Magpix SX3

While we road warriors seldom have to reach for binoculars during a big sales meeting, road warriors on vacation have different needs. The Magpix SX3, while rough around the edges, fulfills these needs quite ably and opens up new possibilities for naturalists and spectator-sports fans.

The SX3 is simply a pair of 10X binoculars wedded with a 3-megapixel digital camera with some light correction and the ability to shoot 320 x 240-pixel AVI videos. The lenses are ruby coated for glare reduction, and there are three focus settings for the camera and a finer setting wheel for the binoculars.

The binocular's body has rubber pads to ensure a firm grip, but the case isn't waterproof, so don't bother taking it on your white-water rafting trip. There is a small black-and-white LCD on the back which displays the number of pictures remaining, resolution, and image delete functions. What you won't find is a color LCD, so you'll have to wait until you transfer your images to a PC using the USB connection before you can review your shots properly.

These binocs have two resolution modes, standard 3-megapixel and a slightly interpolated 10X format, which translates to about 2.1 megapixels with improved shutter speed. Magpix designates the 10X mode for action shots.

During our tests, the SX3 handled well under natural and electric light. Because it has no flash, there is no way to take pictures at dusk or later, but we were able to get some shots in low light without much noise or color bleeding. Magpix includes a light guide, which reduces light turbulence and glare and fits over the camera attachment between the binocular lenses. Like a lens hood, the guide is a narrow tube that keeps out incidental glare and, to some extent, improves overall brightness. It is especially useful in full sunlight.

The SX3 is designed specifically for outdoor use, which means capturing your favorite basketball player mid-dunk or concert performer mid-encore is out of the question. Still, it is excellent for those who want to take stadium action shots or snaps of the Cape May warbler in her natural habitat. The rest of us are better off with a digital camera with a color LCD screen and maybe a pair of opera glasses.