Best optics under 250? (1 Viewer)

I'm looking for my first pair of binoculars and I want the absolute best image quality regardless of other factors. The only other requirement is that they be waterproof. I should mention that chromatic aberration bothers me. I prefer a wider field of view. I really do think I prefer the extra magnification of 10x vs 8x. I'm still able to hold them steady enough. Portability isn't a big concern as they will be used mostly in and around the Jeep. I will use them a few times a month and want a quality pair of binoculars that will last many years.

I have narrowed my search down to two options:

Zen-Ray ZRS HD 10x42 - Better construction?
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 - Wider field / Rainguard / ED

Bonus third/fourth option:
Zen-Ray Vista 10x42 - Could it be all I really need?
Nikon 10x50 Action EX - How does it's image quality compare to these others?

I'm wondering which of these will have the best image quality. I'm also wondering if I might be perfectly happy with the Vistas or Action EX and more cash left in my wallet. The metal body and possible superior image quality of the other options is tempting though.

I would also like to know if there are any other porro prism binoculars that would have better image quality which I may have overlooked. I see mostly roof being recommended but if there's a waterproof pair of porros with superior image quality to these options for 250 or less I would be very interested.

Theorist,

I responded to your PM about the Legend/ZRS comparison. Hope you received it.

I think either the ZRS or the Legend Ultra are good choices. Others to consider would be the Bresser Everest and the Sightron Blue Sky SII in roofs. I have owned all of these binoculars at one point or another but only in the 8x42 (and in some cases the 8x32) configurations. I have threads posted here about the Sightron and Bresser models:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=211793

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=252458

I would probably lean towards either the Bresser or the Bushnell if CA is a major issue for you as both do a good job of controlling it within the center of the field of view. Neither the ZRS or the Sightron is poor in this area...quite the opposite actually but the use of ED glass in the objective design of the other two does help.

As for porros, I would suggest taking a look at the Vixen Foresta porro. I owned the 7x50 and the 8x42. Both controlled CA very well in the center of the field of view. They make a 10x42 version. I believe it is priced right around $300. It is waterproof as well.

http://www.wayfair.com/Vixen-Optics-Foresta-10x42-CF-Binocular-14503-VXP1210.html

Hope this helps.

If you`re serious about image quality above all else, nothing comes close to the Opticron HR WP and its Minox, Leupold siblings.

http://www.minox.com/index.php?id=486

http://www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/hrwp.htm

The Opticron is`nt far behind my SE.

If you ONLY care about best image quality for the dollar, on a budget, then a porro is the best choice.

If you want a roof I do think you've narrowed it down to some of the top choices. The Bushnell is highly regarded; when I tried them I was quite shocked at how bright they are, very sharp on axis, with a wide FOV. The only criticisms you will find of the Legend HD are (1) the sweet spot is pretty small, but that's true for most budget glass; (2) the build quality is iffy, many people report problems with the plastic diopter ring falling off; and (3) some report that the eyecups do not extend far enough for the eye relief, making it prone to black-outs. Other than that though they are awesome.

I will suggest to you that you SHOULD consider other factors besides sheer optics. Comfort / ergonomics are very important, and finding a binocular that FITS you is key. You might find that one binocular beats another "on paper" in terms of objective optical properties, but you just don't match up well with it.

Additionally, there is not necessarily consensus about what is the "best" optically. People see things differently, and also more relevant to this topic, ALL budget binoculars make compromises somewhere. The question is which compromises are YOU most comfortable with? You mention you like a wide FOV and low chromatic aberration... in a $250-or-less binocular, that probably means that it will have a smallish sweet spot and a lot of pincushion distortion in order to generate that wide FOV.

So I would strongly suggest maybe buying 2 or 3 of your top options, trying them yourself, and returning the "losers". Eagle Optics and other online retailers have unconditional 30-day return policies so you can try things at home and return them if you don't like them.

Concerning the Vista / Action... I would definitely suggest spending as much as you are comfortable affording if you want to get the best optics and have something that will "last many years". The Vista is fine, but you will definitely notice an optical improvement with these other models you are considering (brighter, sharper, etc). And the Nikon Action is fine for an "extreme budget" option but again, the other options are better.

A final note... if you want the best quality for the $$ and want something built to last, you might consider used / demo models, which will allow you to buy "above your budget" in terms of quality. A $250 budget can probably buy you a binocular that was $500-600 a few years ago.

(And one final PS -- you might want to delete your threads in the Bushnell / Zen-Ray subforums so you avoid double posting, more people will see this thread in the main forum)

mayoayo said:

How do You Know that CA bothers You if You are looking for Your first pair of binoculars?..Or is it just in theory?

Click to expand...

I've looked through many cheap binos as well as a lot of different models up to around $300-400 range in the store the other day. The best they had were Monarchs and from what I've read these options should all look better. My dad also has an old pair of Swarovski 8x42s that I've spent a lot of time looking through.

Now I'm wondering if a smaller FOV with a larger sweet spot would be better than just looking for the largest FOV. I'm really interested in the best optical package for the least possible money. Sharp picture, great colors, wide usable field of view. It doesn't need to be the best at any one of those things, just the best total package for the least money.

How do all of these pairs of 10x in the $150-250 range stack up against each other? And how much better are the more expensive options than the ~$150 options. For example, If the ZRS HD are only 5-10% better than the Vistas then I'm not sure it's worth the extra money for me. And now I'm reading that the Sightron SII Blue Sky 10x42 may actually be better than the ZRS HD? Where do the Nikon Action EX 10x50s fit into all of this? I like the idea of the wide FOV and the larger exit pupil.

Above $250 (imo) good Carl Zeiss Jena 8x30 would be the best choice. Super-Wide FOV and really "live" picture (as if there isn't any glass between your eyes and the object)

momotych said:

Above $250 (imo) good Carl Zeiss Jena 8x30 would be the best choice. Super-Wide FOV and really "live" picture (as if there isn't any glass between your eyes and the object)

Click to expand...

For that price, he could get a decent CZ 8x30B Oberkochen, vastly better than any of the Jena's, IMO.

Theorist said:

I'm looking for my first pair of binoculars and I want the absolute best image quality regardless of other factors. The only other requirement is that they be waterproof. I should mention that chromatic aberration bothers me. I prefer a wider field of view. I really do think I prefer the extra magnification of 10x vs 8x. I'm still able to hold them steady enough. Portability isn't a big concern as they will be used mostly in and around the Jeep. I will use them a few times a month and want a quality pair of binoculars that will last many years.

I have narrowed my search down to two options:

Zen-Ray ZRS HD 10x42 - Better construction?
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 - Wider field / Rainguard / ED

Bonus third/fourth option:
Zen-Ray Vista 10x42 - Could it be all I really need?
Nikon 10x50 Action EX - How does it's image quality compare to these others?

I'm wondering which of these will have the best image quality. I'm also wondering if I might be perfectly happy with the Vistas or Action EX and more cash left in my wallet. The metal body and possible superior image quality of the other options is tempting though.

I would also like to know if there are any other porro prism binoculars that would have better image quality which I may have overlooked. I see mostly roof being recommended but if there's a waterproof pair of porros with superior image quality to these options for 250 or less I would be very interested.

Click to expand...

Bresser 8x42 ED. A pair just sold on Amart for $125.00.

Theorist said:

......................

............... And now I'm reading that the Sightron SII Blue Sky 10x42 may actually be better than the ZRS HD? Where do the Nikon Action EX 10x50s fit into all of this? I like the idea of the wide FOV and the larger exit pupil.

Click to expand...

I own a Sightron II Blue Sky 8X42 and a ZRS HD 8X42. Both are excellent for the money, but do have their differences. I figured if I liked the Sightron 8X42 so much, then I would also like the 10X42 version and so I ordered one. That was a mistake and I returned it for a full refund. Some of the problems were most likely unique to that sample but there were things about it that I thought would carry over to a replacement unit. Here is a link to some brief comments I made at the time.

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2745175&postcount=4

On the other hand, I also have available a new ZRS HD 10X42 and it is every bit as good as the ZRS HD 8X42 version.

I would go for the ZRS HD 10X42 over the Sightron II Blue Sky 10X42. I have never seen the Bresser so I do not know how it compares to the ZRS HD.

I know you prefer to get something with a large FOV, but do not get mislead by the Sightron specs of a 361 ft FOV. The specs are wrong. The FOV is really 315 ft in the Sightron II 10X42 Blue Sky.

Theorist,

Very hard to have your cake and eat it too for under 250 bucks!

The 3 porro lines suggested by Torview (post#3) will offer the best optical bang for the buck - can't be beaten. The caveat is that although 10x will generally offer a greater AFov, in these particular models the big trade off is a narrow Fov at any power. Can't have everything. The other thing to watch is that even though the porro optical train is simpler than a roof, at 10x CA goes up. In general, lower priced 10x roofs have more compromises than lower powers, however some are better than others in this regard.

It's going to be hard to tick all your boxes. If you shuffle over to roofs to lick the Fov and CA issues (via ED glass models), then you are going to trade that wonderful porro 'clarity' and a fair bit of brightness to boot.

Go for a Nikon 10x50 Action EX, and although you'll get Fov, and generous EP size for a 10x, and you'll also get weight, and size.

You could go to something like a Zen-Ray ED3, but be aware that even at the $400 level, there are lower mechanical tolerances than the ~$1000 level, which is where some of the ducks start to line up. (Someone is bound to disagree with that!)

You could go for the Swift Audubon 8.5x44 ED porro for just over $400+, but there again there are trade-offs and compromises (suggest you read that thread for more details) http://www.adorama.com/SW820ED.html

Most bang for your buck (view, brightness, clarity, Fov, and quality-wise) will be the Nikon 10x42 SE for $6-800, but then again, they are not listed as waterproof.

Yours is the eternal dilema......

As for 10x vs 8x, I always say that the 8x will be better than the 10x for 80% of the time - but for that 20% of the time, the 10x justifies its other compromises if that is what you really want. Other folk say that a 12x will serve you better during that 20% of the time, and perhaps forget the other 80% of the time! ......


Chosun :gh:

I defer to Bruce when it comes to the Sightron versus ZRS comparison in 10x42. I have not owned either in that configuration though I did have them in 8x42. In that configuration I think it is a toss-up. Slightly different color bias but other than that I would have a hard time offering any significant optical difference. There is a difference in price though of about $35.

The Bresser Everest and Bushnell Legend Ultra offer much the same comparison. They have razor sharp sweetspots but the area outside of the sweetspot can be occassionally distracting. Both sport very wide 420+ foot fields of view though in the 8x42 configurations. Both are slightly more expensive than the ZRS and certainly the Sightron though I think the Bresser and ZRS should be priced very similarly in the 10x42 configuration.

As for the Nikon Action EX's...if size and weight mean nothing to you then certainly consider the 10x50. It should offer a brighter image than any of the 10x42s being discussed plus the porro "3D effect".

Thanks for the replies.

Ignoring size and weight which binoculars will offer the best overall image quality factoring in usable field of view, sharpness, brightness, contrast, colors, etc.

The budget is ~$215 max, preferably less.

Zen-Ray ZRS HD
Bresser Everest ED
Sightron Blue Sky II
Nikon Action EX

I'm going to repeat myself -- there is not going to be a BEST in terms of image quality, at least not in the objective sense that will translate to each individual's eyes and preferences. It's never going to be something that you can determine with absolute certainty in advance of you actually using them yourself.

Your best bet is to utilize online forums and reviews to narrow it down to a select group of "contenders" (which you are doing) and then order two or three models and try them yourself and pick the one you like best, and return the losers. If this is something you are using for many years, the incremental cost of spending an extra 20-30 bucks on return shipping will be meaningless, especially relative to the value of picking the one that YOU like the best.

Having said that, at the $200 price point I don't think you can go wrong with the Zen-Ray ZRS. It's got a nice combination... rugged, solid and compact, a proven performer with many excellent reviews, dielectric prism coatings, a bright image with a decent sweet spot and good sharpness and clarity, and lifetime warranty backed by a very good company with an outstanding reputation for customer service. The only nitpicks would be that it doesn't have the widest FOV in the 10x format (although it's not below average) and it's probably only average in terms of CA control. But, as noted by many here, budget shopping inherently involves compromises, and picking the ones you are comfortable with is the key (another reason why trying several is the best strategy).

I do agree with Eitan's comments but Theorist's question has brought another issue to light that may be worthy of discussion (only as a brief sidetrack to the original intent of this thread).

The old saying has always been that you had to pay 2 to 3 times the cost for a roof to equal the optical quality of a porro. Is that still true?

I might argue that the performance and feature levels now found with many of the $180-$225 roofs is at the point where it would equal that of a similarly priced porro....in this case the Nikon Action EX...and assuming the same configuration.

Comments?

Frank - I have to agree with your comment about the performance levels of many of the $185 to $250 roofs. For reasons that don't make any sense to me, Bushnell has built and then discontinued certain roofs such as their Infinity model. Perhaps the odd configuration - 8.5 & 10.5 power and 45 mm objectives, and made in China makes people leary. Don't know. But some of these are selling new for several hundred dollars plus, and they have all the bells & whistles anyone would want. An honest evaluation with alphas suggests that even a serious birder would not feel handicapped toting one in the field. These indeed are interesting times for users.
John

Interesting example. Never tried one but $215 certainly seems less expensive than I remember.

http://swfa.com/Bushnell-85x45-Infinity-Binocular-P8730.aspx

Seems worthy of the binocular bargains thread.

Theorist said:

I've looked through many cheap binos as well as a lot of different models up to around $300-400 range in the store the other day. The best they had were Monarchs and from what I've read these options should all look better. My dad also has an old pair of Swarovski 8x42s that I've spent a lot of time looking through.

Now I'm wondering if a smaller FOV with a larger sweet spot would be better than just looking for the largest FOV. I'm really interested in the best optical package for the least possible money. Sharp picture, great colors, wide usable field of view. It doesn't need to be the best at any one of those things, just the best total package for the least money.

How do all of these pairs of 10x in the $150-250 range stack up against each other? And how much better are the more expensive options than the ~$150 options. For example, If the ZRS HD are only 5-10% better than the Vistas then I'm not sure it's worth the extra money for me. And now I'm reading that the Sightron SII Blue Sky 10x42 may actually be better than the ZRS HD? Where do the Nikon Action EX 10x50s fit into all of this? I like the idea of the wide FOV and the larger exit pupil.

Click to expand...

Welcome to the Birdforum.
Choosing a new binocular is always a fun experience and I do hope
you find one that you like.

Your first impressions are very important, and if the Nikon Monarch is
one you like, I would place that very high on the list.

You are not alone, the Nikon Monarch, is one of the worlds
best selling binoculars.

There is a reason why, a very nice view, high quality mechanics and handling.

Some others have been mentioned, but any improvement in optics is slight,
and may not be of any importance, or not even there, in this price range.


Jerry

I've narrowed my decision down to the following two choices:

Zen-Ray ZRS HD 10x42 $215 shipped
Nikon Action EX 10x50 $150 shipped

Are the ZRS HD worth the extra $65?

That's a question only you can answer.

Order them both, return the loser.

eitanaltman said:

That's a question only you can answer.

Click to expand...

Or anyone who has looked through both since my main criteria is image quality.