Hawke Sapphire 8×43 ED

Specifications:

Objective diameter:  43 mm
Magnification:  8 x
Exit pupil: 5.38 mm
Eye relief (acc. to spec): 18 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 15 mm
IPD:  57 – 76 mm
RFOV:  8.1  degrees = 142 m
AFOV (measured, rounded): 63.5 degrees
Minimum focus distance (measured): 2.05 m
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Degrees of rotation of focus wheel from 3m to infinity (measured): 285 degrees
Range of diopter adjustment (estimate): +/- 3 dpt*
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 5 dpt*
Prism system:  Schmidt-Pechan
Waterproof: yes
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and strap): 878 g
Made in: China
*range of diopter adjustment not affected by position of focus wheel

Remarks:

A few years after the appearance on the market of Hawke’s Frontier line of binoculars – see separate post about „Hawke Frontier ED X“, https://binocular.ch/hawke-frontier-ed-x-8×42/ – , Hawke came out with the Sapphire as it’s top model in both an open hinge and a central hinge version, with virtually the same specifications and the same excellent performance as the Frontier, but some upgraded accessories such a a real leather case and the like. The Sapphire performs very well both optically and mechanically, but some people always believed the Frontier was actually the even better instrument (although CA correction appears better in the Sapphire). Production of the Saphire has been discontinued (you can still find the Sapphire for sale in some optics stores), whereas the Frontier is still being produced and has been upgraded to the “ED X” version.

Ratings: