Binoculars for kids? (1 Viewer)

O

Otto McDiesel

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2006

• #1

I am thinking of buying 10-20 pairs of binoculars for 12-14 year old kids.
My options so far are
Nikon EX 7x35 - wide field, good price, but close focus is at 16 ft.
Nikon Monarch - 8x36 closer focus but i am not convinced that the image is all that great for $250 a pop and field is only 367 ft.
Bushnell Excursion 8x32 - wide field, close focus and good price.

Durability is a concern.

Any advice? Other choices? No dingy lil' reverse porros please.

Thanks

 

FrankD

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2006

• #2

Have you ruled out the Leupold Yosemite 6x30s? They were designed specifically with kids in mind. Extremely low IPD setting, 6x magnification to give extremely good depth of field (little refocusing), a 5 mm exit pupil for a relaxed and bright view, a porro prism design for a bright, three dimensional image with a 420 foot field of view and they are waterproof/fogproof, etc.... Consider that they are priced around $90 many places and you really cannot go wrong with them for this type of situation.

I am considering buying several as well to donate to one of the local hawk watching organizations for use with their visiting school children.

 

Last edited: Oct 26, 2006

O

Otto McDiesel

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2006

• #3

FrankD said:

Leupold Yosemite 6x30s?

Click to expand...

I'll take my pair to the lake. If i can see the eagles and he ducks i might buy these. I'll get a couple of spotting scopes too, anyway.

 

O

Otto McDiesel

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2006

• #4

I just looked out the window with the 6x30, it's very overcast outside. They have a bright and relaxing view and i could see a Chipping Sparrow just as well i see it with my EL 8X32. Well, not quite but very nice.
I will try to see a pair of Nikon EX 7x35 before i decide.
Thanks.

 

Tero

Retired

• Oct 26, 2006

• #5

Go for the 8x30-32 roofs. Bring one kid along if you can. Some of the store brands, Cabelas or other, may be OK. Worst I have seen was ProMaster. May be some trouble finding that many in a store, but some of them have mail order too.

Another option is plain 8x42s, some are cheaper than 8x32.

Your German plural is wrong by the way, ein kind, zwei kinder.

 

Last edited: Oct 26, 2006

bitterntwisted

Graham Howard Shortt

• Oct 26, 2006

• #6

Luca,

Why not by second-hand (pre-owned US?) off Ebay or elsewhere. Buy lighter, lower magnifications where possible, but that way you'll get a selection which:

1: allows the kids to pick the pair that they like and suits them.
2: is more enviornmentally sound as it doesn't consume energy and resources.

And agree to rule out reverse porros - the narrow FoV makes them much harder to use which is not going to enthuse any young beginners.

Regards,
Graham

 

FrankD

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2006

• #7

I just looked out the window with the 6x30, it's very overcast outside. They have a bright and relaxing view and i could see a Chipping Sparrow just as well i see it with my EL 8X32. Well, not quite but very nice.
I will try to see a pair of Nikon EX 7x35 before i decide.
Thanks.

Click to expand...

I forgot that you had a pair. You should be able to do many simple comparisons with them. There are times I actually prefer to use them in comparison to several of my other bins. I think they will compare quite favorably against the Action EXs. I own both and know which I would prefer if asked to take one out with me.

 

jedku

Marc

• Oct 27, 2006

• #8

I think you should buy the Yosemites -- or at least get equal share of both bins. The Yosemites offer narrower IPD,
lighter weight,
longer eye relief,
and 6x is easier for kids to manage. Most important, the Yosemites have a smaller body size thus allowing small hands to reach the focus wheel. Actions are quite bulky and I remember a situation where an adult woman could not get her finger on the focus wheel of one.
Optically Yosemites are among the best in this price range, including multicoating and BAK4 glass.
The Yosemites were designed for kids to use. Some care and thought was put into their design for exactly your purpose. They may have other features you don't even realize the kids can use.
As for the roof prisms, they have much too narrow a field of view for kids to use and 8x is too high power for them.
My 2 cents.

 

Last edited: Oct 27, 2006

O

Otto McDiesel

Well-known member

• Oct 27, 2006

• #9

Well, i went to the store, bought a Nikon 7x35 EX, and i went to the park with both binoculars. I prefered the view of the Nikon because of the wider apparent and true fields of view and better resolution (7x), but...

from my previous experience i know that inexperienced persons miss birds because they don't focus properly and because of field of view issues. The 6x30 has an astounding depth of field and almost no focusing is needed. I could watch a goose at 10 yards and a heron at 500 yards without focusing. That's a big plus. I will most likely get the Yosemites.