Vixen ARK 30×80

Specifications:

Objective diameter: 80 mm
Magnification: 30 x
Exit pupil: 2.7 mm
Eye relief (acc. to spec): 18 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 11 mm
IPD: 55 – 70 mm
RFOV: 2.3 degrees = 40 m
AFOV: 69 degrees
Minimum focus distance (measured): 28 m
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Range of diopter adjustment (estimate): +/- 5 dpt*
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 7 dpt*
Prism system: Porro I
Waterproof: yes (?)
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and objective caps): 2‘445 g
Made in: Japan
*range of diopter adjustment not affected by position of focus wheel

Remarks:

For some years, Vixen produced a series of four large observation binoculars under the label “ARK”: 12×80, 16×80, 20×80 and 30×80 (Opticron used to sell the same instruments under their own name). In terms of price and quality of optics, they ranged at the upper end of their market, but Vixen’s quality control at the time seems not to have prevented a number of these binoculars needing re-collimation jobs and the like. Reviews by users often concluded that the 20×80 model was the best and performance-wise most balanced of the series. Compact and lightweight build was a distinct plus of these binoculars, but it is therefore no suprise that the model with 30x magnification produced a sub-optimal image with limited sharpness/contrast and quite some chromatic aberration and showed actually less detail than the 20x model. It would have required a significantly larger body to perform well optically. Vixen stopped producing them in or around 2016.

Ratings: