Low budget 8x42 binoculars (1 Viewer)

Hello everyone! I am taking an ornithology class this semester and my professor asked us to get a pair of 8x42 binoculars. My concern is that I do not think I will use the binoculars after the semester.

If I sell the binoculars after the semester I could get a nicer pair (assuming that I wouldn't be taking a huge loss). That being said, I would like to stay on a budget (<$200) if possible. I am fine with buying something used, or try bidding on eBay auctions if that helps. I do wear glasses, but considering my budget, it may not matter.

I have seen the following recommended: Nikon Monarchs, Zeiss Terras, Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8X42.

Thank you!

jkxs said:

Hello everyone! I am taking an ornithology class this semester and my professor asked us to get a pair of 8x42 binoculars. My concern is that I do not think I will use the binoculars after the semester.

If I sell the binoculars after the semester I could get a nicer pair (assuming that I wouldn't be taking a huge loss). That being said, I would like to stay on a budget (<$200) if possible. I am fine with buying something used, or try bidding on eBay auctions if that helps. I do wear glasses, but considering my budget, it may not matter.

I have seen the following recommended: Nikon Monarchs, Zeiss Terras, Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8X42.

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum!

Really I have only been exposed to one binocular in the <$200 range and that is the Vortex Diamondback. My girlfriend has this binocular and she purchased it a few years ago. Quite honestly it's a pretty good binocular. It's given her no problems and she used the crap out of it for several years. That's probably where I'd start for a sub $200 binocular. Saying this...the $200 more for the Vanguard Endeavor ED II is well worth it.

Good luck!

Why don't you check the nearest "Dick's Sporting Goods" store and see if it has the Nikon 8x42 Prostaff 7S in stock. It shouldn't cost much more than $180.00. It has long eye relief of 19.5mm so it should work very well with your glasses. Here is what it looks like:

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/....html#tab-ProductDetail-ProductTabs-TechSpecs

You could order it from Nikon if you like. It is on sale there. Read the 4 reviews about it.

If you get it be sure to register it with Nikon in case there is something wrong with it. Contact them about it and they will send you a new one to replace it.

Bob

Thank you for both of your recommendations. The most challenging thing for me is that there appears to be no clear winner. The sub $500 8x42 thread here shows that while there may be a few binoculars that are more popular than others (e.g. Terra, Monarch), that doesn't mean it is right for everybody. At this price I don't think I can be choosy with where the binoculars are made or go through the process of finding "good ones."

You haven't got much of a response, but if you search Birdforum (or just scroll down the main page) you'll find more discussion of budget binoculars. One that almost everyone agrees on is the Sightron 8x32 Blue Sky II.
https://www.amazon.com/Sightron-SIIBL832-8x32-Binocular-Green/dp/B004MFBSL4
It isn't an 8x42, but I wonder if your professor would care. S/he shouldn't. The good news is that these days, the overall quality of budget bins is much better than in the past, so most from established brands work pretty well, most other brands also work well, and most modern 8x42 bins are designed to work with glasses. The bad news is that these days most bins are designed around roof prisms, which are easy to mess up in manufacturing, so cheap bins can vary in quality quite a bit from unit to unit. If you are really trying to save money and you want something that is almost certain to perform, get a cheap porro-prism binocular from one of the major manufacturers. These bins are quite reliable and some have excellent FOV and will work with glasses. For example:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/421386-REG/Bushnell_120842_8x42_Legacy_WP_Binocular.html

--AP

I have several Steiner AZ842 from Amazon. Now they cost about $142. If you are lucky and have time to wait, they sometime sell for $70 or even lower. It's made in Germany. Basically a Steiner predator pro 8x42.
link: https://www.amazon.com/Steiner-2033...?ie=UTF8&qid=1483858185&sr=8-1&keywords=az842

Hi,

welcome to birdforum! Having to buy a pair of bins for class sure beats buying books - hundreds of dollars vs. tens...

One idea is buying sth used - if you get a god deal, you might break even when letting it go - not so with a new pair as they will lose 30-40% of their value when you leave the shop or open the package... Unfortunately good used deals are not always to be had and they might also involve a considerable investment - a good deal on an alpha will still mean a 4 digits amount...

I would probably disregard the 8x42 size requirement and get the Sightron Blue Sky S2 8x32 mentioned above - it's cheap and quite good - being compared to the SE 8x32 is quite something. Plus it's lighter and smaller than an 8x42 which is the reason why 8x32s are quite popular with birders.
In my experience the number of times where I would have liked an 8x42 over my 8x30 E2 is a one digit number so far and most of these cases would have called for a 7x50 or similar night bins actually.

Joachim

If you are going to be wearing your glasses while you use the binocular you will have to pay attention to the eye relief (ER) that is listed for it. You will need long eye relief (ER) if you want to see the entire Field of View (FOV) that the binocular has. The size of the FOV is often affected by the size and thickness of the glasses you wear and how far away from your eyes they are. You will be using the binocular without extending its eye cups.

To be on the safe side you probably should look for a binocular with at least 18mm ER (longer if you don't have the opportunity to try them) although as little as 16mm can be enough depending on your glasses. Less than 16mm and seeing the full FOV can get "iffy."

Bob

Staying strictly within your budget:

If you just want to drop in a local sporting goods place and pick something up, then I would say go with the Nikon 7s that was mentioned by Ceasar. Nikon makes a good product, and certainly it will have enough ER for you. The Vortex Diamondback is also easily found, but it has less ER. Focus wheel isn't as smooth on the examples I have used as the Prostaffs that I have used. But they are popular, and you won't have any problems getting rid of it once the semester is over.

If you are willing to mail-order, then also consider the Celestron Trailseeker for around $153, and the Kowa SV for around $169. Both of these have a very good build and optical quality. I like the handling of the Trailseeker a bit more, but either would do just fine for you.

A bit above your budget:

The Vanguard Endeavor ED will cost around $229. It will be better than the ones noted above, and IMO is worth the extra $29. Be aware that it has a very fast focus speed, but you might well like that.

Welcome,

There have been numerous good suggestions here. I add my vote that you consider the Sightron 8x32. I find these surprisingly comfortable to use, both ergonomically and optically and reach for them very often even though I have "better" binoculars (measured by various performance specs) that cost considerably more. They really do hold their own with 8x42 glasses in their price range and even a bit above their price range.

While it may be interesting to optimize based on the recommendation of others, it is very important that you try the binoculars you are thinking about purchasing. Of course you can do this in person, but if you use mail order, it is critical that you use a vendor with a liberal return policy. There are a couple reasons for this. First and foremost, how binoculars fit your hands, face, and eyes is rather subjective and obviously personal, and what works for others may or may not work well for you. Second, there is a good deal of sample to sample variation in binoculars, and as you would expect, the degree of variability increases as the price decreases though unfortunately, even rather premium binoculars can be off. Anyway, try before you buy is my advice, and that makes shopping the used market online a bit tricky, unless of course you are dealing with a vendor you trust with a good return policy.

Good Observing,
Alan

chill6x6 said:

Welcome to the forum!

Really I have only been exposed to one binocular in the <$200 range and that is the Vortex Diamondback. My girlfriend has this binocular and she purchased it a few years ago. Quite honestly it's a pretty good binocular. It's given her no problems and she used the crap out of it for several years. That's probably where I'd start for a sub $200 binocular. Saying this...the $200 more for the Vanguard Endeavor ED II is well worth it.

Good luck!

Click to expand...

I second this recommendation.
I got a pair for a friend of mine and was amazed at the view and quality for just under $200.
They are waterproof, have a solid case and a lifetime warranty.

I have both the Vortex Diamondback 8x42s (latest version) and the Sightron Blue Sky II 8x32s. While the Diamondbacks are decent enough, I prefer the Sightrons by a considerable margin except (and, even then, only perhaps) in low light. Everyone's preferences differ, of course, but those are mine.

...Mike

P.S. I did have a problem with my Diamondback 8x42s and will note that Vortex was very easy to deal with in getting it resolved.

Since you aren't sure if you will be using binos for the long term, I thought I would mention that BH Photo has the Leupold McKenzie 8x42 on sale for $89.99, and that includes free shipping and a free flashlight. Leupold is a solid company with excellent customer service.

I'm not saying that you should go out and buy one, as certainly there are better choices within your stated budget. But they would get you started, and I can think of worse choices to start with......