How important is a waterproof bin VS. a water resistant one? (1 Viewer)

As a new birder, I got an inexpensive pair of Nikon 8X36 Buckmaster (#7415 - similar to the Sporter I) as a starter pair. The only thing that they lack (for me at least) is being waterproof. They are water resistant only.

How important is having a pair that is waterproof, especially in the beginning when I will be doing my watching in relatively good weather?

I do realize that I will probably want a waterproof pair eventually.

juny

I would not worry. I have had the Sporters in rain. I keep them under the rain coat except just when I use them. No problem so far, 2 years. Porro bins in rian may be a fifferent matter. The ones you have are water resistant, so not ok to drop and immerse in water.

Congrats on the purchase, good deal, and almost as good optics as the rest. You spend hundreds more on just slightly better optics. Look at the birds, not the view or optics.

I think every reasonable bins is waterproof OK. If yours get foggy or wet in the rain they are faulty pair. Otherwise don't worry.

I once had very ancient pair of bins wet inside and they dried nicely.

The only problem that I can thing of off hand is with fungal growth. If they are not sealed and moisture gets in there then it is entirely possible that fungal growth could result.

How probable is it? Not very. Unless you went out and submersed them in water then you probably won't have an issue with it.

FrankD said:

The only problem that I can thing of off hand is with fungal growth. If they are not sealed and moisture gets in there then it is entirely possible that fungal growth could result.

How probable is it? Not very. Unless you went out and submersed them in water then you probably won't have an issue with it.

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I would think that if fogging were noticed in the bins they could be set out in the sunlight to dry. If that failed then maybe they should be sent back under warranty to avoid moulding.

The salesman who sold them to me asked if I was retired and if I was going to go out birding if it was raining. I told him yes and no to his query. His statement was that they should be good to go for my purpose. I paid $129.95 + tax at the local Army & Navy store. They were the best for me since I wanted a roof prism pair and midsized. I looked at Bushnell (H2O) and some Steiner porros. I also looked at some compact models but their eye clearance was too small and the FOV was limited. I looked through the Nikons and knew at once that they were the best for me.

Thanks for your answers. I guess I was looking for confirmation of my decision and you supplied it.

juny

Juny,

I think you would be fine considering your circumstances.

On a related note, was that the Army Nave Store on Grape Street?

We may be neighbors.

juny said:

As a new birder, I got an inexpensive pair of Nikon 8X36 Buckmaster (#7415 - similar to the Sporter I) as a starter pair. The only thing that they lack (for me at least) is being waterproof. They are water resistant only.

How important is having a pair that is waterproof, especially in the beginning when I will be doing my watching in relatively good weather?

I do realize that I will probably want a waterproof pair eventually.

juny

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Hi,
I don't think you are ever going to be able to purchase 'waterproof' anything these days. When I started scuba diving in the early 70s, you could buy waterproof watches, but the expression changed to water resistant.
Think about it, waterproof has to be, well waterproof, 100%, and I don't think any manufacturer wants to guarantee that.
Water resistant has a different meaning, its resistant against the ingress of water but not proofed.
All underwater cameras and watches are water resistant, my Seiko dive watch that I'm wearing now, is water resistant to 150M, it hasn't flooded yet.
How deep do you want to go with your binoculars?
Hope this is of use to you.

Best wishes
Dave

Dave Adshead said:

Hi,
I don't think you are ever going to be able to purchase 'waterproof' anything these days. When I started scuba diving in the early 70s, you could buy waterproof watches, but the expression changed to water resistant.
Think about it, waterproof has to be, well waterproof, 100%, and I don't think any manufacturer wants to guarantee that.
Water resistant has a different meaning, its resistant against the ingress of water but not proofed.
All underwater cameras and watches are water resistant, my Seiko dive watch that I'm wearing now, is water resistant to 150M, it hasn't flooded yet.
How deep do you want to go with your binoculars?
Hope this is of use to you.

Best wishes
Dave

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Dave:

I think the point is to compare them under normal use conditions. What we can expect is a different performance between WR and WP in wet conditions. The WP bins, as all we know, are nitrogen filled, what causes a positive pressure inside the bins that helps to keep the water out if there is heavy rain, as an example. Let's assume somebody needs to be watching bird's behaviour under a storm. It is possible that WR will pick up some water inside and WP don't. If accidentally a WP bin falls in water and is picked up right away, nothing will happens. In contrast and again, WR will probably suffer.

Comparing these situations with diving and WR devices, there is an additional factor: time. When diving there is a long exposure time to adverse conditions and on this event, manufacturers maybe have realized that it is difficult to assure the product will withstand the water coming in. If it's for a short time, maybe the watch could considered WP, but if diving time is longer or too frequent, it could condsidered WR. Pressure is another issue that also plays against WP when diving.

Jaime Garcia said:

Dave:

I think the point is to compare them under normal use conditions. What we can expect is a different performance between WR and WP in wet conditions. The WP bins, as all we know, are nitrogen filled, what causes a positive pressure inside the bins that helps to keep the water out if there is heavy rain, as an example. Let's assume somebody needs to be watching bird's behaviour under a storm. It is possible that WR will pick up some water inside and WP don't. If accidentally a WP bin falls in water and is picked up right away, nothing will happens. In contrast and again, WR will probably suffer.

Comparing these situations with diving and WR devices, there is an additional factor: time. When diving there is a long exposure time to adverse conditions and on this event, manufacturers maybe have realized that it is difficult to assure the product will withstand the water coming in. If it's for a short time, maybe the watch could considered WP, but if diving time is longer or too frequent, it could condsidered WR. Pressure is another issue that also plays against WP when diving.

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Hi Jaime,

My intention was to demonstrate that, I believe optical manufacturers do not use the expression water proof, because of any warranty or guarantee implications that may bring. And that water resistant binoculars would be perfectly adequate, I have a pair of Lecia 10x42, nitrogen filled and water resistant.

Best wishes
Dave

Dave Adshead said:

Hi Jaime,

My intention was to demonstrate that, I believe optical manufacturers do not use the expression water proof, because of any warranty or guarantee implications that may bring. And that water resistant binoculars would be perfectly adequate, I have a pair of Lecia 10x42, nitrogen filled and water resistant.

Best wishes
Dave

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Hi Dave.

Understood and thanks for the explantaion.

Regards from Chile

FrankD said:

Juny,

I think you would be fine considering your circumstances.

On a related note, was that the Army Nave Store on Grape Street?

We may be neighbors.

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Frank,

Yes is is and probably yes we are.

Good to meet you.

Here is my reply from your comments to me in the the "Hello" thread.

I am a complete neophyte and as such I am interested in the April 23rd walk because it is a walk especially for new birders and is being held at Jacobsburg (spelling?) state park, just off 33 above Nazareth.

If you go, maybe we can introduce ourselves. My ID name is used by me because I am one of those lucky people who was named exactly as his father therefore a "Junior" The "juny" is my family nickname (on my deceased dad's side of the family) and was given to differentiate me from dad when I was a little guy. The actual name is Warren.

I just sent my money to Jack Kane to join the LV Birding group from the Poole Wildlife center (LV Audubon Club). Don't know if you are acquanted with him or not. He is in charge of membership.

I went to the March meeting of the LV Audubon Club on the 2nd Tuesday of March and am going to the April 11th one. There will be a presentation on hummingbirds that night. Don't know if you are a member but all are welcome at these meetings, member or not. This will be the last meeting for a while since the birdwalks will take over during the nicer weather.

I live in Allentown near the Little Lehigh. near the 15th Street Bridge area.

juny (AKA Warren)