Sightron "Blue Sky" II 8x32 (3 Viewers)

Steve C said:

I would bet against it being a Sightron clone. I think Ceasar is on the right track. Kruger is s known OEM for REI optics. Having said that I would bet it is the equal of the Sightron.

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Steve,

It might be worth getting one of these at the price asked. Remember when Kruger built their 8x25 Back Country for Columbia Sports Wear who sold it under their name? It was a really good little binocular but Columbia listed it for $240.00 or so and had trouble selling them. They also had an 8x42 Back Country built for them.

When it was discontinued by Columbia Sports Wear Camera Land NY bought the remainder and sold them for under $90.00 a piece. I bought 2 of them for $90.00 each along with an 8x42 for about $100.00 which my son has. I am sorry I didn't buy 2 more of the 8x25s they were that good! Sad to say Kruger doesn't make them any more.

Bob

Yes, I'd bite at that price. If it is the Back Country design with ED glass it has a potential to be certain.

Steve C said:

Yes, I'd bite at that price. If it is the Back Country design with ED glass it has a potential to be certain.

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Bite, man, bite, bite like a vampire! That 9x45 Maven is a heavy sucka, you need a lighter, smaller bin to use while you you give your arms a rest.

<B>

brocknroller said:

Bite, man, bite, bite like a vampire! That 9x45 Maven is a heavy sucka, you need a lighter, smaller bin to use while you you give your arms a rest.

<B>

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Sent the 9x45 B2 back for a custom outfit. Bought a customized 8x30 B3 as well. Should be good. They ought to be here Monday.

Steve C said:

Sent the 9x45 B2 back for a custom outfit. Bought a customized 8x30 B3 as well. Should be good. They ought to be here Monday.

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I hope you don't get one with one orange EP ring like Frank's sample. :eek!: Let us know how you like the B3 and how it compares to the B2, although you'll have to do that from memory since it's out for customization.

I saw a Nikon 8x30 M7 for sale on eBay a couple weeks ago for $229 NEW! The B3 costs more than twice as much, but are the optics significantly better to justify the cost? That's what I'd like to find out.

I suspect the chief difference would be the B1's more robust construction. Japanese vs. Chinese made.

Brock

brocknroller said:

I hope you don't get one with one orange EP ring like Frank's sample. :eek!: Let us know how you like the B3 and how it compares to the B2, although you'll have to do that from memory since it's out for customization.

I saw a Nikon 8x30 M7 for sale on eBay a couple weeks ago for $229 NEW! The B3 costs more than twice as much, but are the optics significantly better to justify the cost? That's what I'd like to find out.

I suspect the chief difference would be the B1's more robust construction. Japanese vs. Chinese made.

Brock

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I should get both the customized B2 and the new customized B3 tomorrow ...according to UPS tracking. No orange. The B3 has some red however.

brocknroller said:

I saw a Nikon 8x30 M7 for sale on eBay a couple weeks ago for $229 NEW!

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That was unusually cheap for the Monarch 7, but TriState has them for $320.

The B3 costs more than twice as much, but are the optics significantly better to justify the cost?

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I don't have experience with the Monarch 7, but for most people, I suspect the answer is probably "no". I actually feel like a $135 Opticron Oregon with $20 to $50 of better coatings and/or glass would be quite hard to distinguish optically from the B3. I found the views of the Oregon and the B3 to be strangely similar, except for the better brightness/contrast of the B3.

So....has anyone ordered that REI?? The sale ends on the 25th.

I'm curious because if the specs are correct it's an inch shorter and 4 ounces lighter than the 8x32 Sightron! That's puts it in the same territory as the Opticron Traveler. I think it could be the lightest 32mm ever made--if the specs are right.

Mark

Had a chance today to stop by a Wild Birds Unlimited and compare my Sightron Blue Sky 8x32 vs a few Eagle Optics and Vortex binos.

Head to head vs the $320 Eagle Optics New Ranger ED 8x32, I am happy to say that I'm very glad I popped for the Sightron, for if I had gone with the EO, I'd be crying. The EO had some advantages, ever so slightly brighter, better close focus and a little wider FOV (which surprised me, as it is spec'ed as having less FOV, methinks Sightron might have inflated their FOV spec). But overall, to my eyes, the Sightron produced a better image, sharper, better depth of field, easier to focus on the fly, wider sweet spot. Unless I strongly needed the better close focus of the EO, I would choose the Sightron by a wide margin.

Next up was the Vortex Diamondback 8x32 at $190. This was a no contest. I didn't spend much time on the comparison, as it was immediately obvious that the Sightron was brighter, better DoF, easier to use. I felt more eyestrain when using the Vortex. Not saying that the Vortex is a bad binocular or not worth the $190. I actually rather like it. But would choose the Sightron 10 times out of 10.

They were out of stock on the Vortex Viper HD 8x32 at $560. So I went for the unfair comparison of the Viper HD 8x42 $580. Wonderful view. Bright, great color, good depth of field, felt great in my hands. But narrower FOV and it has too much eye relief (spec'ed at 20mm). Great with my glasses, but w/o glasses, I had to hold it away from me. Even just brushing my eyebrows, I fought blackouts. Definitely brighter.

If I were to go out and spend a day in the field with my choice of the Sightron vs the Viper HD, I think I would go with the Sightron. Primarily due to the slightly wider FOV and given that I would not have to fight that overly long eye relief all day. If I were wearing eyeglasses, I would go with the Viper HD.

In terms of overall image quality, I would give that to the Viper HD. In thinking of the image quality of the Ranger ED vs the Viper HD, I would rate the Sightron as being about 2/3rds of the way above the Ranger towards the Viper.

The salesman, who has been selling optical gear at that store for several years, asked if he could try out the Sightron. I had not made any comparison comments. He looked through them and said, "Oh, these are nice, and I love the light weight. How much do they cost?" I told him that I had paid about $160. To that he said, "Wow! I would have guessed far above that."

Tom Bombadil said:

methinks Sightron might have inflated their FOV spec).

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Yes, the Sightron page lists the incorrect FOV and weight. The actual FOV is about 7.5 degrees. The spec page from 2011 probably listed the correct FOV, because FrankD's initial review from 2011 states 7.5 degrees.

The REI ED 8x32 is interesting if the specs are correct. Some REI stores have it in stock, but not one near me.

Just won a pair of 8x32 Kenko op's { Sightron clone ?} lovely bright view nice eye cups that don't slip smooth focus nice finish nice in the hands. Sightron blue binoc's are not easy to buy here only one place i have found has them at £259.00. won these Kenco's for £80.00 all the spec's are the the same and they are made in china. having not looked through a Sightron don't know if there any better or not but i am well pleased with these

LOST!

I cannot find them!

I don't think I've ever been so upset over the loss of a $179 item before. I've looked and looked and looked again and for the life of me, I cannot find my 8x32 Sightron's. Grrrrrr.....

Last I saw them was on a birding tour I was leading, and I loaned them out for the duration of that tour. But I'm SURE I got them back. Just can't remember what I did with them after that.

The fact that I am so angry I can't find them, and the number of times I've turned the house and my office upside down for them speaks to how good those little binocs are. I doubt I would have looked half as long for nearly any other pair I've owned.

I didn't realize how often I reached for those Sightrons until I lost them! Dangit!

They aren't hanging from your neck are they?

Good luck on finding them. Odds are they will show up eventually. It drives me crazy when I do that.

Have you checked out your car? Get a bright flashlight and look under and between the seats. Also check any door panel pockets. I have had items slide across the seat and end up there.

Man I wish they were. I've retraced my steps 100 times. Looked in the same places at least 5 now.

I've looked all through my car. Under the seats. I've looked through the glove boxes probably 5 times now too. Both cars. I had high hopes I put them in my gun safe but they weren't there.

Thinking at this point I may have left them resting on the roof of my car and drove off. I have a roof rack and that could have hidden them just enough for me to have done that.

About once every 2 days for the past month I've gotten up and looked again. It's driving me crazy! I loved those little binoculars too!

I know as soon as I buy a replacement pair, I'll find them. I'm just sure of it.

justabirdwatcher said:

LOST!

I cannot find them!

I don't think I've ever been so upset over the loss of a $179 item before. I've looked and looked and looked again and for the life of me, I cannot find my 8x32 Sightron's. Grrrrrr.....

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justabinloser,

Maybe a dingo ate your baby Signtron. :eat:

Well, for $179, you can buy another, although with Chinbins, no two samples are ever exactly the same. Kind of like diamonds, or in this case, diamonds in the rough.

Although I find the Sightron BS to be an ugly duckling, the optics must be really something if someone wanted to steal it.

Console yourself with the fact that it could have been worse, someone posted today that his Leica 8x50 UV was stolen from his car. Personally, I would have stolen the car. If you're going to risk jail time, think big. Unless it was a Skoda, then I'd go for the Leicas. :smoke:

The lesson learned: NEVER take the binoculars off your neck in the woods, particularly one colored green that easily blends in with the surroundings.

<B>

Gee, thanks for the compassion. LOL.

Still haven't turned up, and yes, I'm still mad about it. Those lovely little Sightrons fit perfectly in my hands and were possibly the LEAST annoying binoculars I've ever owned. I mean, there was simply NOTHING to hate about them. Not the price, not the view, not the ergonomics...

As for "chinbins" I'm not sure those were. I thought they were made in the Phillipines?

They are. Brock just likes to lump them in with the Chinese models since they are so inexpensive.

Ah, gotcha. That's what I figured.

Well my wife found my Sightron Blue Skys. Finally. Thank goodness! I was going crazy looking for them.

However...

I'm sorry to report that as much as I am in love with those nifty little 16-oz. Sightron beauties, my Celestron Granite 9x33's kick their butt.

The Sightrons are super sharp, but just not as bright and not as wide (FOV) as the Celestrons. The eye placement on the Sightrons is the only thing that's better (well, and they are 4 oz. lighter, but they are composite body vs. magnesium for the celestron). I get a "little" bit of blackouts with the Celestron, but not enough to really bother me. Zero blackouts and near perfect ergonomics from the Blue Skys, but just not the IQ that the Celestrons have.

Still putting the Sightron's ahead of the Pentax DMC 9x32's though.