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How many Binoculars do you have? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Euan Buchan
- Start date
Mark9473
Well-known member
Ever? I like a really good steak every few months.
And sometime's I want a Porterhouse and sometime's a Tea Bone or maybe a New York Cut!
At the beginning I thought of having a "good-do-it-all" pair; 8x42 turned out to be too heavy and bulky, so I've been investigating other flavours, both smaller and larger, so now I have around 8 or 9, depending on what I'm planning to sell (in this case, an UVHD-8x32).
My most used binoculars (and the ones I enjoy the most) are the E2-8x30, SE-10x42 and FL-7x42. The Papillio II-6.5, M5-12x42, FMTSX-7x50 and Engage 10x50 are «speciality» devices (bugs/plants, seabirds and astronomy), the M7-8x30 is for hiking/adventure/getting dirty and YF-8x30 for the car.
Wow, now I think I have to slim down the collection
. But binoculars are such lovely devices, aren't they?
My most used binoculars (and the ones I enjoy the most) are the E2-8x30, SE-10x42 and FL-7x42. The Papillio II-6.5, M5-12x42, FMTSX-7x50 and Engage 10x50 are «speciality» devices (bugs/plants, seabirds and astronomy), the M7-8x30 is for hiking/adventure/getting dirty and YF-8x30 for the car.
Wow, now I think I have to slim down the collection
. But binoculars are such lovely devices, aren't they?oldfortyfive
Well-known member
There's worst things to collect. Binoculars are just one of my bad habits. If you know how many you have you don't have enough o
3 8x42, one 10x42 IS, one 10x50, two 8x20, one 8x25, one 7x15, so 9 total
Patriot222
Well-known member
I'm "allowed" to have up to 25 and I currently have 22. I've just ditched a couple of Steiner 8x22's and have some some 8x25's inbound.
johnbaz
Well-known member
Hi
I thought I had around thirty but looking at my Flickr album, There's quite a few that i've not uploaded on to there!
Here's a set I bought a few months ago, Swallow 15x80, My Nikon Monarch 8x42 are what i'd call normal sized bins, I put them there for a size comparison!
There's a couple of 7x50 that aren't in my Flickr album too, Dowling and Rowe focus free and Tasco, Both armoured!
There's also a set of Celestron 25x70 Skymasters too, These actually aren't too heave to hold in use, With the high mag though they're a little shakey and a tripod is a boon!
Regards, John :t:
I thought I had around thirty but looking at my Flickr album, There's quite a few that i've not uploaded on to there!
Here's a set I bought a few months ago, Swallow 15x80, My Nikon Monarch 8x42 are what i'd call normal sized bins, I put them there for a size comparison!
There's a couple of 7x50 that aren't in my Flickr album too, Dowling and Rowe focus free and Tasco, Both armoured!
There's also a set of Celestron 25x70 Skymasters too, These actually aren't too heave to hold in use, With the high mag though they're a little shakey and a tripod is a boon!
Regards, John :t:
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johnbaz
Well-known member
Hi Phil
You could do with making a parallelogram to bear the weight of the heavy bins, Something like this!
It will save neck pain, Also you can sit in a comfy reclining chair and make the most of it!!
John :t:
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True. Once you get to this size of bino, though, it's mostly for astro use. It's hard to use 100mm binoculars for much else. Could use it for birding, of course, if they're already set up and/or your environs are frequented by birds, but the "grab n' go" factor suffers at this size.
For astro? These sizes make for incredible instruments, especially under dark skies. First time I saw the dust detail in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) under a dark sky in SE Ohio I was just stunned.
--Phil C.
I sized my binocular ambition by my backpack and what I felt like carrying around all day, APM 45degree ED Bins with wide flat Astro eyepieces, very potent spotter during the day, equally nice at night. Like many I picked up some cheap 25x100s many years back when they became available, overloaded my heavy tripod and impossible to use at high angles, sold years back. Your report makes me wondering I should look to get some 90degree models... I have a counterweighted tripod and all the eyepieces I need....
Thanks
Peter
Thanks
Peter
johnbaz
Well-known member
I agreed a price with the seller of these Strathspey 25x100mm Bins through Shpock, Went to get them and when I tried them, The collimation was so bad that it hurt me eyes, I came home without them but then found out that I could have posted them to Strathspey for recollimation! |^|
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I have (gulp) ten, but each has a different niche.
7x35 - one (old wide-angle porro)
7x42 - one
8x30 - three (old porros)
8x32 - one (modern)
8x42 - one (modern)
10x40 - one
10x50 - one
12x50 - one
The 8x42 in particular is my "no excuses" binocular, used in situations where performance is vital. The 8x32 and 10x40 get used when travelling, or in less demanding conditions (shorter distances, good light) - I like to have the choice of 8x and 10x magnification for when I prefer a wider field of view vs. a closer look at the birds. The x50s are used for medium (10x) and long (12x) distance observation.
These are currently my most used binoculars. This year I think I have probably used the 10x40 about 30% of the time, the 8x32 and 10x50 about 20% each, the 8x42 and 12x50 about 15% each. The unmatched field of view of my 7x35 is wonderful, but I find the birds look a little smaller than I would like in 7x magnification. I love my old 8x30s for their lightness, wide fields of view, and the fact that they are such a pleasure to use (I think the nicest of all my binoculars to hold and to handle), but of late the birds I've been after have been flying far - at times disappearing from view even with the 10x50. I've used them a lot in the past, have had many good days with them, and will use them again, but not right now.
7x35 - one (old wide-angle porro)
7x42 - one
8x30 - three (old porros)
8x32 - one (modern)
8x42 - one (modern)
10x40 - one
10x50 - one
12x50 - one
The 8x42 in particular is my "no excuses" binocular, used in situations where performance is vital. The 8x32 and 10x40 get used when travelling, or in less demanding conditions (shorter distances, good light) - I like to have the choice of 8x and 10x magnification for when I prefer a wider field of view vs. a closer look at the birds. The x50s are used for medium (10x) and long (12x) distance observation.
These are currently my most used binoculars. This year I think I have probably used the 10x40 about 30% of the time, the 8x32 and 10x50 about 20% each, the 8x42 and 12x50 about 15% each. The unmatched field of view of my 7x35 is wonderful, but I find the birds look a little smaller than I would like in 7x magnification. I love my old 8x30s for their lightness, wide fields of view, and the fact that they are such a pleasure to use (I think the nicest of all my binoculars to hold and to handle), but of late the birds I've been after have been flying far - at times disappearing from view even with the 10x50. I've used them a lot in the past, have had many good days with them, and will use them again, but not right now.
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SeldomPerched
Well-known member
A dozen. The binoculars that give me most pleasure at the moment are Swarovski SLC 10x42 W B. Derided as ugly by many they have a sturdy 'form fits function' appeal to me and are comfortable and compact as well as reassuringly solid to hold. The contrast and colour (those blacks!) make me feel they might be the bins to save in a fire. The pre-FP type strap is the quickest and best for adjustment and attachment out of anything I have.
In second place on the podium and also on the red extinction and out of fashion lists are jointly four different 7s, all in 42 size. That leaves a handy but fiddly compact 8x20 going through 32 and other 42 sizes to two big glasses of 8x56 and 10x50.
I sometimes toy with paring down the total a bit but then again every one of these binoculars suits me for handling, ease of view, and a beautiful image. Not to say some don't have a weak point but in my mental performance review I put the good points first and usually manage to overlook or not notice the not so good aspects while concentrating on the view. And so I use each for a period of time, really get the best out of it (especially now when off work on the job retention scheme) and then eventually when in another place or when the weather has changed feel the urge to use one of the others for a while. If I could only have three? They would be 8x32 - 7x42 - 10x42. Final comment: having these binoculars only feels like an obsession when they are not getting much use.
In second place on the podium and also on the red extinction and out of fashion lists are jointly four different 7s, all in 42 size. That leaves a handy but fiddly compact 8x20 going through 32 and other 42 sizes to two big glasses of 8x56 and 10x50.
I sometimes toy with paring down the total a bit but then again every one of these binoculars suits me for handling, ease of view, and a beautiful image. Not to say some don't have a weak point but in my mental performance review I put the good points first and usually manage to overlook or not notice the not so good aspects while concentrating on the view. And so I use each for a period of time, really get the best out of it (especially now when off work on the job retention scheme) and then eventually when in another place or when the weather has changed feel the urge to use one of the others for a while. If I could only have three? They would be 8x32 - 7x42 - 10x42. Final comment: having these binoculars only feels like an obsession when they are not getting much use.
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I have 4
Swarovski 15x56 SLC (latest model)
Leica Ultravid HD+ 7x42
IOR Valdada 7x40
Nikon 10x35E (like new, and still a nice Bino)
I still really like the IOR 7x40 just a bit heavy and large. And the colours are a bit to warm/yellow
Most used is the Leica. The “best” is the 15x56 just too heavy and large to take with me a lot.
Swarovski 15x56 SLC (latest model)
Leica Ultravid HD+ 7x42
IOR Valdada 7x40
Nikon 10x35E (like new, and still a nice Bino)
I still really like the IOR 7x40 just a bit heavy and large. And the colours are a bit to warm/yellow
Most used is the Leica. The “best” is the 15x56 just too heavy and large to take with me a lot.
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I have:
12x50 viper HD
8x32 Leupold Bx-4
6.5x32 Kowa BdII
6.5x32 vortex raptor Porro
And a 40 year old 10x50 bell and Howell I got when I was 7 years old. Out of collimation
I don’t use the raptor much as it’s been replaced by the Kowa. Really like the Kowas wide field and bright image. I choose it over the 8x32 now as my main bin preferring the ease of use and wide field over marginally more magnification.
I use the 12x50 for longer distance viewing, astronomy and usually on a tripod although I find I can hand hold it reasonably well.
12x50 viper HD
8x32 Leupold Bx-4
6.5x32 Kowa BdII
6.5x32 vortex raptor Porro
And a 40 year old 10x50 bell and Howell I got when I was 7 years old. Out of collimation
I don’t use the raptor much as it’s been replaced by the Kowa. Really like the Kowas wide field and bright image. I choose it over the 8x32 now as my main bin preferring the ease of use and wide field over marginally more magnification.
I use the 12x50 for longer distance viewing, astronomy and usually on a tripod although I find I can hand hold it reasonably well.
