Hi all. My first post (after saying hello). My story and delimma:
I'm 62. Have had K-Mart Focal 7-15x35 zoom binoculars with Siam Cat Optics, made in Japan, for 35 years or so, picked them up on the way to a concert in Austin. I suspect they are made by Tasco. I also have some Oberwerk 15x70 (not Ultra) binoculars by brother gave me and recently got some never-opened Bushnell 7x35 Falcons for $20 on ebay including shipping as carry-in-the-car binoculars.
I recently moved to a mini-ranch at the foot of the Organ Mountains in Southern New Mexico, near Las Cruces, which is near El Paso. This is my first time to live out of town and I was delighted at all of the birds! Cactus Wrens, Curved Beak Thrashers, Western Meadowlarks, Ladderback Woodpeckers, Swainson's Hawks, and many many others. I bought some books to identify them. Some I only hear (like the pair of owls at night in the winter months).
So.....my old K-Mart binoculars seemed a bit worn as the zoom lever has a bit of play. The Oberwerks just don't work for birds, but I will be mounting them on a tripod for the amazing stars out here and maybe they will work for birds a little.
So I wanted to buy some new binoculars, and got some Nikon Action 7-15x35 zoom binoculars, never used, on Ebay. I was disappointed. They are made in China though they say Japan Vision on them. The zoom lever has no resistance at all. It seems as if it doesn't have any mechanism inside. The K-Mart Focals' zoom lever has a nice feel of moving a mechanism inside. I prefer the heft, solidness, and mechanisms' feel on the K-Marts to the newer Nikon Actions a LOT.
For all I know the Nikon's are great binoculars. I just don't know enough to know. I bought some 9x35 Rochester B&L Zephyrs, mint, on eBay except when they arrived they were in fact trashed, filthy, and very uncollumnated. Before returning them I compared them to my K-marts. The K-marts seemed brighter & clearer, thought to be fair the Zephyrs had junk inside, and seemed filthy in and out.
I need to compare the Nikons to the K-Mart Focals before returning them, for educational purposes if nothing else. Maybe I'll keep them, I don't know. They get the black surround much more than the K-Marts (maybe this means a shorter eye relief?). I wear glasses and have an astigmatism, but I usually don't look through my glasses when using binoculars so this is not a big deal.
I feel at this point, with my budget of $100 or so, I'd like to buy something on Ebay. There are many, many old made in Japan (MIJ) binoculars on Ebay. Some are Japanese camera brands (Pentax, Minolta, Yashika, etc) I recognize, and this makes me think they may be better than MIJ Tascos, and a dozen other weird brands. I have a Nikon D7000 and until I pulled those Nikon Actions out of the box, have had a walk-on-water reverence for Nikon. Still do for my D7000, what quality!
Nice Zephyrs are closer to 200. I see Zeiss Jenas for less than 100, but it seems the nice ones are also closer to 200. Or should I go for some other MIJ binoculars that are older?
I see Leupold Rogues going for 100-200 on Ebay. Would these be a better choice than some old, MIJ binoculars? I see old MIJ Swift Nighthawk 788 7x50s going for around 50. Swift Skippers for around 60.
I would just like some very bright, durable 7x50 binoculars that feel good and will be keepers for life. I just have no way of knowing what has good glass and a bright view.
I guess it boils down to: am I buying into a myth thinking old Japanese Binoculars are great because any glass from Japan is super great? That new binocs < $500 are junk? Should I stick with these made in China Actions? Or wait til I can afford some more expensive Nikons (new or mint used Monarchs and Tropicals are a bit high) or some other brand?
Would old Zephyrs or Jenas be better (if I can find nice ones)? Some vintage Russian binoculars?
This spring I'll be able to invest maybe up to 200-300 dollars. Should I give up on < $100 binocs from
eBay, and wait til I can afford something good, once you folks educate me about what that might be? I plan to watch birds a lot as well as look at the mountain range next door.
Yesterday in Sportsman's Warehouse, I looked through some $3000 Swarovskys. WOW. I didn't expect to notice much difference, but I see why people will spend 3 grand for them. How incredibly, amazingly bright and sharp, especially bright, like luminescent, full of light. I was a bit thunderstruck. But that's out of my range for sure.
Well I have obviously fallen into binoculars quicksand. Thanks for reading this too long request for help.
Jim
I'm 62. Have had K-Mart Focal 7-15x35 zoom binoculars with Siam Cat Optics, made in Japan, for 35 years or so, picked them up on the way to a concert in Austin. I suspect they are made by Tasco. I also have some Oberwerk 15x70 (not Ultra) binoculars by brother gave me and recently got some never-opened Bushnell 7x35 Falcons for $20 on ebay including shipping as carry-in-the-car binoculars.
I recently moved to a mini-ranch at the foot of the Organ Mountains in Southern New Mexico, near Las Cruces, which is near El Paso. This is my first time to live out of town and I was delighted at all of the birds! Cactus Wrens, Curved Beak Thrashers, Western Meadowlarks, Ladderback Woodpeckers, Swainson's Hawks, and many many others. I bought some books to identify them. Some I only hear (like the pair of owls at night in the winter months).
So.....my old K-Mart binoculars seemed a bit worn as the zoom lever has a bit of play. The Oberwerks just don't work for birds, but I will be mounting them on a tripod for the amazing stars out here and maybe they will work for birds a little.
So I wanted to buy some new binoculars, and got some Nikon Action 7-15x35 zoom binoculars, never used, on Ebay. I was disappointed. They are made in China though they say Japan Vision on them. The zoom lever has no resistance at all. It seems as if it doesn't have any mechanism inside. The K-Mart Focals' zoom lever has a nice feel of moving a mechanism inside. I prefer the heft, solidness, and mechanisms' feel on the K-Marts to the newer Nikon Actions a LOT.
For all I know the Nikon's are great binoculars. I just don't know enough to know. I bought some 9x35 Rochester B&L Zephyrs, mint, on eBay except when they arrived they were in fact trashed, filthy, and very uncollumnated. Before returning them I compared them to my K-marts. The K-marts seemed brighter & clearer, thought to be fair the Zephyrs had junk inside, and seemed filthy in and out.
I need to compare the Nikons to the K-Mart Focals before returning them, for educational purposes if nothing else. Maybe I'll keep them, I don't know. They get the black surround much more than the K-Marts (maybe this means a shorter eye relief?). I wear glasses and have an astigmatism, but I usually don't look through my glasses when using binoculars so this is not a big deal.
I feel at this point, with my budget of $100 or so, I'd like to buy something on Ebay. There are many, many old made in Japan (MIJ) binoculars on Ebay. Some are Japanese camera brands (Pentax, Minolta, Yashika, etc) I recognize, and this makes me think they may be better than MIJ Tascos, and a dozen other weird brands. I have a Nikon D7000 and until I pulled those Nikon Actions out of the box, have had a walk-on-water reverence for Nikon. Still do for my D7000, what quality!
Nice Zephyrs are closer to 200. I see Zeiss Jenas for less than 100, but it seems the nice ones are also closer to 200. Or should I go for some other MIJ binoculars that are older?
I see Leupold Rogues going for 100-200 on Ebay. Would these be a better choice than some old, MIJ binoculars? I see old MIJ Swift Nighthawk 788 7x50s going for around 50. Swift Skippers for around 60.
I would just like some very bright, durable 7x50 binoculars that feel good and will be keepers for life. I just have no way of knowing what has good glass and a bright view.
I guess it boils down to: am I buying into a myth thinking old Japanese Binoculars are great because any glass from Japan is super great? That new binocs < $500 are junk? Should I stick with these made in China Actions? Or wait til I can afford some more expensive Nikons (new or mint used Monarchs and Tropicals are a bit high) or some other brand?
Would old Zephyrs or Jenas be better (if I can find nice ones)? Some vintage Russian binoculars?
This spring I'll be able to invest maybe up to 200-300 dollars. Should I give up on < $100 binocs from
eBay, and wait til I can afford something good, once you folks educate me about what that might be? I plan to watch birds a lot as well as look at the mountain range next door.
Yesterday in Sportsman's Warehouse, I looked through some $3000 Swarovskys. WOW. I didn't expect to notice much difference, but I see why people will spend 3 grand for them. How incredibly, amazingly bright and sharp, especially bright, like luminescent, full of light. I was a bit thunderstruck. But that's out of my range for sure.
Well I have obviously fallen into binoculars quicksand. Thanks for reading this too long request for help.
Jim
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