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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Home or Away (1 Viewer)

B

barnetbirds

Well-known member
Hi All
Need your expertise in selection!!
Just moved up to North Norfolk (from North London) and love going to places like Cley/Titchwell reserves / Blakeney / Kelling etc. Just brilliant!!
At the moment I have a pair of Opticron Imagic BGA WP 8x42 and like them a lot. Time has come for a new pair.
Want to spend around the £5/600, been looking on the internet for ideas/reviews/BF etc.
Think I have it down to Zeiss Terra/Vortex Viper/Hawke Sapphire. But I am stuck now!!
I will of course go and try before I buy but could do with a little 'push' in a direction. That's where you ladies and gents come in.
What do you think
Also will be wanting a ''mentor'' to show me the ropes around my new area.
Appreciate your time/advice

Terry
 
Hi
I'd get yourself over to CleySpy in Glandford; it's between Holt and the coast. If you let them know what you're after, how much max you want to spend and what kind of birding you're doing, they'll let you test bins all afternoon! There will be a fantastic range in the prices you're quoting. There's also the One Stop Nature Shop in Burnham Deepdale, and InFocus at Titchwell, about a half-mile from the reserve on the way towards Wells.
I just know CleySpy better. There's also a smaller CS outlet at the Cley Visitors' Centre, but Glandford has major stock!
Paddy
 
Hi Terry, +1 for Cley Spy but sadly I wouldn't be too hopeful about being involved in the local scene... Plenty of amazing places, just pick one & enjoy; Don't worry about what you're missing!
 
Last edited:
barnetbirds said:
Sorry....the title relates to buying here or abroad. Some good deals on the internet but should I support local shop.
TC
Click to expand...

Perhaps you need to consult your conscience - how will you feel about taking the cheaper binocular you bought online from an online/overseas supplier into Cley, Titchwell or whichever local shop when you need the eyecup replacing/have lost a rainguard/have a loose hinge etc. and the online retailer won't reply to your emails and/or you don't want to be without your binos for more than 5 minutes...

Just my personal thoughts on the matter :)

Cheers, Pete
 
Hi All
Thanks for your time. Appreciate it.

Binastro...You got me! They look nice, Will be going over to Cley Spy to check them out...and a couple of the others as well. Thanks

Highnorth...Thanks for the suggestion. Always liked Nikon, I have one of their cameras!! Thanks.

Paddy7...Had the idea of Cley spy at the Cley Reserve, forgot about Glandford, off there tomorrow morning. Thanks.

dwatsonbirder...Wondering about your comment, ''sadly I wouldn't be too hopeful'' Any chance of expanding that comment?? Thanks for your time.

Pete_Gamby...I know exactly what you are saying, I always buy locally and British, if I can, its just that when you see that you can ''save'' £150 on something, you start thinking!! I would always expect to pay for good old advice, I think it was just a ''passing'' thought!!

Think I am going down the Zeiss Conquest hd route, I like the idea of a European make, Although I must admit I love my Opticron imagic 8x42.

Thanks everyone for your help/advice.
 
Hi - Hope you have a great time at CleySpy. I've always liked the place for trying to sell you the right bin, not the most expensive.
For local stuff, you could perhaps start with joining Cley Bird Club and taking it from there?
www.cleybirdclub.org.uk
 
Paddy7..thanks for the link.
Have you heard anything about the new club started up here!! North East Norfolk Bird club?? Just wondering......
 
Haven't heard of it, as i'm more focused on Suffolk - however, most bird clubs run local days out, often on sites you need to know about. Join both!
 
No worries! It's a great coast, and living there puts you right in the middle of some of the best birding in the UK. Seawatching in winter in an east wind can be absolutely mind-blowing! (and nose-blowing too, i seem to remember....)
 
I'm back from Cley Spy!!
Had a good time down there, round the back looking through a few bins, about 8 pairs.
The gentleman down there got me out the bins I was thinking about as well as some I didn't, tried them all, Zeiss/Hawke/Vanguard/Vortex, tried 10x 8x, 32/42.
Then he brought out a pair of Nikon Monarch 7's, which I hadn't thought of. They were brilliant.
The Hawke and Vanguard were slightly too big for me (only got little hands). The Zeiss Terra were a little 'heavy' for me.
Was not too sure whether to go 10x but after trying them, realised the old arms were shaking a bit, didn't give me a 'steady' view. Got it down to the Zeiss Conquest or the Nikon Monarch 7. I got on well with the Monarch 7 straight away, slightly lighter than the Zeiss. Humming and Harring(?) for about 20 mins, first one then the other, tried both without my glasses, both with.....on and on.
Decided on the Monarch 7. Went buy Cley Reserve on the way home (round about), really really pleased with them, such a bright, clear view, good DOF, easy to use. To my old eyes it was sharp all the way to edges.
It only took about 21/2 hours!! And the bonus was, I saved a bit of money!!

Terry
 
Sounds to me like a template for how to do it! You really don't know what is going to be the best combination of ingredients for you unless you get the chance to do something like this. When i'm up there, i'll look out for who's behind the Monarchs!
Enjoy them....
 
Went down to London for a couple of days, took a quick trip to Walthamstow Marshes, (think you could say its part of Lee Valley complex over in the NE part of London), with my new Nikon Monarch 7 bins. Even better than the first day I got them, really easy to get on with, bright, clear, colour was great. As I said the other day, really pleased with them.
The assistant who advised me needs a medal!!
Terry
 
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