7Dayshop 10x42 waterproofs (UK) - first impressions (1 Viewer)

trealawboy · Apr 28, 2006

grayling said:
The 7dayshop bins arrived today. My first impressions are very good. Easy to use and sharp. OK they don't compare to top of the range bins from Leica, Swaro or Zeiss (which I tested at the weekend) but they are about 50 time cheaper.

Well worth it. Thanks again keith for pointing them out.

Yep, I've bought a pair too, pursueded by Keith's endorsement.

They're decent enough bins, and for £17.99 its hard to see where you can go wrong. They're bright enough and comfortable to hold. I think they are not as sharp as my best bins, and focussing is a little slow, the objective covers are naff, but hey ... they're £17.99 and will be great as my car set.

I looked at the Meade's in Lidl yesterday. No context for me, its the 7dayshop roofs that I prefer. I think its down to handling as much as anything, roofs vs porros.

joannec · Apr 28, 2006

I ordered a pair too for family members who keep asking to borrow my Nikon Monarch 10x42s based on Keiths recommendation. We've done a comparison and they are ONLY a little less bright than the Monarchs. The field of view is narrower and the close focus isn't as close (about 12' compared to the Monarchs 7') and the focusing wheel a little less smooth but WHAT AN AMAZING BARGAIN THEY ARE! So thank you Keith for so highly, and rightly, recommending them.

Moorsider · Apr 28, 2006

joannechattaway said:
I ordered a pair too for family members who keep asking to borrow my Nikon Monarch 10x42s based on Keiths recommendation. We've done a comparison and they are ONLY a little less bright than the Monarchs. The field of view is narrower and the close focus isn't as close (about 12' compared to the Monarchs 7') and the focusing wheel a little less smooth but WHAT AN AMAZING BARGAIN THEY ARE! So thank you Keith for so highly, and rightly, recommending them.

Interesting about the FOV.According to the web sites this is the same for both pairs-105/1000 mtrs.

solentbirder · Apr 29, 2006

I finally gave in to my curiosity and ordered a pair of these 10x42's. I really like the ergonomics and find them very comfortable to use. The coatings are better than those on my Nikon Sporters. Eye-relief is a draw back for me as it's too short to use with glasses on. In my pair the image in the right barrel is a lot softer than the left barrel. If you're not happy with the sharpness try reducing the diameter of the objective lenses. I've done this and now I've got a very sharp 10x30. I took some soft rubber strip and made rings that tuck inside the front rim of the objective housings, thereby cutting down the aperture. Give it a try - you'll be surprised what a difference it makes.

scampo · Apr 29, 2006

solentbirder said:
The coatings are better than those on my Nikon Sporters.

Really? I must have bought a different pair of those 7DayShop bins or have owned a very special pair of Sporters?

I expect this to be contentious, looking at the way this thread is developing, but I am finding it very hard to accept some of the more hyperbolic comments regarding these 7DayShop bins.

They really ARE a bargain, but that does not make them anywhere near as good as the top make models. The mechanical construction, at least (and I strongly expect optical, too) of the Nikon Sporters, is so far ahead there is, really, no genuine comparison. As indeed it should be, I would say.

Ten years down the line the Nikons will act and look pretty much as they did on day one - the 7day bins are not going to last that long, surely? They'll outsee seven days, for sure - but seven years?

solentbirder · Apr 29, 2006

scampo said:
What????

I must have bought a different pair or have owned a very special pair of Sporters?
.....

I just double-checked and yes, the anti-reflection coatings on the 7dayshop bins are more effective than those on the Nikon Sporter. The Sporters aren't fully multicoated and neither are the 7dayshop bins, but they do have an effective dark green coating on the objectives and this is better than the Sporter in a side by side test. Now, I'm not saying the 7dayshop bins are as good/better than the Sporter. Optically my 8x36 Sporter is far better. Still, a useable 10x42 roof-prism for £17.99 is pretty amazing.
Cheers
John

mook · Apr 29, 2006

Agreed Scampo, you get what you pay for.....at £17.99 the 7dayshop 10x42's are good enough for the price. Would I buy a pair for £29.99 (as per fleabay), probably not.....would I pay £49.99 (as per LCE), no!

I ordered a second pair from 7dayshop, arrived yesterday and unlike the first pair, they rattle like hell.....so they're going back for exchange.

The best part about these 10x42's is that the eye relief is just right for me - don't wear specs & prefer eyecups down for full field of view.....so in that respect, they're great.

Cheers,

Mook.

Keith Reeder · Apr 29, 2006

scampo said:
I suppose this is going to be contentious looking at the way this thread is developing but I am finding it hard to believe the hyperbolic comments for these 7DayShop bins.

Up to you of course Steve, but I think they're better than the Nikon Sporters I've looked through (though that was a bit ago - but neither their owner nor myself were very taken by them at all).

They really ARE a bargain, but that does not make them anywhere near as good as the top make models. The construction of the Nikon Sporters, for example, is so far ahead there is, really, no genuine comparison. As it should be, I would say.

Nope - contructionally there's no discernible difference in quality. You need to try a pair for yourself rather than just assuming that the Nikons will be better.

I spent a lot of time checking out their build quality, which is so good that you simply can't see anything which makes you say "ah - that's why they're cheap...".

Ten years down the line the Nikons will act and look pretty much as they did on day one - the 7day bins are not going to last that long, surely? They'll outsee seven days, for sure - but seven years?

Betcha!

"Hyperbolic" or not Steve, these are the best sub £400 bins I've ever looked through, including Sporters.

steve55 · Apr 29, 2006

scampo said:
The construction of the Nikon Sporters...

The bit that holds the strap on my sporters broke today when i was out and could have easily destroyed the front lens if they hadn't landed on the grass instead of the very rocky path

but i did see my first whitethroat today so that made up for it...

scampo · Apr 29, 2006

Keith Reeder said:
Nope - contructionally there's no discernible difference in quality. You need to try a pair for yourself rather than just assuming that the Nikons will be better.

I have owned both, Keith - wouldn't have been able to comment otherwise. The Nikon Sporters are a bargain from WE at £99-00 (in fact, I sold mine on eBay for £119-00!). I bought the 7DayShop bins for my nephew last Christmas - and was very pleasantly surprised. But...

...dimmer image, smaller fov, more flare, lower contrast, less sharp than the Sporters and, most noticeable, a far shorter eye relief. Still a bargain, though!

And I hold to what I said - and thank goodness I'm not alone. I was beginning to wonder about my powers of discernment!

griffin · Apr 29, 2006

They ( 7 day shop ) are good but not amazing - they do not compare, nor should they, to my EL 8.5x42, the doggies totty of bins (IMO)!

But, for £20 inc. postage you really are going to be hard pressed to find something that beats them on VFM, features etc. I can't comment on best sub £400 bins as I have little or no experience of them - I believe some of the Opticrons are good value and those Avian's that ACE sell always seemed a good deal at £279.........

I agree with Scampo, and other posters about their limitations esp. eye relief, but they compare favourably to Bushnell's I own that cost £90 ( and they are not waterproof). Would be better if 8x as I find 10x too much.

Worth it as decent spare pair, or to give as a prezzie to encourage someone to look at birds ( I bought a pair for my Dad ).

Linz

solentbirder · Apr 29, 2006

Just thought people may be interested to know they really are waterproof. I was curious (and £17.99 didn't seem like too much to loose) so I left them in a bucket of water for an hour. There is no sign of any leakage.

Another thought - at this price there will most likely be a lot of sample variation. It sounds like some people have got very good examples. As I've previously mentioned, my pair is soft in the right barrel, but very good in the left. If both barrels were as good as the left I'd be quite impressed. As it is I think they're useable and the waterproofing is a bonus. I bought them to leave in the car as an emergency pair or take to the beach with the kids and I think they're fine for this purpose. I also agree they'd be better in an 8x version.

Happy viewing !

mook · Apr 29, 2006

There's bound to be sample variation at the price they're knocking these binoculars out for....which is ok considering 7dayshop say 'if your not 1000% satisfied, you can return them within 14 days' - a PITA I suppose, but hey, you pay your money..... :t:

Cheers,

Mook.

Dr Hackenbush · May 2, 2006

I've just received my pair from 7dayshop. Took them out on Saturday to Bempton and I'm well pleased with them. Doesn't say Nikon or Swarovski on them but they're bought to use rather than to pose with. I'd recommend them and I'm ordering another couple of pairs for when I either lose or break the first pair.

griffin · May 2, 2006

Dr Hackenbush said:
Doesn't say Nikon or Swarovski on them but they're bought to use rather than to pose with.

Mmmm, not sure it's fair to assert that people who use Nikon or Swarovski et al are posers - I like to think MY Swarovski's were bought to use rather than to pose with ! They go everywhere with me and have 'earned' their keep several times over. Serious birders do USE such equipment.

Glad you liked the 7dayers though, they are very good for the dosh.

Linz

Dr Hackenbush · May 2, 2006

griffin said:
Mmmm, not sure it's fair to assert that people who use Nikon or Swarovski et al are posers - I like to think MY Swarovski's were bought to use rather than to pose with ! They go everywhere with me and have 'earned' their keep several times over. Serious birders do USE such equipment.

Glad you liked the 7dayers though, they are very good for the dosh.

Linz

Er, yes I suppose I was tarring all with the same brush, apologies for that.

Cheers.

scampo · May 2, 2006

Dr Hackenbush said:
Er, yes I suppose I was tarring all with the same brush, apologies for that.

Cheers.

Watch out - those who use tar risk getting the stuff all over them...

(0;

Another user of Swaro bins... (who survived for years with far less but eventually treated himself!)

rozinante · May 12, 2006

Does anyone know if the 7day shop waterproof bino's are still available anywhere? On searching their website, I can only find a pair priced at £9.49 and no metion of waterproof!

griffin · May 12, 2006

Looks like they have finally sold out, no doubt thanks to all the glowing recommendations here !

Linz

Roy C · May 12, 2006

rozinante said:
Does anyone know if the 7day shop waterproof bino's are still available anywhere? On searching their website, I can only find a pair priced at £9.49 and no metion of waterproof!

You are right, they were there yesterday but not today. Yesterday it showed stock levels as 'Plenty'.

7Dayshop 10x42 waterproofs (UK) - first impressions (1 Viewer)

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