Help me choose my first binoculars! (2 Viewers)

[vulcanraven]

Hey guys. I am new here. I love birds so much and have decided to invest in my first pair.

So I am between a few and they are all within the $100 range:

There's this not water proof model, $90, it has 8-16x zoom:
Pentax 62217 UCF II 8-16x21 Zoom Binocular

There's fogree/water proof bushnell, it's 10x42 :
Bushnell H2O Waterproof/Fogproof Porro Prism Binocular

There's a nikon that's 8x42:
Nikon 8245 ACULON A211 8 x 42 Binocular (Black)


There's this bear grills bushnell model that is waterproof that is 10x42

There's this relatively cheap 10x25, $50 bushnell model that is water proof as well


I figure I should get a water proof model. I've been told that adjustable zoom models have not as good image. I've also been told that a bigger lense works well and that it should be between 7-10x.

 

[perterra]

Leupold Yosemite in either 6X or 8X would be my choice, nice and compact.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=982850&Q=&is=REG&A=details

In Bushnell I would look at a Legacy
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/421386-REG/Bushnell_120842_8x42_Legacy_WP_Binocular.html

All have decent eye relief and are waterproof. You will quickly learn what you like or dont like but the basic binoculars will last many many years with just a little care.

 

[PhilR.]

First -- never ever ever never ever never never never ever, and I mean *never* buy an inexpensive zoom binocular.

In your group, I would pick the Aculon, and by quite a bit.

An even better buy, if you are willing to go to ebay, is the Olympus EXPS1 8x42. Great little bino for the price. You can often get them on the bay for under $89. You can sometimes get them there for under $60. You can read a review of them on the allbinos website.

If you would be willing to consider an 8x30, then look at the Leupold Yosemite, which can often be found under $100. Great optics in a very convenient package. For daytime use, 30mm is fine for 8x.

 

[WJC]

"First -- never ever ever never ever never never never ever, and I mean *never* buy an inexpensive zoom binocular."

Perhaps that's too much verbiage. You can safely remove "inexpensive"! A couple more "nevers" and "evers" who be just fine, though!

A question that's never asked . . . but SHOULD be:

Why don't Zeiss, Leica, and Swarovski have a zoom in THEIR line-up? The Duo-vid zooms a little but is not a zoom bino!

Bill

 

[Steve C]

I would add that if it is endorsed by that Bear Grylls guy, I don't want it. All of the stuff that bears his muddy mugshot is pretty cheap.

I have an Aculon 7x35 and there is a good choice. I also like the Yosemite.

Stay with a minimum exit pupil size of 4.0 mm. or close, the 8x30 Yosemite is close enough. You can figure that by dividing the diameter of the objective (the 40 in 8x40) by the magnification, the 8 part. 40/8=5 mm exit pupil.

Friends don't let friends buy zoom binoculars.

http://www.bigbinoculars.com/nozooms.htm

 

[vulcanraven]

No love for 10x or 25mm?

 

[[email protected]]

Hey guys. I am new here. I love birds so much and have decided to invest in my first pair.

So I am between a few and they are all within the $100 range:

There's this not water proof model, $90, it has 8-16x zoom:
Pentax 62217 UCF II 8-16x21 Zoom Binocular

There's fogree/water proof bushnell, it's 10x42 :
Bushnell H2O Waterproof/Fogproof Porro Prism Binocular

There's a nikon that's 8x42:
Nikon 8245 ACULON A211 8 x 42 Binocular (Black)


There's this bear grills bushnell model that is waterproof that is 10x42

There's this relatively cheap 10x25, $50 bushnell model that is water proof as well


I figure I should get a water proof model. I've been told that adjustable zoom models have not as good image. I've also been told that a bigger lense works well and that it should be between 7-10x.

Can you stretch $35.00. This baby is WAY better than anything you are looking at!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...eywords=vanguard+endeavor+8x42&condition=used

 

[perterra]

No love for 10x or 25mm?

The 10X is way to shakey in hand and the 25 is just too small.

 

[PhilR.]

No love for 10x or 25mm?

10x is not shaky for everyone. You might do just fine with one. Everyone is different.

10x25 in low-priced binos will not be very good at all. You have to go up to some good ones such as the Nikon Premier in order for a 10x25 to be any good.

A 10x25 will be too dim for many. However, it depends on where you will be using them. Here in sunny central TX, a 10x25 is just fine for sunny daytime use. I often use a Leica Ultravid HD 10x25 when hiking during sunny days. I doubt that I would own one if I lived in the Pacific NW......

 

[PhilR.]

"First -- never ever ever never ever never never never ever, and I mean *never* buy an inexpensive zoom binocular."

Perhaps that's too much verbiage. You can safely remove "inexpensive"!

:king:

I had thought about doing just that, but then I thought that there might be a good zoom out there that I didn't know of. I'm still trying to think of one....

 

[PhilR.]

I also like the Yosemite.

Stay with a minimum exit pupil size of 4.0 mm. or close, the 8x30 Yosemite is close enough.

Friends don't let friends buy zoom binoculars.

Hmmm.... that's three votes for the Yosemite. That should tell you something.....

 

[perterra]

10x is not shaky for everyone. You might do just fine with one. Everyone is different.

10x25 in low-priced binos will not be very good at all. You have to go up to some good ones such as the Nikon Premier in order for a 10x25 to be any good.

A 10x25 will be too dim for many. However, it depends on where you will be using them. Here in sunny central TX, a 10x25 is just fine for sunny daytime use. I often use a Leica Ultravid HD 10x25 when hiking during sunny days. I doubt that I would own one if I lived in the Pacific NW......

Damn sure shakey for me until I get used to it, :-O

 

[vulcanraven]

Porro vs roof?

 

[OPTIC_NUT]

At lower prices, you can get more sharpness and contrast from a porro than a roof
design for the same money. The same goes for a large aperature up front, like with
the 8x40 you mentioned.

There are some great roof binoculars like that Vanguard (at the stretch price)
that break through at a lower price.

The porros like the the Nikon Acculon 7x35 or the 8x40 are very good at even lower
prices now, though. Why would you want a lower power?
---brighter
---less shake of image
---more depth of field (near and far items in reasonable focus)
---wider field of view (helps when searching)

Before you go for 10x you show hold a pair for 5 minutes in a store
or something and see whether the view shakes much. If it does you
effectively loose what sharpness it gained for you.

Why do people give zooms a hard time?
---very narrow field of view, even at low power
---more elements inside, so less sharp and less contrast, less bright
---mechanically sensitive (easier to break when they fall)

Why roof? Size
Why 25 or 21mm? Size (makes the view dim though)

Even spending thousands on a 25mm now cannot make it brighter than
a 35mm or 40mm or 50mm now, given modern coatings.

I love my Yosemite 8x30s. they are also quite rugged.
I have a lot of 7x35 wide-angles from the past I love,too,
so it would also be hard to pass by the Nikon 7x35 Acculons,
with a field width that is rare in recent binoculars.
I have looked through Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax 8x40s
(big porros) and they are all very good, if you want power.
You can get 10x50 Pentax, too, but be sure it will
not be a shaky load.

 

[vulcanraven]

I am between the porro and roof versions of the H20 Bushnells, the bushnell legacy and Vanguard Endeavor. That yosemite is 6x, I feel like I'll need more magnification.

 

[Steve C]

No love for 10x or 25mm?

That's just barely better than zooms. You need a lot more money in one than your $100.

I'd stay with a porro if I were you. They are a lot better at $100 than roofs,. where you sort of need 2-3x that much to get where the porro is. The porro is just easier to make than the roof.

There are three suggestions on the table as of now I'd suggest that you go with one of them. The Nikon Aculon, the Bushnell Legacy, and the Leupold Yosemite. Of those three the Yosemite is the only one water proof. You will need about $40 or so more for the waterproof Nikon Action EX if you want waterproof as a feature. The latter has pretty much the same optics as the Aculon, but more armor and some waterproof seals. Additionally the Yosemite is a bunch smaller than the others if size is a concern.

Why the Bushnell H2O has your attention I'm not sure, but if that is where you are, go with the porro. I would say the H2O is a lesser binocular than the others. The H2O roof is a cheap non phase corrected binocular wannabe in my opinion.

The Yosemite comes in 6x, 8x, and 10x favors.

 

[OPTIC_NUT]

The legacies are well-loved by a lot of raters.
If you can get that deal above on the Vanguards they
will be great and have less size. Not sure how I would go,
but it depends on how and where you want to use them,
how long you hike, mainly.

 

[perterra]

The legacys are waterproof, look thru a 6X Yosemites before you decide you need 8, but as Steve says they also come in 8X and 10X.

H2O might be fine, I dont know, never looked thru one. If eye relief and minimum focus are adequate then I'm sure it would be alright, as would a Natureview or Backyard Birder. The Aculons are unworkable for me because of eye relief, they are not eyeglass friendly.

 

[typo]

I've compared the H20 to the rest of the Bushnell roofs in lowish light conditions. The H2O poor light transmission was very obvious. The porros are a better bet.

David

 

[FrankD]

Throw another vote in for the Yosemites. Are the 8x30s more than $100 these days?