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Well-rounded pair of binoculars for wildlife/travel. Newbie here, help! (2 Viewers)

J

jordn613

Member
Hey there,
I'm looking to buy my first pair of binoculars for a couple purposes, primarily for wildlife and travel:
Upcoming hiking in Colorado
Honeymoon in Costa Rica
Backyard birdwatching

That said, my budget is under $200, and I want binoculars that are lightweight and will be something I never think twice about bringing. Portability and compactness are important here.

I've done some cursory research just on Amazon and these are a few that seemed to check the marks.

Sightron SIIBL832 8x32 Binocular
Leupold 67725 Yosemite
Celestron 71332 Nature DX 8x42
Nikon 8217 Binoculars TRL Blazer
Nikon 8218 Trailblazer 10X25
Vortex Optics Diamondback 10x42
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x 42
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Compact Folding Roof Prism Binoculars, 10 x 25


Any of these far superior to the others? Far inferior? Any models I'm missing? What measurements (as far as optics go) are most appropriate? 8x_? 10x_? If there is a clear winner or model I should buy without hesitation, I'd love to hear it!

Thanks!
 
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Heh, ordered them on amazon before you guys even answered, after I looked around the forums for a bit.

Will these be ok in rain and mist in Costa Rica?
 
jordn613 said:
Heh, ordered them on amazon before you guys even answered, after I looked around the forums for a bit.

Will these be ok in rain and mist in Costa Rica?
Click to expand...

Costa Rica takes rain and mist to a new level. There are those who couldn't even imagine what rain can be like in Atlanta. Costa Rica has days that make Atlanta rain look like a brief, light shower. Roads can become rivers in 10 minutes.

Bill
 
jordn613 said:
Heh, ordered them on amazon before you guys even answered, after I looked around the forums for a bit.

Will these be ok in rain and mist in Costa Rica?
Click to expand...

They will be fine, anyway, but a precaution would be to keep them outside, to avoid condensation and fogging from forming when you go in and out of a cool air conditioned space.
You made the right choice.
 
jordn613 said:
Hey there,
I'm looking to buy my first pair of binoculars for a couple purposes, primarily for wildlife and travel:
Upcoming hiking in Colorado
Honeymoon in Costa Rica
Backyard birdwatching

That said, my budget is under $200, and I want binoculars that are lightweight and will be something I never think twice about bringing. Portability and compactness are important here.

I've done some cursory research just on Amazon and these are a few that seemed to check the marks.

Sightron SIIBL832 8x32 Binocular
Leupold 67725 Yosemite
Celestron 71332 Nature DX 8x42
Nikon 8217 Binoculars TRL Blazer
Nikon 8218 Trailblazer 10X25
Vortex Optics Diamondback 10x42
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x 42
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Compact Folding Roof Prism Binoculars, 10 x 25


Any of these far superior to the others? Far inferior? Any models I'm missing? What measurements (as far as optics go) are most appropriate? 8x_? 10x_? If there is a clear winner or model I should buy without hesitation, I'd love to hear it!

Thanks!
Click to expand...
A 42mm would be better under the canopy in Costa Rica and I personally found the Vanguard Endeavor ED 8x42 with it's ED glass superior to the Sightron Blue Sky in many ways. Try them both if you can.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Vanguar...081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27fc12c131
 
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Would the extra $50 be worth it to someone who is not really a bird watcher, generally? What I mean is, I don't know how often these will be used outside my backyard other than once or twice a year. Are the Vanguards worth the additional cost to a casual user?
 
I know, I'm all over the place here!

Basically, we have a nice backyard with plenty of trees and a few feeders, and I'd like to be able to get a better glimpse of the birds!

On top of that, we are going on our honeymoon in July to Costa Rica, and while we're there I'm sure we'll have some amazing views and also go on some trails and walks where we'll see birds and wildlife.

For those few times a year we go on a trip with views of wildlife, I'd like binoculars to take along. But, like I said, they'll also be used for backyard birdwatching.
 
jordn613 said:
I know, I'm all over the place here!

Basically, we have a nice backyard with plenty of trees and a few feeders, and I'd like to be able to get a better glimpse of the birds!

On top of that, we are going on our honeymoon in July to Costa Rica, and while we're there I'm sure we'll have some amazing views and also go on some trails and walks where we'll see birds and wildlife.

For those few times a year we go on a trip with views of wildlife, I'd like binoculars to take along. But, like I said, they'll also be used for backyard birdwatching.
Click to expand...

Not to worry, that’s just being a novice!

On the astronomy side of optics, I’ve seen people ask which telescope they should buy, saying things like:

“I JUST want it for stars, star clusters, planets, the moon, a few nebula and galaxies and such.” Well, excuse me . . . what else is there!? And of course the questioner wants aberration-free images from the “600 power” $69.95 telescope they’re planning on buying.

And then there’s the young’un who will ignore the tens of thousands of entries on the web—written by experts—to ask some member of an telescope forum: “Tell me all you know about Jupiter.” I didn’t make up either of those.

SO … if you are all over the place, you need to, 1) be prepared to take it in the shorts from time to time, and, 2) realize that most to those who would cause you grief, went through that EXACT phase, themselves. Normally, I have to be kept on a very short leash. But, I will be glad to take pity on you, realizing you have to deal with heat, humidity, bugs, tornado warnings, and more. I think that’s enough on one guy’s plate.

My range was from Lilburn to Doraville and Chambly; usta do my astronomy thing at the observatory of Agnes Scott College. What part are you from? :cat:

Bill
 
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Six Point Five said:
If you ordered the Sightron 8x32 you made the right choice.
Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

Well, I have Amazon Prime, both were in stock, and returns are so easy, so...ordered both the Sightron and Endeavor. I figure I should see for myself the real difference between 8x32 and 8x42, in addition to the size of each and how they feel to use. I'll keep one!
 
jordn613 said:
Thanks!

Well, I have Amazon Prime, both were in stock, and returns are so easy, so...ordered both the Sightron and Endeavor. I figure I should see for myself the real difference between 8x32 and 8x42, in addition to the size of each and how they feel to use. I'll keep one!
Click to expand...
Let us know which one you prefer.
 
They both came today, and here are my initial impressions, from a total newbie with binoculars.

The Sightronics are lighter and smaller. They feel more in line with what I was looking for when it comes to portability. Even with their size, I still would love something even more pocket-friendly, but then I realize I'd be sacrificing lens quality (within the choices in my price range, at least).

The Vanguard Endeavor are clearly a better made pair than the Sightronics. That said, they are heavier and a bit bulkier.

With just a few minutes of A/B testing in the backyard, the Vanguard appear to be a bit sharper and to have a better image all around. The Sightronics look ever so slightly "washed out" in comparison, and maybe this is a matter of adjusting but they seem to give my eyes a bit of strain.

Truly the difference in image is not enormous, and so I'm faced with a tough decision. The Sightronics win for travel-ability but the Vanguard are, to my eyes anyway, a superior pair of binoculars.
 
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