Binoculars Review: Svbony SA207Pro 8X42

 

Binoculars are treasured and rather personal items for old school birders like yours truly. Although I now spend just as much time photographing birds as I do birding, the latter remains top priority to this very day. And yes, these are two very different passions even if nowadays most consider them to be one. You can find me out birding with just my binoculars but it is very unlikely you can find a bird photographer doing the same. And my faithful Leica Trinovid 10X42 BN has been by my side in every birding adventure for more than three decades.

Recently, I was approached to do a review for a pair of binoculars that was just launched. Svbony is a Chinese company that specializes in optical equipment and their SA207Pro 8X42 binoculars is the latest addition to their range of optics available for the birding community. How will it fare in the hands of a birder who has sworn by Leica for most of his birding life? Read on to find out.

Unboxing the SA207Pro, you will find it comes complete with everything you need for a pair of binoculars – soft pouch, strap, harness, lens caps and a chamois cloth.

My first impression of the binoculars, it is well-built and not lacking of the premium feel and appearance. Weight-wise, it is about the same as my current one and should not pose any issue out in the field.

A trip to the forest surrounding the Penang Botanic Gardens was to be the first opportunity to test this mid-range binoculars. I decided to venture into one of the forested trails because every birder knows that it possesses one of the most challenging conditions you will face when birding.

As expected of any forest trail in Penang Island, birding depends a lot on luck and it took a while before the silence was shattered. The Greater Racket-tailed Drongo is still relatively common here but there is nothing common about the bird’s appearance which makes it hard to be overlooked. Its vocal nature makes sure of that too.

The SA207Pro certainly rose to the occasion during the excursion. In the gloomy undergrowth of the forest, the 8x42 magnification performed well by allowing enough light for good imagery and the wide field of view eases tracking of denizens like the Indochinese Blue Flycatcher. However, concluding an observation without a single photo of the bird to show is certainly not unheard of when it comes to forest birding.

It took very little getting used to and I quickly accustomed myself to the works of the SA207Pro. Soon, I was enjoying the birding excursion without much thought of the new optical device in my hands.

From the forest, I gradually moved to more open areas and the landscaped gardens of the locality. Naturally, the new binoculars continued to excel. And the beauty of a Stork-billed Kingfisher was truly reflected by the Apochromatic (APO) system with Single ED and Lanthanum lens elements.

Mid-morning temperatures brought out a majestic White-bellied Sea-Eagle. As the raptor soared effortless overhead, the Flat-field technology and the smooth focusing ring allowed me to follow its movements with breath-taking views.

No visit to the Penang Botanic Gardens is complete unless this state speciality is recorded – the Crested Myna. Penang Island remains to be the major stronghold for this introduced species that has long been accepted into the official country checklist.

The Little Egret is another common sight and usually frequents the river just outside the gardens. The presence of this water bird provided a flair of elegance to the excursion.

Overall, the Svbony SA207Pro 8X42 is a delight to use. It is a balanced and precise optical aid that almost rivals the high-end range of binoculars available in the market today. If you are on the look out for a good pair of binoculars without a premium price tag, this one is worth considering.

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Not so ordinary garden birds...

 

My birding endeavours take me to all kinds of locations ranging from spectacular mountain tops and lush tropical rainforests to bleak coastal mudflats. However, there is one type of habitat that I will try to avoid and that is habitats with humans. Wherever there are humans, there will usually be situations. Situations that I can do without when I am enjoying my birding. I guess there is some truth when some consider me to be somewhat anti-social but I will not be losing any sleep over that. Before I carried away with this, I better get back to the birds. That is what this blog is all about after all. A quiet neighbourhood in the outskirts of Taiping became the centre of attention when the presence of Common Hoopoes was discovered. This enigmatic species is still considered rare here in Peninsular Malaysia with irregular records throughout the years. I have personally recorded this species as far back as 2003 and it is not new to me. But at this particular location, it appears to be thriving and that is good enough a reason for a visit.

With my companions Hor Kee and Rodney, we arrived at our destination just after dawn. The first bird that caught my attention was a Crested Goshawk surveying its domain from a lofty perch. This stunning raptor was a great way to start off the day and I began to develop a good feeling about this modest location.

A pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills compounded the feeling as they wandered about the housing area. No matter how many times I have recorded this species living alongside humans, it still evokes the same amount of excitement.

I guess the same can be said about Lineated Barbets but on a lesser scale. Well, very few things in life can rival the awe of hornbills and that is the brutal truth. From the look of things, the barbets have also found sanctuary here and the population is set to increase.

A lone Asian Openbill casually foraging within a house compound certainly took me by surprise. There is no doubt this species has come a long way since when they first started to colonize Peninsular Malaysia back in 2010. But this cool fellow is taking it to a whole new level.

Pink-necked Pigeons occur even in my own home compound and I would find it odd if I do not come across them here. Here is a male feeling a little dismay that the lighting condition and my photographic effort did not do much justice to his true appeal.

Another common species of built-up areas is the Asian Glossy Starlings. Electrical cables are predominant in any housing area and birds have a tendency to use them as perches. For birders, this behaviour eases our main mission in life which is to find and observe.

For a bird photographer, these man-made perches hold little value for their photographic effort. This applies to even a striking species like the Blue-throated Bee-eater. In my eyes (and the bird’s), the cable is a strategic point for it to launch aerial assaults on flying insects. If it good enough for the bird, it is good enough for my camera.

The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a species you do not get to see in a lot of neighbourhoods. So, it was heartening to see one here. There is a possibility of escapees for the beautiful bird as it is a popular cage bird. Either way it will not cause any major scientific impact if I get the status wrong for this individual.

I stated earlier birds on cables are more conspicuous and to proof my point, that is how we got our first Common Hoopoe of the day. This may be normal sight in neighbouring countries like Thailand but in my own, it will take some getting used to.

Eventually, we managed to locate a flock of at least five birds consisting of adults and sub-adults as feeding still took place within the flock. During my documentation of the birds, I could not really tell any differences between the birds. All of them were striking and charismatic.

When I scrutinized my photographs back home, I noticed that all the birds I shot had slightly shorter bills. Only then did I realize that maybe both the adult birds managed to evade my photographic efforts.  

The discomfort of a “human-habitat” started to take its toll and we shifted to the second destination of the trip which is the foothills of Bukit Larut. Soon after our arrival, we were greeted by the diagnostic territorial call of the Banded Broadbill. It took a little effort but the result was rewarding. Often hidden by the cover of the forest canopy, a good view like this is a real godsend to me.

I could not believe it when another broadbill species decided to show well after the first encounter. The Black-and-yellow Broadbill can be confiding at times but the individual today has surpassed that point.

The full black collar indicated that it was a male bird and that feature is only the difference between the sexes. He is a truly exquisite creature of the forest.

A few fruiting trees in the vicinity were in season and they attracted the usual groups of bulbuls. Among them was a female Blue-winged Leafbird and she was the only that managed to find her way into my memory card.

The Verditer Flycatcher is a species that I have not seen for a long while now. When one decided to hawk for insects nearby, I was elated. It may be the duller female but the prolonged encounter was fair compensation.

I know I always lament how frustrating forest birding can be but apparently, not today. Another female bird provided a memorable encounter and she was a Raffles’s Malkoha. Initially she played hard to get, typical of most desirable ladies. On a more serious note, malkohas are usually difficult subject for photography and the Raffles’s Malkoha is no different. But the good girl performed unexpectedly well in the end and made every birder present fell head over heels for her.

Here is one final image of the alluring Raffles’s Malkoha to wrap things up this time. The foothills of a colonial hill station and a surprisingly birdy neighbourhood certainly rose up to the occasion and provided ample material for another entry to my birding blog.

Birds, butterflies and golden babies...

 

The eBird Global Big Day is an annual event with a worthy cause as the data collected will be used for bird conservation research. Unfortunately, I usually cannot fully commit to this endeavour but I do try my best. For this year, time constraint and unfavourable weather conditions are some of the obstacles I faced. I did put in a couple hours at a local patch and the forest around the Air Itam Dam was the selected site this year.

There are relatively few babblers surviving here in Penang Island. Trapped on an island that is developing at a rapid pace, these birds are truly put to the test. However in the central hilly region, one species has endured – the Grey-throated Babbler. Being vocal by nature, it is recorded on most visits here. It will take some effort to actually see the bird well and even more so to obtain a decent photograph. And I have no qualms about today’s result.

A male Orange-bellied Flowerpecker provided some vibrance and colours to this short birding endeavour. And a lucky capture when he briefly alighted on an exposed perch elevated the encounter to another level.

The Greater Racket-tailed Drongo is rather spectacular for a common species. My obsession with its namesake has been a lifelong affair and it should come as no surprise that the bird had my undivided attention. It has a habit of following tree dwelling mammals around as the movement of the latter will usually flush out prey for the former. In return, the former acts as sentry. An effective partnership to say the least.

I knew that the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo was following a troop of Dusky Langurs on this occasion but I did not pay much attention these common but beautiful primates until I was done with the former. And to my delight, there were at least two babies present. Many species of langurs have golden babies and the Dusky Langur is one of them.

I hate to admit it but the little ones, oozing with cuteness, overshadowed their feathered associate this time.

Another forest denizen that still calls the Pearl of the Orient home is the Asian Fairy Bluebird. A name like that will have a lot to live up to and the striking male bird does fail in that aspect.

I often find it difficult to obtain good views and decent photographs of this beautiful bird. I cannot recall the last time I had such a memorable encounter with the Asian Fairy Bluebird. So, it was another significant record for today. His duller mate was somewhere around but human nature had me focusing only on the handsome male.

A stunning Malayan Lacewing also had my attention briefly. There is more to life than only birds, you know. At least that is what I keep telling myself.

When the sun finally decided to show itself, it added a soaring White-bellied Sea-Eagle into my so-called Big Day checklist.

The final bird of this post is the Crested Myna. Penang Island has been a stronghold for this previously introduced species and at this particular site, it is the commonest myna species. A local speciality wrapped things up for this time and hopefully, this re-ignition of my birding blog will continue its course.