Maven B5 10X56 Review

[@skulmoski1]

I like that there are few accessories and no fancy packaging. I'm buying binoculars not the accessories of shiny box embossed with corporate logos.

[@davidlytle3974]

Yes. Buying a la carte makes sense when you are getting the core product that you want at a fraction of the price you would pay for alpha.

[@Paracellum]

Hello David, You should try a new SkyRover (Banner Cloud) APO binocular - either in 8x42 or 10x42. (10x50 &12x50 are going to be available soon). I had a chance to try them against the Swarovski NL Pures - 8x42 and 10x42 - and I must admit - I was impressed. Optically - the are very impressive, bright, sharp, CA are very well corrected. I could barely see any difference in their perfomance against an Austrian Alpha Glass. A huge 70° AFOV , which is sharp right to the edge makes them a joy to use. Built quality and ergonomic however are not on par with the Swarovskis, but they are more than acceptable for $450, i've paid for them. Please be advised - the eye relief on the SkyRover is a little bit "restricted", some independent measurements say it it about 12-13 mm, which may be challenging for an eyeglass wearer. I don't wear glasses - and can only see the whole field of view only with the eyecups fully down.

[@davidlytle3974]

Thanks for the hands-on dope on the Sky Rover. I have a friend in Russia who is getting one and will be letting me know just how bad the eye relief is for glass wearers. I don't think that any of us would mind hearing from you concerning how much the AFOV is restricted if you put on sunglasses. I can tell you that I would be quite happy to hear that the field is reduced by a mere five or six degrees. Thanks again for your suggestion and personal experience with this new offering from the CCP.

[@blaberus1]

I have the 10x42 B1.2 and have tested them (mainly for resolving power/sharpness) against Leica, Zeiss and Swaros, and they are as good or better. Even though they don't have field flatteners, the sharpness looks fine to my eyes edge to edge. This edge to edge sharpness isn't anyway very important to me, as I tend to concentrate in the middle of the FoV.

[@davidlytle3974]

Your experience with Maven is exactly why I am trying them out. I haven't given up. I have a B2 (my original interest) on its way right now. If that doesn't work I can always try the B6, without flatteners. I'll still be looking for around an 80 percent sweet spot. Yeah, the center is most important but let's have a bit of clear field. What percent of field do you get with your B1.2?

[@SaltMakerE]

Hello David, I'm disheartened to hear your report, I had high hopes for this model from reading the sheer amount of praise for it. Do you feel the 15X model would fare any better?

[@tonyalvarez5815]

Every binocular that you have tested is 50% sweet spot. I have the B2 11x45, and i have to tell you i see it sharp to the edge. I just do not understand how you are the only reviewer that keeps the 50% sweet spot and no more.

[@davidlytle3974]

Check out the flat field death match for an explanation.

[@tonyalvarez5815]

@@davidlytle3974 what is the flat field death match?

[@davidlytle3974]

It is the latest video that we have released. Or, you could check out our review of the commercial KOMZ BPO. In it is a detailed explanation of where the fifty percent verdicts come from. You aren't the only person who has asked about it.

[@jcarry5214]

I just got the 11x45 and it's not much more than 50/50. Maybe 50% perfect 20% great 30% not sweet. It's outstanding and flat in the middle, then it droops. Definitely, noticeably. Compared to swaro ELs, they are not that close. Those suckers my buddy has, it's like looking at an ipad screen. edge to edge to edge perfect. The maven loses like 10 percent in the outer third. I can see movement at long distance and move the sweet spot accordingly, but for grid-glassing they are not the same. Are they superb in many many ways and a great buy? yes.

[@davidlytle3974]

Wrighty, please don't let this one incident put you off from the Maven B series. For all I know the entire B series is worth exploring. And why not, when you can just send them back till you get one that fits the bill. I may yet give the B2 a go. Nine power for sure.

[@tonyalvarez5815]

BPO or GPO?

[@davidlytle3974]

If you're asking me which is better, the BPOc or the GPO Passion HD, I can't answer you with absolute knowledge. I haven't checked out the HD yet. However, in order for the HD to compete it would have to be as sharp as the Fujinon FMT-SX, with flat field and near 90 percent Sweet spot to match.

[@wrighty338]

David, It sounds like you got a demo dud which is not unheard of. My C series sweet spot is huge and thats their mid tier glass. Every review on B5's iv read have equalled or exceeded swaro SLC's for about half the price.

[@davidlytle3974]

Hi Wrighty. I considered that as a possible answer. But the fact that some other Maven enthusiast described the same phenomenon, specifically from the 10x B5, would tend to suggest the possibility of a design weakness in this model. It still might have been an anomaly with my specific B5. However, to me, the clincher is that when I spoke to the Maven associate I specified that the unit would be used for an online video review and that they should send me one that accurately represented that Model. Ouch!!! Regardless, I did say that I would consider keeping it if it was at least as sharp as my Russian BPOc at $300. But it wasn't. I'm not about to say that its performance in this regard was poor. What I'm saying is that my Porros can't be replaced with this "Very good" Maven with central focus. I held out hope that it could be the economy version of a Swaro but I just didn't luck out this time. I fully believe what you're saying about the C series. I also believe that I may have won out if I had gone with the B2 as I originally intended. But, I was too frickin curious about another 10x with field flatteners AND CF. Oh well.

[@wrighty338]

@@davidlytle3974 Its certainly something il bear in mind before picking up a B5 as i really dont wanna be spending Swaro bucks on smaller instruments if i can help it. Since getting my C2 iv fallen for their glass and had thought their entire B series range would have me covered for small roof prism instruments with alpha like performance. Il do more serious homework closer to the time as Im looking at their B.3 8x30 next.