Vixen @6 6×18

Specifications:

Objective diameter: 18 mm
Free aperture (measured): 16 mm
Magnification: 6x
Exit pupil (measured): 2.7 mm
Eye relief (according to spec): 12 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of folded eyecups): 10 mm
IPD (according to spec): 58 – 75 mm
RFOV(acc. to spec.): 9 degrees = 157 m
RFOV (measured): 9.2 degrees = 161 m
AFOV (acc. to spec.): 50.6 degrees
AFOV (measured, rounded): 52 degrees
Minimum focus distance (according to spec): 55 cm
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Degrees of rotation of focus wheel from 3 m to infinity (measured): 90 degrees
Range of diopter adjustment (estimate): +/- 4 dpt
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): > 8 dpt
Prism system: Porro I reverse
Waterproof: no
Weight (acc. to spec, without accessories): 145 g
Weight (measured, with strap): 151 g
Made in: China

 
Remarks:

From Vixen comes this cheap tiny plastic binocular that looks like a friendly toy bino for small children. The surprise comes when you play with it: this is actually a very usable pocket instrument with amazingly good optics for the price – of course, not comparable e.g. to a Swarioski Curio (see separate post, https://binocular.ch/swarovski-cl-curio-7×21-to-be-updated-shortly/, but the latter is hugely more expensive!). With a weight of less than 150g, you sometimes forget that you have it around your neck. Take it with you to the theater or museum, with it’s 9 degree field of view it is much more fun to use than most opera glasses. Outdoors, if for some reason you cannot take a “real” binocular with you, we found the @six with it’s 6x magnification sometimes even more useful than other more expensive pocket binoculars, including the very good 8x20s premium ones (8x is occasionally just too much in a small instrument). With a short focus of just 55 centimeters, it competes with the Pentax Papilio (see separate post, https://binocular.ch/pentax-papilio-ii-6-5×21/) for the observation of insects and the like, but going nearer than about 80 centimeters will cause some eye strain if you observe with both eyes (which is true for most binoculars, the Papilio with its special mechanism to adjust the objective lenses is unbeatable here). The only significant disadvantage of the Vixen: it is neither splashproof nor dustproof, so you have to be careful when using it in humid or dusty conditions.

Ratings:

Review:

BINOCULARS TODAY does not usually list third party reviews here, but makes an exception for yarrellii’s excellent presentation of the @6 on the Birdforum, see https://www.birdforum.net/threads/vixen-six-6×18-quirky-and-surprising-pocket-binocular.448290/