Have I got it right?

[markb]

Looking around for reviews etc preparing me for my next purchase of a pair of binoculars I'm coming to the opinoin that most mid-priced pairs are in fact the same with the odd cosmetic difference, regardless of the brand name, and are made by one or two Japanese manufacturers, the real difference being the mark up and marketing effort that the brand name then applies to "their" binoculars.

The higher priced ones are actually made by the maufacturers themeselves who inturn regulate the price that these are offerd at though a system of dealership pricing which effectively keeps the prices high and avoids discounting.

Have I lost touch with reality or is this is the way it is?

[J. Moore]

I am sure some will view it that way; but I am not an expert on the optics industry and do not really know. However, I would be wary of taking at face value unsupported comments made on these forums regarding manufacture, etc.

In any event, my impression is that many binoculars in a particular price class -- cheap, midpriced, or expensive -- are pretty similar in many respects. However, reviews of midpriced binoculars do find pretty substantial differences in optics and ergonomics between them. And all I personally worry about is which ones look to be the best in the price range I am looking at. Here are some links to reviews of midpriced binoculars if you are interested:

http://www.birdwatching.com/optics.html
There are a number of excellent articles on this page. In particular, check out the Midpriced Binocular Roundup link with the accompanying chart, as well as the "Binocular Picks for Every Price Range" chart.

http://www.betterviewdesired.com/index.php

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/LivingBird/Winter2005/Age_Binos.html

Hope this helps,
Jim

[ThoLa]

Looking around for reviews etc preparing me for my next purchase of a pair of binoculars I'm coming to the opinoin that most mid-priced pairs are in fact the same with the odd cosmetic difference, regardless of the brand name, and are made by one or two Japanese manufacturers, the real difference being the mark up and marketing effort that the brand name then applies to "their" binoculars.



Have I lost touch with reality or is this is the way it is?

Hello!
No. In fact it is quite the opposite. In the mid price region chaos reigns. There are models which are very good, and which offer a very high level of performance close to that of the top-enders. Unfortunately, and often not recognizable immediately by us customers, there are grossly overpriced, lousy instruments.
If you buy very cheaply, you are safe; if you buy very expensive stuff, you can trust to get excellent quality. In between it's a gamble.
This is borne out by impartial lab tests!

Regards, Tom

[markb]

Thanks for the replies so far, not meaning to stir up a hornets nest here. I'm usually in the "You get what you pay for camp" and have been very happy with that philosophy so far.

Currently very pleased with my Leica's but looking for a good quality mid-priced pair as my wife seems to have taken a shine to them. I could do with something to look through whilst lugging the scope about.

I know that in the end I'll just have to bite the bullet and trust that the "These feel right for me" option means whatever else it was down my decision to part with my hard earned and not to think that I could have paid a bit less for the same thing in different guise. After all I suppose it's true of everything from cars to TV sets to the price that you pay for beans.

[ThoLa]

Thanks for the replies so far, not meaning to stir up a hornets nest here. I'm usually in the "You get what you pay for camp" and have been very happy with that philosophy so far.

Currently very pleased with my Leica's but looking for a good quality mid-priced pair as my wife seems to have taken a shine to them. I could do with something to look through whilst lugging the scope about.

I know that in the end I'll just have to bite the bullet and trust that the "These feel right for me" option means whatever else it was down my decision to part with my hard earned and not to think that I could have paid a bit less for the same thing in different guise. After all I suppose it's true of everything from cars to TV sets to the price that you pay for beans.

I attach a pdf.
You may no like the language, ;)
but it will suffice if you just have a look at the + and - signs in the table.
Maybe it helps.
Tom

[markb]

Hi Tom, can't see the PDF attachment, I really must need those new binoculars rather more quickly than I thought!

[ThoLa]

Hi Tom, can't see the PDF attachment, I really must need those new binoculars rather more quickly than I thought!

maybe the file was too big.
If you like a copy of the pdf, drop me a line at
789-00 'at' web.de
I#ll send it by e-mail.
Thomas