Kahles Helia 8×42

Specifications:

Objective diameter:  42 mm
Magnification:  8 x
Exit pupil: 5.25 mm
Eye relief (acc. to spec):  20 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 15.5 mm
IPD:  56 – 73 mm
RFOV:  7.2 degrees = 126 m
AFOV (measured, rounded): 55 degrees
Minimum focus distance (measured): 1.7 m
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: < anticlockwise)
Degrees of rotation of focus wheel from 3 m to infinity (measured): 240 degrees
Range of diopter adjustment (acc. to spec.): +/- 4 dpt*
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 6 dpt*
Prism system:  Schmidt-Pechan
Waterproof: yes
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and strap): 815 g
Made in: Japan (?)
*range of diopter adjustment not affected by position of focus wheel

Remarks:

In 2016, Kahles started to sell a new line of binoculars, the Helia series. At first, it consisted of an 8×42 and a 10×42 model, complemented more recently with two range measuring binoculars (“RF”) of the same size. In 2018, an 8×56 model was added to the series. Unlike its earlier binoculars (see separate posts https://binocular.ch/kahles-8×32/  and https://binocular.ch/kahles-8×42/ ), not only is the Helia not produced in Austria anymore (although some steps of the manufacuring process may possibly still occur in Austria), the x42 line of binos also shares all their basic characteristics, except some external details, with same size binoculars from other brands, specifically the Belgian Kite Ibis and the German DDoptics EDX, both produced in Japan. This suggests that the Helia is also essentially produced in Japan, and there is no explicit mention in the catalogue of “made in Austria” which would contradict that (whether this is also true for the x56 model remains to be verified). Like the mentioned two models from Kite and DDoptics, the Helia is a nice upper middle class binocular with good allround performance. Kahles targets primarily the hunting market with it.

Ratings: