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First bins for daughter, sub $100 (1 Viewer)

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stemgj

New member
My daughter is 13 and I would like some suggestions for her first pair of decent binoculars. I talked with her and she does not want a pair of compacts nor anything too big. Her interpupil distance is quite small so that is an important factor. I wear glasses but she does not at this point in time. However I would like the bins to have good eye relief in case she does need to wear them: I am still using the bins I bought maybe 20 years ago! The general consensus seems to be that porros offer more value than roof and I am more concerned with the optical performance over bells and whistles... sure if it happens to be waterproof and nitrogen filled that would be nice but mine are neither and I don't remember it ever being an issue for me.

From what I can find so far the Leupold Yosemite 8x30 looks a very strong contender. I might be able to push the $100 budget a little (maybe $20) if there is something spectacular.

Other suggestions?

Also if anyone knows of a decent optics store near Raleigh, NC where we could actually go and test drive some options that would be very helpful.

All your thoughts and recommendations are very much appreciated so thanks in advance.
 
I'd stick with the yosemites, if she wears glasses a 6X30 might be a little easier to use for her. I prefer the 6X30 myself but either are good.
 
IMO there's not a lot to recommend for your budget and situation, but there are three very good choices. As perterra has already suggested, you should really consider the Leupold Yosemite, along with the 6.5x Vortex Raptor, and the Kowa clones. CDNN used to have the pink camo Yosemite for around $69, so you might check them out and see what they have left.

I've not ever seen a roof-prism in your price range that was good enough to recommend, but you might investigate the ones from Bushnell and Celestron. But for me, one of the three above would be the way to go.....
 
Hill's Inc., Capital Blvd., Raleigh carry Leupold, and others, and may be your best bet locally for somewhere to try.

Good luck with your choice.

Best wishes,
 
My grandson is 9 and has the Opticron 6x30 porro and I have the Leupold Yosemite 6 x30, both are great for the price and have a small IPD. I love the Yosemites for looking at bird on the feeders, wide view, good depth of field and very bright, hope this helps.
 
I agree with everybody else in recommending the Yosemites, especially the 6x30. These can be had for about $80, and you'd be hard pressed to find something better for the money.
 
Yosemites all the way. When she said not-big/not-compact, that set the size up.
There are many that are as good optically in the x30 size, but the Leupolds are
th emost solid I have seen. I think the Kowas are at least as solid but I haven't
handled any. The Leupolds are easier to come by. Pick 6x or 8x based on what
distance will apply (yard or dense woods, pond or field) Either will work great though.
The 6x has such fine resolution you can see details at distance. It also has more
field depth and brightness by simple virtue of the lower power. It doesn't pack as much
'out of the box wow', but the 6x grows on you with the years.
 
my son (9 years) has the 6x30 yosemites, and that's perfect for him. He still has trouble to hold 8x without too much shaking. Ok, 13 years is already different, but perhaps you could have a try a bit with a 8x binocular before buying one.
 
I loaned my original version 6x30 Yosemite with an Ivory colored body (which I reviewed here when the Yosemites first came out) to my brother who is retired, like I am, and he won't give it back! That was years ago. It still works fine!

Bob
 
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As you can see....even people with far more pricey binoculars
still have a strong sentimental attachment to Yosemites many years later.

That says it all.
 
I too have a great liking for this fine 6x30, that I use in the Kowa version (which is clones with the Yosemite). But I'm not sure if the girl will prefer it over the 8x30, and it's best to try out both. On a trip w. some friends and their kids took along that 6x30 and a 10x25. None of them are bird watchers but they looked at birds through the bins when I showed them. The four adults, 45+ yrs, had a marked preference for the 6x30, which I think is due to the larger exit pupil. Of the three children at least one, a boy of 13, much preferred the 10x25, and the others, ~ 12 to 16 yrs, as I remember showed no preference.
 
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I would agree with all of the others. The little 30 mm porro models from all of the above are definitely the way to go. They were designed for just such a situation.

I do often wonder what really separates them optically from much more expensive models. Coatings? Quality of glass? Build quality? The image quality is really very, very good. The simplicity in design is one of the primary reasons they are so inexpensive. I wonder how they really would perform if they had cutting edge antireflective coatings on them and/or how much of an increase in cost would result.
 
The coating are actually at a very high level of development. About 98% passage
per element for Yosemite, Kowa, Celestron. That stripe of 'modernism' came in around
1995 or so. The best now would be 99% per element. Some say 99.7% but that
cannot hold for long because it's a very "high-Q" structure..a teeny film and that's off.

The big difference is the mechanical details. Barska Crossover 8x30s chintz a little bit
on the occulars, but need big work on the focuser assembly. Celestrons are better, but
still not as solid as the Yosemite focusers. Smoothness is an issue now with all the
O-rings and weatherproofing. Really smooth long-term takes a few hundred $ in
porro, unless it's IF occulars. When I cycle my Yosemites, I'm getting a
temporary upgrade to the o-ring sticking.
Smooth begins around $120 in roofs, though. I'll admit they are getting
super with that. The mid-body focuser lens is key. Super-smooth and
therefore always pinprick sharp starts at $200-300 and up. I'm a big porro fan,
but 'modern' (last 3 yrs) roofs have made huge strides in precision and
smoothness at the middle prices.

Light suppression and contrast should get better with price, but there are still
some shockers at any price. Celestron 8x30s have better contrast than Yosemites,
but shakier focusing. Nikon 8x30 Monarch 7's catch some glare...I'd make a hood
for those if I got them.

Extra money can also buy more aspheric surfaces.
Interesting because 60 years ago it was all aspheric, basically, for finishing.
Some old Binolux with all modern coatings would be spectacular.
 
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Frank, et al., a bit off topic, but seizing the chance! 6x30 porro with the slight improvements you (F.) suggest could well become a major config. The depth of field and great steadiness inherent in 6x - effectively "virtual autofocus" and "virtual IS"! - may well enable most users to see, in field use, as much detail in most conditions as with an 8x42 - with a much smaller, lighter bin.
 
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Pomp,

I chose "cutting edge" antireflective coatings simply because it seemed the one area that would be a relatively inexpensive upgrade. I have no idea what quality of glass is used in the binocular but since it is such a simple design I didn't think "fancier" glass would do much except upgrade the price. I really don't think it would take much to get this little porro design to compete with notably more expensive glass.
 
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Frank, thanks for (so gently!) pointing that out - corrected it moments before your post, which my edit crossed in cyberspace!
 
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Coin Hound said:
Go with the Redfield Renegade 8x36. Five times the Yosemite. I just bought these because I was looking for a small porro and the Yosemite clones all seem to be fuzzy and awkward.

Not the Redfields--slightly larger and much, much more sturdy and user friendly. Optics are sharper than my Mojaves--you read correct.

And the best part--$55 bucks at Midway--yes, that's right, half the price, twice the glass. Only in America can you get a this.

Seriously--seem to made in the same factory in China (same company--Leupold owns Redfield).

I'm hooked. I also have the 7x50s--only these are Philippine made. VERY sharp optics-I can't see why these don't sell--really really like these.
Click to expand...
Slow down we get your excitement, one thread at a time!

Bryce...
 
Coin Hound said:
Go with the Redfield Renegade 8x36. Five times the Yosemite. I just bought these because I was looking for a small porro and the Yosemite clones all seem to be fuzzy and awkward.

Not the Redfields--slightly larger and much, much more sturdy and user friendly. Optics are sharper than my Mojaves--you read correct.

And the best part--$55 bucks at Midway--yes, that's right, half the price, twice the glass. Only in America can you get a this.

Seriously--seem to made in the same factory in China (same company--Leupold owns Redfield).

I'm hooked. I also have the 7x50s--only these are Philippine made. VERY sharp optics-I can't see why these don't sell--really really like these.
Click to expand...

Damn, 5 times the yosemite, I didnt feel a swaro was 5 times a yosemite.
 
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