Binocular recommendations please (1 Viewer)

turkish van · Sep 30, 2005

Can anyone recommend me a good pair of bins for around £500 please? I don't really have a clue where to start looking :h?: . At the moment I use Swift Audibon 8.5x44, and although I really like them, I can't help thinking there's something more out there...

Any starter points would be appreciated. :t:
Thanks

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 30, 2005

Hi Laura,

The old style Nikon HGs are still available from Warehouse Express (see banner at the top of this page) for under £500. These are top of the range binoculars that are comparable with anything you could buy at any price. I've got a pair of the 8x32s and would say that they are excellent for birding in pretty much any conditions.

hornet · Sep 30, 2005

The Nikon 8x32's on Warehouse Express must be the deal of the decade (along with their recent Zeiss 65 scope deal) - as close to being the best around as makes no real difference, and for just £379.

I'd have said that is unmissable if you're looking for an all round pair of birding bins.

If that offer wasn't on, I'd stretch to £600 and get Leica Trinovid 8x32s (or do what I did and find a secondhand pair for £450). These are great bins, extremely close in performance to the more expensive Ultravids (to my eyes anyway, some say they're even better), and I've never regretted getting them - until I saw the Nikon offer that is!

hornet · Sep 30, 2005

Just had a quick check - if you fancy the Nikon 10x32s, there's a mail-order returned pair for just £299. That's just giving top optics away.

Special offers aside, it's best to go to a decent optical retailer and try a few pairs in your price range, because taste in optics vary considerably from person to person (just look at the length of the optics debates on this site).

However, for £500 most retailers will struggle to show you much to match the quality of the Nikons.

If you do prefer to take your time and look around, there are a pile of mid-price roofs you might want to look at. Personally I was really impressed when I tried the RSPB 8x32s at £299.

Alf King · Sep 30, 2005

Personally I'd recommend that you spend a little more money and go for Leica 10X42 or the equivalent from Swarovski or Zeiss.

I think the Trinovid range from Leica, now superceded by the Ultravid range, were excellent and there are a few bargains around at the moment if you search. Do remember that for a top of the range pair you should easily get 15+ years of use from them so they really are worth the money.

Finally the advice that you try a number of different ones is the best advice you will get. We all have our own individual preferences and you will only discover yours when you try some out.

Good luck.

postcardcv · Sep 30, 2005

The Nikon HG's on offer are a real bargain, though there are other good deals out there. Warehouse are also doing Swarovski SLC 8x30's for £439, great little bins and certainly worth considering.

Another good option is to look at secondhand bins, there are bargains out there. Soneome on here is selling a pair of Zeiss Dialyt 7x42B for £430 - http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=41815 a lot of the optics retailers list secondhand stock on their websites so it's worth looking around.

Stuhar · Sep 30, 2005

You should be able to get a pair of Nikon SE 32s for less than 500. Unless you need more magnification than 8x, I'd try these. They're excellent value for money.

scampo · Sep 30, 2005

turkish van said:
Can anyone recommend me a good pair of bins for around £500 please? I don't really have a clue where to start looking :h?: . At the moment I use Swift Audibon 8.5x44, and although I really like them, I can't help thinking there's something more out there...

Any starter points would be appreciated. :t:
Thanks

The Nikon HG 8x32 from Warehouse Express are, with any doubt, unsurpassable in value... but, for a different take on the possibilities available to you...

I have Swaro 8.5x42s and have just bought a pair of Ultravid 10x25 from the excellent Kay Optical (free credit, too!!!).

The fact is that the Ultravids are give or take a third the price of the Swaros, a third the weight, perhaps a quarter the bulk and, I just can't believe that so far... pretty near identical in optical quality. Seriously, I am waiting for a dark winter's day to prove that my eyes are fooling me at the moment. So... do look through a pair of these incredible super-light and super-compact 10x Ultravids before plumping for a heavy and bulky alternative. You might be very pleasantly surprised and be quids in. I would never have believed it possible.

turkish van · Oct 2, 2005

Thanks VERY much for all the suggestions , I didn't realise there might be such bargains out there. Just got to persuade the guy with the wallet now... at least my birthday's coming up! 3

The Nikons on Warehouse Express really do look like an amazing deal don't they? But I'm a bit confused- how come the 8x32s are reduced from 699 to 379, but the 10x32s reduced from 750 to 349? Are the 8x32s actually better binoculars?

Thanks

scampo · Oct 2, 2005

turkish van said:
Thanks VERY much for all the suggestions , I didn't realise there might be such bargains out there. Just got to persuade the guy with the wallet now... at least my birthday's coming up! 3 The Nikons on Warehouse Express really do look like an amazing deal don't they? But I'm a bit confused- how come the 8x32s are reduced from 699 to 379, but the 10x32s reduced from 750 to 349? Are the 8x32s actually better binoculars?

Thanks

8x has long been the most popular magnification for birdwatching and will sell more easily. 10x is fine if you have a steady hand and don't mind a somewhat narrower field of view (what you can see through the lenses). In woodland, the widest field is preferable, I would say, but generally, either are fine. Keep in mind the weight and bulk of the full size bins (but 32s are a good compromise). You might prefer the 10x25s yet!

turkish van · Oct 3, 2005

Ooh don't introduce more to choose from! A decision will never get made! I'd go and have a look through them all obviously before buying anything anyway. But I think you're right, having read up a bit more I'd be more inclined to go for the 8x.

One more question- when we were last choosing binoculars we were told to look for a sort of blue haze around objects when you look through them. Does anyone have any info on that, and is it apparent in some particular models that you know of?

Thanks again

redshift · Oct 3, 2005

A blue or purple haze next to a high contrast edge (dark object / bright background or vice versa) is chromatic aberration: different wavelengths or colours of light being brought to different focus points. Getting rid of it is a goal of great optics, whether it actually bothers you or not is another matter.

Whilst thinking about bins be aware that certain old-style "porro" prism binoculars (i.e. the Nikon 8x30 E2s and 8x32 SEs) actually give better image quality than the modern stylish straight-through "roof" prism bins you are being generally guided towards. The roofs have the advantage of waterproofing / anti-fogging, and you may prefer how they feel in your hands. But in a (image quality) / (price) equation, the Nikon porros win hands down. And some would claim that in a simple image quality comparison (stuff the price, take on all-comers), the Nikon porros still win.

mcdowella · Oct 4, 2005

I doubt that you will find an 8x40-ish binocular that is noticably better, optically, than the Swift Audubons at any price, let alone sub-£500. You could consider instead buying something that adds an option the Swift Audubons don't have, such as compactness, waterproofing, or power. In my case, this led me to a 8x25 Nikon Sportstar III, B&L Discoverer 7x42, and a secondhand Optolyth Alpin 10x40, in that order. (OK - I admit it, I am in danger of turning into binocular collector).

scampo · Oct 4, 2005

The Alpins are a knockout optic. The older Audubons were exceptional but bulky and none-too-long-lasting with heavy use.

turkish van · Oct 4, 2005

Second hand does seem like a very sensible option. Are they usually good quality?
Steve I agree about the Audubons (but it's no like I have much to compare them to) but they are a bit bulky and I have noticed the visual going downhill a bit. But maybe I'm just not looking after them properly. What's the best way to clean the lenses? And what made you say they're 'none-too-long-lasting'?

Mcdowella- I think you already are a collector!

scampo · Oct 4, 2005

I know a birder who went through two Audubons in only a few years with the focus loosening and other small bits and pieces happening. But... they aren't top price optics so I suspect that should be expected. My son's Alpins, though, are now the best part of ten years old at a guess and are as good as new.

symphony · Oct 6, 2005

Anyone wanting to read up on optics, perhaps to assist you in your choice of binoculars (7x or 10x mag for instance) try the website: optics4birding.com

There is a lot of info and guidance on binos and scopes on this website. I've found it really useful though there is more on binos than scopes. Anyone know of any good websites on scopes for birding? For instance the advantages of one diameter over others and different magnifications?

On the Audubons. I tried a pair of these thanks to a kind bloke at Old Moor and I was impressed with them. In the end though I have had enough of bulky binos. The view through them is nice and wide and you can get them very cheap but I wouldn't want to carry them around all day.

Liebchen · Oct 6, 2005

symphony said:
On the Audubons. I tried a pair of these thanks to a kind bloke at Old Moor and I was impressed with them.

The bloke wasn't called Steve was he?

I also went to Old Moor beginning of this year trying out the bins there. Steve was fantastic, very helpful and very patient. I came back twice and nearly tried every binocular in his cabinet before I decided that the Leica Ultravids 8x42 are for me. I also tried the Trinovids but I found the Ultravid more comfortable to hold as I have got small hands. My partner preferred the Trinovids. I'm absolutely delighted with the Ultravids. When my bank balance has recovered :eek!: I'll be back for a scope. :hi:

Liebchen

symphony · Oct 6, 2005

Liebchen said:
The bloke wasn't called Steve was he? I also went to Old Moor beginning of this year trying out the bins there.

I can't recall the bloke's name he was another birder in a hide. He had a digital camera with a lens about two feet long!

I went for the Trinovids, mainly because they are a lot cheaper than the Ultravids. They are the 8x42's and I'm very happy with them, it so happens they are a perfect fit for my hands. These binos have radically changed my birding for the better. They are so clear. I'm able to identify birds at much greater distances than I could with my old binos. The detail I'm able to get is awe inspiring. No more cheap optics for me. Not that I have a big income I just don't smoke, hate crowded pubs and clubs and don't believe in buying everything I'm told to like designer labels etc etc

By the way hello Liebchen I'm from Halifax just down the road from you.

Liebchen · Oct 6, 2005

symphony said:
Liebchen said:

I can't recall the bloke's name he was another birder in a hide. He had a digital camera with a lens about two feet long!

I went for the Trinovids, mainly because they are a lot cheaper than the Ultravids. They are the 8x42's and I'm very happy with them, it so happens they are a perfect fit for my hands. These binos have radically changed my birding for the better. They are so clear. I'm able to identify birds at much greater distances than I could with my old binos. The detail I'm able to get is awe inspiring. No more cheap optics for me. Not that I have a big income I just don't smoke, hate crowded pubs and clubs and don't believe in buying everything I'm told to like designer labels etc etc

By the way hello Liebchen I'm from Halifax just down the road from you.

Click to expand...

Hi Symphony

The guy I was talking about was one of the RSPB volunteers.

I'm glad you are happy with your Trinovids. As said I tried both and the Ultravids just felt better in my hands and where lighter too. All about personal preference I suppose. It really is important when you spend this kind of money :eek!: that you do your research and get what is right for you. I agree with what you have said about the bins changing your birding forever. It's the same for me. I'm amazed how much detail I can see and how sharp they are. Everytime I pick them up its a joy to look through them. As I hope they will last me for a very long time I will not be getting cheap bins again either. I just love them. And since I don't smoke either, buy designer lables or got to pubs and clubs I think I jolly well deserve a little extravagant treat now and then.

Great to see you are local. Do you go to Old Moor regulary?

Liebchen

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