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Hawke or Opticron???? (1 Viewer)

Liquizen

Member
Hi.

I am looking to buy my first pair of Bins, and like the following.

Hawke Frontier OH 10x42
Opticron Discovery 10x42
Opticron Trailfinder 10x42

Frontier and Discovery are £170 ish while the Trailfinder are £120 ish.

Which one would you choose, and have you had any use of these ??

Many thanks for your help.

Rgds
Neil
 
I'd vote for Hawkes too. The Prostalk EDs are the business!

I have a pair of Opticron Countryman MCTs as well, which are pretty good.
 
Lol.

I was kinda expecting that response in the Hawke forum.

I posted it in the Opticron forum too, so am going to see what they say?

I do like the Hawke design. Opticron seem a little bland, but the opticron is cheaper for a very similar spec.

Rgds
Neil
 
Hi Torview.

Thanks for the heads up.
Are they as good as Opticron and Hawke. I havent seen much about those models.
I will look into them.

Thanks
Neil
 
Well,
I just went to a shop and tested out various Bins.

RSPB 8.5x42
Hawke Frontier open hinge 10x42
Opticron trailfinder 10x42 and 8x42

All of them very nice. Prefer the styling of Hawke and RSPB as the Opticron look a little plain, although couldnt really see much difference in optical quality between the 4 bins, which considering the Opticrons were some £40-60 cheaper than the others was surprising.
Now deciding on whether to go for 8x or 10x, as when I tried both, I was surprised at how little difference there was in magnification, although I was only viewing about 70 mts away when testing them.

I had an easier time picking a wife, than trying to get the right pair of bins.

Regards
Neil
 
I havent yet Ron.
Still trawling through page upon page online.
I am leaning towards 10x , but sooo any people say 8x are the way to go.

Neil.
 
Size matters or not.

I am still leaning towards 10x , but the cheaper 8x combined with maybe smaller size is quite appealing.

I'll be glad when I finally make up my mind.
 
I've had a couple of pairs of both 8x and 10x and now prefer the 8s. If you are birding from a hide and watching waterfowl, etc. then 10 are good. However when you are trying to pick out small birds in trees, undergrowth, etc. at close range, then 10x are a bit of a liability. So for all-round performance I would go for 8x.
 
Size matters or not.

I am still leaning towards 10x , but the cheaper 8x combined with maybe smaller size is quite appealing.

I'll be glad when I finally make up my mind.

I agonised over which to choose for ages, and eventually decided I needed two pairs. A 7x and a 12x. Sorry, that's probably unhelpful. ;)

David
 
Lol David.

Thanks for confusing me even more.
I think the 10's will do for me. I will be using them as much in woods as looking out to sea from the cliffs at ships and while walking in fields with the dog.

I am going to go with Hawke frontier 10x42 open hinge. There, decision made, at last. :t::t::t:

Neil.
 
Hi Daniel.

How much of an improvement would those 8x36's be over the frontier 10x42's.
Also not so sure about second hand, you just dont know the treatment they have had, and there is no comeback on warranty. They could have been knocked once, which has loosened some part of the internals. Not having a reciept or warranty means I would be left high and dry.

Rgds
Neil
 
I've had a couple of pairs of both 8x and 10x and now prefer the 8s. If you are birding from a hide and watching waterfowl, etc. then 10 are good. However when you are trying to pick out small birds in trees, undergrowth, etc. at close range, then 10x are a bit of a liability. So for all-round performance I would go for 8x.

Very much second that.
 
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