[Phil Owen]

I've been looking around for a pair of 8x42s or 10x42s around this price and have found the Nikon Action (8x42) and the Opticron WA Aspheric (8x42) well within the budget.

As for 10x42 the latest model of the Opticron Discovery in Roof Prism form seems to be a good deal.

I can't seem to make my mind up on either 8x or 10x and if I should go for Porros or Roof Prisms.

I do realise that for this kind of money, I may not get a waterproof/fog proof pair of bins but just wanted a bit of further advice please.

I am open to any suggestions or other recommendations!!!

Thanks

[Tero]

I can't seem to make my mind up on either 8x or 10x and if I should go for Porros or Roof Prisms.

I can't either, though only have one porro left. Go with the 8x, less worry, less dollars spent, eventually. Speaking after pair...what, 12?

[ronh]

For that price you can get quite a good Porro, but a Roof would have to cut a lot of corners. At any quality level, 8x will be sharper, brighter, and easier to use than 10x, and show plenty of detail. Those Nikons have dependable mechanics, and give a good view in the center of the field. For 50% more, the Action EX is waterproof and nicer overall. So much for my opinion. It's a lot like a pair of shoes!
Ron

[NDhunter]

I purchased a Nikon Action 8x40 this past year, and thought it was quite good.
It even has the Nikon 25 year warranty.

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by Phil Owen

I've been looking around for a pair of 8x42s or 10x42s around this price and have found the Nikon Action (8x42) and the Opticron WA Aspheric (8x42) well within the budget.

As for 10x42 the latest model of the Opticron Discovery in Roof Prism form seems to be a good deal.

I can't seem to make my mind up on either 8x or 10x and if I should go for Porros or Roof Prisms.

I do realise that for this kind of money, I may not get a waterproof/fog proof pair of bins but just wanted a bit of further advice please.

I am open to any suggestions or other recommendations!!!

Thanks

Hi Phil,

I'd go for a porro at that price. Try Bushnell Legend 8x42 porro. Very good but heavy. Great if weight isn't an issue for you.

You could go down to 32mm if weight is an issue. Vortex Ravens or Leupold Yosemites maybe.

[dogbreath]

For £100 I'd suggest you seek out a decent dealer in pre-loved bins. Far better value than new. I recently bought a used pair of 8x42 Opticrons for £99 for my daughter. I consider them to be stunningly good value. Try In-Focus or Focus Optics or the classifieds here.

[Phil Owen]

I have decided to go for 8x40's and am down to either Nikon Action VII or Opticron Aspheric WA.

Which one of the two is best??

Thanks

[NDhunter]

Originally Posted by Phil Owen

I have decided to go for 8x40's and am down to either Nikon Action VII or Opticron Aspheric WA.

Which one of the two is best??

Thanks

The other thought here would be the Nikon Action EX 8x40, waterproof, and
may have better edges. See if you can look at these and the 8x40 Action in
a shop and your eyes will help you decide. Should be close to your budget,
no comment on the Opticron, as you know they are not here in the states.

[Phil Owen]

One thing confusing me about the Opticron WA Aspheric is that they are Nitrogen filled and fog free but not waterproof???

Can this be possible as I thought if they are Nitrogen filled then they are fog free and waterproof???

Thanks

[pete_gamby]

The focussing mechanism and other mechanical parts can be exposed to the ingress of water even if the optical tubes themselves are sealed to prevent fogging*. Hence why many porros are not totally waterproof.

Cheers, Pete
Opticron Sales & Marketing

* I love the way some bino specifcations and/or press releases talk about "fog proof" as if fog, the weather condition, is some kind of evil being that has to be defended against :-) No? Perhaps it's just me then...