Wish there was a 4.5 option!
By Myles
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2026-06-22
I’ve been using these as my primary binoculars ”serious birding” binoculars since January 2026. The optics are spectacular and the weight, due to it’s enhanced functionality, considerable (at for me - 68 and in pretty fair shape. The harness really helps me).
The bird ID functions well if you’re within close to intermediate range of a stationary bird and have a clean view. Love the degree of confidence feature. If it doesn’t identify the bird the first time, it generally does after repeated tries. I’ve this in the eastern and western US and Colombia. Next version: link it live with eBird.
The camera function is good under perfect conditions, and again, these are my experiences. The binoculars are heave and difficult to hold stable for any intermediate to longer distance shots. The distance thing is exacerbated by the fact the camera doesn’t seem to zoom in conjunction with binocular. That is, I thought I was getting a picture of the image I was seeing through the binoculars, and I was not - it was more distant. Again - great for static shots at close range. I found myself resting the binoculars on fence posts or other props to get an intermediate shot. Next version: a monopod or tripod adapter and/or an internal stabilizer.
I tested the feature that links the binoculars to another device via its app, but only to see if it worked - and it does! Very cool! - but did not test its limits.
Quick thoughts. Glad I bought them! Next version: accept these are going to be heavy and don’t compromise on functionality due to marginal weight considerations. It’d be great if the photo you took was the image you see. Add a stabilization feature for photography (IS or mount adapter). Go ahead and make an 8X40 or 10X40 version to allow more light.
Super Impressed!
By Kevin K
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2024-08-24
I've been a long-time birder, having been introduced to birding at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology while in college many years ago. The AX Visio is certainly a breakthrough on many fronts. My review is based on having it for about a month and having been birding about 4-5 times in the Seattle area. I travel a great deal and also internationally, which is where I believe the AX Visio will really come into play.
1. Bird ID- It's easy to use, and just takes a 2-3 seconds to typically identify a bird. However, it's not 100% accurate, but in my mind that's ok. Lighting, distance, weather can impact it's ability to accurately identify. When it can't identify at all, it will tell you. And it will also give you a confidence level in the ID, using a pie chart broken out in quarters, meaning one quarter of the pie chart is somewhat accurate to full accuracy when the pie chart is full. The reason why I say it's okay for it not to be accurate 100% of the time is that it's as much of a tool for narrowing down the identification VERY quickly. Also, it doesn't necessarily replace having a bird guide with you, as it will simply name the bird and you may want to refer to the guide for more info.
What I really love about the bird ID function is the time it saves. As we all know, birds don't wait around for you to comfortably identify. They're on the move usually, especially the smaller birds and it allows me to be MUCH MORE EFFICIENT when I'm out in the field. I don't have to switch between looking at a physical bird guide, relocating the bird again and hoping it hasn't flown away. It allows you to focus on what I love most, observing birds in nature and their beauty. For the seasoned expert, yes, maybe you don't need these binoculars to identify a bird, but if you go outside your normal birding areas, these are worth its weight in gold.
2. Optics: this is my first Swarovski and I also own 2 pairs of Leica's, 10x42 Ultravid and a Leica 8x42 Noctovid. The Swarovski and Leica's are very, very good, and the optics are sharp and clear. In the AX visio, you pay a small sacrifice in that the light transmission is a little bit less due to all of the extra optics, camera, 32mm exit lens, etc. But it's a really fair trade off.
3. Form factor: Even though it's a 10x32, it's a robust binocular. It's considerably heavier than the Leica's, but with the camera, battery, etc. it's going to weigh more. But the benefits of what it's providing significantly outweighs the extra weight.
Full disclosure, I have not used all of the different functions of the binoculars yet. I've yet to take photos and share the live view function with others, but I feel strongly that having a camera built in will provide a lot of benefits.
4. I know that smart binoculars have generated some controversy in that it might take away from the learning of the birds, or using your intellect to identify. I view these binoculars as a tool to help me enjoy nature and what I love to do. It's that simple. If I invest in traveling to a new location and I want to bird, i see these binoculars as a way to maximize my time, investment and enjoyment! My bird life list is about 2400 birds, and it gets harder to see new birds, so I love these in how it aids me in what I'm seeing.
5. Price: okay, no doubt these are premium priced binoculars. And I don't want to sound elitist, but you're getting what you pay for. After experiencing these over the last month, I'm overjoyed that I have such a powerful tool to get more out of one my lifetime hobbies.
Separately, I love B&H Photo. They always treat me well, service is great and I've never had an issue when ordering from them. I trust them completely. Nobody is incentivizing me to say that about B&H, it's just been my experience over the years.
