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The very best. (1 Viewer)

As others have said it's a very subjective thing but....

When faced with a simialr choice a couple of years back I went for the Leica Duovids 8+12x42s - they are cracking bins, fantasticly bright and sharp at both mags. The only downside would be the weight of them (not that it bothers me - although they're heavy they are v. well balanced), so if that's an issue I'd recommend 8x42 Ultravids.

Optically all the top brands are excellent, so try them all, it may well be the feel in the hand that decides you.
 
postcardcv said:
As others have said it's a very subjective thing but....

When faced with a simialr choice a couple of years back I went for the Leica Duovids 8+12x42s - they are cracking bins, fantasticly bright and sharp at both mags. The only downside would be the weight of them (not that it bothers me - although they're heavy they are v. well balanced), so if that's an issue I'd recommend 8x42 Ultravids.

Optically all the top brands are excellent, so try them all, it may well be the feel in the hand that decides you.


Just to update you all. Last week I tried the Swaro 8.5x42 EL's and they were very clear optically, handled well and overall were very good. A tick for them.

Today I tried the Leica Ultravid 8x42 and also found them to be very good optically with a bright image and also felt good in my hands. However, when my wife tried them (does not wear glasses) she suffered quite severe blackouts when viewing. I also suffered blackout to a lesser degree when viewing without specs and less again when wearing specs So not quite so sure about them yet. No tick at this time but will try a different pair.

Hoping to try the Zeiss 8x42 FL soon, so will make my decision then.

Can anyone explain why my wife sees the blackouts. Is there a technique to resolve this? Would the 8x32 be a better option to resolve this problem.

Please bear in mind that we are all still rather new to birding and buying a decent pair of bins, so any advice would be gratefully received.

Comments appreciated
 
Gray C said:
Today I tried the Leica Ultravid 8x42 and also found them to be very good optically with a bright image and also felt good in my hands. However, when my wife tried them (does not wear glasses) she suffered quite severe blackouts when viewing. I also suffered blackout to a lesser degree when viewing without specs and less again when wearing specs So not quite so sure about them yet. No tick at this time but will try a different pair.

Can anyone explain why my wife sees the blackouts. Is there a technique to resolve this? Would the 8x32 be a better option to resolve this problem.

Please bear in mind that we are all still rather new to birding and buying a decent pair of bins, so any advice would be gratefully received.

Comments appreciated
This really sounds dumb, but I have to ask.
Did your wife and you have the eyecups all the way down? Did you twist them back?
 
marcus said:
This really sounds dumb, but I have to ask.
Did your wife and you have the eyecups all the way down? Did you twist them back?


When I tried them with my specs I twisted the eye cups all the way down and then out again for my wife to look through as a non spectacle wearer. I even tried various settings in between for her. As I said, I also tried them without my glasses and also saw some blackout.
 
Gray C said:
This question has probably been asked many times before, but nevertheless here it is again. I am prepared to pay up to £950 for a pair of binoculars and I would like to know which are the best bins available within this price range. I know that this question is difficult to answer because personal preference comes into it, but I would be interested to hear your views as to which are the best overall.

It has been said that the main contenders are Zeiss, Swarovski and Leica, but which?? On the other hand people have mentioned Opticron and Nikon as serious contenders. I intend to try out each pair so the ultimate decision will probably be dictated by my own preference in testing, but I need a bit of guidance towards which ones to put to the test.

To help you answer this, here are a few factors to consider to meet my circumstances.

The bins will be used mainly for birding on short trips, therefore weight is not that critical, as I have a pair of compact Leica 8x20 Ultravids for walking and extended days out.

I am a spectacle wearer, so eye relief, black out etc are important points to consider.

Low light observation is quite important as I expect to use them in the late evenings

I prefer 8x magnification

The badge is not that important, just the overall quality

Close up magnification is not that important

Waterproofness (if that is a real word) is not that important but desirable.

Build quality is important as I expect them to last a lifetime

I look forward to hearing your comments

Regards

Graham


Graham,

This question is one that would normally be answered on this forum exactly as the first few replies to your post answered - i.e. "they all have their strengths and weaknesses - it is all based on your preference... etc.". However, I believe that you have given enough criterion that your question can be answered with a bit more specific and definitive reply.

I personally believe, after reviewing your post, that there are only 2 binoculars that you should seriously consider. These are: (1) Leica Ultravid 8x42 and (2) Swarovski SLC 8x50 - not necessarily in that order. These 2 binoculars both meet your requirements of (a) reliability, (b) good low-light performance, (c) 8x power, and (d) decent eye relief. I would normally recommend the Leica Trinovid 8x42 as a 3rd option, but the Trinovid does not do as well under low light conditions as the Ultravid does. However, if your main requirement is low-light, I would highly recommend that you reconsider your 8x magnification requirement and instead look for a 10x50 or larger configuration - no 7x?, 8x?, or ?x42 binoculars I have ever evaluated have proven to be truly satisfactory under low-light conditions.

In terms of sheer ruggedness and reliability, I don't believe that ANYTHING beats a pair of Leica Trinovids, although the Zeiss Classic 7x42 comes VERY close (although they are a lower power than you are requesting).

I hope all this helps... what you are asking is not an easy question to answer, but it is easier than a general "what is the best binocular ever..." type question because you HAVE listed so many definite requirements to try and meet.

Best wishes,
Bawko
 
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Gray C said:
When I tried them with my specs I twisted the eye cups all the way down and then out again for my wife to look through as a non spectacle wearer. I even tried various settings in between for her. As I said, I also tried them without my glasses and also saw some blackout.
Ok, I'm sorry.
Yes, that's right, I didn't pay enough attention to what you said about you're trying them with and without your eyeglasses.
 
Well 14 years have past since I made my original post. Coincidence would have it that I have this week just purchased a pair of Swarovski Slc 8x42 and they are excellent binoculars. Seems technology has moved on a bit since I made my original post
 
Gray,

You really don't want to rush these things. Congratulations! I'm sure they are worth the wait.:t:

David
 

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Have been reading about the Nikon HGL's, but can you tell me whether the HG's are the same bin, but a bit heavier, or are they completely different spec and quality. I have noticed that the HG's are half price at the moment.

Same bin just a tiny bit lighter... even HGL are not very light.

Just saw the question is a tiny bit old and the original poster has since gotten a nice pair... so congratulations to you new SLC!

Joachim
 
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Graham,

Just read your initial post without regitering its age and my instant thought was that an 8x42 SLC ticks all the boxes except perhaps price. Well done!

John

PS:- The pictured SLC being auctioned is not an 8x42 but a 10x42 SLC Neu, which was discontinued about 10 years ago.
 
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