Advice needed on binoculars for 7 year old (1 Viewer)

[Barebrownbear]

Hello! It’s my sons 7th birthday soon and we would like to buy him a set of binoculars. He has been obsessed with a very cheap (£9) pair of kids binoculars he bought at a gift shop in Yellowstone National park but obviously they are terrible so we would like to blow his mind with an actual set 😂.

Neither my partner nor I know anything about binoculars so we are completely at sea with knowing what would be best. We would like to get him an adults pair that will be useful as he grows up as opposed to another kids set he will grow out of. Is that a good idea or should we be buying him a kids set?? He is careful with his things and I think would look after them.

I remember using my dads when I was a kid, they were big and heavy but the magnification was huge. Would a vintage set give better bang for buck or are modern ones much better?

Budget is under £150. Preferable under £100 but they will be the only ones we have in the house so useful for the whole family so may be able to stretch a bit.

Finally what magnification should I be looking for? I imagine he will use them for looking at both birds and animals. He was trying to spot bears and bison across the plains with his current set. At home it would be more like woodland animals / animals in the garden / birds. As well of course spying on parents / siblings / friends 😂.

Would prefer to buy used on eBay if it would get a better product for less. But there are millions on there, from old wartime sets to new sets so I have no idea where to start!

Thanks for reading and for any help you can give.

 

[KC Foggin]

I'll leave this for the Bino experts we have but:
Hi there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Barebrownbear and a warm welcome from me too.

Like KC, I'll leave the discussion of binoculars to the experts in here. I've a feeling, though, that for a child of this age they will need to be fairly small and light (too heavy and his arms will soon get tired); too large and they may not fit the distance between his eyes - this does change with age. The guys here will some sort some options for you to consider though.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

 

[Vespobuteo]

Hello! It’s my sons 7th birthday soon and we would like to buy him a set of binoculars. He has been obsessed with a very cheap (£9) pair of kids binoculars he bought at a gift shop in Yellowstone National park but obviously they are terrible so we would like to blow his mind with an actual set 😂.

Neither my partner nor I know anything about binoculars so we are completely at sea with knowing what would be best. We would like to get him an adults pair that will be useful as he grows up as opposed to another kids set he will grow out of. Is that a good idea or should we be buying him a kids set?? He is careful with his things and I think would look after them.

I remember using my dads when I was a kid, they were big and heavy but the magnification was huge. Would a vintage set give better bang for buck or are modern ones much better?

Budget is under £150. Preferable under £100 but they will be the only ones we have in the house so useful for the whole family so may be able to stretch a bit.

Finally what magnification should I be looking for? I imagine he will use them for looking at both birds and animals. He was trying to spot bears and bison across the plains with his current set. At home it would be more like woodland animals / animals in the garden / birds. As well of course spying on parents / siblings / friends 😂.

Would prefer to buy used on eBay if it would get a better product for less. But there are millions on there, from old wartime sets to new sets so I have no idea where to start!

Thanks for reading and for any help you can give.

This one (Opticron Savanna WP 6x30) is recommended from 7 years (IPD* down to 50mm) price < £150.

*IPD = distance between the eyes.

Has a bit lower magnification (than the "standard" 8x) and will make it easier to hold steady. Also the exit pupil is 5 mm (30mm/6x) which make it easier to center to the eyes, compared to even smaller bins such as 8x25 etc.

Savanna WP 6x30 | Opticron

Click to view this page on www.opticron.co.uk

www.opticron.co.uk

https://www.amazon.com/Opticron-Savanna-WP-6x30-Binocular/dp/B00KABKBNU

 

[Damienz]

I have not purchased a binocular for my 10 year old son yet but while researching, besides the one Vespobuteo mentioned above which looks like a perfect match, I also put this one among the candidates:
Pentax Papilio II 6.5x21

It has a smaller exit pupil than the Opticron but you get an opportunity for close ups. I imagine crawling around and looking at bugs and insects could add some extra usage besides the regular binocular functionality.

 

[Dr. K]

Kowa YF ii 6x30 - waterproof, great eye cups for comfort, easy to handle, low mag for ease of use for kids, cool colors, and porro prisms for better light transmission than $100usd would typically get you. I’ve bought them for several nieces and nephews and from 5-12 years old and they all love them.

 

[Barebrownbear]

Thank you so much! I’ll check all those models out tonight

 

[Alexis Powell]

In my experience, the most important things to consider with kids are minimum IPD spec, ease of focusing, and close-focus spec.

IPD (interpupillary distance) varies a lot with age and from person to person. Although all kids start with eyes very close together, by the time they are 7-10 years old, some kids have more distance between their eyes than do some adults. If your child has an IPD below 56 mm, it will be impossible to see out of both sides of most roof-prism binoculars excepting pocket models, and likewise, most reverse-porro compact bins will also not work. Measure your child's eyes to find out if this a concern (i.e. IPD under 56 mm). If it is, check binocular specs carefully to find a model that fits. Don't assume that your child's IPD will quickly grow to eventually fit a bin with a too-wide an IPD spec (unless, perhaps, both genetic parents have wide-set eyes).

Ease of focusing is an issue with small hands. It is especially relevant for bins that are used for close-in observation, where focus must be adjusted for every small difference in observation distance.

Most kids enjoy looking at things that are close by (e.g. butterflies, bees, and other insects) so close focus spec is worth considering.

As for specific binocular recommendations, I would agree that the models already mentioned by others are good ones to consider, but they all have their advantages and disadvantages.

Kowa 6x30 YF ii has good IPD spec, nice bright easy view, but it isn't easy to reach or turn the focus knob and the close focus spec is poor.
Pentax 6.5x21 Papilio II is unmatched for close focus, has easier to reach focus knob, but minimum IPD is standard 56 mm which may not work and it isn't the brightest.
A good pocket roof can offer superb IPD, easy focus reach, and close focus, but cost for a decent quality will be higher than your budget. I especially like the Zeiss 8x25 Terra ED for kids since it has a good view, easy focus, and great close focus.
For those with lots of $$$, the Zeiss 8x32 FL has to be one of the best bins for kids ever made.

--AP

 

[Trinovid]

Hello! It’s my sons 7th birthday soon and we would like to buy him a set of binoculars. We would like to get him an adults pair that will be useful as he grows up as opposed to another kids set he will grow out of.
Finally what magnification should I be looking for? I imagine he will use them for looking at both birds and animals.
Would prefer to buy used on eBay if it would get a better product for less. But there are millions on there, from old wartime sets to new sets so I have no idea where to start!

Somewhere between 6-8x set that he can use for life, and get a better used binocular from eBay or one of the binocular stores rather than a cheaper new one. Pentax Papilio II or one from Kowa or Opticron would be a safe place to start looking.

 

[Mike Crawley]

I’m about to buy some binoculars for my 5 year old granddaughter.
She has enjoyed using some brightly coloured plastic binoculars and I have judged her 5th birthday in October or Christmas 2022 as a reasonable time to get her an upgrade.

Having looked at the sub-£100 category and wanting a single hinge design for ease of use, I have selected Opticron Oregon 8x25. Available direct from Opticron but I’m hoping to see them in my local optics shop to try them before I buy.

Oregon 4 LE WP 8x25 | Opticron

Click to view this page on www.opticron.co.uk

www.opticron.co.uk

 

[Vespobuteo]

I’m about to buy some binoculars for my 5 year old granddaughter.
She has enjoyed using some brightly coloured plastic binoculars and I have judged her 5th birthday in October or Christmas 2022 as a reasonable time to get her an upgrade.

Having looked at the sub-£100 category and wanting a single hinge design for ease of use, I have selected Opticron Oregon 8x25. Available direct from Opticron but I’m hoping to see them in my local optics shop to try them before I buy.

Oregon 4 LE WP 8x25 | Opticron

Click to view this page on www.opticron.co.uk

www.opticron.co.uk

Note that the interpupilary distance (between the eyes) might not be small enough in binoculars intended for adults.

Looking at the specs of the Opticron Oregon the IPD Range is (mm) 54~71.

Oregon 4 LE WP 8x25 | Opticron

Click to view this page on www.opticron.co.uk

www.opticron.co.uk

The bin I suggested above (for a 7 years old) has a minimal IPD of 50 mm (5 cm).

Some stats I found says:

"The mean value of IPD in subjects aged 5 to 10 was 5.1±1.5 cm. At subjects aged 11 to 20 it was wider for 0.7 cm i.e. 5.8±2.5 cm."

https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/44293

At 5 years of age, most likely in the lower end of the range.

So the "Oregons" might work, but they might not work at all, or be suboptimal.

A smaller bin with smaller exit pupil (25/8≈3mm) will also be more difficult to align and hold steady for kids.
I even try to avoid those "pocket" bins myself.

 

[Cest]

The Papilo is very good for kids. I gifted a 6x30 Kowa YF to a child who loves it.

 

[dalat]

My daughter does not like the tradtional porro binoculars like the kowa yf. Not comfortable to hold, focus difficult to reach. She prefers small roof binoculars like the opticron Oregon or the Papillo (a porro i know, but one with a small form factor).

 

[Trinovid]

My daughter does not like the tradtional porro binoculars like the kowa yf. Not comfortable to hold, focus difficult to reach. She prefers small roof binoculars like the opticron Oregon or the Papillo (a porro i know, but one with a small form factor).

This post, based on actual experience would be so helpful to have in a poll. I already knew about the Papilio, but not that it was necessarily a good choice for kids, and had never before heard of the Opticron Oregon.

 

[lilcrazy2]

I have the papillio 6x5 x 21 for my inner child in observing nature close up as well as far. A very nice bin. Have had it for many years.
Here is another you may consider on your side of the pond that has 52mm ipd. Perhaps it is sold on ebay as well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Opticron-Savanna-PC-8x33-Binocular/dp/B074W4YWSM/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1AA6KBCF2QXO9&keywords=binoculars+8x32+opticron&qid=1661221316&sprefix=binoculars+8x32+%2Caps%2C352&sr=8-8

 

[Bino Steve]

Hi BBBear, I have gone through the same thing with my 6 and 7 year old just this month. Do yourself and them a favor and get perma focus aka focus free binoculars. I too thought my kids would understand proper focusing technique and diopter adjustment and refocus when subject moves. NOPE. then throw in getting " one circle" in your vision by squeezing hinge. Again Nope. They lost interest. Gave them focus free units and now they love it again. They don't have the attention span to sit long and care about a perfect view anyway. It's " look at that" they look 2 seconds and zoom around looking at whatever. Makes it fun again. So for new, on UK Amazon look for Tasco 8x25 focus free binoculars. About 45. For Ebay, look for Bushnell or Simmons, or Tasco or Jason focus free or perma focus binoculars. Prob 10 to 30. Yes they have some limitations, like things up close not being in focus but kids don't care. Get them used to the hobby as easy as possible rather than frustrate them. Good luck whatever you do.

 

[Bino Steve]

Ps. For used units on Ebay you will likely only find 7x35, 7x50 and 10x50. Get 7x35 unless you can find a used 8x25 or 8x30 Tasco. They may have made a 6x30, can't remember.

 

[Vespobuteo]

My daughter does not like the tradtional porro binoculars like the kowa yf. Not comfortable to hold, focus difficult to reach. She prefers small roof binoculars like the opticron Oregon or the Papillo (a porro i know, but one with a small form factor).

Yes, that's a valid point.
The advantage with lower mag (6x) is that less focusing is needed (more DOF).

 

[dalat]

Agree that 6x is a good option for kids, larger FOV and less focussing needed. My daughter has no troubles focussing with 8x, but she's quite keen and using the binocular frequently...

 

[Rg548]

Why don't you call Ace Optics, Focalpoint optics, or WEX, and ask them about a warranted 2nd hand pair.
Way more bang for your buck, and they will have been fully checked over.
I would give ebay a wide berth where optics are concerned.
Cheap new binos will not be as good as a 2nd hand pair from a reputable dealer.