KowaYF II 6x30 Binocular

I purchased this binocular specifically for birding from a canoe on small rivers and streams, because of its wide field of view. Not birding over large distances, I did not need an 8x or 10x binocular—the 6x magnification is just fine for my purposes. However, I find that I am using the binocular more and more for general birding since it has a wide field of view and large depth of field enabling me to find and get on birds quickly, especially as they are moving. The binocular is also light so that it is easier to hold for longer periods of time. As far as the optics are concerned, it has a large sweet spot in which the image is sharp and clear, the color transmission excellent. I find that three-quarters of a turn of the focus knob will take me from close focus to infinity, making it perhaps a little more difficult to fine focus. However, I find that with the large depth of field I do not waste much time focusing.

Excellent view, great value too. I own both the 6x30 and 8x30 versions, 6x30 seems best though I cannot quantify the difference other than to say the view is better. Primary use is for birding.

Lightweight! Wide field of view! Great….I mean…GREAT depth of field! An almost mesmerizing depth of field! Bright views with great clarity and color rendition! Works great with eyeglasses! Let me repeat…works great with eyeglasses! I mean……KOWA-Bunga Dude!I’ve wanted a smaller 6-7x binocular for some time and I recently ordered the Oberwerk 6.5x32 binocular. Great little binocular. BUT…..they just weren’t clicking with my eyeglasses. Since I expect to carry these things whilst hiking/walking I’m not going to concern myself with taking off my glasses like I might when gazing at the night sky. So I sent the Obies back and I ordered the Kowa 6x30’s and I am more than satisfied. I am thrilled with this little optical engineering marvel. These things are almost enchanting.Very Highly Recommended! With one caveat………The only issue, and it’s not really an issue for me, is that these are not the binoculars you want for viewing things much under 20 feet away. I did a little further research and the close-in focus is listed as 5 meters (16.5 ft). These are not the binoculars for standing close to a bush while observing butterflies. I have some roof prisms that will let me stand 5-7 feet away with a good focus.Getting back to these little Kowa’s……I can confirm that things around 17 feet start looking a little sketchy. But they don’t get blurry. The center image remains while you start seeing the crescent effect on each side of the center image. Frankly, I can keep a clear center image under 10 feet. But the closer you focus the more you need to push together the barrels to offset some of the increasing crescent effect and at some point it is futile.But, to Kowa’s credit, they list the close in focus at 5 meters and I find that to be, more or less, accurate.NOTE: My experience with the “crescenting” was while wearing my eyeglasses. Your mileage may vary.These are marvelous little binoculars that will open a world of wonders to a new user and also delight seasoned users with very enjoyable views.06/07/25 Note: I enjoy these little bins so much that ordered another pair as a gift for a family member.

Picked up a pair of the 8x, looking for waterproof, offhand, porro for birdwatching, camping, some moon-gazing, tripod mountable. The quality of these is great for what you pay. Multiposition eyecups, smooth action focus barrel, very low chromatic edge effects, good depth, sharp image, low glare. Was impressed enough I immediately picked up the 6x. The reduced image shake and increased field pretty much make up for the decreased magnification. These are no fuss, easy to use binoculars, you could hand the 6x to pretty much anybody young or old and they could "make it work".The only gripes are the case is pretty flimsy and the lens covers are almost an afterthought. But plenty of expensive binoculars pooch these too...Tightened the occular covers and jury rigged the objective covers using a hole punch and ty-raps

The media could not be loaded. The optics are perfect and the build quality is good. They're lightweight and pretty. They come with great accessories for the price. You will not get better views at this price point, it's unbeatable, even compared to some binoculars that cost 2x-3x. However, you musk keep in mind that the focus wheel is not pleasant to use at all. It has some play, makes a loud friction sound when turning and has a high, uneven resistance when turning. It makes these binoculars feel like a cheap toy. This won't be a problem for most users, but if you plan to use them for birding, this can be specially annoying when making quick or small adjustments to focus.

what's not to like?Small, compact, clear. waterproof.porro prism bino with great clarity and excellent brightness, especially in the 6x version, altho the 8x is great too.For their current market value ~100-120 USD, I don't think these can be beat in terms of viewing experience.They still give a little something up to swavorski, zeiss, leica but it isn't much.