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Bird or Bino? (1 Viewer)

Anthon

Well-known member
Looking at some of the heated debates and also at the fact that many of you have multiple (overlapping) binoculars, one has to ask:

Which comes first, the Bird or the Bino?
Is the glass just a tool or has it become a hobby on its own?

I'll readily come out and admit I like birds but love my bins more. Bins, telescopes, camera's, I love glass. Am I alone in this? o:D
 
I recall asking myself the same question regarding camera equipment about 40 years ago. I came to the conclusion that, as opposed to other hobby essentials (e.g., a baseball glove, hiking boots, a special chef's knife) the nexus between the equipment and the hobby was far greater and, thus, the equipment occupied a special place.
 
Birds. Binos are a tool, nothing more. It is sure fun to compare them and review the merits of each, but I'd rather have birds to look at than a thousand binos to admire.
 
Gettiting my first bin at the age of 8 nature just got closer with this tool.
Now knowing what kind of workmanship is envolved to come to this tool, this has changed.
I respect the bin much more and now it comes first and the subjects second.

Jan
 
..........
Which comes first, the Bird or the Bino?
Is the glass just a tool or has it become a hobby on its own?

It does not have to be either/or. I enjoy both.

Actually it was binoculars that brought me to be more serious about observing birds. I have been fascinated with viewing through binoculars for as long as I can remember. Most of the observing was larger game. Some times there was not much to see but birds are almost always there. Such a readily available subject got me interested in learning more about them and to specifically look for birds.

Binoculars are a tool but all tools are not created equal. Part of the enjoyment of observing with binoculars is discovering which tools are best for the task. The reward is some fantastic views.
 
Definitely comes before the animal, the pleasure is to watch him, each with the equipment that they like, or you can afford and perhaps the most beautiful moment is when aspects that appear the animal you've always dreamed of seeing.
 
Planes, trains, boats, insects, elephants, stars..




Imagine birding without a bin, or with a 50 year old one. Would you enjoy it as much?

My first pair of bins was a 7x35 old military issued porro I inherited. I used it for 4 years, including through part of my ornithology class.

Bins are cool and all, but I'd take the birds any day - and do, such as when I go hiking and admire the different calls and songs more than I ever look at the birds.
 
For me, it is always the birds. Torview pretty much hit the nail on the head.
I've been lucky enough to visit some wonderful countries and see some fantastic birds, the experience of which is greatly enhanced as a result of using some decent binoculars. I think we are spoilt for choice when it comes to optics and ultimately you can get something for about £400 which should last you a lifetime and also offer 99% of the same viewing pleasure as the latest and greatest. I'd rather blow a few thousand pounds seeing new birds in the tropics than potter around my local area with the best bins on the planet, but that's my choice, and everybody is welcome to spend their hard earned money as they wish.
 
I came to birding because I loved using binoculars for astronomy. I was frustrated by the long drive to dark skies and the scheduling difficulties between Moon phase, weather, and social obligations. Now I am having a ball learning new observing skills, and discovering the world of birding. As much as I concentrate on comparing different optics at home, once I am a good site, and especially if I am with experienced birders, I am so excited about the birds, I forget about the optics--they truly become transparent.

Alan
 
Looking at some of the heated debates and also at the fact that many of you have multiple (overlapping) binoculars, one has to ask: Which comes first, the Bird or the Bino?...

I'm thinking Venn diagram with your place in the sets probably positively correlated to how much time you spend on the optics, as opposed to the birding fora of... BirdForum.
 
I came to birding because I loved using binoculars for astronomy.

Same here, for astronomy and tourism. I only started birdwatching 4 years ago when a flock of red-masked parakeets literally crashed my birthday:

https://majid.info/blog/wild-parrots-forest-hill/

and I found out about BirdForum because of inbound links from BF to my review of the Leica Monovid:

https://majid.info/blog/leica-monovid-review/

There are differences in the kind of optical corrections appropriate for astronomy vs. birding.hunting binoculars, though, e.g. edge sharpness vs. rolling-ball reduction. Unfortunately there is very little information on the trade-offs among either binocular manufacturers or other Internet resources. I deeply regret not having purchased the Takahashi fluorite apochromat binoculars when they were still being made, for instance, as those were clearly optimized for astronomy.
 
once I am a good site, and especially if I am with experienced birders, I am so excited about the birds, I forget about the optics--they truly become transparent.
That's my take on when a binocular is "good enough" - when it doesn't interfere with watching the birds (or whatever else I'm watching) to the point I almost forget the binoculars are there. For me, that requires both optical and mechanical qualities that suit me (but might not suit others so well - I think it's an individual thing).

...Mike
 
Planes, trains, boats, insects, elephants, stars..




Imagine birding without a bin, or with a 50 year old one. Would you enjoy it as much?

If binoculars were to vanish tomorrow, it would not affect my quality of life or time spent outdoors to any appreciable degree. If birds were to vanish, there would be a huge impact to everyday life, not just birding. I own what I consider to be pretty good glass, a Conquest HD and a Zen Ray Prime, but the glass I use constantly is a Leupold Yosemite 6X30.

As others have said, for me the binocular is at it's best when you dont realize it's there.
 
Looking at some of the heated debates and also at the fact that many of you have multiple (overlapping) binoculars, one has to ask:

Which comes first, the Bird or the Bino?
Is the glass just a tool or has it become a hobby on its own?

The binocular forum is a bit of a particular place in birdforum. Many readers and writers here are actually not birders at all, but binocular enthusiasts, hunters, star gazers, etc.

Me, I'm certainly a birder foremost and binoculars are an important tool for me, but not more. However, for reasons unknown to myself (I tried to explore the question here), I spend too much time in the binocular forum.
 
I've had bouts of obsessive star-gazing over the last 20 years. Some of my astronomy porros I've had since the mid-90's. In addition, I'm a landscape painter, and spend a fair amount of time outdoors. I got interested in birds while my wife was recovering from surgery about 6 months ago, and we started talking about which ones we were looking at through the kitchen window. Out came the astro bins, and lo and behold, close focus was around 20'.... I had a few 8x25 pocket bins I'd purchased for backpacking trips, and those came in handy, but, of course, I became interested in what else was out there.... both birds and binoculars!

Wearing eyeglasses, I think of binoculars as an additional prescription that should improve and extend my vision as effectively and comfortably as possible. I'd prefer birds over binoculars, but they really do go together well. No need to pick one or the other. No different than stargazing with a good optical device. The extension of vision can be profound.... even when just looking at birds.
 
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