Kowa BD III 6.5x32 XD specs and field of view
The BD III 6.5x32 XD pairs a wide 525 ft view at 1,000 yd with a short 4.3 ft close focus.
- Field of view
- 525 ftat 1,000 yd
- Eye relief
- 17 mm
- Close focus
- 4.3 ft
- Weight
- 18.3 oz
- Exit pupil
- 4.9 mmcalculated
Why pick it
- 17 mm eye relief, enough for glasses
- Focuses as close as 4.3 ft
- Waterproof
Who the BD III 6.5x32 XD suits
Close focus of 4.3 ft suits near subjects, and the 525 ft view suits scanning wide scenes. A calculated 4.9 mm exit pupil helps at dusk, and eye relief is 17 mm.
Power of 6.5x gives less reach for distant birds, and it weighs 18.3 oz.
BD III 6.5x32 XD is one choice among many, and the top binoculars compared covers the most popular ones. Kowa lists it in the $200 to $500 price band, alongside the models in best binoculars under $500.
BD III 6.5x32 XD specifications
BD III 6.5x32 XD figures as Kowa prints them; rows marked * are calculated from the 6.5x32 size.
| Magnification | 6.5x |
|---|---|
| Objective lens | 32 mm |
| Field of view | 525 ft at 1,000 yd (175 m at 1,000 m) |
| Angular field of view | 9.9° |
| Apparent field of view | 65° * |
| Eye relief | 17 mm |
| Close focus | 4.3 ft (1.3 m) |
| Weight | 18.3 oz (519 g) |
| Length | 1.9 in (48 mm) |
| Width | 4.8 in (122 mm) |
| Extra-low dispersion glass | Yes |
| Waterproofing | Waterproof, nitrogen filled |
| Fog-proofing gas | Nitrogen |
| Maker list price | $200 to $500 |
| Exit pupil | 4.9 mm * |
| Twilight factor | 14.4 * |
| Relative brightness | 24.2 * |
* Calculated from the size, not printed by the maker.
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 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 BD III 12x50 XD | 12x50 | 303 ft | 17.5 mm | 9.8 ft | 25.8 oz | 4.2 mm |
Kowa binoculars
BD III 6.5x32 XD questions
BD III 6.5x32 XD: does it work with glasses?
BD III 6.5x32 XD has 17 mm of eye relief, which meets the 16 mm the RSPB advises for people who wear glasses.
BD III 6.5x32 XD: what does 6.5x32 mean?
BD III 6.5x32 XD magnifies 6.5 times through 32 mm front lenses, which works out to an exit pupil of 4.9 mm, the width of the beam of light that reaches each eye.