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top 5 bins. every one please vote. (1 Viewer)

I

iambirding

Well-known member
i thought it might be interesting for everyone on the forum to put there 5 favorite bins that they've used or tried out. please- no one should post the ones that they would like to own but have not tried out yet. and these should be your favorite bins to watch birds or whatever with; obviously optical quality is a must but also feel and just a pair you really like to have with you. any maginfication or size is fine. 1- being the best and 5 being your least favorite. please just list bins and comments based on your list that way we have a condensed list so everyone's favorites bin choices are all on one thread. thanks, i hope you enjoy it.

1. swaroski el 8.5 X 42 (a good all around bird glass. so far the only company that really has fit almost all needs a birder could have.)

2. nikon venturer lx 8 x 32 (a bit small and heavy. but xcellent optics)

3. swaroski slc 8 x 50 (heavy and close focus is not good, otherwise #2)

4. pentax dcf sp 8 x 43 (perfect feel, balanced, light weight, optics are great, fov is not good.)

5. Bushnell Legend 8 x 42 ( heavy but i like the feel. colors don't match the DCF SP)

:clap:
 
My choices

Greetings!

I would choose these. I own all of them except for #2 (Leica Duovid) which I have evaluated extensively but have not yet purchased. In order:

#1 - Nikon HG 8x32 (Still the best all-around compromise binocular, in my opinion)
#2 - Leica Duovid 8-12x42 (Most flexible, but heavy and with restricted FOV)
#3 - Pentax DCF SP 10x50 (Best low-light binoculars I have ever found)
#4 - Nikon HG 10x25 Compact (Pocket sized miracles)
#5 - B&L Discoverer Roof Prism 7x42 or 10x42 (Best value, superb optics for low $$$)


I could easily do a top-10 list, there are so many great binoculars out there. Honorable mentions would go to Zeiss FL 7x42, Swarovski SLC 10x42, and the new Nikon HGL Premier LX models.

Best wishes,
Bawko
 
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1. Swarovski 8.5 x 42 ELs. Perfect all-around.

2. Zeiss 15 x 60 BGAT. Outstanding, but requires a mount.

3. Leica 12 x 50 Ultravid. Great high power/hand hold-able.

4. Swarovski 8 x 32 ELs. Most comfortable to hold hand hold-able I've ever
used. However, not quite as bright as the 8.5 x
42s and I also prefer the slightly higher power of
the latter.

5. Nikon 7 x 50 Prostars. Superb Optics but heavy and somewhat bulky.
 
Note these are for birding, an important qualification... All superb, and the ranking is rather arbitary after the top two....

1)Zeiss FL 7x42

2)Zeiss Dialyt Classic 7x42

3)Leica 8x42 Ultravid

4)Swarovski 10x42 EL

5)Nikon 8x32 SE

Sean
 
I like
1. The Zeiss 7x42 BGAT Dialyt for all around bird watching.
2. The Zeiss Victory 8x40 for a cloudy day
3. The Leica 8x32 BN for its small and handy size, when I do not want to carry the Victory.
4. The Zeiss 15x60, on a tripod for astronomy.
5. The Leitz 8x30 Binuxit, when I engage in "classical panache."

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :scribe:
 
ZEISS 7 X 42 DIALYT, excellent FOV, build quality, ruggedness, resolution and sharpness plus i've used them all over the place in really tough conditions and not been let down once!

the rest are all much of a muchness to me these days I'm afraid
 
Take the 42mm apochromatic objectives and high transmission AK prisms from the Zeiss 8X42 FL. Combine those with the lens coatings and flat field eyepieces from the Nikon 8X32 SE. Throw in the 8.5X magnification and eyecup design (especially the interchangable winged eyecups) from the Swarovski 8.5X42 EL, and place it all in a body with the design aesthetics of the original Leitz 8X40 Trinovid with leather covering. My all time #1 favorite birding binocular that doesn't exist. Boo-Hoo!!
 
Swaro 8.5x42 EL - untouchable
Leica 8x32BN - can't see any difference to the Ultravids except the price tag and they are surprisingly light and comfortable.
 
I probably haven't tried enough bins to answer this but I always thought the Zeiss 7x42 BGAT were unimpeachably good. My new Nikon HG 8x32 are quite exceptional too (and a lot cheaper than all the others that seem to be getting touted, not that that's a factor). My only criticism so far is that the depth of field isn't that great. Lovely bins to use though.
 
Rob Smallwood said:
I'm staggered by the number of people with different "bins" for different uses!
Click to expand...

I have 4 pairs... one for proper use... a mini pair of Leica for when I'm supposed to be be working.. and Zeiss Jenoptems at windows just ibn case I need bins in a hurry.

Not compared any bins recently.. but last time I did Leica's were unsurpassed
 
1 Zeiss FL 10x42.
2 Zeiss 8x40 Victory2
3 Swarovski 8.5x42 EL
4 & 5 too many to name; the first three just stood out for me.

Leica Ultravid are undoubtedly good bins, but they just didn't suit me (black-outs), as are Nikon HG, but were too heavy.
 
Andrew Whitehouse said:
(and a lot cheaper than all the others that seem to be getting touted, not that that's a factor).
Click to expand...

oh I don't know. if you're smart you could pick up the Nikon HG8x32 and still have enough money to buy a cracking scope OR a damn fine birding holiday over the price of the others!

Have to say though that the new Ultravid 8x32 are a better bin than the Trinovids 8x32. Whether they are worth the extra is another matter.....
 
Why would anyone want 5 pairs of binoculars?
Am I missing something...or are you all Spiders from Mars? ;)

Dave.
 
looks like a tie for first so far between Zeiss 7 x 42 Dialyt and Swaro 8.5 x 42

5 pairs of bins? I only had my dialyts for 14 years till i dropped em then got some 8 x 32 hg. And got me dialyts repaired. Can't see me buying any more ever..... that's my beer and music and travel money!
 
How can so many people authoritatively list five top binoculars? Are people out in the field USING five different pairs? This is weird. My own list is restricted to three pairs, which is all I have been able to use in the last several years. Two of these pairs are mine.

1) Nikon SE 10 x 42. Best view for the money.

2) Zeiss FL 10 x 42. Got to use these briefly, and they are wonderful, but very expensive.

3) Swift Audubon 8.5 x 44. Another terrific "for the money" set of binos.
 
1. Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, Superb all rounder, now that the focus has been sorted.

2. Nikon 8x32 SE, Brilliant binoculars, spoilt by too much eye relief causing blackouts.

3. Canon 10x36 IS, excellent for windy days and flying birds. The stability system comes into its own, and is better than ANYTHING else, in those circumstances.

4. Zeiss 7x42 Classic - the name says it all. One of the all time greats.

5. Leica Duovid 8-12x42, Heavy but supremely versatile glass.


I have owned the first three, and used the last two, and would love to own them as well.
 
william j clive said:
2. Nikon 8x32 SE, Brilliant binoculars, spoilt by too much eye relief causing blackouts.

4. Zeiss 7x42 Classic - the name says it all. One of the all time greats.
Click to expand...

William,

So say I.

I should add that no one binocular meets every requirement for every situation. An 8x32, like the BN, is good 90%+ of the times, I go bird watching. It is compact and has a nice field of view. The Victory would be my choice for an all rounder: good field of view, waterproof, usable in cloudy weather, not bad at twilight. The 7x42 classic has an even better field of view, is tad sharper, and is brilliant, but sometimes that eight power makes a difference and it is a little bulky. I would not trust it, even though it is guaranteed by Zeiss USA, in the rain. My fifty four year old Leitz Binuxit, is a perfectly adequate, most of the time, but a half century of optical improvements, especially coatings, has overtaken it. Because it has no blackout problems, I like it better than the Nikon 8x32 SE.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood
 
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