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Your Favourite, Not Your Best, Bins? (1 Viewer)

I suppose mine would have to be a Swift Nighthawk 8x40. It was my very first, purchased by me for me binocular. I got it in 1968 and still have it. It still works too. It did go to Nicholas Crista several years ago, when it really did not work well. Sort of a sentimental favorite. It is still optically quite decent and serves to remind me of some of the good times I had learning to bird using it.

Other newer, better optics go out far more often, but it will always have a soft spot.
 
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Lee,

Love is a strong word. If I may re-word the premise slightly, the Canon 10x42 L IS is the one that gives me most joy. It is also the one I miss the most if I'm ever using something else. Is this okay with you?

Kimmo
 
coaltit said:
I think a good binocular is one that stands the test of time like carl zeiss, the only id markings I,ve seen on any binoculars from photo,s of german shock troops during battle have been carl zeiss (jena) they needed a quality Instrument and for those times they were, some of those binoculars looked like they had seen a lot of action from wear marks on the body of the binocular along with all the muck on top (reliable) I think is the word not a time to Idolise them from which i agree it was,nt but the quality of the Instrument will always be there.
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A number of companies made small 6x porros for the German army including Leitz which were possibly the best optically.
Many tankers used more powerful Hensoldts with Abbe–Koenig prisms. Rommel is seen here with what look like 7x42 Hensoldts which were popular with senior officers. General Sepp Dietrich seems to have Zeiss 7x50 KriegsMarine
 

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My favorite is a Fujinon Meibo 7x50 purchased just about 30 years ago. It was my first quality optic, and a big step up from my older sporting goods 7x50s. The Fujis were purchased second hand from LA Optics, a shop that specialized in astronomical optics, books, and gear. This was before I invested in telescopes, eyepieces, mounting systems, and on and on. My initial astronomical observations and endless Wow! moments occurred in that first summer and fall using those binoculars.

About 15 years ago, I realized that they were just sitting in a closet (in their lovely leather case), and a friend from an astronomy forum online asked if I would be willing to sell them. I sold them to him, and then I started to feel a nagging regret, like I had abandoned a close relative. About a year later I noticed that my friend was raving about his new IS binoculars, and I asked him how much he was using the Fujis. He immediately took the hint and graciously sold them back to me. I won't be parting with them again, though I use them considerably less than my regular astronomy binoculars (15x45 IS) or my regular birding binoculars (9x45 roof).

Alan
 
kabsetz said:
Lee,

Love is a strong word. If I may re-word the premise slightly, the Canon 10x42 L IS is the one that gives me most joy. It is also the one I miss the most if I'm ever using something else. Is this okay with you?

Kimmo
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Joy is a strong word for you strong, silent guys in Finland to use, but by golly it works just fine. Thanks for distilling your feelings for the Canons down to this one word.

Lee
 
My favorite binocular was a Swarovski 10x32 EL WB that I picked up shortly after they became available. It remained that way for about a decade until I found that I was no longer steady enough for it. I have never been so enamored with a binocular since including two attempts with a 8x32 EL WB and a 8x32 EL SV. Lots of others have come and gone and none have been as much of a favorite. A 7x42 UVHD+, a Conquest HD 8x32, and a Maven 8x30 B3 are trying to fill that opening, but none has done so. I think it is a case of being my "first" good binocular.

CG
 
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cycleguy said:
My favorite binocular was a Swarovski 10x32 EL WB that I picked up shortly after they became available. It remained that way for about a decade until I found that I was no longer steady enough for it. I have never been so enamored with a binocular since including two attempts with a 8x32 EL WB and a 8x32 EL SV. Lots of others have come and gone and none have been as much of a favorite. A 7x42 UVHD+, a Conquest HD 8x32, and a Maven 8x30 B3 are trying to fill that opening, but none has done so. I think it is a case of being my "first" good binocular.

CG
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Hi CG

Your case is a perfect example of why I started this thread to cast a bit of light on this intangible something that makes a relationship with some bins that bit more special than other perfectly fine binos.

Lee
 
Like many many others - Zeiss 7x42 BGATP. For casual viewing, I think I need lead in my glass....but An honourable mention goes to the very last 8x32 'NON SV' Swarovski.

If a gun was put to my head re the op, I'd have real trouble....I've done every comparison known, and if an observer is blessed with pristine eyes and conditions, the Swarovski Habicht 10x and 8x provide the absolute ultimate eye candy - bar no other optical device on earth.

Other honourable mentions - 8.5 SV. 7x Fujinon, 10x Canon. 15x 60 Zeiss....1957 Bushnell 7x35 Silver Ring (I'd like to list the Nikon 8x30 E2, but the 60yo 1957 Bushnell out-pleasures them in nearly all respects barring weight).
 
Strong stuff from the upside down man down-under and an interesting range of candidates.

Still no contributions from the ladies.

Where are you KC and Delia? Not to mention CJ and GiGi.....


Lee
 
My favorite is always the one with the best view, probably not the answer you wanted for the question, but I'm always the one who fowls things up. By the way Lee, Billy Bob Hendricks said to tell you hello.:king:
 
SuperDuty said:
My favorite is always the one with the best view, probably not the answer you wanted for the question, but I'm always the one who fowls things up. By the way Lee, Billy Bob Hendricks said to tell you hello.:king:
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Hey SD, you have been quiet for a long time. Great to hear from you and it doesn't matter what makes a bin your favourite so good for you for choosing that 6.5x.

Please be sure and say Hi to Billy Bob for me.

Cheers Lee
 
SuperDuty said:
My favorite is always the one with the best view...
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Agree Robert,

You and I are probably still considered by many here as "optical newbie's", at least I am! Not enough glassing life experience to be emotionally attached to a particular optic yet, just the one with the current best view (and still searching)?!! ;)

Maybe we are in that stage of discovery that could eventually generate one day an inevitable "life favorite", even while future newbie's are having bionic eye implants that generate IS variable powers from 2X to 20X and beyond! :eek!:

Just some thoughts, albeit far fetched, of what might\could be...!!? B :)

Ted
 
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Lee, like you, my 8x32 Conquest HDs have become my favorite binocular to use even though my HTs are certainly my best binoculars. But, once again, for our walk in the Snake River Canyon today, I brought the Conquests over the HTs. I find I use the HTs at home on the property and take the Conquests on my walks. My second favorites are probably my 8x42 Terra's. I suspect it's because those are the ones always in my vehicle so they get used often.
 
CSG said:
Lee, like you, my 8x32 Conquest HDs have become my favorite binocular to use even though my HTs are certainly my best binoculars. But, once again, for our walk in the Snake River Canyon today, I brought the Conquests over the HTs. I find I use the HTs at home on the property and take the Conquests on my walks. My second favorites are probably my 8x42 Terra's. I suspect it's because those are the ones always in my vehicle so they get used often.
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Hi Chris

We have a visit to the south of France coming up soon and the Conquest 8x32 and SF 8x42 will be going along with an old model Diascope 65 that is even more battered than I am. There are certain places where the SF will definitely be first choice but over our entire visit i think the two models will split the time equally.

Lee
 
My favourite is the 8x32SE, I still can`t believe I sold the two I owned, constantly on the lookout for a mint replacement, the handling, the size and weight but ultimately the view make it my all time favourite binocular.

The next one I get will never be sold !
 
The Kowa Genesis 8x3, because it fits my eyes the best.
The way cheap Nikon Aculon 7x35, because I can chuck ii in any bag or container, throw it on any beast of burden (bike, scooter, car, backpack) without having to worry about a loss.
 
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