VortexOptics Crossfire HD 10x42 Binoculars

These are my first 'new' binoculars that haven't been passed down the family, the older ones (WW2 era) being extremely large and heavy.I specifically searched for binoculars that had the HD coated optics, because as with spectacles the modern coatings really do make all the difference to the image clarity. I also wanted a good magnification, something that I could use for scouting the countryside at a fair distance - so ended up looking for magnifications of around 10x42.I initially considered the Celestron Skymasters, but having read some negative reviews about manufacturing quality issues (the rubber coming away from the body over time), I decided to give the American made product a go over the usual Chinese.I purchased the Vortex Crossfire HD 10x42 binoculars and they arrived a couple of days before the projected delivery date, so immediately I was happy (I love it when things work out better than anticipated).First impressions on opening the box: Great Quality. The weight is reassuring without being overly heavy and the physical size is about right for the hands - big enough to grip without being excessively long or wide. I like the matt green finish with a rubbery coating and also that the lens caps are integrated into the design, making it easy and quick to cover the lenses when you're done. The focus wheel has a really nice amount of drag so that it feels extremely accurate and maintains that quality feel (it feels like pushing something through heavy oil - quite nice friction feeling).The first thing to do of course was set the diopter so that both eyes were in focus, this is easily done by keeping the lens cap on the right optic and focusing on something with the left eye - then remove the lens cap from the right optic and adjust the diopter so that the focus is the same for both eyes when looking at the same object. The dipoter is stiff to rotate which is a really nice feature to stop accidental adjustments and it is also graduated so that you can visually set it for different users. The eyecups can be extended my rotating them which I strongly suggest you should do as this really increases the diameter of the viewing circle through the optics.So - what is the image like? Honestly - my first impression was 'wow, that is loads closer that I thought it'd be', this I'm absolutely overjoyed at, the 10x42 magnification is brilliant - really happy that I can use these to see details from literally miles away. The field of view is plenty wide enough and the image is bright, sharp and clear.Any negatives? Well yes, bearing in mind the very competitive price point of these binoculars - there is some aberration that is clearly visible, mostly yellow and purple fringing - but the overall clarity is very good indeed and the aberration doesn't really retract from the image very much at all (I'm only looking at this from a photographer's point of view). Also the included carrying case is very neat fitting with not a lot of extra space for the strap - you can get it all in, but its a tight fit.Conclusion: I'm absolutely happy with the Vortex Crossfire 10x42 binoculars, the magnification exceeds my expectation and the clarity and brightness of the image is just great. I am pleased that I opted to give Vortex a try and am well impressed with the overall quality and of course the cost. 100% Happy Customer!(For ref: I purchased these binoculars with my own money and they are intended for my personal use. This review is in no way sponsored or supported by the manufacturer or seller, and my opinions are based on my personal usage of the product. - There, just so you know this review is genuine and written by a real life human!)