Minox 7.5×44 RAPID

Specifications:

Objective diameter:  44 mm
Magnification:  7.5 x
Exit pupil:     5.9 mm
Eye relief (according to spec.): 18.1 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 15.5 mm
IPD:  56 – 78  mm
RFOV (acc.to spec.):  7.5 degrees =  132 m
AFOV (measured, rounded): 52 degrees
Focus type:  IF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Range of diopter adjustment: -2/+5 dpt
Minimum focus distance (measured): 9.5 m
Prism system: Schmidt-Pechan
Waterproof: yes
Weight (measured, with eyepiece covers and strap):  868 g
Made in: China??

Remarks:

I cannot hide my admiration for the marketing team of Minox. What courage!! Not only would they write “German. Precision. Optics” on the box of a binocular which most obviously has not been produced in Germany. Not only would they promote the individual focus design of the RAPID as “truly luxurious“, educating me that their single ocular focusing is ideal “for an especially fast identification of objects” (when common wisdom has it that this is the case with central, but not with individual focusing). They also assure that the RAPID, because of its individual focusing, has “the advantage that all observed objects within a range of approx 20 meters to infinity are in sharp focus without the need to adjust your binoculars to near or far”. It really needs courage to say such things in the 21st century in Europe where most people can read and write and where Steiner has been bashed for 20+ years because of their “sports auto focus” nonsense. Of course, we tested Minox’ claims (see below under “Review”), and of course, they didn’t hold true. – That aside, the RAPID is in many ways quite a decent binocular (see below “Rating”). And with the reputable Minox brand name printed in big letters on the left part of the central hinge, there is no doubt that Minox will sell some RAPIDs to users who can live with the individual focusing mechanism.

Rating:

Review:

A brief initial review of the RAPID can be found here:
https://www.birdforum.net/threads/minox-7-5×44-rapid-reviewed.413663/#post-4226928