Cost of testing every binocular. (1 Viewer)

[Binastro]

How much would it cost to buy and test every binocular made today?

I thought of various ways to estimate this.

But the simplest seems to be to estimate the number of binoculars.

Say 2,000.

Buy one of every £2,000 binocular.
Two of every £1,000 binocular.
Three of every £500 binocular.
Six of every sub £500 binocular.

So maybe 8,000 binoculars.

Maybe 3 million.pounds.

Test two a day by each of two testers.
One wearing glasses, one without.

Twelve years to complete test.

Then repeat, as there will be new binoculars, new firms selling them etc.

So it would last forever, or as long as binoculars made.

With new testers every twelve years.

Like painting the Forth road bridge.

Regards,
B.

 

[kimmik]

How did this start and where is this going is my question.

 

[Ted Y.]

Why this?

 

[Binastro]

Sorry, my old computer overheats badly and repeated the thread.

The reason I started this thread is because it seems to be impossible to properly test even one binocular to the satisfaction of everybody.

I have bought binoculars on the basis of tests here and been badly disappointed.
Yet other times happy with the purchase.

There seem to be two schools of thought.

One where the tester wears glasses, the other without.

But different testers have quite different opinions.

Then there is the variability of binoculars.

Top quality binoculars seem to be generally similar.

Low price binoculars show very wide variations, with minimal quality control, if any.

There are good makes where every binocular is tested.

There are firms with no fault guarantees.
But this doesn't mean the binocular bought is a good example.
Merely that it will be exchanged.

So I wondered how much it would cost and how long would it take to test every current binocular.

The answer seems to be forever, although the cost is within the reach of the wealthy.

Regards,
B.

 

[kimmik]

Quality of products changes with time too. Why stop at random sampling. Should test every optical instrument ever made. Let every person test every piece everyday.

I guess i still don’t understand the purpose of this.

 

[tenex]

I have bought binoculars on the basis of tests here and been badly disappointed.
Yet other times happy with the purchase.

Can you expand on this, B: did your example often not perform as well in specific areas as other reports indicated (i.e. sample variation), or was your overall impression somehow different, being disappointed with them in other ways, or...?

 

[dries1]

This I agree with.

"One where the tester wears glasses, the other without".

 

[Binastro]

Hi Tenex,

I will have to think about this by looking at the binoculars.

As to a good binocular.
The Zeiss 10x42 Conquest HD.
My one is very good indeed, except for the eyecups.
The resolution is outstanding, as is the general optical performance.

Somewhat disappointing is the Zeiss 8x32 Conquest HD because of glare, unless I cut off 4.5mm of one end of the objectives, bringing it down to a 8x30.

The Nikon 8x32 SE and 10x42 SE.
Despite the fine optical performance, I get blackouts with these.
In addition although the 10x42 SE has excellent performance to the edge., the field is 6.0 degrees.
The Conquest HD 10x42 has a 6.65 degree field
If I limit the Conquest HD 10x42 field to 6.0 degrees it is just as good optically as the Nikon 10x42 SE.
So for me I don't use the Nikon 10x42 SE.

Despite howls of protest, and not because of another person's test, I bought the Nikon 8x42 Monarch HG.
My early one is a disaster regarding glare. I just cannot use it.

Regards,
B.

 

[Binastro]

The Swift 7x50 c.1970.

Not because of tests here, but recommendations.

I bought this for astronomy. It was expensive for me.

Pointing it upwards, the binocular defocused itself.

I was too young and inexperienced to have known I could have returned it.

It was impossible to use.

The Swarovski 10x25 and Leica 10x25.
They do not maintain IPD in use as they just collapse.

The Docter 10x25 has maintained IPD in thousands of observations.
The outer cover is in dire need of attention, but the binocular works fine.

B.

 

[4 The Birds1]

How much would it cost to buy and test every binocular made today?

Canip probably has a fair idea!

 

[etudiant]

How much would it cost to buy and test every binocular made today?

I thought of various ways to estimate this.

But the simplest seems to be to estimate the number of binoculars.

Say 2,000.

Buy one of every £2,000 binocular.
Two of every £1,000 binocular.
Three of every £500 binocular.
Six of every sub £500 binocular.

So maybe 8,000 binoculars.

Maybe 3 million.pounds.

Test two a day by each of two testers.
One wearing glasses, one without.

Twelve years to complete test.

Then repeat, as there will be new binoculars, new firms selling them etc.

So it would last forever, or as long as binoculars made.

With new testers every twelve years.

Like painting the Forth road bridge.

Regards,
B.

Surely that overstates the problem.
Afaik, there are only a handful of actual manufacturers of binoculars today, whose products are then widely cloned under various brand names.
So perhaps a consumer organization could buy a number of each of the popular models and provide unbiased statistical performance data.
It would be nice to have each binocular come with an expected standard, the probability that the specimen is a 'cherry'.
Probably a pipe dream, but afaik, right now consumers have absolutely nothing other than the brand name to guide their purchases.
I think that is disgraceful.

 

[Bino Steve]

Binoculars and their manufacturing nowadays are like cigar manufacturers. Its really kind of sad. Like Binos, Cigars are mostly made by the big houses ( see the 2016 thread on how many Bino Mfgs there are, and prob less today), and a few small houses. Like Binos, Cigars are a 100% "user experience " product (your eyes are different, your taste buds are different..you can't really go off of a review. Like Binos, only the largest of Cigar manufacturers can produce everything in house..and even then most can't afford the massive amount of resources to grow, harvest and produce the variety of tobacco needed to produce the various flavors (ie. Like Glass). Like Binos, Cigar mfgs are constantly trying to lure you away from their competitors with something new and exciting, often with just one tiny smidgeon of a different leaf or a new logo. Like Binos, Cigars are often sold under various brands that are basically design houses (aka Leupold, Maven etc) with fiercely loyal customers and the only difference is the shiny band surrounding the cigar that you throw away. Like Binos, Cigars could have multiple components, in this case leaves, from multiple farms that sell to all the other competitors. Finally, like Binos, Cigars are about the right marketing , highest marketing budget, at the right time to the right audience, aka "sell the sizzle, not the steak". Leupold and Maven to hunters, Swaro birders, Steiner to mariners etc) So in the end, you just buy what you like to see or feel or what club you want to join. I say NO reviews needed, and it doesnt matter don't even read them. I've tried the most sought after $50 Cigars and they were awful. I recently bought one of the most lauded classic Binos, a Swift 804R, based on the fawning reviews on the various forums. Sold it a month later. It was no better than my other Swift models, and like my other Swifts, present colors incorrectly to my eye. So bye bye most of my Swifts as they all had same issue. Finally, last check Nikon and about 54 hand held models including color variations. Swarovski USA has 21 and a monocular, Leica 42 models including a couple color models, Zeiss are 25, hard to navigate their website. That's the biggies, with 142 models, US avail. Certainly the remaining mfgs,design houses have no more than 20-30 models each . I'm guessing that minus cheap junk, there are less than 500 various models of binos worth even looking at. I'm guessing that average price is 300-400. For argument , even with the bulk of them being under $300, lets say they were 1, 000 USD. That's $500,000 total. 1,000 of us could chip in $500, buy them all and test at a big gathering. Then just buy what felt and looked good. Sc***w the reviews. Cheers.

 

[Ted Y.]

So perhaps a consumer organization could buy a number of each of the popular models and provide unbiased statistical performance data.

"performance data means "measurable features", means people qualified to understand this features and the results.
What about not measurable but important features?

"unbiased"? Less/Minimum biased, maybe, but errors in methods or measurements always exist. We are all humans.
Who says why a popular model is? I find my Steiner superior to other popular or more "pushed" similar models.

Sometime ago this was considered true: "you don’t get fired for buying IBM".
Replace the computer manufacturer with Zeiss and I think it is a reality in binoculars world. True for a few other brands also.

 

[Ted Y.]

I say NO reviews needed, and it doesnt matter don't even read them.

I say learn to find trusted reviews and make heavy use of them. Learn from others, decide for yourself.
Or just buy Zeiss (see the end of my previous post, please), or similar.

 

[Ted Y.]

Binoculars and their manufacturing nowadays are like cigar manufacturers.

And beer manufacturers. Nothing bad.

 

[Ted Y.]

Leupold and Maven to hunters, Swaro birders, Steiner to mariners etc

Maybe so in USA. Meaning in Europe probably different brands are considered.
What about astronomers? What the astronomers use?

Who is the most important consumer for binoculars?
I suppose the hunters in USA/Canada.
And in Europe? I suppose the birders.
I think the most important consumer determines how reviews are done and how $$$/€€€/£££ are spent.
Or is the most important(s) manufacturer(s)?

 

[Bino Steve]

Below is the binocular models count that I could find on the factory websites. May be off a few models here or there, and USA websites used. but this is close. Zeiss is hard to figure, as is Optolyth. I don't have any data on Russian companies. The small specialty shops like APM , Oberwerk, Williams etc not included, sorry.
I would value these at under 700,000 usd and perhaps closer to 500,000 usd
Minox 19
Nikon 54
Leica 42
Swaro 22
Zeiss 33 ish
Leupold 23
Maven 22
Vortex 34
Meopta 17
Pentax 40
Fujinon 26
Kowa 27
Canon 10
Steiner 35
Optolyth - unk too hard to figure
Barska 57
Barr & Stroud 25
Bushnell 72
Tasco 22
Burris 5
Athlon 18
Bresser, Alpen 31
Vixen 34
Olympus 8
Orion 16
Celestron around 40
TOTAL 732

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

BinoSteve, post 17,
Some brands you also may be able to find are:
PZO-Poland
GPO
Hartmann
Beck
Krombach
Kern
Minolta
Pentax
Tento (Russian)
There are more, but I have to look in my files.
N.B. Leupold does not produce binoculars for some time already

 

[elkcub]

All,

For those interested and willing to pay handsomely for it, this binoculars Market Analysis might be of interest.

Who are the Major Binoculars Market Vendors?​

The report analyzes the market’s competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including:

• American Technologies Network Corp.
• Barska Optics
• BERETTA HOLDING SA
• Canon Inc.
• Carl Zeiss AG
• Celestron Acquisition LLC
• FUJIFILM Holdings Corp.
• Guangzhou Bosma Corp.
• Jaxy optical instrument Co. Ltd.
• Leupold and Stevens Inc.
• Meade Acquisition Corp.
• Nikon Corp.
• Olympus Europa SE and Co. KG
• Opticron
• Ricoh Imaging Co. Ltd.
• Shengzhen China Visionking Optical Technology Co. Ltd.
• Sony Group Corp.
• Vista Outdoor Inc.
• Vortex Optics
• Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide

This statistical study of the binoculars market encompasses successful business strategies deployed by the key vendors. The binoculars market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market.

Ed

 

[Mono]

Don't forget Eschenbach.

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Check out our selection of high-quality binoculars! We offer various styles that are lightweight and portable for bird watching and other outdoor activities.

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I have never seen any in a shop or the wild!