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1st bino for kid (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter canutus
- Start date
Hi Cristian
I fairly recently bought my niece a pair of Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 binoculars. She is 11 years old but very slim and these fit her face easily. They are lightweight and have nice handling for her small hands and she was thrilled with them and uses them a lot.
As a bonus they close focus very near to satisfy any childs curiosity.
Hope this helps
Ian
I fairly recently bought my niece a pair of Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 binoculars. She is 11 years old but very slim and these fit her face easily. They are lightweight and have nice handling for her small hands and she was thrilled with them and uses them a lot.
As a bonus they close focus very near to satisfy any childs curiosity.
Hope this helps
Ian
spacepilot
Well-known member
The official specs of the Pentax Papilio says the IPD doesn't adjust to below 56mm, not as small as the Yosemite's.
Ning
Ning
falcondude
Well-known member
Yosemite 6x30 will be my first choice.
I have a pair of the Yosemites and my 2.75 year old carries them around the house and "goes birding" (her words). I can't tell if she's actually looking through them or not. A more realistic comparison is my 4.5 year old nephew who was visiting recently and when I loaned him the Yosemites to look at boats out on puget sound, I couldn't get them back from him for another hour (he was so enthralled). I understand he's been pestering his father for a pair since then....
Hello,
Honestly, for that kind of purpose, those 8x21 cheap Bushnell or Tasco binoculars are well suited IMO. Don't buy the 10x models. In a few years, if he is still interested, buy him a pair of 6x30 or something, like the leupold Yosemite.
I would go for the 6x30 Yosemite too. Though the Papilio has the advantage of very close focus, it will offer a much dimmer view, having less than half the area of glass in the objectives.
I definitely wouldn't buy anything of poor quality unless you want him to lose interest very quickly.
Michael
I definitely wouldn't buy anything of poor quality unless you want him to lose interest very quickly.
Michael
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May I ask why not buy the 10X models?
If for an older child say 10 - 12 years then would the Tasco be suitable or are we starting to look at something a little better?
Am looking at purchasing in the UK for the children - rather than have to share mine, trouble is I have 4 and would only have bins for the smallest (useless bins but she doesn't know that), looking to buy two pairs of something?
10x vs 8x you lose a lot:
- less light into the binoculars (eg. 21mm/10 = 2,1 mm exit pupil and 21mm/8 = 2,65 mm so you gain 0,5 mm of exit pupil)
- normally narrower field of vew
- most peoples find it hard to have a stable view above 8x.
While very cheap, you can see somethng in those bins. Because of the very low price, it makes a good gift for a child as you don't know how cerefull he (she) will be with them. It's a good "toy to initiate a child to nature". For ~teen and above, I recommand something better.
Recommend anyhting in particular that would be available in the UK without breaking the bank?
Are they young kids? If so I was talking about The Bushnell or Tasco 8x21 or 8x25. They are very cheap. Barely acceptable view but, like I said, they makes great toys. Later, if one of them is interested, just buy somehting more decent.
Hi Christian,
The 6.5x Papilio would be a great choice as your boy will like looking at bugs (way more interesting than birds) with the super close focus.
Kids eyes are so good they don't need binos. Personally, I think 5 is too young for binoculars. 8-9 and up is a better age to start. A magnifying glass might be a better tool for kids in the field. Only talking from experience.
But... if you do buy him something make sure it complements your own binoculars
so it's a good back up or for use running or cycling (smaller bin)
Yosemite 6x is a great choice also (I got one for my daughter which I mostly use)
Cheers
The 6.5x Papilio would be a great choice as your boy will like looking at bugs (way more interesting than birds) with the super close focus.
Kids eyes are so good they don't need binos. Personally, I think 5 is too young for binoculars. 8-9 and up is a better age to start. A magnifying glass might be a better tool for kids in the field. Only talking from experience.
But... if you do buy him something make sure it complements your own binoculars
so it's a good back up or for use running or cycling (smaller bin)
Yosemite 6x is a great choice also (I got one for my daughter which I mostly use)
Cheers
I was using mine today, Cristian, and was impressed by them yet again. What I noticed particularly was that the combination of wide field of view, wide depth of field and quick focus make it really easy to find and focus on birds in bushes and to follow birds in flight. They're probably about as good as you can get for these purposes.
Michael
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
The Leupold Yosemite's are £80 here. That's a lot of money to spend on bins for a child of five who probably wouldn't appreciate the difference between them and a real cheap pair, perhaps even a toy pair. I'd find something second-hand or dirt cheap and check the interest was real first.
Graham
Graham
Christian,
Try these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/385546-USA/Vixen_Optics_1224_3x28_Opera_Glass_Silver_.html
Or try an opera glass. The opera glasses by Zhumell look pretty cool and I think a 5 yr old would think they're way cooler than black adult bins. Only one in the field with a pair of these.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...A01_3x25_Aida_Opera_Glass.html#specifications
Look at the FOV!
Good luck with the search
Try these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/385546-USA/Vixen_Optics_1224_3x28_Opera_Glass_Silver_.html
Or try an opera glass. The opera glasses by Zhumell look pretty cool and I think a 5 yr old would think they're way cooler than black adult bins. Only one in the field with a pair of these.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...A01_3x25_Aida_Opera_Glass.html#specifications
Look at the FOV!
Good luck with the search
My eight year old is a pretty good birder for his age and has gotten me interested as well. He picked up the hobby from his grandmother. He is using a pair of old Bushnells I got as a service award at work about 7 years ago. He loves my ZRS' (no affiliation) so my wife and I are talking about getting him a nicer pair for X-mas. I find this thread very interesting.
Those Yosemite look like they might just be the ticket.
Those Yosemite look like they might just be the ticket.
