10 products from trusted UK retailers
Viking binoculars are designed and checked by Viking Optical in Halesworth, Suffolk, the same company that has sourced the RSPB's own optics since 1996. Here you'll find its ED models - the Merlin, Peregrine and Osprey - from 310g pocket compacts to full-size 8x42 and 10x42 pairs. Every one has extra-low dispersion objectives, coated roof prisms and a sealed, fog-free body, and comes with a 10-year guarantee. Most cost between about £260 and £500, so they suit keen birders, walkers and anyone moving up from a first pair. Want to compare brands? See our RSPB binoculars or every make in binoculars for birdwatching.
No products found in this collection. Please check back soon.
Richard Bonnett set up Viking Optical in 1986, and it is now one of the leading independent optics importers in the UK. In 1996 it won an exclusive contract to supply the RSPB, a partnership still running 30 years on. The firm is based in Halesworth, about ten miles from the RSPB's Minsmere reserve, and its team are nature lovers themselves. That shows in what you get:
The company also puts money back into wildlife. Its conservation work includes helping Suffolk Wildlife Trust buy extra land at Carlton Marshes and funding BirdLife International projects.
The range climbs from cheap first pairs to premium optics that rival far dearer European makes. Here are Viking binoculars from the bottom up:
The company also sells monoculars, a spotting scope range, tripods and accessories such as harnesses and spare eyecups. You won't find the monoculars, spotting scope models or accessories here.
The Merlin is the most affordable ED pair on this page, and it comes in two styles. The 8x32 and 8x42 have a rubber-armoured body and a wide view - 142m at 1,000m in the 8x42, one of the widest of any full-size pair here. The 8x34 and 10x34 move to a magnesium alloy chassis rated IPX7 (sealed against immersion to 1m) and weigh just 525g, so they are easy to carry on a long walk.
The Peregrine has long been one of the brand's best-loved ED pairs, popular with birders who want top-class colour for a fair price. A smooth armour coat makes it comfortable in cold hands. The 8x32 is the standout: 147m of view at 1,000m, the widest on this page, in a 528g pair that is far lighter than most 8x42 binoculars. The 10x42 gives more reach on estuaries and moorland. A newer Peregrine MKII now sells for around £379 to £399 on the maker's own site.
The Osprey is the top of the range. It builds on the Peregrine with a flat field design that keeps the image sharp right to the edges, a metal focus wheel and tough barrel armouring. Both sizes are waterproof to 1m and weigh 695g. The 8x42's 5.25mm exit pupil keeps the image bright on dull days and in a dark hide. It ships with a padded case, neck strap and objective covers.
The 8x25 and 10x25 put the same glass and prism coatings into a twin-hinged pair that folds to 110mm square and weighs 310g. That's light enough for a jacket pocket on a hike, a festival or a holiday. The 8x25 is the better choice for most people: its 140m view and 3.1mm exit pupil are easier to hold steady than 10x magnification in such a small body. Both come with a hard clamshell case.
| Model | Size | View at 1,000m | Eye relief | Weight | Body | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merlin ED | 8x32 | 137m | 15.6mm | 516g | Armoured | About £260 |
| 8x34 / 10x34 | 137m / 113m | 16.3mm / 16.4mm | 525g | Magnesium, IPX7 | About £280 | |
| 8x42 | 142m | 17.2mm | 720g | Armoured | About £290 | |
| Peregrine ED | 8x32 | 147m | 15.7mm | 528g | Smooth armour | About £300 |
| 10x42 | 107m | 15.7mm | 610g | Smooth armour | About £330 | |
| Osprey ED | 8x25 / 10x25 | 140m / 114m | 16.3mm | 310g | Magnesium, folding | £280 to £300 |
| 8x42 / 10x42 | About 142m / 115m | Not stated | 695g | Barrel armour, waterproof to 1m | £450 to £530 |
Figures come from the retailer's product data. Prices change often, so check the cards above for today's figure.
The first number is the magnification and the second is the width of each objective lens in millimetres. Divide one by the other to get the exit pupil, the beam of light that reaches your eye. The RSPB's guide to binocular terms explains the rest. A few quick rules:
| Size | Exit pupil | Best for | See also |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8x25 / 10x25 | 3.1mm / 2.5mm | Pocket, travel, hiking | Compact binoculars |
| 8x32 / 8x34 | 4mm / 4.25mm | Long walks, woodland, light packing | 8x32 binoculars |
| 8x42 | 5.25mm | All-round birding, hides, dull days | 8x42 binoculars |
| 10x34 / 10x42 | 3.4mm / 4.2mm | Estuaries, coast, open moorland | 10x42 binoculars |
If you want even more light for night skies, the Badger comes in a 10x50, and our astronomy binoculars page lists the best options for stargazing.
The Merlin ED 8x34: light, IPX7 and around £280.
The Peregrine 8x32, with 147m at 1,000m for tracking birds in flight.
The Viking Osprey ED 8x42, if your budget stretches to the top model.
Either of the 10x42 binoculars here, for waders and distant raptors.
The 8x25 compact, at 310g.
At £250 to £500 this range faces strong rivals. Here's where to look next:
The company is one of very few with its own repair and servicing facility, and its technicians will also service most other makes. What the cover means for you:
Look after your Viking binoculars and they will give decades of use:
Viking Optical Ltd, an independent family firm founded in 1986 and based in Halesworth, Suffolk. It designs and quality-checks every pair and runs its own UK repair workshop.
Yes. They give sharp, bright images and solid build for the price, and the ED models here are a real step up from cheaper pairs. The RSPB trusts the same team to source its own range.
Yes. It has held an exclusive deal to source and supply the RSPB's binoculars, telescopes and accessories since 1996, and staffs the charity's optics days.
Both use ED lenses and coated prisms. The Osprey adds a flat field design for sharper edges, a metal focus wheel and tougher armour, and costs more.
Mostly yes. The twist-up eyecups wind down and there is around 16mm of eye relief, rising to 17.2mm on one 8x42.
If you want ED glass, the 8x34 Merlin is the easiest first choice. On a tighter budget the Viking Otter MKII or Viking Badger are good beginner pairs, though they aren't sold on this page.
