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Binocular Advise (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter 136jamie
- Start date
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello Jay,
I think you would get some helpful advice if you stated your budget. For some, 400 quid would be an economical choice for others it might be half that.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
Hello Jay,
The first thing I'd suggest is try a few binoculars for size and see what works for you. We all differ in our needs and preferences. If you can't get down to a decent shop then ask the birdwatchers you meet about their choice and, more often than not, I'm sure they would let you have a go. Most here would regard an 8x as the most versatile magnification though different situations need different solutions ans some here like a 7x or 10x more.
I you divide the objective size by the magnification you get a figure called the exit pupil which is a good guide to how well a binocular performs in poor light after sunset or even on gloomy winters day. An 8x42 would be 5.2mm and do quite well in low light but a 10x32 with 3.2mm is really only for brighter days. Another thing to consider is the eye relief if you wear glasses, in which case you would need at least 16mm and some spectacle designs might need over 20mm.
Porro prism designs are simpler and cheaper to make than (straight tube) roof prism designs and offer good performance for your money. Something like a Nikon Aculon 7x35 it pretty good for around £70 but it isn't waterproof and the ER is no good for glasses. An important feature to look for in roof designs is phase coating and is usually absent in models under £100. The Barr and Stroud Sierra 8x42 is quite reasonable for around that price. As the price increases you get wider, sharper views, better brightness and colour fidelity and fewer distortions. Around £200 the Vanguard Spirit ED 8x42 and the Hawke Frontier ED 8x32 offer a good selection of technical features and performance. Beyond that it's the law of diminishing returns. You need to pay quite a lot more for relatively small improvement. There are some really very good binoculars for £300-400 but if you want the best it will cost about £2000. :eek!:
Hope that helps.
David
The first thing I'd suggest is try a few binoculars for size and see what works for you. We all differ in our needs and preferences. If you can't get down to a decent shop then ask the birdwatchers you meet about their choice and, more often than not, I'm sure they would let you have a go. Most here would regard an 8x as the most versatile magnification though different situations need different solutions ans some here like a 7x or 10x more.
I you divide the objective size by the magnification you get a figure called the exit pupil which is a good guide to how well a binocular performs in poor light after sunset or even on gloomy winters day. An 8x42 would be 5.2mm and do quite well in low light but a 10x32 with 3.2mm is really only for brighter days. Another thing to consider is the eye relief if you wear glasses, in which case you would need at least 16mm and some spectacle designs might need over 20mm.
Porro prism designs are simpler and cheaper to make than (straight tube) roof prism designs and offer good performance for your money. Something like a Nikon Aculon 7x35 it pretty good for around £70 but it isn't waterproof and the ER is no good for glasses. An important feature to look for in roof designs is phase coating and is usually absent in models under £100. The Barr and Stroud Sierra 8x42 is quite reasonable for around that price. As the price increases you get wider, sharper views, better brightness and colour fidelity and fewer distortions. Around £200 the Vanguard Spirit ED 8x42 and the Hawke Frontier ED 8x32 offer a good selection of technical features and performance. Beyond that it's the law of diminishing returns. You need to pay quite a lot more for relatively small improvement. There are some really very good binoculars for £300-400 but if you want the best it will cost about £2000. :eek!:
Hope that helps.
David
