[senatore]

After Xmas I hope to upgrade my Bushnell 10 X 42 bins.I would like to stick to this magnification as I am used to it.I know I will have to go and test out the different models available side by side and this is no problem but which bins do you advise me to include for my testing.I can go upto £500 so this rules out the top models.
Max

[desgreene]

If I was upgrading at the moment I think I'd be tempted by Warehouse Express's offers on the old Nikon HG's. Both 10x32 & 10x42 come in at below your budget and you'd still have to say they are a "top" model.

Des.

[pduxon]

are you sticking to 10x Max? And the other question is do you want something waterproof?

For 10's? Well the Nikon HG's seem the obvious suggestion. Personally I found the 10x42's way too heavy. Never used the 10x32HG but respected reviewers like them so worth looking at.

I'm sure Nikon SE fans will recommend the 10x42SE porros.

The RSPB HG and the Opticron BGA classics might be worth looking at. Not as good as the Nikons optically but the later especially are a damn sight lighter

Just noticed you do want to stick to 10 but......
If you go for 8x you again have the Nikon HG's 32 and 42 and the 8x32SE but also the Swaro 8x30SLC.

Not sure just how waterproof the SE's are.

[bill lord]

Originally Posted by senatore

After Xmas I hope to upgrade my Bushnell 10 X 42 bins.I would like to stick to this magnification as I am used to it.I know I will have to go and test out the different models available side by side and this is no problem but which bins do you advise me to include for my testing.I can go upto £500 so this rules out the top models.
Max

If you want waterproof, then the Nikon 10X42 HG from warehouse Express comes in under your budget these are quality binoculars if a little heavy. If you are not concerned about waterproof and want something that is a bit lighter then try the Nikon 10x42 SE again from Warehouse express.

If you want to look at them try Focus Optics in Coventry(?) they have both, though you may find that the HG's they now have will be the HGL's which are a lot lighter than the HG'S but at a considerably higher price than WE's offer.

[Bubbs]

Originally Posted by desgreene

If I was upgrading at the moment I think I'd be tempted by Warehouse Express's offers on the old Nikon HG's. Both 10x32 & 10x42 come in at below your budget and you'd still have to say they are a "top" model.

Des.

My first decent binoculars (Zeiss 10x40 BT*) were purchased in 1981 (I think) for the princely sum of £315.00. Due to the deterioration in them I now find myself owning a pair of Nikon 8x32's. Never did I think I would make the change from 10's to 8's..but wow!

My first day with them was yesterday at Filey. I can only describe them as stunning. I bought from Warehouse Express for £379.00 but they feel like a pair of bins twice that price. The optics are just superb and the weight is the same as the 10 Zeiss.

My advice is; if you have a very strong neck..go for the Nikon 10x42..the weight is (for me) unbearable, especially when birding in places like Israel, the Med, or here in the UK - on a good day - with just a bare neck to take the weight...but the 8's are very manageable and I really can't tell much difference in the magnification. A distant Red-breasted Merganser and Black-throated Diver proved no problem with the Nikons...STUNNING!

JB.

[Henry B]

Go for the Nikons.

[Geoff Brown]

Yep, It's the Nikons

[bill lord]

Originally Posted by Henry B

Go for the Nikons.

I fancied the 10x42's looked at the weight and bought the 8x32's wonderful binoculars.

[senatore]

Thanks for all the advice.I will look at the Nikons but is there very little difference between 10 and 8 magnifications when viewing distant birds and do you loose out much if you go for 32,s instead of 42,s.

Max

[Henry B]

The 10x32s have wider FOV than 10x42s HGs..

[Tero]

Nikon SE fans will recommend the 10x42SE porros.

How much do they weigh.

Well, if you are a 10x guy, it will be hard to adjust to 8x. I use some, but it confuses me,so I go out with 10x nearly always. Things look normal to me at 10x. So I would always look for 10x and weight around 700g. 42 is good, 36mm is OK, just barely.

even at 10x, some brands and models don't look right to me, so sometimes I prefer the narrower FOV of two choices for reasons I don't know, just the feel of it.

[Mickymouse]

I had a similar problem when I wanted to up grade from Nikon sporters 10X36 and went for Canon 12X36 with IS and don't regret it for one moment, my eyes aren't good enough to comment on the finer points of optical quality but the Canon beats the Nikon in every other way, should come within your budget so might be worth considering.
Hope this is useful.


Mick