Hawke Frontier 8x42 binocular

Making further inroads into the lower end of the optics market, Hawke has expanded its binocular range with the launch in March of the Frontier series. These 8x and 10x magnification 42 mm models are available with either green or black rubber armour and feature fully multi-coated lenses and a phase- corrected BAK4 prism system.

I took the 8x42 out for some spring birding and got off to a good start, with a Firecrest being one of the first birds I saw. I was able to watch it at length through this binocular and, although it moved fast, I could easily follow it around as it flitted from tree-top to hedgerow and back. This was perhaps facilitated by the binocular’s exceptionally wide field of view which, at 142 m at 1,000 m, beats all existing top-of-the-range roof-prism binoculars currently on the market.

Impressive though this may be, there is a price to pay in terms of image sharpness, and perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the binocular’s performance was the ‘softness’ of the image’s periphery, which I estimated at approximately 15 per cent all round. Nevertheless, this anomaly was not as evident when viewing irregular shapes, such as mid- distance grass or tree foliage, as it was when focusing on a more uniform pattern of straight lines, such as a brick wall.

The more positive aspects of the image became manifest in the field, most notably the true-to-life colours and the brightness of the image, even in poor light conditions. There is some chromatic aberration evident, as would be expected, but it is not a show-stopper and I went on to enjoy using the Frontier to watch an array of spring migrants in a variety of different habitats.

Operating this binocular is straightforward enough: the broadly ribbed central focusing knob is just under one and a half fingers’ width and turns smoothly, although not without a little resistance. Just over one and a half turns takes the image from close focus to infinity and the former measures a respectable 2 m, although I managed to squeeze 1.8 m out of it during testing.

Assessing depth of field is always difficult, but I considered this aspect of the Frontier’s performance to be about, or slightly above, average as I did not have to constantly refocus when viewing birds over varying mid-distances.

The soft rubber-covered eye-cups twist out, extending to two positions above base, each of which ‘loose locks’ positively enough to avoid slipping. I found they do not have to  be extended above the base position in order to adjust the dioptre, which is located beneath the right eye-cup and, with its prominently raised and widely pitched ribbing, is easily operated with thumb and forefinger. There is no incremental scale or locking mechanism for this single-eye adjustment, but slippage from the optimum position did not occur during extensive field use.

In terms of general handling, this is a well- balanced binocular that I found comfortable to hold. The body beneath the rubber armour is made of a light alloy metal, resulting in a low- weight product which, at 713 g, pitches it slightly lighter than many top models. Like almost all current binoculars, it is sealed against the elements and filled with nitrogen gas.

Accessories supplied with the Frontier comprise optional ‘stay-on’ objective covers, articulated rainguard, padded neck-strap and carry case. Together with the exceptional field of view, bright image and positive handling, they add up to an excellent-value package.