Kowa YF 8x30 binoculars review: affordable and high-quality optics for beginners

First thoughts

I’ve tested the Kowa YF 8x30s before, so I knew exactly what I was going to get. It was still pleasing to be reminded just how good the image is at this price point. These are porro prism binoculars. So rather than the seemingly straight barrels that you get with more modern roof prism binoculars, here you get a rather old-fashioned M shape, where the objective lens and eye piece do not line up.

They definitely aren’t as sexy as more modern bins, but they pack a surprisingly impressive visual punch at this price point. That’s because the technology required inside is far simpler than more modern roof-prism binoculars.

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Out of the box, they feel good in your hands. They’re small enough to be easy for kids to use, but they have a sufficiently rugged, commando feel to suit any outdoor user.

I’ve had to work really hard to keep track of the objective lens protectors (I would fully expect to lose these within the first few weeks) but I’ve really enjoyed my time testing them out.

In the field

Despite being the cheapest pair of binoculars on test, these delivered the biggest coup. Walking into the Forest of Dean, just as we rounded a corner, we were presented with a goshawk, circling a small area of open grassland about 30 metres away. I pulled these out of my pocket and got the most incredible view of this rare and spectacular bird.

I’m sure that a more expensive pair would have delivered a brighter, perhaps slightly sharper image, or offered a wider angle of view to track it as it flew off. But these were sitting in my jacket pocket waiting to see one of my top wildlife spots of the year. It is a moment I will never forget.

I’m not going to pretend that I would swap these for my existing binoculars, but I do think they have a lot to offer. If you’re operating on a budget and your priority is a pair of compact, lightweight binoculars then these are fantastic. If you’ve got more money to spend, go for the Opticron Explorers.

If you want to take your birding and wildlife watching more seriously, then by spending a little more money you’ll get something that really meets your aspirations. But these are definitely worth consideration. They suggest a close focus range of 2 metres, and I did struggle to achieve this.

That said, these Kowa YFs are really impressive. They deliver a bright, sharp image with good colour and very little sense of fuzziness at the edge. The field of view is wide enough for them to work as a primary pair of bird watching binoculars and they offer relatively good close focus. They are great for smaller hands, and perfect for young birders who want their first pair of bins.

If you’re buying on a budget, these are robust, light, easy to pack, sit neatly in a waterproof jacket pocket and are ready for action when you need them. So not just for kids and beginners, these are brilliant binoculars for anyone at this price point.