharp image, very strong 3-D effect in daytime use
• wide angle view, 4 degrees true and 64 degrees apparent
• recommended for astronomy use

Cautions for potential buyers:

• Eye relief could be short for some eyeglass wearers
• Make sure this long-range IF design fits your use
• Weight makes this a car or camp binocular rather than a hiking binocular. While it can be handheld braced, it's better used on a tripod.

These show very impressive detail on the moon and should be able to run a “Messier Marathon” without breaking a sweat under dark skies. They also show tremendous detail on local mountains and lake, with a very pronounced 3-D effect viewing at a few hundreds to 1,000’s yards away.

I’m able to handhold these better than I can handhold an older 11x80 Porro astronomy binocular, due to the Fujinon’s slightly lighter weight and better ergonomics, but these really should be mounted on a tripod or parallelogram mount for best extended use.

The daytime detail is impressive and reminds me of enlarging a large-format negative, all kinds of unseen details pop into crisp focus: crane rigging and other fine details came to focus when I tested on the local high-rise skyline. Thanks to the use of both eyes, the visible detail should approach what’s seen with one eye through the low power range of a 20x zoom spotting scope.

For the price these offer very good optics, and rugged waterproof construction in a package that is hard to equal. You could spend more on just a few other Porro binoculars up to 60mm or 70mm, or several roofs up to 56mm for lighter weight, longer eye relief or the added convenience of center focus. But at mid to long range I doubt you would see any more than the FMT already shows well.

[ note - I tried to submit this earlier but might not have given enough detail with that 2 weeks ago - thanks! ]