Binoculars for children (1 Viewer)

[Ted Y.]

What would be your choice for such binocular? A cheap one, a not expensive one but having a reasonable quality, other?
Surely it depends on the age, interest for using it, etc.

I gifted as first binocular for a 10 years old interested child the model Kowa YF II 6x30.
Very good for the money (100USD), excellent IPD range. It is a Porro model, therefore I estimate it to correspond to a 200USD roof binocular.

 

[Rg548]

Decent warranted 2nd hand would be my choice there. Good optics, for less money, and no depreciation.
Also less likely to be precious about them. Great for kids. Got my lad a 2nd hand pair on Nikons a while back.

 

[Cest]

I think the Kowa YF was a good choice. Oberwerk has a 6.5x32 lw that is comparable.

 

[MildSalsa]

I've got a close relative of that model, the Opticron Savanna WP 6x30. It's great for kids. A 3 year old can use it if you focus it for them.

 

[Swissboy]

Definitely a very good choice. All these are based on the original Leupold Goldring model that looks very similar. The designer had the explicit intention to come up with a model his child-daughter could use. One of the features is that the models fit people with narrow eye distance. The other point is that a porro design costs much less to produce excellent optical quality.

The main problem is that porros are difficult to make them waterproof. So while these models are claimed to be waterproof, I would not test them by submerging them on purpose.

 

[ptitdoon]

I offered the Pentax Papillo II (the 6x) to my 7 years old daughter.
One of the key point was the focus distance of 50m which allows to use it to see inside flowers or small animals like ants.
I am really satisfied by the product.

 

[jafritten]

I've got a close relative of that model, the Opticron Savanna WP 6x30. It's great for kids. A 3 year old can use it if you focus it for them.

My kids (3 and 6) both use the Kowa YF 6x30. I set the focus to a middle distance once and then forget about it. They see everything sharp due to their accommodation ability. The 5mm exit pupil makes them even more enjoyable for kids, because they are so easy to use. And the great optical quality helps get kids into nature viewing.

 

[Sebzwo]

My grandfather who knew about good optics and had some gave me some 8x30 as a birthday gift when I was a kid a very long time ago (I think a relabelled Zeiss Jena for the western market) which I used for many years and which founded some ongoing passion for these instruments. Unfortunately one day I tried to disassemble it to see what is inside...

 

[tehri]

Unfortunately one day I tried to disassemble it to see what is inside...

Maybe looking for some birds to release ?

 

[Sebzwo]

No, to see "how it works". I did this with many things as a younger child. Essentially I was treating my stuff very carefully and would not break it but at one point the interest to see inside was too strong. I still remember the prisms and how deliberate they had been fixed with metal rings and adjustment screws or similar. No question it never came back together and was just parts.