new lightweight bins

[jforgham]

Hi ALL,
After a little advice before I trudge off round shops, which is not a favourite pastime of mine. My grandaughter is 8 soon and mad keen on birding. Her bins at present are next to useless and I plan to buy her a new 7x or 8x lightweight pair. Max budget £50.00. A feature that would help her would be quick focussing along with wide angle and obviously good optics. Yep, I agree, a big ask for the budget. Does anyone have suggestions as to what are good and not for this price range.
All suggestions gratefully received. Thanks,
Jono

[scampo]

Saw this on Warehouse Express - I've never been let down by Nikon. The only possible problem when buying any bins designed for adults for a youngster is the interpupillary distance, I suppose (i.e. are their eyes far enough apart?). There is also a pair by Bushnell called "Off Trail" that look a bit more funky but, I think the Nikons look the business:

Nikon (http://www.warehouseexpress.com/Images/tables/red_table/trc_1.gif) Travelite V 8x25

Aspherical lenses for minimising distortion and providing a sharp image up to the periphery
• Long eyerelief design for clear field of view, even for wearers of eyeglasses
• Multilayer coated lenses for a bright image
• Special rubber armour for shock resistance and firm, comfortable grip
• Carbon fibre in the body material improves durability
• Small, lightweight and ergonomic design
• Click-type dioptre adjustment ring (0.5 dpt. step) prevents unwitting rotation.

• Magnification : 8x
• Dia : 25mm
• Exit pupil : 3.1mm
• Weight : 255g
• Dimensions : 118mm x 115mm
• Type : Porro prism
• Field of view : 98m @ 1000m
• Closest focus : 3.0m

RRP £109.99

Special Offer £49.99

[Tero]

Reverse porros, 8x25, Opticron..Taiga?..or the Nikon as Scampo listed. It is actually a wonder the Travelites don't come in a 7x, as almost nobody buys the 12x.

[jforgham]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for this. Shall check out the Nikons and get busy on face and eye expanding techniques on the wonderous child. She keeps a garden list and is frequently to be found at the backdoor watching GSW's on the bird feeders. emails me with news of all new sightings. Origin of interest? RSPB garden bird watch I did with her when she was 4.
Jono

[scampo]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for this. Shall check out the Nikons and get busy on face and eye expanding techniques on the wonderous child. She keeps a garden list and is frequently to be found at the backdoor watching GSW's on the bird feeders. emails me with news of all new sightings. Origin of interest? RSPB garden bird watch I did with her when she was 4.
Jono
I see the Nikons are a genuine offer - they're £89-00 elsewhere (at In Focus, for example). The Taiga's are supposed to be excellent - but they are above your price range.

[jforgham]

I see the Nikons are a genuine offer - they're £89-00 elsewhere (at In Focus, for example). The Taiga's are supposed to be excellent - but they are above your price range.

Hi, Just checked this out too. Good price so shall pop home for plastic and snap up a pair. If grandaughter can't get on with them then glove compartment of car seems like a suitable home. Like the Strawbs album cover. Interest or just a good pic of k/fisher. They played at the Great British Beer festival this year. First saw Dave Cousins at Charnock Richard/Chorley folk fest 1976. Good gig came on before Alan Stivell and after Jack the Lad
Jono

[FrankD]

May I suggest the Leupold Yosemite 6x30s? I believe they were designed for just this type of application. They have an exceptionally wide field of view (420 feet) and very good depth of field (requires little focusing) because of the porro prism design and 6x magnification.

Build quality is very good to excellent for the price and the optics are better than anything else I have seen at this price point ($90-$100 US). The link below is to a raffle for a pair but there are plenty of internet sites (Eagle Optics, etc...) that carry them.

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/bwd_corporate/giveaway.aspx

[scampo]

Hi, Just checked this out too. Good price so shall pop home for plastic and snap up a pair. If grandaughter can't get on with them then glove compartment of car seems like a suitable home. Like the Strawbs album cover. Interest or just a good pic of k/fisher. They played at the Great British Beer festival this year. First saw Dave Cousins at Charnock Richard/Chorley folk fest 1976. Good gig came on before Alan Stivell and after Jack the Lad
JonoI haven't heard them in years but I love their old album, "Brave New World", from which:

On Growing Older
David Cousins

The scarecrow stood with his head held high
Admiring the view from the hill
The waterfall scattered its glistening jewels
As the heron stood gracefully still
It seemed I looked without seeing
I failed to grasp what I saw
For all of nature’s beautiful gifts
I blissfully chose to ignore

As sandy beaches and soft swelling tides
Invite the inquisitive young
And caviar, oysters and paté de fois
Invite the discerning tongue
So comes the desire to be lost a while
In the depths of the forest glade
Midst the cool deep greens
Where ancient oaks
Cast wondrous spells in their shade

And if I sometimes feel
In retrospect
A regret for the waste of my youth
Then I pause to reflect
That I still have time
Before growing long in the tooth
To achieve all the things
That I should have achieved
When idleness led me astray
And being aware of what I have missed
I’m extending my use of the day.

The Strawbs (1971)

[pduxon]

I see the Nikons are a genuine offer - they're £89-00 elsewhere (at In Focus, for example). The Taiga's are supposed to be excellent - but they are above your price range.


the Nikon's are being replaced with the Travelite EX (waterproof) which are £99 at IF.

the offer is a good one though Steve.

[Tero]

If the child wears glasses, the Travelite EX is better than the regular. Also waterproof. I think both are pretty rugged.

[swalker]

The Opticron Taiga are £57.85 at

http://www.focusonprice.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=5799&substring=taiga+2

Specifications 8x25
Field [m] 105
Min Focus [m] 2
Eyerelief [mm] 16
IPD [mm] 58~72
HxW [mm] 112x100
Weight [g] 302

The better close focus and field may be worth the extra £7.86.

[ceasar]

Get the Leupold Yosemite 6 x 30. The kid isn't going to know the difference between 6x, 7x, or 8x; but she sure will see the difference in the panoramic view the Yosemites will give her over the rest of those mentioned! And she'll notice their brightness in the late afternoon too.

See Andy Brights July 6, 2006 review of this binocular in the reviews of medium to small binoculars in the equipment review section herein.

Cordially,
Bob

[scampo]

The Opticron Taiga are £57.85 at

http://www.focusonprice.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=5799&substring=taiga+2

Specifications 8x25
Field [m] 105
Min Focus [m] 2
Eyerelief [mm] 16
IPD [mm] 58~72
HxW [mm] 112x100
Weight [g] 302

The better close focus and field may be worth the extra £7.86.
Hmm - they have a good reputation on this site. A quick search should reveal the past posts. That is a good price.

[hornet]

I am one of the frequent advocates for the Taigas - they are truly outstanding. Optically, to my eyes at least, they are as good as anything I've tried, including the high-end, big-name compact roofs (bulkier and not waterproof of course, but also 1/4 of the price!)

In fact, when I bought a pair for my parents at Christmas and was checking them against my other bins before wrapping them, I could swear their performance was virtually indistinguishable from my Trinovid 8x32.

Birdwatching magazine gave them 9/10 for optical performance last year. They have a slick, fast focus wheel and a slightly better field than the Nikons. If you want to try them on the high street, I know London Camera Exchange carry them, albeit for c. £85 rather than the £65 inc postage that focusonprice are offering.

Happy hunting.

[MacGee]

I am one of the frequent advocates for the Taigas - they are truly outstanding. Optically, to my eyes at least, they are as good as anything I've tried, including the high-end, big-name compact roofs (bulkier and not waterproof of course, but also 1/4 of the price!)

In fact, when I bought a pair for my parents at Christmas and was checking them against my other bins before wrapping them, I could swear their performance was virtually indistinguishable from my Trinovid 8x32.

Birdwatching magazine gave them 9/10 for optical performance last year. They have a slick, fast focus wheel and a slightly better field than the Nikons. If you want to try them on the high street, I know London Camera Exchange carry them, albeit for c. £85 rather than the £65 inc postage that focusonprice are offering.

Happy hunting.The Taiga have a minimum IPD of 58mm, which will likely be too big for an 8-year old girl. I compared the Nikon Travelite V 8x25 with the RSPB 8x25 Compact and I much preferred the RSPB. In fact the view through the Nikon, in contrast to the RSPB, was so small and tunnel-like, I actually thought the assistant had given me the 10x25s. I don't know what the IPD on the RSPB is (Viking are one of the companies that try to keep the information secret). Nikons generally tend to be 56mm. The big advantage of the Leupold Yosemite, is that they have a minimum IPD of 50. And of course, they have a large field of view, as already mentioned. £80-odd, but probably worth the stretch, if you can make it. Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Michael.

[pduxon]

good point about the ipd......

jono, trip up to titchwell to test them all at the RSPB shop and in-focus ? ;)

[jforgham]

Hi to all,
Thanks for all the advice. Knew I'd get plenty of food for thought from the best website going. Shall give all a go. Was at Titchwell last Thursday week. Great views of curlew sand and spent half an hour talking myself out of buying Leica scope. Thought of selling my aging BMW in the carpark but I fear divorce maybe too pricey!
Cheers to all
Jono.
PS Pete: if you're at a loose end tomorrow morning then there's a good little woodfest at Hatfield Forest tomorrow. Stortford bird group have a stall with a few old scopes etc trained on the lake for children to have a butchers through. Had a good afternoon there today albeit devoid of birds apart from a fly in mandarin drake. Tony and Mick will be there if you happen to pop in and I shall be around between 10 and 12.00 setting up the gazebo etc.
Jono

[jforgham]

Had a good day at the wood fest. All sorts of wood carving, turning etc going on. Also had a mandarin drake on the lake on the Staurday pm and better still a little stint on mud around the lake on Sunday morning. Could be first for the forest. Very confiding down to 5 yards.
Have bought a pair of the nikons at a good price. Shall find out next week when it's her birthday as to whether they are suitable.
Thanks to all,
Jono

[pduxon]

Had a good day at the wood fest. All sorts of wood carving, turning etc going on. Also had a mandarin drake on the lake on the Staurday pm and better still a little stint on mud around the lake on Sunday morning. Could be first for the forest. Very confiding down to 5 yards.
Have bought a pair of the nikons at a good price. Shall find out next week when it's her birthday as to whether they are suitable.
Thanks to all,
Jono

mutter mutter mutter stint kicks ground mutter

hey Jono sorry I couldn't make it. will meet up one day.