The Binocular Academy Awards!!! (1 Viewer)

denco@comcast.n · Mar 12, 2018

Since we just had the real Academy Awards I thought we could have the "BINOCULAR ACADEMY AWARDS" on Bird Forum. Here are the categories and winners and runners up IMO. You may find a runners up works better for you personally than my top choice but you won't go wrong with any of these choices. The list is not an ABSOLUTE RANKING but rather just a list of good choices in that format. So don't get defensive if I have your binocular 2nd place or if your binocular was not nominated. This is just for fun.

BEST COMPACT BINOCULAR
1)Swarovski 8x25 CL-P
2) Zeiss Victory 8x25

BEST 8X30 BINOCULAR
1)Swarovski 8x30 CL
2) Nikon 8x30 EII
3) Nikon M7 8x30

BEST 8X32 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8x32 SV
2) Nikon 8x32 EDG
3) Zeiss 8x32 FL
4) Nikon 8x32 SE

BEST 7X42 BINOCULAR
1) Zeiss 7X42 FL
2) Nikon 7x42 EDG
3) Leica Ultravid HD Plus 7x42

BEST 8X42 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8.5X42 SV
2) Zeiss 8x42 SF
3) Leica Noctivid 8x42
4) Nikon 8x42 EDG
5) Zeiss 8x42 HT

BEST 10X42 BINOCULAR
1) Canon 10x42 IS-L
2) Zeiss 10x42 SF
3) Swarovski 10x42 SV
4) Leica Noctivid 10x42
5) Nikon 10x42 EDG
6) Zeiss 10x42 HT

BEST 10X50 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 10X50 SV
2) Leica Ultravid HD Plus 10x50

BEST 8X56 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8x56 SLC
2) Zeiss 8x56 FL

dries1 · Mar 12, 2018

In addition instead of having best supporting a... ,we go for best value binocular also, and list them for each format 8X32 7X42 8X42 10X42.

A.W.

denco@comcast.n · Mar 12, 2018

That would be complicated to get into price points. I just did the most popular birding formats with price no object. Just the best IMO.

Maljunulo · Mar 12, 2018

[email protected] said:
That would be complicated to get into price points. I just did the most popular birding formats with price no object. Just the best.

As determined by whom?

denco@comcast.n · Mar 12, 2018

Maljunulo said:
As determined by whom?

IMO based on comparing these binoculars and objective and subjective reviews. A runner up may work better for you just like you may prefer one movie over another but I don't think you will go wrong with any on my list. The list is not an absolute ranking. I didn't get into the value binoculars like the Maven's or Tract's or Nikon MHG's even though often times they represent 95% of the performance of these mostly alpha's.

black crow · Mar 12, 2018

[email protected] said:
Since we just had the real Academy Awards I thought we could have the "BINOCULAR ACADEMY AWARDS" on Bird Forum. Here are the categories and winners and runners up IMO. You may find a runners up works better for you personally than the top choice but you won't go wrong with any of these choices.

BEST COMPACT BINOCULAR
1)Swarovski 8x25 CL-P
2) Zeiss Victory 8x25

BEST 8X30 BINOCULAR
1)Swarovski 8x30 CL
2) Nikon 8x30 EII
3) Nikon M7 8x30

BEST 8X32 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8x32 SV
2) Nikon 8x32 EDG
3) Zeiss 8x32 FL
4) Nikon 8x32 SE

BEST 7X42 BINOCULAR
1) Zeiss 7X42 FL
2) Nikon 7x42 EDG
3) Leica Ultravid HD Plus 7x42

BEST 8X42 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8.5X42 SV
2) Zeiss 8x42 SF
3) Leica Noctivid 8x42
4) Nikon 8x42 EDG
5) Zeiss 8x42 HT

BEST 10X42 BINOCULAR
1) Canon 10x42 IS-L
2) Zeiss 10x42 SF
3) Swarovski 10x42 SV
4) Leica Noctivid 10x42
5) Nikon 10x42 EDG
6) Zeiss 10x42 HT

BEST 8X56 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8x56 SLC
2) Zeiss 8x56 FL

I think it's cool you own all those binoculars. :t:

Chosun Juan · Mar 12, 2018

And the winner is ................ Moonlight ! 3

Chosun :gh:

chill6x6 · Mar 12, 2018

[email protected] said:
Since we just had the real Academy Awards I thought we could have the "BINOCULAR ACADEMY AWARDS" on Bird Forum. Here are the categories and winners and runners up IMO. You may find a runners up works better for you personally than my top choice but you won't go wrong with any of these choices. The list is not an ABSOLUTE RANKING but rather just a list of good choices in that format. So don't get defensive if I have your binocular 2nd place or if your binocular was not nominated. This is just for fun.

BEST COMPACT BINOCULAR
1)Swarovski 8x25 CL-P
2) Zeiss Victory 8x25

BEST 8X30 BINOCULAR
1)Swarovski 8x30 CL
2) Nikon 8x30 EII
3) Nikon M7 8x30

BEST 8X32 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8x32 SV
2) Nikon 8x32 EDG
3) Zeiss 8x32 FL
4) Nikon 8x32 SE

BEST 7X42 BINOCULAR
1) Zeiss 7X42 FL
2) Nikon 7x42 EDG
3) Leica Ultravid HD Plus 7x42

BEST 8X42 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8.5X42 SV
2) Zeiss 8x42 SF
3) Leica Noctivid 8x42
4) Nikon 8x42 EDG
5) Zeiss 8x42 HT

BEST 10X42 BINOCULAR
1) Canon 10x42 IS-L
2) Zeiss 10x42 SF
3) Swarovski 10x42 SV
4) Leica Noctivid 10x42
5) Nikon 10x42 EDG
6) Zeiss 10x42 HT

BEST 8X56 BINOCULAR
1) Swarovski 8x56 SLC
2) Zeiss 8x56 FL

Here's mine based on what I have/have experience with.

Best Compact
I have ONE...Vortex Viper 8X28! It's a good little binocular too!

Best 8X30
1.Swarovski CL
2. Nikon M7

Best 8X32
1. SV
2. Zeiss Conquest HD
3. Meopta Meostar HD

Best 7X42(TOUGH!)
1a. Leica UVHD+
1b. Zeiss FL
2. Meopta B.1

Best 8X42(LOTS of good ones!)
1. Nikon EDG II
2. Noctivid
3. SV 8.5
4. SLC HD
5. SF

Best 10X42
1. Noctivid
2. SV
3. FL
4. Conquest HD

No 56s... :-C

denco@comcast.n · Mar 12, 2018

Chuck. Thanks, for your list. Since you have experience with so many binoculars it is meaningful. There are a lot of good 8x42's.

WJC · Mar 12, 2018

Maljunulo said:
As determined by whom?

There you go ... being snotty, again. Here, let me help you.

As determined by whom!!!! :cat:

Bill

dries1 · Mar 12, 2018

Academy Awards

Only one of these on the list for the associated parameters, the EII 8X30. I think there are too many good binoculars out there.

A.W.

denco@comcast.n · Mar 12, 2018

dries1 said:
Only one of these on the list for the associated parameters, the EII 8X30. I think there are too many good binoculars out there.

A.W.

That is a nice collection of porro's. Hang on to them they are getting rarer.

james holdsworth · Mar 12, 2018

Considering the OP was advocating for the death of the alpha not too long ago, amazing how many alphas appear on the OP's list...lol....all alpha brands!

denco@comcast.n · Mar 12, 2018

james holdsworth said:
Considering the OP was advocating for the death of the alpha not too long ago, amazing how many alphas appear on the OP's list...lol....all alpha brands!

I will do another Academy Awards for value binoculars later on. It gets complicated to intermix them. There is a couple non-alpha runners up.

black crow · Mar 12, 2018

That's the one I will have a least a tad of input on. Since I'm not a rich boy I get my bino thrills off of bang for the buck.

denco@comcast.n · Mar 13, 2018

black crow said:
That's the one I will have a least a tad of input on. Since I'm not a rich boy I get my bino thrills off of bang for the buck.

You know what I always thought would be cool is to create a computer program that chooses a binocular for you based on series of questions pertaining to how you use it, what your price range is, how heavy of a binocular you like, etc. Then it searches a database of binoculars and picks your ideal binocular based on the best reviewed binocular with the attributes you like.

black crow · Mar 13, 2018

That would likely find you good binoculars but IMO take most of the fun out of fumbling around, diving down and searching, searching, searching for that perfect bino yourself. My clumsy attempts at research is where I derive much of my pleasure from owning optics. Sometimes I'm up half the night reading reviews. Otherwise I'd likely be happy with just a couple of pair of binoculars.

denco@comcast.n · Mar 13, 2018

black crow said:
That would likely find you good binoculars but IMO take most of the fun out of fumbling around, diving down and searching, searching, searching for that perfect bino yourself. My clumsy attempts at research is where I derive much of my pleasure from owning optics. Sometimes I'm up half the night reading reviews. Otherwise I'd likely be happy with just a couple of pair of binoculars.

HaHa. You sound like me. The fun is in the chase right?

Theo98 · Mar 13, 2018

[email protected] said:
You know what I always thought would be cool is to create a computer program that chooses a binocular for you based on series of questions pertaining to how you use it, what your price range is, how heavy of a binocular you like, etc. Then it searches a database of binoculars and picks your ideal binocular based on the best reviewed binocular with the attributes you like.

Who needs a PC program...Isn't that what us optic nuts are doing on BF "Binoculars".

Still, you have to get out and "SEE FOR YOURSELF", with the glass under various viewing scenarios, to "KNOW" what optics will work with Your eyes, Your face, Your physiology, Your Brain!!! Specs, reviews, forums, even a PC program are just the beginning...of which the culmination of the journey is still, "Seeing Is Believing"! :eek!: :king:

Ted

denco@comcast.n · Mar 13, 2018

black crow said:
That's the one I will have a least a tad of input on. Since I'm not a rich boy I get my bino thrills off of bang for the buck.

Why don't you start an Academy Awards for Value Binoculars thread?

The Binocular Academy Awards!!! (1 Viewer)

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