• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Your car binocular??? (1 Viewer)

C

cycleguy

Well-known member
Hey all,

Happened upon a hawk on fresh kill today while driving. Pulled over and dug out my $40 reverse porro car binocular (resides in the glove box full time) for some better viewing. Found that the quality of view had noticeably deteriorated in sharpness from when new. Got me thinking it is time to find something better.

Wondering what binoculars you have assigned to car duty (resides full time in the vehicle)? Here, temps will range from just below 0 degree F in the worst of winter and in the upper 90 degree F outside temp in the worst of summer so maybe 140 - 160 degree F inside the car when left parked in the sun. I've stayed with less expensive and smaller binoculars for this task in case of break-in and not to take up glove box real estate.

Need to find a serious contender for this application and don't mind going larger than the current 25mm objective for ease of use and will trade off the loss of glove-box free space to accommodate ... maybe the sub $200 Sightron is a good match for this??? :-C

CG
 
Last edited:
Right NOW I have two cars, a BMW and a Jeep Wrangler. I generally go on longer trips in the BMW and it's probably a littler harder to break in to so it has the best binocular. I started out with a Swarovski CL 8X30 but I switched to a Zeiss Conquest HD 8X32, mainly due to more FOV. I can't tell you how many times I have been GLAD I had that nice of binocular in the glove box. While on a trip I don't feel the need to dig thru luggage or thru my optics bag which is usually in the back seat OR even in the hatch. All I do is reach for the Conquest HD and I never feel under-gunned ever. Sometimes I'll take it out of the glove box and just use it instead of anything else I may have. It's that good! I've had it in there for about a year and a half without any issues whatsoever.

The Jeep- Right now I have a Leopold Mojave BX-3 8X32 in the glove box and it's served me well since October when I got the Jeep. There's a LOT less room in the Jeep that in the BMW OR the Ram truck I used to have. I might swap out for the CL or maybe the Vortex Viper HD 8X32 but honestly the BX-3 is a pretty nice little binocular! I kept a Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8X42 in the truck for probably two and half years. No problems whatsoever. Not enough room in the Jeep glovebox for a 42mm.

I sure think the Sightron Blue Sky 8X32 would make a fine car binocular. It would sure be better than what you have I bet! A Zeiss Terra ED 8X32 would be a good one if you can find it for around $200. It's not worth the retail price.
 
Last edited:
Hensoldt DF in 8x30. Surplus for 50€ or so. Nice Zeiss quality designed to be run over by a russian tank and still be usable but of course an IF porro design from the 50s with single coatings and a reticle...

Joachim
 
I have my Zeiss t fl with me most of the time.
You never know what you can see, and when there is a twitch and I get a notification at work, I want to be ready to go.
The best binocular is the one you can grab and look through...
 
Jring, what does the DF stand for please? I have a set. Thanks.
Glove box binos for me are Obie 6.5 x 32 LW at less than $70 so not too worried if they get dinged, scratched, or stolen.
 
Modern Russian tanks only weigh about 45 tonnes.
A Leopard 2 about 62 tonnes.

Will the Hensoldt DF 8x30 support the latter? :)
 
I think the implication of ''car bin'' is one left in the car - all the time.

I have two - my very 1st set, Skyline 7x35 (full of fungus) and a Nikon Venturer II rescued from a thrift shop for 3 bucks.

I left my prized Elite in the car and lost it to theft years ago...never again. Never travel anywhere without one of my good bins on the seat beside me, so such bins are very rarely used.
 
Last edited:
In my truck I've been keeping the 10x32 El's, but when I think of it I'm going to put the 7x42 Meoptas in. I've found that the 10x just doesn't work well from in the cab. In the cars I keep a variety of sub compacts due to space in the armrests.
 
For many years my car binocular was a Japanese 7x23 micro binocular in its case.
Eventually it had rust on the outside but still worked.

Later, assorted 10x25 roof prism binoculars.
 
chill6x6 said:
Right NOW I have two cars, a BMW and a Jeep Wrangler. I generally go on longer trips in the BMW and it's probably a littler harder to break in to so it has the best binocular. I started out with a Swarovski CL 8X30 but I switched to a Zeiss Conquest HD 8X32, mainly due to more FOV. I can't tell you how many times I have been GLAD I had that nice of binocular in the glove box. While on a trip I don't feel the need to dig thru luggage or thru my optics bag which is usually in the back seat OR even in the hatch. All I do is reach for the Conquest HD and I never feel under-gunned ever. Sometimes I'll take it out of the glove box and just use it instead of anything else I may have. It's that good! I've had it in there for about a year and a half without any issues whatsoever.

The Jeep- Right now I have a Leopold Mojave BX-3 8X32 in the glove box and it's served me well since October when I got the Jeep. There's a LOT less room in the Jeep that in the BMW OR the Ram truck I used to have. I might swap out for the CL or maybe the Vortex Viper HD 8X32 but honestly the BX-3 is a pretty nice little binocular! I kept a Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8X42 in the truck for probably two and half years. No problems whatsoever. Not enough room in the Jeep glovebox for a 42mm.

I sure think the Sightron Blue Sky 8X32 would make a fine car binocular. It would sure be better than what you have I bet! A Zeiss Terra ED 8X32 would be a good one if you can find it for around $200. It's not worth the retail price.
Click to expand...

What kind of Wrangler did you get.??..New....your first Wrangler....I just picked up my 3rd in a row JK...2018 JK 2dr Sahara...Wife had a couple Wranglers in the mid/late 90s.......I looked over the new JL model but with the increase in price and all the trouble the new model has been having stuck with the JK.....
 
Binastro said:
Modern Russian tanks only weigh about 45 tonnes.
A Leopard 2 about 62 tonnes.

Will the Hensoldt DF 8x30 support the latter? :)
Click to expand...

We were not allowed to try this by the guys from the optics workshop... even the writeoffs were taken apart for parts to repair the remaining DF (somewhat illegally and for a case of beer apiece as they were to be phased out and supposed to be replaced by Steiner made Fero D12 which nobody wanted).

Joachim
 
Zeiss Victory HT 8x42.

It had developed a loose screw and Zeiss was taking its sweet time repairing it, so in the meantime I purchased a Swarovski EL SV 8.5x42 (pre Field Pro), which became my primary binoculars. When I git the HT back, into the car it went. Previously, I'd keep a monocular in there, and in fact I still have a Minox Makroscope in the glove box (the HT are in the trunk).
 
Last edited:
Thanks, fazalmajid. That's a solid explanation. I'm familiar with the dientsglas designation. If someone can confirm the DF designation, I'd appreciate it.
 
Personal car(s): 20+ yrs old Bausch and Lomb Elite 10x42 that was given to me, a 7+ yrs old Leupold BX-3 Mojave.
Work truck: 8x42 Vanguard Endeavour EDIV - this one I use for the majority of my surveys, etc.

Justin
 
The "classic" Zen-Ray ED3 8×43 lives next to me on the passenger seat under a newspaper (though somewhat luxuriously on a full leather seat), and has been there permanently for a good ~6 years now - it has had several high speed adventures into the passenger footwell during emergency stops - all good.

It has no objective covers and I don't bother putting the eyepiece covers on (unless I am caught out in a rain shower). Somewhat of a "beater bin", even though it is my only bino. Outside temperatures range from -3°C to 47°C plus solar radiation on a black car, so gawd only knows what temperature swings it goes through inside the car.

May I suggest that if you think performance has dropped off since new originally - to blow the dust etc off the objectives and eyepieces and give them all a good 'gentle' clean with lens solution and some appropriate scratch and lint free cloth/paper ..... that's all mine ever get to bring them back - good as gold ! :t: :D

I suppose now that the Zen's are "classics" I may have to dig out the bin bag and give them more security and padding in the glovebox to save all the high speed impacts - that's certainly how I would treat better bins ...... :) :cat:



Chosun :gh:
 
gunut said:
What kind of Wrangler did you get.??..New....your first Wrangler....I just picked up my 3rd in a row JK...2018 JK 2dr Sahara...Wife had a couple Wranglers in the mid/late 90s.......I looked over the new JL model but with the increase in price and all the trouble the new model has been having stuck with the JK.....
Click to expand...

My second Wrangler....first one was in 1992! This one is a 2018 2-door Wrangler Sport. I bought in in October. I've ALWAYS liked them but I've always "needed" a truck. I just decided life is short and traded. This Wrangler is a much more user-friendly than my previous one. They sure are a lot of fun!

Sorry for the sidetrack!:smoke:
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1480.JPG
    IMG_1480.JPG
    87.5 KB · Views: 61
Nice looking Wrangler Chill....I haven't taken any pictures of my new 4x4 binocular case ….but have some from the dealers listing.....

BTW have a Terra 8x25 in there for now.....
 

Attachments

  • 9a47712e327167f9693d2c7ec9eabef4.jpg
    9a47712e327167f9693d2c7ec9eabef4.jpg
    99.5 KB · Views: 26
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 5 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

G
Leica, Zeiss & Swarovski binoculars compared: A personal report
2 3
Replies
42
Views
3K
Paultricounty
P
R
Analysing Binoculars
Replies
6
Views
638
beacon hill
beacon hill
A
Entry - Midrange Binocular Recommendation ($500)
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
Binovehje
B
P
Recommendations for good binoculars for smallish IPD
Replies
5
Views
960
Charlie Yardbird
C
M
Six 5X, 6X, and 7X reverse porros compared
Replies
4
Views
1K
Canip
C

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top