Kowa BD III 12x50 XD specs and field of view
Second of 36 models of 12x50 for field of view, the BD III 12x50 XD shows 303 ft at 1,000 yd against a 277 ft median, and weighs 25.8 oz.
- Field of view
- 303 ftat 1,000 yd
- Eye relief
- 17.5 mm
- Close focus
- 9.8 ft
- Weight
- 25.8 oz
- Exit pupil
- 4.2 mmcalculated
Why pick it
- 303 ft view, wider than the typical 277 ft
- 25.8 oz, lighter than the typical 29.2 oz
- 17.5 mm eye relief, enough for glasses
Who the BD III 12x50 XD suits
Eye relief of 17.5 mm suits eyeglass wearers, and 12x power suits distant subjects. The weight under the 29.2 oz median helps on longer sessions.
Close focus of 9.8 ft rules out near subjects, and the calculated 4.2 mm exit pupil is modest for dusk at this size.
BD III 12x50 XD or another model: the best binoculars by maker figures shows how the popular ones differ. BD III 12x50 XD is one of 36 models in the 12x50 binoculars comparison. Kowa lists it in the $500 to $1,000 price band, alongside the models in best binoculars under $1,000.
BD III 12x50 XD specifications
BD III 12x50 XD figures as Kowa prints them; rows marked * are calculated from the 12x50 size.
| Magnification | 12x |
|---|---|
| Objective lens | 50 mm |
| Field of view | 303 ft at 1,000 yd (101 m at 1,000 m) |
| Angular field of view | 5.8° |
| Apparent field of view | 69° * |
| Eye relief | 17.5 mm |
| Close focus | 9.8 ft (3 m) |
| Weight | 25.8 oz (730 g) |
| Length | 2.2 in (56 mm) |
| Width | 5.2 in (132 mm) |
| Extra-low dispersion glass | Yes |
| Waterproofing | Waterproof, nitrogen filled |
| Fog-proofing gas | Nitrogen |
| Maker list price | $500 to $1,000 |
| Exit pupil | 4.2 mm * |
| Twilight factor | 24.5 * |
| Relative brightness | 17.4 * |
* Calculated from the size, not printed by the maker.
BD III 12x50 XD against other 12x50 binoculars
BD III 12x50 XD shows 303 ft at 1,000 yd, at or above the 277 ft median of the 36 12x50 models in the chart. At 25.8 oz it is at or under the 29.2 oz median weight for the size.
BD III 12x50 XD and its nearest rivals
BD III 12x50 XD next to the 12x50 models closest to it in maker list price, with the best figure in each column in bold.
| Model | Field of view | Eye relief | Close focus | Weight | Exit pupil | Maker list price | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kowa BD III 12x50 XD | 303 ft | 17.5 mm | 9.8 ft | 25.8 oz | 4.2 mm | $500 to $1,000 | |
| Maven C.3 12x50 | 251 ft | 15 mm | 8.2 ft | 28 oz | 4.2 mm | $500 to $1,000 | Check price on Amazon |
| Athlon Midas G2 Pro UHD 12x50 | 281 ft | 15 mm | 11.5 ft | 32 oz | 4.2 mm | $500 to $1,000 | |
| Athlon Midas G2 UHD 12x50 | 281 ft | 15 mm | 11.5 ft | 28.5 oz | 4.2 mm | $500 to $1,000 | Check price on Amazon |
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Other sizes of the BD III-XD
Kowa makes the BD III-XD in 7 sizes; a larger front lens adds brightness and weight, and more magnification narrows the view.
| Model | Size | Field of view | Eye relief | Close focus | Weight | Exit pupil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kowa BD III 12x50 XD | 12x50 | 303 ft | 17.5 mm | 9.8 ft | 25.8 oz | 4.2 mm |
| Kowa BD III 6.5x32 XD | 6.5x32 | 525 ft | 17 mm | 4.3 ft | 18.3 oz | 4.9 mm |
| Kowa BD III 8x32 XD | 8x32 | 461 ft | 16.5 mm | 4.3 ft | 18.5 oz | 4 mm |
| Kowa BD III 10x32 XD | 10x32 | 351 ft | 15 mm | 5.9 ft | 17.8 oz | 3.2 mm |
| Kowa BD III 8x42 XD | 8x42 | 429 ft | 17.2 mm | 5.9 ft | 21.3 oz | 5.3 mm |
| Kowa BD III 10x42 XD | 10x42 | 378 ft | 16.5 mm | 5.9 ft | 21.5 oz | 4.2 mm |
| Kowa BD III 10x50 XD | 10x50 | 346 ft | 17 mm | 9.8 ft | 25.5 oz | 5 mm |
Kowa binoculars
BD III 12x50 XD questions
BD III 12x50 XD: does it work with glasses?
BD III 12x50 XD has 17.5 mm of eye relief, which meets the 16 mm the RSPB advises for people who wear glasses.
BD III 12x50 XD: what does 12x50 mean?
BD III 12x50 XD magnifies 12 times through 50 mm front lenses, which works out to an exit pupil of 4.2 mm, the width of the beam of light that reaches each eye.
BD III 12x50 XD: how wide is the view?
BD III 12x50 XD shows a view 303 ft wide at 1,000 yd, at or above the 277 ft median of the 36 12x50 models in the chart.