• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

good binoculars for a beginner? (1 Viewer)

brunop

Well-known member
sorry if this has already been discussed (please direct me to previous threads if necessary!). i already posted this question in the tips for new birders forum, but here goes again--a rank beginner's question:

in the 5 to 6 hundred dollar range what are some good binoculars? or is it impossible for this price range?

thanks!
 
I believe that the Nikon Monarchs are a very good value for about $250 to $300. I have had a pair for 3 years. They are about as sharp as my Nikon
LX L 8X32, although they do not provide as much contrast. They are very light weight with plenty of eye relief. They may not be as durable as more expensive bins, however. I believe the Pentax DCF SP 8X32 or 8X43 would also be very good; the reviews have been excellent. I have the Pentax 10X50, which I am happy with, but have not used the 8X32 or 8X43.

Best of luck in your decision!

Lew
 
thanks lewie!
i'll definitely check these out. i live in the boston/cambridge area so there are some good optics shops around here.

i should mention i also wear glasses. does this price range include any with sliding eye pieces you think? anyway, i will go round to dealers and look around. thanks for the specifics of some to look at.

looked online at the pentax. they look to be good for eyeglass wearers.
 
Last edited:
Both the Nikon Monarch and Pentax DCF have screw-out eye pieces; so you can dial the amount of eye-relief you want. Both the Nikon Monarch 8X42 and Pentax DCF SP 8X43 have plenty of eye-relief for the glass wearer. The Pentax 8X32 will have a little less eye-relief, but still should be sufficient. And the 8X32 will be a handy size with a wider field of view. I should also
mention that none of the above 3 bins offer quite as much field of view as some more expensive models, but I have found the field of view of the Monarchs more than suficient for me, but this is a personally matter.
For me, field of view isn't all that important, but for others it is one of the first things they look for in a new pair of binoculars. If you can, try the bins outside and see how they handle as you try tracking birds in the trees.

Good luck and have a great weekend!

Lew
 
Check out the Celestron Nobles or Regals; they have very good optics and I know the Regals as I have one (although I haven't had them too long). They are phase-coated; I think the newer Nobles are as well. Also, the Eagle Optics Ranger Platinums are worth a look. If you can find a Pentax DCF WP they are really nice as well. They are now SPs, which are more $.
 
Inexpensive Bins!

Hi brunop,

I had an experience a few years ago that convinced me that even bargain basement binoculars can give a good account of themselves. I helped two ladies select a pair from a wide choice, while at an optics shop that overlooks a nature reserve - ideal conditions. Looking at the brand names and their external appearance was no indicator of how good they were to look through, but one pair was very good! So the answer to your question is Yes.

My advice is to find a well stocked shop prepared to let you try a variety of models in your price range, preferably with a decent view, not just the end of the shop. Also be aware that a bright sunny day will flatter any binocular, so a grey miserable one is better, as it will highlight contrasting performance of each model. You may be surprised just how much they vary!

I should also say that the optics shop owner I referred to above had given up advising customers what to buy, as he had found their idea of what was a good choice varied so much. So be guided by advice from others, but rely on your own judgement when you come to put your own money down!

Best wishes,

Graham. :hi:
 
brunop said:
sorry if this has already been discussed (please direct me to previous threads if necessary!). i already posted this question in the tips for new birders forum, but here goes again--a rank beginner's question:

in the 5 to 6 hundred dollar range what are some good binoculars? or is it impossible for this price range?

thanks!


Hi Brunop!

You didn't tell which are your demands, and if you want the binocular only for birding. For the price of 5-6 hundred dollars you would not expect to get the fully quality of Zeiss, Leica or Swarovski, but you absolutely get good and praiseworthy optics. Don't forget that normally for about half of the price of a roof you get equal optical quality in a porroprism performance. In the price range of 2-3 hundred dollars you get some very good porroprism binoculars of the Nikon, Pentax and Minolta brands.

Seen from my viewpoint an mostoften ignored aspect is one advantage of the porroprism design: the lack of the starfilter effect which is common in the roofs when using at night against strong light sources.

Patric
 
Warning! This thread is more than 19 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top