Three pairs of luxe binoculars - how good are they for travellers?

For those who don't want to carry a lot of gear about, it's tempting to go for as small a pair of binoculars as possible. What you sacrifice is the size of the aperture, which means a dimmer image. That's why the high-quality glass inside the Swarovski Optik CL Pocket 8x25 B binoculars (tincheungcamera.com.hk, HK$5,444) is so useful. Able to boost brightness while remaining compact (as well as waterproof and fog-proof), these top-class general use binoculars are ideal for putting in a backpack and taking anywhere, any time. Available in black, green and sand-brown.

Offering 15x magnification and an aperture of 70mm, the Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 (HK$639, price.com.hk) are designed primarily for stargazing. The optics' special coatings increase contrast and light, while the extra magnification lets you see not only Jupiter, but its moons, too, while star clusters like the Pleiades fill the field of view. However, since they're heavy and hard to hold steady, they're best used on a tripod. Thankfully, there is a tripod thread in the base. Although water resistant and great in daylight, these quality but cumbersome binoculars aren't ideal for travel.