Which binoculars to buy..cheap ! (1 Viewer)

headington7

Well-known member

• Apr 4, 2004

• #1

Advice please.A very new person ,ie me wants to purchase a small pair of binocs light enough and small enough to go in a coat pocket.Maximum £100 only in UK.

Which one,which magnification to go for,suggested shop etc.,please !
Once up and running I will purchase something better at some time in the future.
Thanks Mervyn.

 

M

mountain man

Guest

• Apr 4, 2004

• #2

Try the Opticron Taiga compacts. Retail at £89.

I think you will be astounded.

Tom.

 

Steve Jones

Well-known member

• Apr 4, 2004

• #3

I've got a pair of Bausch & Lomb Legacy 8x24's which I use as my 'in the pocket when not birding' bins. Very compact, sharp optics and highly recommended in magazine reviews & retailing at around £95.

 

L

Leif

Well-known member

• Apr 4, 2004

• #4

headington7 said:

Advice please.A very new person ,ie me wants to purchase a small pair of binocs light enough and small enough to go in a coat pocket.Maximum £100 only in UK.

Which one,which magnification to go for,suggested shop etc.,please !
Once up and running I will purchase something better at some time in the future.
Thanks Mervyn.

Click to expand...

Try www.Mifsuds.co.uk in Brixham, they used to have Summit 8x26 binoculars for ~£35. A brief look suggested that they are surprisingly decent for the price and a wide field ~8 degrees. Maybe someone here has a pair and can give a more informed opinion. (I tried a pair outside the shop when dropping off some lenses for a commission sale. Hardly enough to give an assessment.)

 

Karl J

Well-known member

• Apr 4, 2004

• #5

Jessops own brand 10 x 50's, were about £30 - £40 18 months ago. They do other sizes as well

 

scampo

Steve Campsall

• Apr 4, 2004

• #6

NIKON​

8x20DCF Sportstar III​

From www.warehouseexpress.com, but if you could manage a larger but still compact (and far, far better for birding) binocular the Nikon Sporter 8x36 is half price (£99-00) at the same supplier and is a genuine bargain.​

 

Last edited: Apr 4, 2004

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Apr 4, 2004

• #7

I'd seriously consider a pair of secondhand 8x30 Zeiss Jena Jenoptems.. they are pretty much unbeatable at £60-80 off Ebay

 

headington7

Well-known member

• Apr 4, 2004

• #8

Cheap but good binoculars

Thanks for all the ideas,I will have a look via Google at all the suggestions !
Mervyn.

 

L

Leif

Well-known member

• Apr 4, 2004

• #9

I'm surprised noone mentioned the B&L H2O 8x40 porros at ~£90. Some people on this forum rate them. I'm sure a search will find the threads.

 

Mickymouse

Ubuntu Linux user

• Apr 4, 2004

• #10

The best buy I ever had was £4.99 Prakticas From Tescos not the best optics perhaps but a vast improvement on the naked eye, they are quite small 10x25 and at that price I can keep pairs all over the place ie some on my kitchen window sill, some in the glove off my car and another set I keep in my cupboard at work, I hope this is worth mentioning.
Mick

 

Geoff Brown

Well-known member

• Apr 5, 2004

• #11

Warehouse Express had £99 Nikons a few weeks ago and they were considerably reduced and a good buy. I think their offer is still on?

 

Tero

Retired

• Apr 5, 2004

• #12

Any 8x25 or 8x21 roof prism pair will meet size requirements. Mine are a bit cheap and fogged up after a year, but I got another of the same brand, same price.

Bausch and Lomb and Bushnell have these.

 

pduxon

Quacked up Member

• Apr 6, 2004

• #13

Ask Alan Rhymer where he got his bins from they cost under £30 and are 10x42.

They don't feel as well made but in good light on Sunday they seemed pretty good.

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Apr 6, 2004

• #14

pduxon said:

Ask Alan Rhymer where he got his bins from they cost under £30 and are 10x42.

They don't feel as well made but in good light on Sunday they seemed pretty good.

Click to expand...

ot to 7 ay shop
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=777 search for Binoculars. Mine are 10x42 waterproof/Nitrogen filled.
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=90464
But I am also going to order some Porro non waterproof 8 x 40 ( witrh BAK-4 prisms ) to keep in the car.
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=66876

My 10x42's are much better than anything else I have owned, but I have only owned 10 &12 x 25 which can be a strain to look through.
For the price I am pleased
If you do order some, you have to swear when fitting the neck strap ( mandatory ) and remove and throw away the objective lens covers ( they just fall out of the lens ). Other than that, they are well worth all that dosh!.

HTH

 

Last edited: Apr 6, 2004

John Fleet

Finally reached 300!

• Apr 6, 2004

• #15

alan_rymer said:

ot to 7 ay shop
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=777 search for Binoculars. Mine are 10x42 waterproof/Nitrogen filled.
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=90464
But I am also going to order some Porro non waterproof 8 x 40 ( witrh BAK-4 prisms ) to keep in the car.
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=66876

My 10x42's are much better than anything else I have owned, but I have only owned 10 &12 x 25 which can be a strain to look through.
For the price I am pleased
If you do order some, you have to swear when fitting the neck strap ( mandatory ) and remove and throw away the objective lens covers ( they just fall out of the lens ). Other than that, they are well worth all that dosh!.

HTH

Click to expand...

Glad someone else has tried the 7 day shop models and is pleased with them - I recommended them some months ago as amazing value for money and got shot down in the provebial flames from some other posters who couldn't believe that bins under £20 could be anything but junk. But they were wrong and Alan (and I) was/were right ;-)

John Fleet

 

scampo

Steve Campsall

• Apr 6, 2004

• #16

I can't remember you being shot down in flames - your post prompted me to have a look at the 7DayShop web page and recommend them to my brother for his young son. They look amazing value.