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Help pick binoculars for my sister, b-in-law, and kids in South Africa (1 Viewer)

O

orbitaljump

Well-known member
My sister had a pair of Optolyth 8x30 porros that were fantastic, but one side went fungus on her. Im looking into getting them worked on...but she needs some replacements...ASAP.

They have a pair of

7x35 Fuji Meibos
8x25 Nikon Sportstar III 8.2 degrees FOV
8x30 Japanese classic porro with no coatings (oldest son is using age 9)

Kids are aged 2, 7, 9

She really liked the light weight and smallness of the Optolyth 8x30s (about 15 oz.s IIRC. The Optolyth had great optics too.


Im thinking

Leupold Yosemite 8x30
Bushnell Excursion 8x28
Nikon Monarch 8x36

and another pair of Nikon 8x25 Sportstar III 8.2 degrees.

Perhaps a Pentax 8x24 UCF WR?

Or I tried some Nikon ATB 8x25 reverse porros today, and they seemed pretty good.

Or maybe some Pentax Papillos 6.5x21?


What say you?

Trying to keep costs down as well.
 
Greetings,
I like my wife's Yosemite 8x30's a lot. They seem almost as sharp as my 8x32 Nikon SE's in the middle, although the sweet spot is smaller on the Yosemite. I also liked the view of the 6x30 Yosemite's as well, but my wife seemed to like the 8x32 better, so that's what she got! :D

The price is excellent, and the smaller IP distance makes them good for most children as well.

Regarsd,

Gary
 
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The Bushnell Excursion 8x32 regular..not EX...will give more full bino feel than 8x28, and does not cost much more. The 8x28 will work too.
 
What do you think about the Monarch 8x36? If Im going to get a 20 oz bino, I think the Monarchs would be better than the Bushnell Excursion 8x32....no? Bigger exit pupil and objectives for brightness at the same weight....but less aparent fov. Plus the Monarch 8x42 seem to have a good reputation. I had some 8x36 Sporters that I liked but they lacked a bit....and the focus wheel/knob had some play. The Monarchs are lighter with better coatings and made in Japan as opposed to China for the Sporters.
 
Also Vortex Hurricane 8x28 vs Fury 8x28 vs Bushnell Excursion 8x28?

I looked through and handled some 8x32 Vortex Fury's today and was impressed....but that may be out of my price range.
 
Yes, the label Nikon Japan is confusing. Another label says Made in China, at least the last 4 years.

But even all the parts for Leupolds are made in China, also some Europeans. Assembly in a another country allows "made in.." sticker for that country.
 
I dont know much about roofs...dont have much experience with them. Weight is a primary concern.

I thought the Monarchs were highly regarded. How about some help on the cheaper roof prism front.
 
orbitaljump said:
The Yosemite 8x30 is a lock. Id like to get a decent roof as well, on the lighter weight side.
Click to expand...


Leupold Katmai 6x32 or 8x32 (the former gets better reviews

Made in Japan, I think. For under $300.

Regarding the "Made in Japan" there the Leupold Cascade porros are Made in Japan (IIRC FrankD's comments) for $230. So you don't have to go to $500 for Japanese bins. But more and more of them (especially newer bins) are now Made in China.

That said Chinese bins are very good these days. My Pentax HS 8x36 are Chinese though it took me two days to notice the made in china on the Pentax aluminum label not on a piece of sticky plastic! They seem proud enough to use the same style of labeling as their Japanese versions. And they feel very "Japanese" especially in the strap and case (they're thicker than the usual cheap Chinese nylon). I was amused as I though they were Japanese ... they "looked" Japanese to me.

And the Pentax HS 8x36 is another one to add to your list. Perhaps a little heavier than you wish (low 20 ounces) though it feels lighter for some odd reason. On sale for $99 to $120 (see the links on the Binocular Bargains thread). Normally $180. I feel it's one of the best roofs below $200 - the nicest balance of features.
 
orbitaljump said:
Whats the AFOV on the Pentax 8x36 HS?
Click to expand...

Using the usual approximation for a 6.5 degree FOV the AFOV is 52 degrees.

But the narrow FOV is what helps its performance: a wide FOV makes suppressing stray light a lot more difficult. Everything in a bin is a compromise.

IMHO making decision based on the AFOV is not a good idea. FOV I can understand. And of course if you fix the magnification then FOV and AFOV scale together.

But if you really like AFOV go for 10x ;)
 
Well, FOV is important too. Ill take a wider FOV with edge dropoff over a tight FOV sharp to the edge.

The 8x36 Monarchs seem to have a decent FOV and AFOV. 367ft and 56 degrees.
 
The Monarchs are just OK binoculars. I have one in 8x42. They are not as good as the Vortex Fury, which is where I would go, were I in your shoes looking for a decent roof without breaking the bank. CameralandNY has demos right now. The Fury is brighter, the resolution is a tad better, and the FOV is better than the Monarch. The x32 Fury has exceptional fov, 445' @ 6.5x (I have one of these, and like it a lot) and 414' @ 8x. They are $239/demo at Cameraland.

The Yosemite choice can't be faulted. It is the stand out choice for youngsters or for anyone needing narrower than average IPD.
 
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