Recommendation on compacts bins

[Compactrod]

Need feedback on the bins below:

1. Zeiss Conquest 10x25T (this one is on offer US$345)
2. Leica Trinovid 10x25BCA
3. Leica Ultravid 10x25


This will complement my 15x56wb swaro.
I'm keen on Zeiss conquest becos of budget constraint but the near focus and fov is not wide. I wear glasses.

thanks

[ceasar]

They all have a narrow field of view in this format (10 x 25) and the eye relief is marginal on the 3 you note above. (14mm and 15mm). Suggest you look into 30 or 32mm binoculars for your 2nd pair. In 32mm you will find many more binoculars to chose from at 8x than 10x, and they will have significantly wider fields of view and better prices. You might like the Zeiss 8 x 30 Conquest.
http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=3900
Bob

[dalat]

Hi, better get an 8x20. Less shaky than the 10x and anyway you have an 15x already...
The Ultravid 8x20 is just great!

[Tero]

Better just carry that 15x56 till you figure out what you need.

An 8x42 would have been OK to start with, then you would need neither.

[Alexis Powell]

The 10x25 Conquest strap, strap attachment, and hang are awful, and its optics are not as good as the other two. The 10x25 Trinovid is nice, but the close focus really is 5 meters (~16 feet), no closer. The 10x25 Ultravid is superb, has excellent handling, extraordinary optics, and excellent close focus. I wear glasses and usually prefer 18mm eye relief but I find that all three of these work just fine for me, though the Ultravid is perhaps best in this respect as well.

--AP

[Tero]

Get the ProMaster or Hawke or other ED glass 10x42, as you are now used to 15x, a bit. The little ones will not keep you happy. For a pocket binocular, an 8x32 should work if you want to stick to top brands. But even a Pentax will give you a compromise of comapctness, eye relief and 95% of the optical qualities of the alpha
http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=4886

[Nick Elliston]

I have the 10×25 Ultravid and providing you can accept the narrrow FOV they are excellent.

[orbitaljump]

I picked up some Bushnell Legacy 8x24 Reverse Porros from SWFA and am very pleased with them. My sister will be getting a pair also.

[Compactrod]

Had tried and narrowed to the following 2 bins:
1. Nikon 8x30 EII
2. Leica 8x25 TRINOVID

Confused with the Nikon though.
Read that it's a discontinued model but nikon website shows it's new model. How many EII model so far?

Which one is better?

[Tero]

You said you tried them? I seem to remember that you wear glasses. Whichever was instantly better, get that one. It really is FOR YOU, nobody else can decide. Never mind the discontinued, it is sold in Asia and Europe.

[ceasar]

Had tried and narrowed to the following 2 bins:
1. Nikon 8x30 EII
2. Leica 8x25 TRINOVID

Confused with the Nikon though.
Read that it's a discontinued model but nikon website shows it's new model. How many EII model so far?

Which one is better?

The Nikon 8 x 30 EII has marginal eye relief for eye glass wearers. You will have to try it out first. It has a VERY wide field of view and this can alleviate the narrowing effect of wearing glasses somewhat. It's optics are 1st class, but it is not water proof. It's a superb binocular! I have 2 of them. I understand that they are still sold in the Orient. I also have the 8 x 20mm Trinovid. (Note that they have 20mm objectives not 25.) It's excellent but is also not waterproof. The Nikon 8 x 30 EII is a much more useful all-purpose binocular than the 8 x 20. It is much easier to use, brighter, and has a field of view about 130 feet wider at 1000 yards. That's alot! There is also a Nikon 10 x 35 EII model

Bob.

[Compactrod]

When I flex in the nikon (2 eyes piece together) it darkens. Have to open it up in order to use. It is normal for porro bins? Is the porro technology out of date? I had reserved the Nikon 8x30 EII. Need to decide by then, the trinovid or EII.

[ceasar]

When I flex in the nikon (2 eyes piece together) it darkens. Have to open it up in order to use. It is normal for porro bins? Is the porro technology out of date? I had reserved the Nikon 8x30 EII. Need to decide by then, the trinovid or EII.

When you say you "flex in" the eyepieces, does that mean that you are moving the 2 objective lens barrels closer together using the center hinge between them?

If this is what you are doing, it is normal. You are centering the "EXIT PUPIL" in the eyepieces directly over the pupils of your eyes. When they are centered exactly, the view will be brightest. There is a gauge on the end of the hinge that goes from 60mm to 70mm. When the view is at it's brightest to your eyes, look at the gauge. The measurement shown is the IPD or distance between the pupils of your eyes. This is where you should set it whenever you use the binocular. The technology is not out of date. It is used on all porro prism binoculars.

Bob