the Kowa do have some distortion in the outer edges. However, any fan of superwide binoculars will tell you that comes with the territory, unless you spend several thousands on NL pures. But superwide fans rather have the extra “info” that can be dialed into focus rather then have a smaller FOV. The Kowa center are wicked sharp.
I would look at the 6.5x32. I didn’t try there 8x but did compare the 6.5 Kowa to the 8x and 6x Maven b.3 I found the 8x maven to close to my 10x 42 swaro’s and figured I end up with the swaros in my hands if had the choice between the 8x and 10x.(Mavens are very nice glass). The 6.5 have a great fov and are really bright in the dark woods. The glass is a bit inconsistent but I don’t notice it when under the canopy of a dark forest. I always carry my 10x with a tripod for when I reach a clear cut that needs some serious glassing. The 6.5 magnification seems plenty for the distances you get when in the woods.
Love to hear your opinions on the Mavens vs Kowa when you get them
I’m about to pull the trigger on the Kowas, but the Mavens are out of stock. It will be tough to compare the two given the short time to return the Kowas if I don’t like them. The small Marsupial pouches are also out of stock….
I bought the Maven 6x30s to compare to my 8x30s. Prefer the 8x30s overall. If you want the 6x30s I’m happy to sell. They are in flawless condition. Message me if you want pics. I ordered them on 9/10/21.
I used my new Kowas on a hunting trip this past weekend. I really liked them. The first couple of uses were small feeding plots, with low light at the end of the day, and they performed even better than expected. I then sat in a high tower with a much longer possible rifle shot and I had a moment of regret that I had not instead brought my higher power (Zeiss Victory SF 10x42) binos, but the 6.5x was plenty of magnification. The eye relief on the Kowas seemed even better than my Zeiss, although I think the Zeiss might have a mm more.
