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What's your favourite bins of all time..... and why? (1 Viewer)

R

Rg548

Retired Somewhere
United Kingdom
So after nearly 40 odd years of optics, having had Leica's, Swaro's, Nikon SE's (should have kept them😖), Nikon Eii's, FL's, Conquests, Meostars, and some I've just forgotten about.....
My very fave pair are.....

Swarovski CL8x25's

Every time I look through them, I am stunned by what they achieve for their size. They are with me all the time, even on my paddle board, at any concert, just in my bag, and they never fail to deliver. Even at dusk, they are alright👍.
They fold up super small in a superb case, and offer incredible optics.
Ok, slightly smaller FOV, double hinge, but I can well live with that on balance.
They 'only' cost £650... so I am not paranoid about them, but they are hands down my most useful, and used, binos ever.
My Ultravid 8x20's were superb, but too small, and I didn't use them that much. My FL's, SE's etc were often left behind due to the size, especially if my camera was with me.
But these CL's are becoming a great companion, and I'm appreciating them more now than when I bought them 18 months ago.

I was out and about the other day, had them with me by chance, wasn't planning on using binos so my Meostars were at home, and thought 'YEP'.... what a great purchase, not a penny wasted.

If I had to, I could happily live with these as my only pair, even after my reasonably good Bino ownership history....... they are that good (in my opinion).

What's your faves??

(Oh.... sorry.... still love a Habicht..... I know... leave me alone😅😖)
 
My vote goes for the Swaro CL 8x30. Small, light, great optics and not too expensive. Second place has to go to the 7x35 Retrovid for pretty much the same reasons. If we are talking about the most used binoculars then the Swaro 8x25 wins as it literally goes every where with me!
 
I would have to vote for a porro for their unmatched 3D view. Once you get used to their realistic three dimensional images, it is hard to go back to the flat one dimensional image of a roof prism. Probably for value, I would pick the Nikon E2 8x30 because at a price point of $500 I don't think you can get more performance for your dollar and for sheer performance and light transmission with a sparkle that no roof prism can match the Swarovski Habicht's in either the 8x30, 10x40 or 7x42 depending on what magnification you like.
 
+ 1 on the CL 8x30 for every day carry. All-time favorite binocular? The hefty SARD 6x42 with 12° FOV.
 
Hmmmmm... Hard question to answer.

My favorite BIRDING binocular is a Swarovski NL/SV 8X32. I'm not really sure it's my favorite binocular though.
Prob my favorites(sorry, don't have just one!) are the FL/SLC/UVHD+ 7X42s.
 
There's quite a bit of love for the 'always have them with you' compacts....
I've nearly always owned compacts aswell as full size, but whenever I do sell compacts, I always ended up jumping back in quite quickly, because I miss them so much, regardless of their shortcomings.
Interesting.
 
Rg548 said:
There's quite a bit of love for the 'always have them with you' compacts....
I've nearly always owned compacts aswell as full size, but whenever I do sell compacts, I always ended up jumping back in quite quickly, because I miss them so much, regardless of their shortcomings.
Interesting.
Click to expand...

Rg548,

Count me firmly in your camp, especially w/r/t pockets.

Mike
 
Really difficult, nearly impossible I'd dare to say (it's a bit like choosing your "one favourite food". Anyway, I've been surprised to find my thoughts are a so similar to Chuck's.
I'd say the binoculars that have wow'ed me more, the ones that have given me the greatest joy of use, are the Zeiss FL 7x42. Because there is a mix of depth of field (due to low magnification), clarity, sharpness and brightness that feels almost oneiric, dreamlike, making the world more beautiful to look at. The kind of binoculars you use for the sake of using them, simply for getting pleasure out of the act of watching.

However, my favourite birding binoculars are the Swarovski EL SV 8x32, a great mix of contained size and stunning performance, amazing ergonomics (perfect eyecups) an image that its addictive, and a view so sharp and bright that I never wish for anything else (well, now that I've discovered IS binoculars, I do wish for an IS EL SV, but that's just daydreaming). At 580 g, the feeling I get is that of using a compact 8x42.
 
Rg548 said:
There's quite a bit of love for the 'always have them with you' compacts....
I've nearly always owned compacts aswell as full size, but whenever I do sell compacts, I always ended up jumping back in quite quickly, because I miss them so much, regardless of their shortcomings.
Interesting.
Click to expand...
Even though we all know compacts are more finicky, less bright and usually have a smaller FOV than a full size glass, there is that BIG advantage of the small size and the fact that you can always have them with you that makes them so attractive. Really, once you get a compact adjusted and aligned with your eyes they give you 95% of the view of the bigger binoculars and the bird looks just as good.
 
yarrellii said:
Really difficult, nearly impossible I'd dare to say (it's a bit like choosing your "one favourite food". Anyway, I've been surprised to find my thoughts are a so similar to Chuck's.
I'd say the binoculars that have wow'ed me more, the ones that have given me the greatest joy of use, are the Zeiss FL 7x42. Because there is a mix of depth of field (due to low magnification), clarity, sharpness and brightness that feels almost oneiric, dreamlike, making the world more beautiful to look at. The kind of binoculars you use for the sake of using them, simply for getting pleasure out of the act of watching.

However, my favourite birding binoculars are the Swarovski EL SV 8x32, a great mix of contained size and stunning performance, amazing ergonomics (perfect eyecups) an image that its addictive, and a view so sharp and bright that I never wish for anything else (well, now that I've discovered IS binoculars, I do wish for an IS EL SV, but that's just daydreaming). At 580 g, the feeling I get is that of using a compact 8x42.
Click to expand...
The Swarovski SV 8x32 is pretty hard to beat for an all around birding binocular, even with the newer NL's and SF's. The FOV is big enough and everything else about the binocular is really exceptional. It says a lot for the SV 8x32 when people like Chuck who can have any binocular prefer the SV 8x32 for their birding binocular. They are a perennial favorite and classic. If you could only have one binocular it would be a good choice, and you can pick them up for about $1500 used. I think the new Zeiss SFL will have a tough time beating them.
 
This is so hard to answer. For all-round nature observation my all -time favourite is SF8x32 but for a view that is simply a pleasure to look at then I immediately think of my Meopta MeoStar 7x42 for much the same reasons as mentioned by Yarrellii. Really regret never having had the opportunity to try FL7x42.

Lee
 
My absolute, all time, knock down, drag out favourite pair of binoculars are my Swarovski 10x42 ELs.

as an aside
Learning to love my new (pre-loved but new to me) Swarovski 8x32 ELs. My partner's Zeiss Terra 8x32 binoculars are nice too.
Never cease to be impressed by my Hawke 8x25 Endurance pocket binoculars.
 

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