Binocular Sightings (2 Viewers)

[Maljunulo]

Good optics can be enjoyed throughout a lifetime, even if you never look at a bird.

 

[lmans66]

When the Birdforum site was upgraded a couple of years ago, and the "What's New" tab became more obvious, I realized how there is genuinely more discussion on optics than on birds!

I think you are correct…. But unless someone is talking about an area I am familiar with… why hone in? But travel information and suggestions can be spoken to, just not bird ID or the like.

 

[tenex]

When the Birdforum site was upgraded a couple of years ago, and the "What's New" tab became more obvious, I realized how there is genuinely more discussion on optics than on birds!

New models of birds don't come out as often.

 

[Maljunulo]

Um …… we are in a section titled “Binoculars” so one might expect to find rather more discussion of optics.

What am I missing?

 

[Trinovid]

New models of birds don't come out as often.

Hey, wait a second...you sure about that!?! LoL!!

 

[tenex]

What am I missing?

That pianoman was talking about the home page and thus BF overall, not the binoculars section.

 

[Maljunulo]

That pianoman was talking about the home page and thus BF overall, not the binoculars section.

That’s what I suspected.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[pianoman]

Just lightheartedly - since the thread is about "twitching" the binoculars rather than the birds

 

[A2GG]

New models of birds don't come out as often.

new bird models are mass produced ... out of Kamakura’s Chinese factory

 

[Scott98]

I'd love to see how some of you are compiling these long lists of bino-sightings! On my group outings I get some weird looks when I stare at people's binos too long....even less enthusiasm to my questions or comment about binos.

I get a feeling some of it is socio-economic, maybe it's impolite to talk about peoples' binos, since some folks can't afford fancy expensive ones. The best birders don't seem to spend much time thinking about the glass or want to discuss the merits of 8x vs. 10x while in the field

 

[lmans66]

Ha!!!! I think when I do a bin count… I spend more time trying to slyly find the bino manufacturers than birds! But I will just keep a running count in my head. Swaro2–zeiss3—Leica -2 , Nikon -2 etc…. I usually go in groups of 10-12 during spring months so not hard.

 

[tenex]

I get a feeling some of it is socio-economic, maybe it's impolite to talk about peoples' binos, since some folks can't afford fancy expensive ones.

Many people are insecure about being judged, maybe even unsure of their own judgment and would just rather not get into it. And there's something about meeting in the field that offers instant bonding over what you're looking at, rather than what with. I'll hand a $2k bin to someone I've never seen before who has none. (Probably not $3k though... good thing I don't have one.)

 

[Trinovid]

The only gathering of binocularists I’ve been to was mostly all Leica, since I had most of my binoculars there.

I also had my Curio 7x21
The other two binoculars carried by a man and his wife were a Monarch of unremembered magnification for him and a Trinovid 8x20 for her.

 

[dries1]

I am with more nature observers/hunters than birders in the field, yes birders, they don't discuss the glass.

 

[Trinovid]

…there's something about meeting in the field that offers instant bonding over what you're looking at, rather than what with. I regularly hand a $2k bin to someone I've never seen before who has none.

There is something just intrinsically enjoyable about sharing and I seldom hesitate to let someone look through my Ultravids or the Curio. I suppose when we do that though, we may be at least partly responsible for their introduction into the world of enjoyable optics.

 

[KeesJ]

I am often with birders in the field and they never talk about binoculairs and never seem to look at each other binos.
I do watch and see 9 out of 10 times a Swarovski.

 

[Scott98]

Last weekend I was on a walk on the coast...guided tour led by a club volunteer - the guides are 95% Swarovski, the one outlier is a guy with a Zeiss 42mm HT. The guide looked at me like I was crazy when I quickly offered my 8x42 SF's to a pair of beach-walking ladies. They did mess up my IPD setting, but that's OK I'm used to doing astronomy outreach which involves crowds of people lined up to look through my telescope. There were 200+ ducks floating in the water and they wanted to know if they were eiders so I couldn't deprive them of a nice view

 

[dries1]

Last weekend I was on a walk on the coast...guided tour led by a club volunteer - the guides are 95% Swarovski, the one outlier is a guy with a Zeiss 42mm HT. The guide looked at me like I was crazy when I quickly offered my 8x42 SF's to a pair of beach-walking ladies. They did mess up my IPD setting, but that's OK I'm used to doing astronomy outreach which involves crowds of people lined up to look through my telescope. There were 200+ ducks floating in the water and they wanted to know if they were eiders so I couldn't deprive them of a nice view

I never volunteer anything, much less a $2,000 optic, if they drop it they will just say sorry, and move on.

 

[Scott98]

it's definitely living dangerously...they weren't drinking and said they were birders so I went with my instincts

The biggest threat to my equipment would be my best friends! Already learned that lesson....

 

[tehri]

There is something just intrinsically enjoyable about sharing and I seldom hesitate to let someone look through my Ultravids or the Curio. I suppose when we do that though, we may be at least partly responsible for their introduction into the world of enjoyable optics.

oh yes that's so true ! always so enjoyable !!
It reminds me of so many wonderful moments in Himalaya, in hamlets lost in altitude, or with shepherds on high silent meadows with breathtaking views... hand them Swarovski's, (mainly 10x42), and see, feel how captivated they are !!! See a huge smile on their faces by making them discover something really like magic !!!

I never volunteer anything, much less a $2,000 optic, if they drop it they will just say sorry, and move on.

Oh no, not really... from experience, when you entrust such an instrument, and politely ask to be careful, to take care, people are very careful... and above all, the first thing to do is to pass them the strap around the neck... but it's really a pleasure to share this with people who don't know !!