Need binos for less than $200 (1 Viewer)

denco@comcast.n · May 3, 2019

Real Estate agents do that to. Did you ever notice on all those house hunting shows like Beach Front Bargains the agent will always show them a house over their budget. Funny thing is they often end up buying it. Sometimes if you pay a little more in the beginning you won't have to upgrade later on.

justabirdwatcher · May 4, 2019

[email protected] said:
Real Estate agents do that to. Did you ever notice on all those house hunting shows like Beach Front Bargains the agent will always show them a house over their budget. Funny thing is they often end up buying it. Sometimes if you pay a little more in the beginning you won't have to upgrade later on.

Of course real estate agents do it. They work on commission. LOL

jring · May 4, 2019

Seth Miller said:
Are those a better option than the ones mentioned in the first reply? Sorry, I know very little about binos.

Hi,

I would not consider the Katmai due to their very narrow field of view. I only has 6.4 degree of true field, an 8x32 should have sth close to 8 deg, the best are 8.8.

Joachim

Foss · May 4, 2019

Hi Seth,
If I was in your shoes, I'd lean toward purchasing a new 8x42 from a well-known maker though Amazon or (other vendor) that might offer free returns.
Please keep us posted on what you chose and how it works out.

perterra · May 4, 2019

I'd probably just pick up a pair of Nikon Prostaff 7 or Action's. In my opinion they will last you until you decide you want better, then they make good loaners.

Seth Miller · May 5, 2019

Thanks for the help all! I'm planning on buying the Bushnells, but not sure how soon. Because I live in Bangladesh I usually wait to order stuff until someone is coming that can bring it. So I'll probably buy then in a month or two.

jring · May 5, 2019

Don't wait too long, I'm not sure if these will be there forever... they used to be quite a bit more expensive and I think they are getting rid of stock...

Joachim

Seth Miller · May 6, 2019

jring said:
Don't wait too long, I'm not sure if these will be there forever... they used to be quite a bit more expensive and I think they are getting rid of stock...

Joachim

OK. Thanks for the heads up!

Alexis Powell said:
Another vote here for the Bushnell 8x42 Legend M. Just be aware that some units (of any bino) can be defective straight out of the box. So order from a place with a good return/exchange policy just in case you get a lemon.

--AP

I'm planning on having someone bring them over to Bangladesh from the US. One of my friends is coming from the US in a few months, he is into birdwatching but doesn't use binoculars much just his camera. Would he be able to tell if the binos were defective or not? Or do I need to have someone check who uses binoculars a lot? Since I live in Bangladesh I won't have time to return the binos once they reach me if they do prove to be defective.

eronald · May 6, 2019

I wonder if there aren't a bunch of older porros to be had easily?

A friend of mine got some Habicht 10x42 from a dead relative who was into birdwatching and they certainly have no sharpness issues

Edmund

jring · May 6, 2019

Hi,

my usual routine to check used bins I might buy:

- Mechanics - run focus and diopter once from end to end - check if it's smooth but not loose. Check that the image actually changes when doing so. Check bridge and if it's not too loose or stuck.

- Set up - properly set up bins for me - IPD and diopter.

- Optics - check the view - especially for proper collimation as far as this is possible w/o instruments - check close and infinity focus plus that there is some focus drive beyond infinity.

- Cosmetics - check for obvious outside defects or dirt, check for inside fungus or debris - use a well lit white piece of paper and look at that through the bins reversed, that is looking into the objective lens. You will easily see black spots on the glass which could be fungus or debris.

Joachim

Alexis Powell · May 6, 2019

Seth Miller said:
...One of my friends is coming from the US in a few months, he is into birdwatching but doesn't use binoculars much just his camera. Would he be able to tell if the binos were defective or not? Or do I need to have someone check who uses binoculars a lot?...

Obviously, it would be better to have someone look through them who knows how bins should perform, but the tests need not be technical. Checking that the view is crisp in the center, that no "double vision" or strain on the eyes is induced when looking at distant objects, that the focus operates reasonably smoothly, and that both sides focus together are the most important things to check.

--AP

Elkhornsun · May 7, 2019

Pentax 8.5x21 Papilio

The Pentax 8.5x21 Papilio binoculars sell for $119 and that includes a carry case. They are good for general birding and also for butterflies and insects as they focus to a near distance of only 1.6 feet. Eye relief is a decent 15mm and they weigh only a little over 10 ounces.

I bought the 6.5x21 Papilio binoculars and they worked well on a recent trip to Costa Rica where I needed to keep my baggage weight to a minimum and where the close focus distance was great for insects and snakes and bats.

jring · May 7, 2019

Elkhornsun said:
The Pentax 8.5x21 Papilio binoculars sell for $119 and that includes a carry case. They are good for general birding and also for butterflies and insects as they focus to a near distance of only 1.6 feet.

Hi,

while the Papilio II are nice bins (although I personally prefer the 6.5x version for its wider field and less tiny exit pupil), calling them good for general birding is a bit far fetched... a 2.5mm exit pupil on the 8.5x version is going to limit brightness on anything but a bright sunny day.

As a 2nd pair beside a full size pair they are certainly nice though when the full size is too bulky or specifically for flowers or insects...

Joachim

fazalmajid · May 9, 2019

[email protected] said:
Real Estate agents do that to. Did you ever notice on all those house hunting shows like Beach Front Bargains the agent will always show them a house over their budget.

It's called "framing", a standard marketing technique using evolutionary flaws in human psychology.

I don't know how time-sensitive the OP is, but I would recommend monitoring the "Binocular Bargains" thread for a few months, as there are indeed some remarkable bargains to be found there, even if it's been a bit somnolent lately. Now if the OP indeed lives in Dhaka, they might not be practical because of shipping considerations.

eronald · May 9, 2019

fazalmajid said:
It's called "framing", a standard marketing technique using evolutionary flaws in human psychology.

I don't know how time-sensitive the OP is, but I would recommend monitoring the "Binocular Bargains" thread for a few months, as there are indeed some remarkable bargains to be found there, even if it's been a bit somnolent lately. Now if the OP indeed lives in Dhaka, they might not be practical because of shipping considerations.

I would be surprised if locally one cannot pick up some very nice used porros for almost nothing. For various reasons, well-tested tech is better if one lives in a low-tech country, stuff that works and has a cost adapted to local living standards tends to keep on working and stay unstolen, and it's less painful when it does stop working or gets stolen.

Edmund

denco@comcast.n · May 9, 2019

eronald said:
I would be surprised if locally one cannot pick up some very nice used porros for almost nothing. For various reasons, well-tested tech is better if one lives in a low-tech country, stuff that works and has a cost adapted to local living standards tends to keep on working and stay unstolen, and it's less painful when it does stop working or gets stolen.

Edmund

That is a VERY wise statement, Edmund. In the $200.00 range porro's are without a doubt going to be your best value, especially if you can find a used pair. Less likely as you say to to grow feet and walk away also. Someday I want to see Paris!

fazalmajid · May 10, 2019

[email protected] said:
That is a VERY wise statement, Edmund. In the $200.00 range porro's are without a doubt going to be your best value, especially if you can find a used pair. Less likely as you say to to grow feet and walk away also. Someday I want to see Paris!

Bangladesh is a desperately poor country, and there can't be that many binoculars lying around.

Furthermore, it is also humid and most porros are neither waterproof nor tropicalized

denco@comcast.n · May 10, 2019

Your probably right. I am sure it is impossible to get anything shipped there either. I didn't know Bangladesh was humid. Thanks, for that. The name sounds like a desert country. Humidity and porro's don't go together unless they are waterproof like a Habicht IMO.

eronald · May 10, 2019

[email protected] said:
Your probably right. I am sure it is impossible to get anything shipped there either. I didn't know Bangladesh was humid. Thanks, for that. The name sounds like a desert country. Humidity and porro's don't go together unless they are waterproof like a Habicht IMO.

I think marine binoculars (porros) have been in use for quite some time

Does this link help? 1000Tk=$12.

used stuff
https://bdnews24.com/classifieds/hobbies-leisure/binoculars.html?usp=true

some dealer
https://www.amargadget.com/products/all/winter/adventure/binocular/

I think you'll find perfectly decent japanese and chinese tech on the street in camera shops (or in the bazars), and $200 won't buy even a used european alpha roof anywhere, and certainly not in the US. When I grew up, I lived in a developing country and expats picked up a lot of tech stuff at charity sales and when other expats left and didn't want to ship stuff back and needed cash. You might get some very nice gear used over there, as strange as that sounds.

Edmund

jring · May 10, 2019

eronald said:
I think marine binoculars (porros) have been in use for quite some time

Marine porro bins tend to have individual focus eyepieces for better waterproofing and are not great for birding due to the time it takes to focus.

Waterproof center porros exist but are fairly rare. One possibility are the Swarovski Habicht models but they're quite a bit out of budget. Other options would be Nikon Action EX series and the Kowa YF/Leupold Yosemite/Opticron Savanah models.

The Bushnell Legend L 10x42 at that dealer site would be a quite acceptable option at a very good price if one was looking for a 10x42.

Joachim

Need binos for less than $200 (1 Viewer)

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