The Drop
The price tag just got thinner. By seventy dollars, too. That is significant.
You are looking at $626.95 on Amazon right now. It used to be $696.95. This is the lowest price all year. Probably the only price like this we see for these bins. Adorama matches it, plus free shipping if that matters to you.
Do not sleep on this if you like compact glass.
Why Jase Cares
Jase Parnell-Broakes tested the Nikon Stabilized 12×25 S. He gave them five stars. Not four. Not four-point-nine. A perfect five.
The trick here is the Image Stabilization. Usually you pay a premium for steady views in small form factors. Jase said the IS transforms them. It makes these little pockets-sized toys compete with binoculars three times their size. The shaking stops. The view locks in.
He used them on the Andromeda galaxy. M31. And the Orion nebula. M42.
But let us be clear about what they cannot do.
The Dark Truth
The lenses are only 25mm.
Small lens equals less light. Period. If you are used to big glass you will think these views are dim. You might compare them to a flashlight compared to a streetlamp.
- But you are carrying a brick vs a thimble.*
The weight is 395 grams. Just over 13 ounces. Slip it in a pocket. Walk the dog. Look up. See what you can see. If the sky is light polluted? Anything fainter than Orion disappears. Jase noted that limitation. It is not a failure. It is physics.
The appeal is portability. The weight is the feature.
“It took them into the stratosphere as portable observation tools.”
The Numbers Game
Here is the sheet.
- Magnification: 12x
- Objective: 25mm
- Weight: 13.9 oz
- Launched: Nov 2024
- Old low price: $635 (Black Friday)
Current price: $626.95.
That is under $70 less than usual. For an item that rarely moves? That is a win. Most reviews agree. Space gave them five stars. Digital Camera World gave them four. The consensus is solid. It is the best compact IS option out there.
To Buy Or Not
Buy it if you hate heavy bags.
Buy it if you want stable stars without a tripod.
Buy it if the price being $626 instead of $696 sounds like a gift.
Do not buy it if you need massive power.
Do not buy it if your eyes are sensitive to darkness.
Go get the Canon 15×50s if you need big light gathering and can carry the weight.
These are pocket stargazers.
Amazon is selling them cheap today. There is no end date on this deal visible. It could vanish tomorrow. Or in an hour.
The sky is out there.
Is your wallet ready?
