Nikon Prostaff P3 10x30 vs Nikon Action EX 8x40
Quick take: The Nikon Prostaff P3 10x30 reaches farther (10x vs 8x); the Nikon Action EX 8x40 has a wider field of view (430 vs 346 ft @ 1000 yds); the Nikon Action EX 8x40 gathers more light with a larger 40mm objective.
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
At $160 each, price settles nothing here, and shape settles almost everything. The Prostaff P3 10x30 is a 16.4 oz roof compact that lives in a daypack; the Action EX 8x40 is a 30.1 oz porro that wants two hands and a proper bag. Know up front that the Action EX is discontinued, so it may be hard to find new, and a used one should be checked for collimation, since owners warn that a hard knock can push porro prisms out of alignment.
In any light short of bright sun, the bigger glass wins. The Action EX has a 5.0mm exit pupil and a 430 ft field against the P3's 3.0mm and 346 ft, and owners describe its view as extra wide with very bright colors, softening only in roughly the outer 20% of the field. P3 10x30 owners are candid about the other side: the image dims in forest shade and at dusk, and 10x in a body this light shows every hand tremor, with no tripod socket to fix it. Glasses wearers do fine with both, though the Action EX's 17.2mm of eye relief is the more generous number.
The P3's case is that it gets carried. Owners say it is light enough that bringing it is never a debate, it is waterproof and fogproof, and its 8.2 ft close focus beats the Action EX's 16.4 ft, even if owners still call close focus a weak point. For travel, stadium seats and daylight hikes it is the better tool. For dawn birding, casual stargazing from the yard, or anyone who wants the brighter, steadier image and doesn't mind the bulk, the Action EX is the stronger binocular, provided you can still find a good one.
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x30
Best if weight and packability come first: a 16.4 oz compact for travel, hikes and stadium seats, used mostly in good daylight.
Nikon Action EX 8x40
Worth tracking down for dawn, dusk and casual stargazing if you can find one in good shape; it is discontinued, so new stock may be scarce and alignment should be checked on arrival.
| Spec | Nikon Prostaff P3 10x30 | Nikon Action EX 8x40 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$160 | ~$160 |
| Use case | General Purpose | General Purpose |
| Magnification | 10x | 8x |
| Objective | 30mm | 40mm |
| Exit pupil | 3.0mm | 5.0mm |
| Field of view | 346 ft @ 1000 yds | 430 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 15.4mm | 17.2mm |
| Close focus | 8.2 ft | 16.4 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Porro |
| Glass | Standard | Eco-Glass |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 16.4 oz | 30.1 oz |
| Dimensions | 4.8 x 4.5 in | 5.4 x 7.4 in |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime | Limited Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x30
- ✗ED Glass
- ✗Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✗Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
Nikon Action EX 8x40
- ✗ED Glass
- ✗Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
What birders say
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x30
- ✓Outstanding price-to-quality ratio - it topped a major 'best binoculars' roundup as the overall pick, with testers calling the value unmatched at around $90-100
- ✓Genuinely light and packable - at 16.4 ounces it was among the lightest models in comparative testing, disappearing into a daypack or hanging all day without neck strain
- ✓Real 10x reach in a compact body - unusual at this size and price, and the main reason people pick it over 8x25-class pocket binoculars
- ✓Nikon's multilayer coatings deliver clarity that reviewers describe as spectacular for the class - clearly better than typical gas-station compacts
- ✓Comfortable eye relief for a budget compact - testers specifically noted eyeglass wearers can use it comfortably with the eyecups down, an upgrade-tier feature at this price
- ✓Fully waterproof, fogproof, and drop-resistant - most sub-$100 compacts skip real sealing entirely
- ✓Versatile across use cases - owners use the same pair for birding, concerts, sports, and travel, and reviewers highlight it as a do-most-things binocular
- ✓Grippy rubber armor makes it secure in hand despite the small frame
- ✗The 3mm exit pupil is the fundamental trade-off - the image dims noticeably in forest shade, heavy overcast, and dusk, when a 42mm binocular is still working fine
- ✗Minimum focus distance is a recurring criticism in reviews - it limits usefulness for butterflies, insects, and close-range nature observation
- ✗10x magnification in a 15-ounce body is hard to hold steady - hand shake is more visible than beginners expect, and there's no tripod socket to fix it
- ✗No ED glass or phase-corrected prisms, so contrast and color fringing lag behind step-up compacts like the Monarch M7 8x30
- ✗Reviewers note advanced birders will quickly want more brightness and a bigger window than this configuration can offer
- ✗Small 30mm objectives punish imperfect eye placement - the view blacks out more easily than with a full-size binocular
- ✗Stiff focus action out of the box is a family trait of the P3 line, and it matters more when tracking birds at 10x
- ✗No tripod adaptability, unlike its full-size P3 siblings
Nikon Action EX 8x40
- ✓Exceptionally wide 430 ft (8.2 degree) field of view - forum users describe the view as extra wide with extremely bright colors
- ✓17.2mm eye relief is outstanding at this price and lets eyeglass wearers see the whole field
- ✓Fully waterproof, fogproof, and nitrogen purged - real weather sealing that the cheaper Aculon line lacks
- ✓Owners who have both lines prefer the Action EX over the Aculon: improved eyepieces, a larger and clearer sweet spot, and less chromatic aberration
- ✓BaK-4 Porro prisms deliver the bright, deep, 3D image quality that makes porros beloved at budget prices
- ✓Reviewers call it an outstanding entry-level binocular - optically good and robustly weather resistant for the money
- ✓Rugged rubber-armored body that shrugs off field abuse
- ✓Tripod adaptable, and the bright wide field makes it a pleasant casual astronomy glass too
- ✗Edge sharpness is the known trade-off - astronomy users report stars blurring in roughly the outer 20% of that huge field
- ✗Heavy for an 8x40 at 30.1 oz - over half a pound more than typical 42mm roof binoculars
- ✗Classic Porro bulk: wide, boxy, and not remotely pocketable or compact around the neck
- ✗Porro prisms are more susceptible to going out of collimation if dropped or knocked - owners advise checking alignment on arrival
- ✗Optics are good but not high-end - no ED glass, so some color fringing appears on high-contrast subjects
- ✗Newer Chinese-made ED roof binoculars at similar prices have eroded its once-unbeatable value position
- ✗16.4 ft close focus is poor for butterflies, dragonflies, or feeder-distance birding
- ✗An aging design in a Nikon lineup that keeps shuffling, so availability and pricing fluctuate
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x30 vs Nikon Action EX 8x40: common questions
Is the Nikon Action EX 8x40 still worth buying now that it is discontinued?▾
Yes, if you find one in good condition. It may be hard to find new, and owners recommend checking alignment as soon as it arrives because porro prisms can be knocked out of collimation by a drop. If none turn up, the Prostaff P3 10x30 is the one of the pair you can still buy easily.
Which is better in low light, the Prostaff P3 10x30 or the Action EX 8x40?▾
The Action EX 8x40, by a wide margin. Its 5.0mm exit pupil is far larger than the P3's 3.0mm, and P3 owners say the image dims noticeably in forest shade, heavy overcast and dusk while a bigger binocular keeps working.
Can you hold the Prostaff P3 10x30 steady at 10x?▾
For short looks in daylight, yes, but owners say hand shake is more visible than beginners expect in a body this light, and there is no tripod socket. The 8x Action EX is steadier to hand-hold and is tripod adaptable, at nearly twice the weight.