Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42 vs Nikon Action EX 10x50
Quick take: The Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42 costs $20 less; the Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42 has a wider field of view (367 vs 341 ft @ 1000 yds); the Nikon Action EX 10x50 gathers more light with a larger 50mm objective.
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
Stargazers get a clear answer from this pair, and it is not the roof prism. The Action EX 10x50 is the budget porro astronomy owners keep recommending: 50mm objectives, a 5.0mm exit pupil, a waterproof, nitrogen-purged body that can sit in dewy grass, and click-stop eyecups with 17.2mm of eye relief that glasses wearers praise. Owners do flag a soft outer third, some coma near the edge on stars, and visible color on the moon. The real catches are weight and availability. At 36.0 oz it is a harness or tripod binocular, and it is discontinued, so it may be hard to find new; check the alignment of any used one.
The Prostaff P3 10x42 costs $20 less, weighs 20.6 oz, and is the one you can carry all day and still buy new. Owners call it bright for the price and crisp in the center, and it is tripod adaptable. They also report yellow-magenta fringing on high-contrast edges, softness toward the top and bottom of the field, a stiff focus knob, and trouble for glasses wearers at 15.7mm of eye relief. Its 9.8 ft close focus is long, though far shorter than the Action EX's 23 ft.
Both are 10x, so hand shake shows on either, and Action EX owners mostly brace on a car roof or mount it for sky sessions. For hunting on foot, travel or a truck binocular, the P3 is the sensible choice. For the yard, the boat deck and the night sky, where weight matters less than light, the Action EX is the better glass if a good one turns up.
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42
For a hunter or hiker who wants 10x reach at 20.6 oz from a model still sold new, and who doesn't glass through eyeglasses.
Nikon Action EX 10x50
Worth the search for beginning stargazers and boaters who want the brighter 50mm view and can live with 36.0 oz; it is discontinued, so new stock may be hard to find.
| Spec | Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42 | Nikon Action EX 10x50 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$170 | ~$190 |
| Use case | General Purpose | General Purpose |
| Magnification | 10x | 10x |
| Objective | 42mm | 50mm |
| Exit pupil | 4.2mm | 5.0mm |
| Field of view | 367 ft @ 1000 yds | 341 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 15.7mm | 17.2mm |
| Close focus | 9.8 ft | 23 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Porro |
| Glass | Standard | Eco-Glass |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 20.6 oz | 36.0 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.8 x 5.1 in | 7.0 x 7.7 in |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime | Limited Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✗Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
Nikon Action EX 10x50
- ✗ED Glass
- ✗Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
What birders say
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42
- ✓Genuinely bright for the price - independent lab testing measured light transmission well above similarly priced 10x42 competitors, and owners describe the view as 'crisp for the price' more often than any other compliment
- ✓Comfortable, well-balanced handling - at around 21 ounces with grippy rubber armor and a slimmer frame than most full-size binoculars, reviewers single out the ergonomics as a strength in this class
- ✓Real waterproofing and fogproofing at a $120 price point where many competitors only claim 'weather resistant'
- ✓Nikon's optical pedigree shows in the center of the image - fully multi-coated lenses give better sharpness in the middle of the field than most bargain-bin glass
- ✓Drop-resistant build that owners trust as a truck or backpack binocular they don't have to baby
- ✓Fully multi-coated optics at a price where some competitors still ship partially coated lenses
- ✓Tripod adaptable, which is unusual and welcome at this tier if you want steadier 10x views
- ✓Strong value reputation - it's regularly recommended on forums as a safe first binocular from a name brand, versus gambling on no-name imports
- ✗Visible chromatic aberration - reviewers note yellow and magenta color fringing on high-contrast subjects like birds against bright sky, which is where budget glass without ED elements shows its limits
- ✗No phase-corrected prisms - the P3 uses silver-coated prisms without phase correction, so contrast and resolution lag behind the Prostaff P7 and other step-up models
- ✗Eye relief around 15.7mm is tight for eyeglass wearers - glasses-wearing reviewers reported difficulty seeing the full field of view with this 10x42 version
- ✗Close focus of about 9.8 feet is long, ruling out butterflies, dragonflies, and close feeder birds
- ✗Focus knob is described as stiff out of the box and merely average after break-in - tracking fast-moving birds takes practice
- ✗The 367 ft field is nearly as wide as the 8x42's 377 ft, but 10x shake still makes finding and following subjects harder than with the 8x version
- ✗Noticeable softness and distortion toward the top and bottom edges of the image, per hands-on testing
- ✗Birders on forums note a real loss of contrast compared to mid-tier models - it's an entry point, not an endpoint, and many owners upgrade within a couple of years
Nikon Action EX 10x50
- ✓A cult favorite on astronomy forums - stargazers call sharp star fields and open clusters 'absolutely fantastic' for the price
- ✓Fully waterproof and nitrogen-purged, the crucial upgrade over the cheaper Aculon A211 porro line
- ✓Big 50mm objectives plus porro-prism brightness make it a genuine low-light and night-sky performer under $200
- ✓Excellent 17mm-class eye relief with click-stop twist-up eyecups - unusually glasses-friendly for a big porro
- ✓Aspherical eyepiece lenses keep the central image crisp with minimal distortion
- ✓Textured rubber armor and hefty build that owners describe as tank-like - many report a decade-plus of service
- ✓Balances surprisingly well in two hands for a 50mm glass, with a wide comfortable stance
- ✓Tripod-adaptable, which astronomy owners consider essential at 10x magnification
- ✗Heavy - well over 2 pounds, so all-day neck carry is punishing and most owners move to a harness or tripod
- ✗Outer third of the field goes soft, with stars near the edge showing coma and seagull shapes
- ✗Chromatic aberration is visible on the moon, bright planets, and high-contrast daytime edges
- ✗10x magnification amplifies hand shake - steady views really require bracing or a tripod
- ✗Bulky porro body won't fit any jacket pocket and needs a real bag for transport
- ✗A few long-term owners report optical degradation (increased coma) after years of hard use
- ✗Focus wheel can stiffen in cold weather - a repeated complaint from winter stargazers
- ✗Nikon officially positions it as a daytime instrument, so astronomy performance, while loved, isn't guaranteed by design
Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42 vs Nikon Action EX 10x50: common questions
Is the Action EX 10x50 better than the Prostaff P3 10x42 for astronomy?▾
Yes. Owners treat the Action EX 10x50 as one of the most-recommended budget astronomy binoculars, with sharp stars across the central field and a waterproof build that copes with dew. The P3 10x42's 4.2mm exit pupil is smaller, and its owners mention color fringing on high-contrast edges.
Which works better with eyeglasses, the Prostaff P3 10x42 or the Action EX 10x50?▾
The Action EX 10x50. Its 17.2mm of eye relief and click-stop eyecups give glasses wearers a full or near-full field, owners say, while glasses-wearing reviewers had trouble seeing the whole field through the P3 10x42's 15.7mm.
Is the Nikon Action EX 10x50 too heavy for hiking?▾
For most people, yes. At 36.0 oz, owners say all-day neck carry is punishing, and most move to a harness or keep it in the car or on the deck. The Prostaff P3 10x42 at 20.6 oz is the one to take on a trail.