[Cluster]

Most of my birding is done in or near woodland. For most uses my 8x42 or other compact 8x binoculars are just fine, but sometimes, within the woods and at short range, I might like a wider FOV and can easily afford a lower magnification. So, I thought that I would start to look for a 7x35 or 7x40/42 pair.
As I love the 3d effect that I see in my 8x42 HRWP poros, I prefer to try poros.
This gives me a nice opportunity (excuse) to buy one or two pairs of inexpensive, perhaps vintage binoculars.
Many of the lesser brands sell very cheaply on the Bay, have you a recommendation for a poro bargain in 7x binoculars?

Dave..

[Cluster]

In new binoculars, there seems to be a trend towards narrow FOV.
An exception is the Visionking 7x35 which claims 165/1000 FOV.
Some of the older Tasco poros can, I believe, be quite good. I may find out soon as I've bid on and won a "wide angel" pair (don't you just love some of the descriptions) at 170/1000.
The Russian bins are tempting too, but I'm not keen on the colour tint of the 8x30 pair I have and suspect that many have a heavy tint.

Dave.

[Steve C]

I have maybe six Tasco vintage porro binoculars. They are all quite good. For woodland birding the focus on the Tasco International 400 is, or can be made, very smooth. Many older vintage porros have somewhat stiff focus (even regreased) and a pretty slow focus rate.

[typo]

Dave,

You want wide? The Bushnell Spectator 4x30 claims 900ft@100yds! Have we done a 'Ugliest Bino' category? Must be a candidate.

David

[Cluster]

Ah! the slow focus rate could be a problem in the woods, plenty of fast changes to be made.
Any fast focus models worthy of a bid? Maybe the Tasco zip focus?

Typo, I like those bins, but 4x is no use (although an FOV of 900ft@100yds is an incredible FOV )
Dave

[Torview]

I have`nt tried it but I always find this Celestron 7X35 porro appealing, 8*fov !

http://www.f1telescopes.co.uk/shop.php?id=2037&level=

[normjackson]

Not sure about woodland passerines, but you have to agree David's tongue-in-cheek choice would be a good one for Robin.

There are wide angle 7x35s still on offer from Olympus and Nikon. You've also got the Hawke Nature Trek 7x30 and all the other Leupold Yosemite/Opticron Savanna lookalikes which may be suitable (though the lower mag versions tend to lose apparent field of view).

[flossiepip]

I tend to go on about it but I am still amazed by my Tasco model 110 7x35, with its 657ft at 1000yds extra wide angle. Its very bright and must have a deep fov as I can focus the Tasco at around 20yds and hardly touch it again.
Made in the 60's, it cost me little and is said to have high index prisms Bak4 glass where most others have Bak7.

[mgsphilip]

One of the best sites on the internet that discusses wide angle binoculars is www.holgermerlitz.de

I have owned a number of wide angle binoculars from the Zeiss Jena brand.

None of them have been satisfactory for a spectacle user.

For general wide angle observation but not for bird watching I use a pair of Russian Tank BPOC 7x30 binoculars. The image has a yellow cast , they weigh a "ton" but in every other way they are amazing.

I would seriously consider purchasing a pair of wide angle binoculars that were designed especially for spectacle wearing users or even a replica of a classic model from the past.

Research shows that high quality wide angle binoculars were used during World War Two. Very few of these have survived in mint condition and those that have are extremely valuable.

[FrankD]

If eye relief isn't an issue....

My favorite 7x35 wide angle out of production model after trying dozens of them is the Nikon 7x35 WF (wide field) early Action model. There are two reasons I chose this model over some very good competitors. One, the apparent sharpness is absolutely excellent. I have not held another bin that betters it. Two, the apparent depth of field is excellent. To put it another way the optical design of this model in this configuration allows my eyes to adjust over a wide distance in front of and behind the object being focused on.

In addition I find the size of the sweet spot to be very good but not excellent. When you consider the wide 9.3 degree field of view (488 feet) then this becomes an even more impressive characteristic.

The negatives are that it does have short eye relief and a slight yellow color cast. I think Brock mentioned 10 mm. With rubber eyecups fully removed from the binocular though I have no problem utilizing the full field of view. The color cast is the result of their only being a single coating of antireflective material on the lenses.

I used this binocular almost exclusively for chasing warblers last month in fairly thick foliage and because of the wide field of view and excellent apparent depth of field I found it ideal.

There are two up on the bay right now. They typically sell for anywhere from $35-$75.

Hope this helps.

[Cluster]

Thanks for your suggestions, all.

Took a while to find a suitable trial (read "cheap") purchase pair of 7x bins. I've bought a few pairs of 8x poros in the past, two or three were pretty poor performers and two were damaged in the post (snapped bridges), so I didn't expect too much of a change for my foray into 7x35 binoculars.
I snagged an "as new" pair of Tasco 7x35 WA for little more than the cost of postage, they duly arrived looking good, in fact, as new.

I think that it might be worth reporting here that my experience on bins is largely based on budget roofs. I've slowly upgraded to the point of buying my Monarch 8x42 bins which have delighted me for a couple of years. My latest purchase of an Opticron HRWP8x42 has been a major step up in performance and viewing pleasure. So, poros seem to be the way.....
The Tasco 7x35 2001BRZ is modern looking, has the zip focus thing (not necessarily an advantage) and large eyepieces which fit my face very comfortably.
The view is a little dimmer than my 8x42 Opticrons and has a slight warm colour. The sweet-spot is limited to around 25-30% of the FOV which, at a claimed 170/1000 is large. Outside the sweet-spot the image becomes quite soft quickly although CA is not obtrusive within.
The quality of the view within the sweet-spot is excellent, far better than I had expected or even hoped. Given that it is 7x rather than 8x it outperforms any of the roofs I have owned. A sharp detailed and contrasty image. Dammit, all that money I've spent on budget bins and these cost peanuts! I may well buy more!


Dave.

[flossiepip]

Try and get some Tascos from the 1960's. Should be cheap and if you get a pair of good 110's could be awesome.

[follownoone]

I like my Vortex Raptor 6.5x32 porros. They work great in short situations and dense woods. Less limited to low light situations than I thought they would be. They are razor sharp and there have only been a few times I have wished for a little more mag. They are real easy for me to get on target, and my favorite binocular for quick overhead views.

I think they are great for the price and was influenced by all of the positive things I have heard about 6x binoculars, like the Yosemite.

[dwatsonbirder]

Not sure if they are "budget" but Optolyth Alpine did a 7x42 model. I used one once and it delivers a very impressive performance.

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by Cluster

Most of my birding is done in or near woodland. For most uses my 8x42 or other compact 8x binoculars are just fine, but sometimes, within the woods and at short range, I might like a wider FOV and can easily afford a lower magnification. So, I thought that I would start to look for a 7x35 or 7x40/42 pair.
As I love the 3d effect that I see in my 8x42 HRWP poros, I prefer to try poros.
This gives me a nice opportunity (excuse) to buy one or two pairs of inexpensive, perhaps vintage binoculars.
Many of the lesser brands sell very cheaply on the Bay, have you a recommendation for a poro bargain in 7x binoculars?

Dave..

Dave,

For WF woodland birding, you can't beat the Nikon 8x30 EII - 8.8* FOV, super sharp on-axis, and sharper edges than most other WF porros. With the EII, you don't need to trade off magnification for FOV.

Even though they are 30mm, they are quite bright, brighter than most 8x30/32 roofs until you get to the alpha range. The 3-D effect is marvelous and really helps "pull out" birds from the background. The color saturation is quite good and the red bias helps with contrast even in low light.

While the focuser is "pokey" compared to fast turning midsized roofs such as the 8x32 HG, the depth of field and depth perception are very good, so you won't need to do as much refocusing as you would with a fast focus roof.

I'd recommend a pair of #5 Bushwackers since the barrels are stubs so the covers help provide a better balance, particularly if you have large hands.

I believe the EIIs are still available on your side of the pond, but no longer here in the colonies.

You didn't mention the need for long ER, the EIIs have 13.5mm, enough for my deep set eyes to see the entire FOV (and w/out blackouts like the SE).

For woodland other than a thick canopy forest, it is my favorite bin.

Photo: left - older gray body 8x30 EII with Bushwackers, right - newer black body 10x35 EII.

Brock

[bh46118]

I believe you are correct in staying with the Porro format. I went with the 6.5X Fury and the Zen 8X ED2 to try a wide field of view, and while they are both very nice, and are both easy to recommend, the image just doesn't have that "you are there" quality of a porro. . To my eyes, a Porro has a significant light transmission advantage, and in particular the 8x42 HRWP you already have can only be bettered in resolution and brilliance of image by the finest optics available. And then by only the smallest of margins. Although, for your intended purpose, the close focus of the roof could make them the better choice. If you can find a pair of the 6.5X32 Fury for $150 or less, they are nothing short of amazing.

Bruce

Originally Posted by Cluster

Most of my birding is done in or near woodland. For most uses my 8x42 or other compact 8x binoculars are just fine, but sometimes, within the woods and at short range, I might like a wider FOV and can easily afford a lower magnification. So, I thought that I would start to look for a 7x35 or 7x40/42 pair.
As I love the 3d effect that I see in my 8x42 HRWP poros, I prefer to try poros.
This gives me a nice opportunity (excuse) to buy one or two pairs of inexpensive, perhaps vintage binoculars.
Many of the lesser brands sell very cheaply on the Bay, have you a recommendation for a poro bargain in 7x binoculars?

Dave..

[Sandy Leng]

I believe the EIIs are still available on your side of the pond, but no longer here in the colonies. (Posted by Brock)



Nikon 8X30 EII's are available at the moment on Amazon UK for £385 (GBP)

I know that you are looking for a budget pair, but if you can stretch to these I am sure you will be more than happy with them. I have a pair of the black bodied ones and I couldn't wish for more, they are a delight to look through and the 8.8 degree field of view must be about the widest of any 8x power, and is wider than a lot of lower powered binoculars.

As stated on BF many times these give a near Alpha view, and at a reasonable price.

Sandy.

[Dorian Gray]

Originally Posted by Sandy Leng

Nikon 8X30 EII's are available at the moment on Amazon UK for £385 (GBP)

And £369, plus shipping I suppose, at Clifton Cameras.

Mind you, I'm not recommending Clifton Cameras. I emailed them 11 days ago for a quote on shipping an SE 8x32 to France and they never got back to me.

[Cluster]

Thanks for the suggestions again, guys.

A couple more budget bins later, including a new pair of Celestron 8x30 poros (returned, sloppy focus), has made me rethink my need for a mid-sized binocular to fit between my HRWP 8x42 and my Bushnell Excursion 8x28 roofs. The Bushnells work well, but care is needed to position over the eyes.
I decided that, as I'm covered for WP bins, I could have a non-WP bin in the 7/8x32 range. I'd also decided to give up buying more older bins but want to stay with poros.
I was very close to buying the Nikon EII, but have opted to try the Opticron SRGA8x32.

The Opticron arrived today. It's a well made binocular, feels as if it's a quality instrument. Great views from the yard, gives similar detail to the HRWP, easy to use and comfortable on the eyes. I'll take it out in the next few days.

Dave

[jogiba]

Originally Posted by typo

Dave,

You want wide? The Bushnell Spectator 4x30 claims 900ft@100yds! Have we done a 'Ugliest Bino' category? Must be a candidate.

David

900ft@100yds! ?

[Cluster]

Originally Posted by jogiba

900ft@100yds! ?

I think that might be a typo from Typo

[typo]

Not the first. Won't be the last.

David

[FrankD]

The xtrawide Bushnell 4x30 actually does have a 900 foot field of view.

[James Bean]

Cluster: I was going to suggest a Nikon 7x35 Action EX, an excellent binocular for not much money, and weatherproof. I see you've bought an Opticron 8x32 SRGA, which is also a very wise choice, more compact and near the quality of a Nikon 8x32 SE or 8x30 EII. The only criticism I had with mine was the nice leather case seemed a little too small, so putting the binocular away was always a struggle. The SRGA is one of the precious few which performs well beyond its modest appearance, but you have the quiet satisfaction of knowing what a little gem you hold in your hands. If you trawl the forums you'll find Brin Best's eulogy on this compact classic...

[looksharp65]

Originally Posted by FrankD

The xtrawide Bushnell 4x30 actually does have a 900 foot field of view.

True. But at 1000 yards, not at 100 yards.