Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42 vs Athlon Argos G2 HD 10x42
Quick take: The Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42 costs $7 less; the Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42 has a wider field of view (367 vs 319 ft @ 1000 yds).
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
Seven dollars apart, both 10x42 roof prisms aimed at hunters, both with a 4.2mm exit pupil: the choice comes down to field, weight and glass. The Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42 shows 367 ft at 1000 yards against the Athlon Argos G2 HD's 319 ft, weighs 21.2 oz against 25.5 oz, and focuses down to 9.8 ft against 13 ft. Those are real advantages for anyone tracking moving game or birds, and owners praise the P7's slim bridge, easy hinge and locking diopter.
The Athlon answers with glass and warranty. It has HD glass and dielectric prism coatings, and owners who cross-shop Vortex and Nikon say its color-fringing control rivals pricier pairs. P7 owners, by contrast, report false color on bright, high-contrast edges and edge sharpness that trails ED-glass step-ups. Athlon's unconditional lifetime warranty is the other draw owners bring up; Nikon's is a limited lifetime warranty.
Neither is flawless. P7 owners call the eyecups cheap and rattly and mention flare when viewing toward the sun. Argos owners mention a plasticky housing, slipping objective covers, a short strap and some fringing on dark subjects in low light. Eye relief is snug on both, 15.7mm on the Nikon and 16.1mm on the Athlon, so glasses wearers would do better with the 8x version of either.
The Nikon's much wider view is the bigger everyday advantage, so it gets the nod for most buyers. The Athlon is the exception for someone who glasses from one spot, is bothered by color fringing, and values the stronger warranty.
Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42
Best if you follow moving game or birds: the 367 ft field and 21.2 oz body make a 10x easier to live with.
Athlon Argos G2 HD 10x42
For glassing from one spot, where cleaner color and an unconditional lifetime warranty count for more than field width or carry weight.
| Spec | Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42 | Athlon Argos G2 HD 10x42 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$230 | ~$237 |
| Use case | Hunting | Hunting |
| Magnification | 10x | 10x |
| Objective | 42mm | 42mm |
| Exit pupil | 4.2mm | 4.2mm |
| Field of view | 367 ft @ 1000 yds | 319 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 15.7mm | 16.1mm |
| Close focus | 9.8 ft | 13 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Roof |
| Glass | Standard | HD |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 21.2 oz | 25.5 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.7 x 5.1 in | 5.6 x 5.0 in |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime | Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✓Locking Diopter
Athlon Argos G2 HD 10x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✓Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
What birders say
Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42
- ✓Punches above its price on prism quality - phase-corrected, dielectric-coated prisms are features that used to require Monarch money, and reviewers say they eliminate the dull, low-contrast look of cheap roof prisms
- ✓Genuinely sharp center image - an astronomy-focused review called it 'very sharp' and noted it holds its own against classic porro-prism binoculars on the night sky
- ✓Surprisingly capable for stargazing - testers found no false-color halos around the Moon, Jupiter, or bright stars, with subtle star colors rendering well despite the lack of ED glass
- ✓Light and compact for a full-size 10x42 at about 21.2 ounces, with a slim bridge and manageable hinge that side-by-side testers preferred to the stiffer Vortex Diamondback HD
- ✓Close focus of 9.8 feet, the same as the Prostaff P3 - fine for distant birds, too long for butterflies
- ✓Locking diopter at a sub-$200 price, a feature usually reserved for more expensive glass
- ✓Named an editor's choice for best hunting binocular under $200, with reviewers praising the rugged, nitrogen-sealed, waterproof build
- ✓In three-way forum comparisons against the Vortex Diamondback HD, testers found sharpness essentially equal with the Nikon lighter and easier to handle
- ✗No ED glass - some false color shows up in daytime viewing on bright, high-contrast edges and specular reflections, which is exactly where the Monarch M5's ED elements pull ahead
- ✗Eyepiece build feels cheap - a side-by-side forum tester described the P7's eyecups as 'cheap and rattly' compared to the Monarch M5's
- ✗Edge-to-edge sharpness trails the Monarch M5 in direct comparisons - the ED-glass Monarch holds detail further into the field
- ✗Eye relief drops from a generous 20.2mm on the 8x42 to 15.7mm on this 10x42 - still workable for glasses but noticeably less forgiving
- ✗The 4.2mm exit pupil gives up meaningful low-light performance versus the 8x42, a real cost for a binocular marketed at hunters who glass at dawn and dusk
- ✗Glare handling is imperfect - reviewers of the Prostaff line have noted sun spots and flare artifacts when viewing toward direct sunlight
- ✗At 367 ft the field is close to the 8x42's 377 ft, but the 4.2mm exit pupil and 10x shake lose the easy feel that makes the 8x42 P7 such a simple recommendation
- ✗Sits in an awkward spot for upgraders - forum threads repeatedly conclude that another $70-90 gets you the Monarch M5's ED glass, leaving the P7 as the 'almost' choice
Athlon Argos G2 HD 10x42
- ✓Same optical formula the All About Birds testers rated a 'Solid Choice' in 8x42 form — bright, true-color image with minimal edge distortion
- ✓10x magnification pulls in the extra reach hunters want for reading antlers and picking apart distant hillsides
- ✓Twist-up eyecups with multiple stops work for both eyeglass and non-eyeglass users
- ✓Under 23 oz — light for a 10x42, which matters when it hangs on your chest all day during a hunt
- ✓Smooth, consistent focus wheel that's easy to run with cold fingers or light gloves
- ✓Phase-corrected BaK-4 prisms with dielectric coatings punch above the roughly $240 price
- ✓Owners cross-shopping Vortex and Nikon repeatedly note the chromatic aberration control rivals more expensive pairs
- ✓Athlon's unconditional lifetime warranty — frequently mentioned by hunters as the reason to gamble on the cheaper brand
- ✗319-foot field of view is noticeably tighter than the 8x42's 371 feet, making birds in flight and moving game harder to track
- ✗Eye relief drops to 16.1mm — workable but snug for eyeglass wearers who got the full field from the 8x version
- ✗4.2mm exit pupil dims faster at dawn and dusk, exactly when hunters need it most
- ✗10x hand-shake is real; without bracing or a tripod adapter, fine detail at distance shimmers
- ✗Same plasticky housing feel that made expert reviewers question long-term durability
- ✗Forum users describe the optics as a step below Vortex Diamondback level — fine at the price, but not a giant-killer
- ✗Objective covers and short neck strap draw the same complaints as the rest of the Argos line
- ✗Subtle green/red fringing on dark subjects in low light, slightly more visible at 10x than 8x
Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42 vs Athlon Argos G2 HD 10x42: common questions
Does the Athlon Argos G2 HD 10x42 show less color fringing than the Nikon Prostaff P7 10x42?▾
By owner accounts, yes. Argos owners say its fringing control rivals more expensive pairs, though some see green and red edges on dark subjects in low light. P7 owners report false color on bright, high-contrast edges because it has no ED glass.
Which is easier to carry all day, the Prostaff P7 10x42 or the Argos G2 HD 10x42?▾
The Prostaff P7 10x42, at 21.2 oz against 25.5 oz for the Athlon. P7 owners also like its slim bridge and easy hinge, which matters when a binocular hangs on your chest through a long hunt.
Do the Prostaff P7 10x42 and Argos G2 HD 10x42 work with eyeglasses?▾
Both are borderline. The Nikon has 15.7mm of eye relief and the Athlon 16.1mm, and owners of each say glasses wearers can lose some of the field. If you always glass with glasses on, the 8x42 version of either is the more comfortable choice.