10x50 binoculars, £100-£200

Price £179 • Weight 935g • Extras Wide, nylon neck strap; tethered objective caps and rain-guard; semi-rigid vinyl case Supplier Opticron UK • Tel 01528 726522 • www.opticron.co.uk

The Opticron TGA binoculars are more than 100g lighter than any of the other Porro prism binoculars in this test group, but this doesn’t come at the expense of ruggedness. Not only are they covered in a substantial rubber armour, but they come with a semi-rigid case that offers excellent protection against the rigours of regular, varied use.

Their field of view is on the narrow side at 5.3°, but this is compensated for by extremely good colour correction and colour rendition. Star colours were vibrant in the eyepieces. Images were bright and stars were tack-sharp across the middle 75 per cent of the field of view. We thoroughly enjoyed scanning colourful starfields with these.

They are very well-balanced, which makes them feel even lighter than they actually are. This means you can use them for long periods before aches and strains set in. The ribbing on the prism housing gives a very secure grip, even if they are damp with dew.