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Athlon Optics
Athlon Midas UHD 8x42
Punches into premium-class brightness.
88Bird
4.6· 1,725 ratings
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Our verdict
HSReviewed by the BirdingPath team · Hilly Shore LabsUpdated Sep 4, 2026
Synthesized from public specs and 1,144 buyer mentions. We research and analyze — we don't lab-test.
Get it if
Value hunters who want ED-glass, premium-class brightness in a full 8x42 without the premium price.
Skip it if
Skip if you want the lightest pair around your neck; at 1.6 lb it outweighs most rivals here.
Magnification
8×
Objective lens
42 mm
Field of view
425 ft / 1000 yd
Eye relief
17.2 mm
Buyers praise
- Quality
- Clarity
- Value for money
- Focus
Buyers flag
- Weight
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BirdingScore
88/100
93/100
Magnification
8×
8×
Objective lens
42 mm
32 mm
Field of view
425 ft / 1000 yd
426 ft / 1000 yd
Eye relief
17.2 mm
16 mm
Close focus
6.5 ft
5.0 ft
Weight
1.6 lb
1.0 lb (15.9 oz)
Waterproof
Yes — waterproof & fogproof
Yes — waterproof & fogproof
The BirdingScore, unpacked
Our published method blends real owner satisfaction with in-category value. No hidden math.
Owner satisfaction87/100
Field value91/100
Specifications
- Magnification
- 8×
- Objective lens
- 42 mm
- Field of view
- 425 ft / 1000 yd
- Eye relief
- 17.2 mm
- Close focus
- 6.5 ft
- Weight
- 1.6 lb
- Waterproof
- Yes — waterproof & fogproof
Specs from the manufacturer listing and public product data; confirm the current listing before buying.
Manufacturer's claims (from Athlon Optics)Show
- ED Glass - ED glass gives you an image with little or no chromatic fringe so the final result brings a clearer and sharper image to your eyes
- ESP Dielectric Coating is a multi layer prism coating that reflects over 99% of the light to your eyes bringing you a clear, bright image that displays accurate color reproduction.
- Advanced FMC - Advanced Fully Multi-Coated lenses gives you better light transmission to bring optimum brightness and true color across the entire light spectrum.
- Argon Purged - Argon purging gives you better waterproofing and thermal stability and Field of view Angular -8.1 degree
- Long eye relief can be particularly important for eyeglass wearers because longer eye relief allows them to still see the entire field of view.Field Of View M @1000 METERS:144 m
Marketing copy as listed by the manufacturer — not our assessment.
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Athlon Midas UHD 8x42