Most popular
Hawke Vantage HD 8x34
- Most popular of the 5 compared
- Lightest of the 5: 15.2 oz
- 17 mm eye relief, enough for glasses
8x34 binoculars: 5 models compared
Five 8x34 models sit in the records, and their fields of view run from 366 to 434 ft, with a median of 372 ft. Every one works out to a 4.3 mm exit pupil.
Top picks
Widest view
Hawke Frontier ED X Gen 2 8x34
- Widest view of the 5: 434 ft
- 17 mm eye relief, enough for glasses
- Focuses as close as 6.6 ft
Longest eye relief
GPO Passion SD 8x34
- Longest eye relief of the 5: 17.4 mm
- Waterproof
- Exit pupil
- 4.3 mmcalculated
- Twilight factor
- 16.5calculated
- Median field of view
- 372 ftat 1,000 yd
- Median weight
- 16.7 oz
Every 8x34 binocular in the chart
5 8x34 models, most popular first, with the best figure in each column in bold.
| Model | Maker list price | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawke Vantage HD 8x34 Lightest | 372 ft | 17 mm | 9.8 ft | 15.2 oz | $100 to $200 |
| Minox X-lite 8x34 | 372 ft | 9.8 ft | 15.9 oz | ||
| Minox X-TOUR 8x34 | 420 ft | 16.3 mm | 6.6 ft | 17.8 oz | |
| GPO Passion SD 8x34 Longest eye relief | 366 ft | 17.4 mm | 9.8 ft | 16.7 oz | $200 to $500 |
| Hawke Frontier ED X Gen 2 8x34 Widest field of view | 434 ft | 17 mm | 6.6 ft | 18.5 oz | $500 to $1,000 |
8x34 by the numbers
- Binoculars compared
- 5
- Median field of view
- 372 ft
- Field of view range
- 366 to 434 ft
- Median weight
- 16.7 oz
- Median eye relief
- 17 mm
- With 16 mm eye relief or more
- 4 of 4
- With an Amazon listing
- 0 of 5
What 8x34 is used for
The first number is magnification and the second is the objective lens diameter in millimeters, as the National Audubon Society explains. An 8x34 pair magnifies eight times through 34 mm lenses, a step down from 8x42 in size and weight.
Eight times magnification suits the hand. The RSPB calls 8x or 10x the best compromise between power and practicality, and Audubon says most birders prefer 7x or 8x for brightness and a wide field of view.
Light is the limit. Nikon defines exit pupil as the objective diameter divided by magnification, which gives 4.3 mm here (calculated). ZEISS says at least 4 mm is needed at dawn, so this size clears that line with little to spare. The twilight factor works out to 16.5.
How the 8x34 models differ
Weight and view width separate them. The Hawke Frontier ED X Gen 2 8x34 has the widest field at 434 ft and a close focus of 6.6 ft, but it weighs 18.5 oz. It is also the one model with ED glass, in the $500 to $1,000 maker list price band.
The Hawke Vantage HD 8x34 is the lightest at 15.2 oz, against a median of 16.7 oz for the size. It sits in the $100 to $200 band and its maker lists it as tripod adaptable.
The GPO Passion SD 8x34 has the longest printed eye relief at 17.4 mm, with a 366 ft field. The Minox X-TOUR 8x34 gives 420 ft with 16.3 mm of eye relief. The Minox X-lite 8x34 weighs 15.9 oz but prints no eye relief figure.
The RSPB advises eyeglass wearers to look for at least 16 mm of eye relief. All four models that print the figure meet it, and the median is 17 mm. For a wider compare, see binoculars for glasses wearers or the 8x42 size.
Other sizes and how 8x34 compares
- 10x42 binoculars
- 8x42 binoculars
- 10x50 binoculars
- 12x50 binoculars
- 8x32 binoculars
- 10x32 binoculars
- 10x25 binoculars
- 7x50 binoculars
- 8x25 binoculars
- 15x56 binoculars
- 8x30 binoculars
- 10x30 binoculars
- 8x56 binoculars
- 10x26 binoculars
- 8x40 binoculars
- 10x28 binoculars
- 18x56 binoculars
- 12x25 binoculars
- 10x34 binoculars
- Binocular size chart
- Best binoculars of every size
8x34 questions
What does 8x34 mean on binoculars?
8x34 means the binocular magnifies 8 times and each front lens is 34 mm across, so a subject looks 8 times closer than with the bare eye.
How bright is a 8x34 binocular?
8x34 gives an exit pupil of 4.3 mm and a twilight factor of 16.5. Nikon puts the eye's pupil at about 2 mm in daylight and 7 mm in the dark, so a larger exit pupil matters most at dusk and at night.
Which 8x34 binoculars work with glasses?
4 of the 4 8x34 models with a printed figure have 16 mm of eye relief or more, the minimum the RSPB advises for people who wear glasses. The median for the size is 17 mm.
What exit pupil does an 8x34 have?
It works out to 4.3 mm, from 34 mm divided by eight. ZEISS says dawn use calls for at least 4 mm, so this size just meets it.
Do 8x34 binoculars suit eyeglass wearers?
Yes, going by the printed figures. All four models that print eye relief offer 16.3 mm or more, and the RSPB advises at least 16 mm for glasses.
How heavy are 8x34 binoculars?
The median is 16.7 oz. The Hawke Vantage HD 8x34 is lightest at 15.2 oz, and the Hawke Frontier ED X Gen 2 8x34 is heaviest at 18.5 oz.