Bino Suggestions for a Casual Birder? (1 Viewer)

[hannibalscannibal]

hey all, my father is a casual birder (once a week or so, usually) and needs new binoculars

i'm thinking of getting him a new pair for father's day, and wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions!
i'd like to get him something that fares pretty well but since he doesn't go out nearly as often as i do, i don't wanna spend a fortune on them

any recommendations are appreciated

 

[winginit]

Can you tell us more about your dad? Does he wear glasses? Is binocular weight a consideration? How about size? What's the problem with his old binoculars? Also, what's your price range? With a little more information people will be able to offer relevant suggestions.

 

[tehri]

any recommendations are appreciated

Yes, one of the most important : never give it to him without him having tried by himself.
Make a previous selection in a store if you want, of 3 or 4 models, no more, and bring him there afterwards.

And obviously, as Winginit says, the most important thing here if you want suggestions, is to precisely indicate your budget.
Without this info, no one can help you, advise you !!

 

[hannibalscannibal]

Can you tell us more about your dad? Does he wear glasses? Is binocular weight a consideration? How about size? What's the problem with his old binoculars? Also, what's your price range? With a little more information people will be able to offer relevant suggestions.

• no glasses
• weight isn't really a problem, we have back harnesses to keep the weight off our necks
• size doesn't matter too much either, but he's used smaller-ish binos in the past so he might prefer those
• his old binoculars got left in the car on a particularly hot day and melted slightly, one of the lenses fell out : ( they weren't super expensive binos so it's not a huge deal but he needs new ones
• price range is pretty vague, maybe anything up to $100? like i said they're only for casual outings, once a week or so

sorry for not clarifying this stuff in the original post, still new to this site and all !

 

[normjackson]

At the top of the budget maybe something like an Opticron 8x32 Adventurer T WP (or a used one @$55 currently at Bhphotovideo) might be the ticket. Or maybe the Vortex Raptor which has good cover against mishaps.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Take a look at the Athlon Argos 10x42, on sale reduced from $199.99 to only $99.99

• ESP Dielectric Coating- Enhanced Spectral Prism Dielectric Coating: ESP Dielectric Coating is a multi layer prism coating that reflects over 99% of the light to your eyes bringing you a clear, bright image that displays accurate color reproduction.
• XPL Coating- Xtra Protective Layer coating: XPL Coating gives you an extra protection on the exterior lenses from dirt, oil and scratches
• Phase Corrected prisms: Phase corrected prisms produce images that have better contrast, a higher resolution and better color reproduction
• BaK4 prisms: Bak-4 glass prisms reflect more light to your eyes which will give you brighter and sharper image.
• Advanced FMC: Advanced Fully Multi-Coated lenses gives you better light transmission to bring optimum brightness and true color across the entire light spectrum.
• Long Eye Relief: Long eye relief can be particularly important for eyeglass wearers because longer eye relief allows them to still see the entire field of view.
• Close Focus: Close focus is important for those who are nature observers and especially important if you are going to watch butterflies or insects
• Twist Up Eyecups: Twist up eyecups with intermediate stops allow you to set the eyecups to the ideal eye relief for you eyes
• Waterproof: Waterproof to protect the binocular in the harshest weather conditions or if accidentally submerged underwater

 

[tehri]

Take a look at GPO Passion ED ,

Totally out of budget mentioned !!

 

[hannibalscannibal]

thank you to everyone who left suggestions! i appreciate the insight : )

 

[tehri]

And again, remember, it's very risky to offer binoculars to someone without knowing if they will suit him (morpho, eye relief, etc etc)... It's possible... but not ideal. No matter 100$ or 3000$ !

 

[Maljunulo]

Perhaps better optics would get more use.

 

[rajas]

Look at the Celestron Ultima 8x32 or 8x42 porros. Price seems to be within your budget, wide views, waterproof.

 

[hannibalscannibal]

And again, remember, it's very risky to offer binoculars to someone without knowing if they will suit him (morpho, eye relief, etc etc)... It's possible... but not ideal. No matter 100$ or 3000$ !

this is true, i'd just hate to give away the surprise of the gift :,)
if anyone has other outdoorsy/birding related gift ideas, feel free to throw them my way

 

[tehri]

i'd just hate to give away the surprise of the gift :,)

But if you have a store not far away, and the possibility of choosing 3 or 4 binos there, and making an appointment for a visit with your father, it'll be a really cool surprise for him, and a very pleasant moment for You !!

 

[normjackson]

this is true, i'd just hate to give away the surprise of the gift :,)
if anyone has other outdoorsy/birding related gift ideas, feel free to throw them my way

Reckon you need a Father's Day cake in the shape of an Opticron 8x32 Adventurer T WP; you could put it in the car if June 18th is baking hot. For reference here's one in the shape of a Sears model no. 2515 (a bit heavy and coatings not as good) :

https://flic.kr/p/nLmmWX

 

[Elkhornsun]

I would buy a Nikon Monarch 5 or Monarch 7 binoculars that provide great bang for the buck. The Monarch 7 8x30 weigh only 15 ounces and sell for $427 and include a carry case. These are small enough to fit inside a glove box and I keep a pair in my truck so they are always available for use. They are more than adequate for viewing birds even on foggy or overcast days.

Size and weight are a convenience factor. I like 12x binos but replaced my 12x50 ones with 25% smaller and lighter 12x42 binoculars. They are quite good even in low light situations and the 50% greater image magnification compared to 8x binos provide better image detail with small subjects.

 

[Maljunulo]

The Monarch 7 is a better glass than the Monarch 5.