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Any binocular recommendations for a beginner? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter binoc
- Start date
stereotruckdriver
Well-known member
Giving a budget on what your willing to spend helps others when recommending binoculars.
Bryce...
eitanaltman
Well-known member
Budget is mandatory. Decent bins run from $100 to $2500.
Since you are in NYC you are fortunate to have great shops locally like B&H and CameralandNY. Thus your best bet is to go into a store and try before you buy. Ergonomics and feel are sometimes as important as pure optics.
One piece of advice is that higher powers can be overrated. 6x to 8x is fine for concerts and most bird watching. Higher powers make the view less steady and the field of view narrower.
Since you are in NYC you are fortunate to have great shops locally like B&H and CameralandNY. Thus your best bet is to go into a store and try before you buy. Ergonomics and feel are sometimes as important as pure optics.
One piece of advice is that higher powers can be overrated. 6x to 8x is fine for concerts and most bird watching. Higher powers make the view less steady and the field of view narrower.
eitanaltman
Well-known member
Ok at $100 your best bet is the Leupold Yosemite 6x30 or the similar Kowa YF. Go check them out at a local store. The more you spend the more your options open up.
perterra
Well-known member
6x30 or 8x30 is kind of big for concert-watching.
For reverse-porros (most bang per buck):
I would go for 8x25 or 8x21. I love that Olympus Roamer 8x21 even though it's
only about $30-40. The sharpness is almost magical. Not for twilight or dawn,
or course. Pretty good for stage productions. VERY small.
The LL Bean / Bushnell "Discovery" 8x25 is amazing for $50.
Another uptick in performance and price would get the Nikon ProStaff 8x25 or the
Vortex Vanquish 8x26. Still well under $150. Some stubby 8x32 roofs are
actually very nice and under $200 as well. More cost but more light for a given bulk.
Unfortunately, the best sizes for concerts and nearby birds, 7x21 and 7x25,
are almost impossible to find anymore. I would take some old Jason Graphite 7x25s
or Nikon 7x20s to a concert. Very tough and sharp, and a bit of extra brightness
going to 7x.
For reverse-porros (most bang per buck):
I would go for 8x25 or 8x21. I love that Olympus Roamer 8x21 even though it's
only about $30-40. The sharpness is almost magical. Not for twilight or dawn,
or course. Pretty good for stage productions. VERY small.
The LL Bean / Bushnell "Discovery" 8x25 is amazing for $50.
Another uptick in performance and price would get the Nikon ProStaff 8x25 or the
Vortex Vanquish 8x26. Still well under $150. Some stubby 8x32 roofs are
actually very nice and under $200 as well. More cost but more light for a given bulk.
Unfortunately, the best sizes for concerts and nearby birds, 7x21 and 7x25,
are almost impossible to find anymore. I would take some old Jason Graphite 7x25s
or Nikon 7x20s to a concert. Very tough and sharp, and a bit of extra brightness
going to 7x.
Last edited:
Stephen Prower
Well-known member
The Olympus Roamer 7x21 is sold in the UK at £29 (£8 UK delivery):
http://www.microglobe.co.uk/olympus-7x21-pc-iii-classic-compact-binoculars-lt-blue-p-2629.html
This is the bubble-wrapped 'Blue' version. I find it improved optically compared with the previous boxed 'Blue-Black' version.
Stephen
http://www.microglobe.co.uk/olympus-7x21-pc-iii-classic-compact-binoculars-lt-blue-p-2629.html
This is the bubble-wrapped 'Blue' version. I find it improved optically compared with the previous boxed 'Blue-Black' version.
Stephen
Aha..I got an older one at auction and it wasn't that sharp compared to the 8x21 PC-III.
So somewhere in the world they sell the great version!
Binoc, if you're strapped for cash and can put up with something bigger sometimes,
the Nikon 7x35 Acculon:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/910763-REG/nikon_8244_7x35_aculon_a211.html
is a LOT of binocular for $76. The field width is very big, and a lot of fun when you're first
trying to scan around to see where the creatures are.
So somewhere in the world they sell the great version!
Binoc, if you're strapped for cash and can put up with something bigger sometimes,
the Nikon 7x35 Acculon:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/910763-REG/nikon_8244_7x35_aculon_a211.html
is a LOT of binocular for $76. The field width is very big, and a lot of fun when you're first
trying to scan around to see where the creatures are.
Last edited:
brocknroller
porromaniac
I would recommend the Olympus 7x21 PC III reverse porro for your budget and purposes.$26 at Overstock makes them the "best bang for the buck" in its class.
Plus 7x is easier to hold in a compact, and it has a wider FOV than most 8x compacts (7.5*), which makes it more suitable for birding, yet it's small enough to fit in your coat pocket for concerts.
At your price point, I would not recommend compact roof prism bins.
Blue Beetle
Brock
winwinbino
Well-known member
I would highly recommend Bushnell Excursion 8x28 which sometimes comeup at the Bay. A bit over your budget, the Voretx Diamondback 8x32 (demo) is a good choice.
Andy
Andy
FrankD
Well-known member
Sadly listed as "Out of stock" as of 9:47 this morning. Did one of you just buy one today?
That is "compact Roof Prism bins?" The prisms are inside the binocular's tubes.
They look like this:
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/bushnell/bushnell-legend-10x25-roof-prism-binocular
Bob
Compact: usually 25mm front or less (7x18, 8x21, 8x25, 10x25...)
Roof: straight barrels (makes it even more compact).
Although...there are some 'short' 8x32 roofs that are practically
compact in size.
Binoc,
In my humble experience, cheap reverse Porro compacts, even supposedly DECENT ones around $80, are, um, disappointing.
Get a normal sized binocular. The Yosemite/Kowa YF is a good option. The Nikon Aculon 7x35 is another.
No, you won't have the tiniest binocular at the concert. But looking at stuff will be lots more fun.
Ron
In my humble experience, cheap reverse Porro compacts, even supposedly DECENT ones around $80, are, um, disappointing.
Get a normal sized binocular. The Yosemite/Kowa YF is a good option. The Nikon Aculon 7x35 is another.
No, you won't have the tiniest binocular at the concert. But looking at stuff will be lots more fun.
Ron
