advice on a compact bino (1 Viewer)

[dice]

looking for recommendations, tips, advice, leads, ... anything

want to buy a compact bino / roof prism
we need generous eye relief as we can't manage without our glasses
love a wide fov, hate tunnel vision
magnification only 6x, 7x or 8x

new or used
old or modern
no swaro budget, would prefer something rather cheap

read so many reviews its clogging up instead of clearing up so hope this thread will help shed some light based on your input in real life

thanks

 

[FVG]

Nikon Monarch 7 8x30

 

[Viewerinsweden]

It would probably help if you can state a numeric budget. "Rather cheap" is a relative statement and different members in this forum will put a different number on that.

In general you probably get most out of your investment if you buy a used pair from a weel known brand. Usually people who buy the big brands take very well care of their binoculars.

When it comes to magnifikation I would go for 7X or 8X because a compact binocular with a 10X will have a more difficult eye placement and will perform less in dusk. 6X can also work.

I had a Nikon Monarch 8x36 for many years and think that the monarch series has great value for money. I later upgraded to a used pocket binocular from Swarovski and never looked back.

If I would be in your place I would check out a monarch (5 och 7 depending on your budget) 8x30 or 8x32. Zeiss has also a entry level series called terra which could be interessing.

Like everybody else I would suggest to go to a store if you can and try some different options:
Maybe first different magnifications to get a feeling for what you like best. With different magnification there will be different field of view.
Then you can try a different brands and modells and price levels.
Once you have some specific options you can look for reviews in the forum and will get all the pros and cons.

Good luck with your quest!
Sorry for my bad English...

 

[dice]

By cheap i would think about budget of 350 euro max

 

[Binocollector]

350 would almost be enough to get a Kowa BDII 6.5x32. Small and compact, wide field of view and works great with glasses.

KOWA BD II 6,5x32 XD Fernglas | Intercon Spacetec - Alles für die Astronomie

Kompaktes Weitwinkel-Fernglas von Kowa mit 6,5-facher Vergrößerung und 32 mm Öffnung. Ideal für Wanderungen, Urlaub und Astronomie.

www.intercon-spacetec.de

 

[S_Man]

I also like the Monarch 7 8 x 30 that I just bought, but the eye relief is short (no glasses here, so maybe it's ok with the eye-cup down), also look at the M5 8 x 42, with 19.5 mm eye-relief instead of 15.1 mm for M 7... also they are cheaper than the M7, but the field of view is narrower, 6.4° instead of 8.3°.

Or have a try at the Svbony SV202 ED 8X42, I read very good reviews, including on this forum, even cheaper, and 17.5 mm eye relief, 7.5° FOV?

 

[Rg548]

I've heard the Maven's are very good for the money (7x28 i think...) . Never tried them, but worth a look perhaps.

 

[Rg548]

Second hand Leica's are in the region of your money.
Especially the Trinovid 8x20
Better glass for the money than buying new mid tier!!
Check out optics shops, so you get a waranty and checked binocular.

 

[MiddleRiver]

Trinovid 8x20 is a great shirt pocket bino but I would hate for it to be my primary bino!
The kowas, a zeiss terra or something 8x32 along those lines is where I’d be looking.

 

[FVG]

Trinovid 8x20 is a great shirt pocket bino but I would hate for it to be my primary bino!
The kowas, a zeiss terra or something 8x32 along those lines is where I’d be looking.

Totally agree. An 8x20 is not very suitable as a primary bino, even if it is an alpha model.

 

[Cest]

I would go with the Maven 7x28 or the Kowa BD II 6.5x32. I have both and they are good with my glasses. The Hawke 7x32 Marine ED is also a good option.

 

[has530]

I would not recommend the maven 7x28. They are nice but OP said they hate tunnel vision and they have a <50° AFOV. I think the recommendations to go for a 30-32mm objective are sound advice. If you are dead set on something smaller the docter compact 8x21 has a wide FOV for a compact bino and can be bought (in the US at least) in your budget. Or you could go for a vintage 6x25 11°. I have one sold as the bushnell broadfield and really enjoy using it.

 

[MikeBR]

Definetly not cheap. But I had a similar issue with eye-relief and after trying out different models, I ended up with the Zeiss SLF 8x30.
Amazing view, wide FOV, with 18mm eye-relief I don't have any tunnel vision if I press them square against my glasses. It had searched a bit, but could not find any cheaper models with a real-life 18mm eye-relief. Even some swaro's that post 18mm didn't work. These Zeiss did...

 

[dice]

Thanks for all the suggestions and input
So far the Kowa BDII 6.5x32 has a my attention.
I ran into a zeiss 8x30 , in rubber green wrapping, is this fake or not ? Is this a good bino?

 

[dice]

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Dice, post 14,
This genuine Zeiss. A test report can be found on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor (verrekijkers testen en vergelijken). It is a solid binocular with individual eyepiece focussing and when it was introduced a top quality instrument. Of course in later years better optical glas and coatings became available.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Some more data about this Zeiss Safari 8x30 from post 14: weight 566 g,, close focus 5 m, FOV 120m/1000m, light transmission 75-77%.
Nikon has made a similar one later.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[S_Man]

Some more data about this Zeiss Safari 8x30 from post 14: weight 566 g,, close focus 5 m, FOV 120m/1000m, light transmission 75-77%.
Nikon has made a similar one later.
Gijs van Ginkel

Just in case the OP is not aware of it, individual focusing is not great for birding (more for astro and boating?), and 6.9° FOV (120/1000m) is correct but not huge...

 

[dice]

Thanks for drawing my attention to the individual focusing part, i'm not familiar with that type of bino, so i didn't realize it