Honoring the Classics, Breaking Boundaries — The Birth of the SRBC APO 32mm Binoculars
Redefining the Ultra-Wide-Angle Binocular Experience through Optical Innovation
SRBC 32APO Binoculars
The Inspiration: A Tribute — and a Breakthrough
At the end of World War II, the SARD Mark 43 binoculars captivated a generation with their groundbreaking wide field of view and immersive visual experience. Many seasoned enthusiasts have since urged us to revive its spirit. Yet the original MK43's excessive size and weight are no match for today's market dominated by compact roof-prism binoculars. Even Nikon’s highly advanced WX series —released in 2017 for its centennial celebration—left many daunted by its size and weight despite its remarkable specifications.
Good optics, wide field of view, and compact size are always irreconcilable contradictions.
As shown in our earlier development road map for the APO series, a 32mm model was never originally planned. Not only were there challenges in optical design, but the oversized prisms and large eyepieces also resulted in excessive weight, going against the portability that people care a lot about.
We had to break away from conventional design thinking. If we couldn’t reduce the size, why not re-engineer the entire optical design?
After countless simulations and experiments, we developed an entirely new optical architecture that delivers an actual 12.1° field of view—slightly wider than the MK43(11.8° ) and just below the Soviet BPO 8x30 (13°). With this field of view, the aperture that could be achieved just happened to be 32mm. It felt almost destined. A familiar aperture paired with a field of view rarely seen.
Thus, a revolutionary new breed of binoculars — the 32APO — is beginning to take shape. While it belongs to the Banner Cloud APO series, its groundbreaking new design redefines what a 32mm ultra-wide-angle binocular can be.
The Breakthrough: Three Core Innovations
- A New Low-Magnification, Wide-Angle Optical Structure.
By reducing magnification to 6x, we fully leveraged the light-gathering potential
of large prisms. The redesigned objective group and eyepiece enabled an actual 12.1° field of view (with lab tests reaching 12.2°). Even with the low-magnification design, star points remain razor-sharp, etched with precision across the entire field of view, from center to the edge. The image quality is fully on par with the rest of the APO series.
- System-Wide Light Transmission Optimization
With a completely new optical layout and nano-level FBMC coatings, the system achieves a peak light transmission of 92%. The actual light transmission is no less than the other models of APO series.
- Lightweight Structural Design
After multiple rounds of mechanical iteration and investment in new molds, the final design employs a magnesium alloy frame and internal weight-saving structures. The final weight is compressed to just 760g* (in float-observation mode without eyecups), and 795g* with twist-up eyecups attached, delivering a sweeping sky-surveying with balanced, comfortable handling.
*Due to improvements in the manufacturing process, there may be slight variations in weight.
So why insist, and work extra hard on an ultra-wide angle binocular with a smaller aperture?
Our answer is:
The true value of binoculars isn’t in chasing specs for their own sake. It’s about creating a closer, more visceral connection between people and the natural world.
Yes, larger optics can reveal more distant and dimmer detail. But they also come with physical burdens that distance users, especially beginners or casual explorers, from spontaneous, joyful observation.
We believe the true essence of a binocular is to make the awe-inspiring beauty of nature easily accessible to more people—regardless of their experience or physical strength—and to let them feel that pure, heartfelt sense of wonder.
That’s why we created the SRBC 32APO—a true “performance beast”. Within its small form factor, it delivers a stunningly ultra-wide view. Not a compromise, but a carefully considered design philosophy of deliberate trade-offs: sacrifice a bit of compactness (compared to large-aperture wide angles), but gain a stunning sense of space and immersion through a low-magnification. When you look through it and lift your gaze, the vastness of nature no longer needs to be searched for—the vast beauty rushes in to meet you. And isn’t that what binoculars are meant to offer? Effortless, yet deeply moving?
The SRBC 32APO is more than a product. It’s a bold challenge to optical convention—proving that small apertures can deliver a grand, wide field of view, and lightweight builds don’t have to sacrifice premium image quality. At the cost of countless multiple optical and mechanical molds, we turned the impossible into reality in the end.
Now, it can rest quietly in your palm, ready to bring back that very first moment you glimpsed the Milky Way through binoculars.