Binocular Sightings (1 Viewer)

[A2GG]

I’ve been thinking about starting this type of thread for years. Many of us like to count and report bird species or other wildlife. When I’m out I usually notice what binoculars people are using. Why not report what ‘species’ of binoculars we see out in the field; It could be fun to see what others are using in different parts of the world and if there may be any preferences within certain groups or areas. It could also be interesting to report rare binocular models or obscure brands, etc.
I don’t mind if the topic wanders a bit; it should be fun and interesting to comment on the different Binos we see.

 

[A2GG]

This weekend I didn’t cross paths with many birders, so not much to report.

2 Nikon Monarch 7 42mm
1 Swarovski EL 42mm - first gen.
1 Leica Noctivid 42mm - only the second Noctivid I’ve ever spotted

I was using my Nikon Monarch HG 8x30
My favorite bird of the weekend was a Veery (came very close as I stood still).

 

[A2GG]

forgot one: a Tasco (I think ) 20 or 25mm with the thin string strap.

 

[yarrellii]

This is fun!
I might sound like an outsider, but I hardly see anyone using binoculars where I go birding Not sure if it's because I live in an area with few birdwatchers or simply because I go to lonely places. Anyway, if I remember correctly, over here I think I've seen several Opticron (Petrel and Countryman), Olympus Pro, Nikon (Aculon and some Monarch)... but I think over a month I'll be lucky if I come across one person with binoculars. On the other hand, you can see many people with powerful cameras and tele objectives.

 

[A2GG]

I often don’t see any other birders where I go as well. If I do see anyone else it’s usually one or two people with binoculars. During migration I do see a lot more birders and photographers depending where I go.

The guy with the Tasco bin was carrying a huge zoom lens camera with tripod, so he was only using the binocular for quickly scanning and locating the bird to get the photo.

out here there’s not too much Opticron, but I have seen a couple and I’ve owned some myself. I’ve always wanted to check out the Olympus Pro. I used to have the little Olympus 7x21 reverse porro which was great.

there was one time a couple years ago when I crossed paths with a small group of birders and almost everyone had Leica ranging from old classics to the new Trinovid HD. It was weird to see most everyone with the same brand.

 

[Troubador]

Our here on the Western Isles of Scotland I saw a couple of birders, one carrying a Swaro EL and the other an Opticron. On the ship coming over from Skye I noted two Opticrons, two Zeiss SF42s, a Leica Ultravid 42 and one Hawke 42mm model.

Lee

 

[albie...]

Here in Edmonton Alberta Canada I ran into an older gentleman about a month ago with a Swift Audubon 8.5x44 roof at one of our parks . He was observing the aquatic birds .
Not to often that I see anyone walking around with binoculars .

​

 

[jafritten]

A terribly battered Zeiss 10x25 from the 80s or 90s. Seen last week in North Germany.

 

[PYRTLE]

What brand is HRH wearing, taken yesterday. I thought Swarovski was usually the family's choice.

 

[Maljunulo]

What brand is HRH wearing, taken yesterday. I thought Swarovski was usually the family choice

Is there a higher resolution version of that photo?

 

[normjackson]

What brand is HRH wearing, taken yesterday. I thought Swarovski was usually the family's choice.

Swarovski it is :

https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/07/27/17/27171822-265ffe5e-0137-4210-9fd4-baadd08a1696.jpg

 

[Pinewood]

Hello,

Anyone looking at me, over the last three days could have seen:
A Meopro 6.5x32
A Zeiss 8x32 FL
or a 1938 Bausch & Lomb 8x30.

I noticed Nikons, all Monarchs; Vortex, even a Canon 10x42L IS, and Swarovski for the well off, in Central Park.

Stay safe,
Arthur

 

[wllmspd]

Few years ago I saw a Lifer.. a Canon 18x50 in the wild… huge heavy brute…

Peter

 

[A2GG]

thinking back on 'lifers' or 'rarities' I've seen:

Zeiss Dialyt 7x42 - the woman allowed me to look through it...very nice !
Leitz Trinovid
Nikon Premier SE 8x32 porro - I used to own one of these, but only saw one other person sporting it (so far).
Swift Audubon porro

I belief I only spotted one reverse porro out and about

 

[Tringa45]

A slight woman birder with an 8x50 Leica Ultravid. An unusual but admirable choice.

 

[PhilR.]

The only time I tend to look at binos is at the extremely popular birding venues during Spring migration, where one can get a very large sample size In a very short time. For high-end binos, I have seen many more Swarovskis than anything else, and by quite a large margin. I’ve seen more SF’s than Noctivids. What has surprised me is the number of Canon 10x42. I have seen more of them than Noctivids. I have not ever seen an EDG of either size, other than my own.

For the mid-priced level (~$1k), I have seen more Conquest HD’s than anything else. Saw a couple of newer Trinovids this year, and only a few Meostars over the years. As a whole, I have seen fewer binos in this price class than any other. Surprising to me is that I haven’t seen a Monarch HG, other than our own.

In the lower-level price class (~$500), it seem to be a tie between the Monarch 7 and the Viper, with the occasional Leupold PG HD thrown in. I have not ever seen a Meopro or a Toric, other than my own.

In what I call the “consumer-grade” price level (usually under $300), I see more Diamondbacks and Prostaffs than anything else, and once you throw in older models and travel-sized binos, more Nikons than any other manufacturer. I have also seen a number of very inexpensive binos from Bushnell and Tasco and the like. I think these were owned by people who got dragged along to a birding fair, but were happy to be outside anyway.

I have seen one 7x42 Dialyt, a handful of the older Trinovid models, and several older Porros that were so worn that the brand/model designations were absent. I have not ever seen a Nikon SE other than the one I used to have, nor have I seen anything from Sightron, Steiner, or Minox.

 

[GrampaTom]

From

NL Pure 8x32 and NL Pure 10x32!​

June 28, 2021 #255

I have written this before. I birded 50 or so days, on the Richmond Bay Trail for this winter's waterfowl migration. Anyone with a binocular around their neck was assumed to be a birder and ah... fair game. I rarely missed the chance to stop and ask what birds folks were seeing. Surreptitiously, informally, often, I was also able to check out the dangling binocular. The Swarovski, EL 10x42, was surprisingly the most observed brand and model. Maybe 8-10 of those. There were several SLCs, at least 1, EL 12x50. Puzzlingly no X32s. There were many other brands/models. I'd guess Nikon, as a brand exceeded Swarovski, but no single model exceeded those ELs. A local REI and pricing probably explains that. There were a couple Conquests. Rarely, but a few, high end Leica or Zeiss. Curious? Maybe not.

 

[A2GG]

A slight woman birder with an 8x50 Leica Ultravid. An unusual but admirable choice.

ahhhh this reminds me of a few weeks or so ago when I saw an elderly man with a 50mm Trinovid BA or BN; it was huge. The other binos that day were Leica Ultravid 42, SF 42, an older Nikon Monarch (DCF I think).

Lifers I still need:
Kowa Genesis
any Meopta
any Maven

rarities that I may never see in my area:
Kite
Hawke
Viking
Delta

increasingly considered rare nowadays:
Swift
Alpen

only 1 sighting so far of these relatively newer bins:
Nikon Monarch HG
GPO Passion HD

Haven’t spotted Swaro NL Pure yet.

 

[wllmspd]

I even saw (and looked through) some Nikon WX…. The only bins to make the NL Pure look cheap and underperforming…

Peter

 

[Maljunulo]

I even saw (and looked through) some Nikon WX…. The only bins to make the NL Pure look cheap and underperforming…

Peter

I guess spending $6000 to $8000 makes a difference.