If you could only keep one binocular, which one would you keep?
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How Many Pairs of Binoculars do you Have? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tantien
- Start date
Talster
Well-known member
I have three pairs of binoculars:
Carl Zeiss 10x50 bought back in 1988 (which I gave to my parents).
Leica Duovid 10-15x50 bought back in 2003 (absolutely love these as its essentially like have two pairs of binoculars in one).
Leica Ultravid 8x20 which I purchased around six weeks ago, as I wanted a pocket friendly binocular. I've been blown away by the quality of them.
Carl Zeiss 10x50 bought back in 1988 (which I gave to my parents).
Leica Duovid 10-15x50 bought back in 2003 (absolutely love these as its essentially like have two pairs of binoculars in one).
Leica Ultravid 8x20 which I purchased around six weeks ago, as I wanted a pocket friendly binocular. I've been blown away by the quality of them.
dorubird
The unskilled mechanic blames his tools!
It's hard for me to choose between Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 and Nikon E2 8x30 ... however Zeiss SF is the one, because I wears glasses and E2 is at the limit of eye relief for me (but I still see the whole FOV)!If you could only keep one binocular, which one would you keep?
That Nikon E2 8x30 is an excellent binocular for the money!It's hard for me to choose between Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 and Nikon E2 8x30 ... however Zeiss SF is the one, because I wears glasses and E2 is at the limit of eye relief for me (but I still see the whole FOV)!
wdc
Well-known member
I have less than twenty. All I ever need and then some. I have managed to give away a few to family, and several are out on a long term loan basis. Still enough left to have a few extras if I'm hauling family and friends out to bird. At least in theory...
My need for eye relief really limits what works, which is probably a good thing, otherwise I would've gone down a bigger rabbit hole to sample older bins out there. (Habicht, Nikon E series, Zeiss HT, Fl, Swift Audubon, etc. )
The ones in heavy rotation for me are:
Zeiss 8x42 Victory SF
Leica 10x42 Noctivid
Swaro 8x32 NL
My wife uses:
Zeiss 8x32 Victory - I barely can't see the entire field, but an excellent bin otherwise
Swaro 8x32 EL - I also use this one. Great all around bin.
Leica 8x32 UV plus : Love the size, but not enough ER for me.
Hiking/Backpacking:
Zeiss 8x25 Victory: Too fussy for me for regular birding, but great for hiking with.
Astro:
Canon IS 15x50: Lousy ER, and even the IPD is not great for me. I got it years before I began birding, when I was more into astronomy, as a widefield supplement to a telescope, but the IS is a wonderful tool when stargazing. Use without glasses....
Periodic car and walking bin:
Nikon MHG 8x30
There's a few more sitting in their pouches, probably wondering why they don't get used...
-Bill
My need for eye relief really limits what works, which is probably a good thing, otherwise I would've gone down a bigger rabbit hole to sample older bins out there. (Habicht, Nikon E series, Zeiss HT, Fl, Swift Audubon, etc. )
The ones in heavy rotation for me are:
Zeiss 8x42 Victory SF
Leica 10x42 Noctivid
Swaro 8x32 NL
My wife uses:
Zeiss 8x32 Victory - I barely can't see the entire field, but an excellent bin otherwise
Swaro 8x32 EL - I also use this one. Great all around bin.
Leica 8x32 UV plus : Love the size, but not enough ER for me.
Hiking/Backpacking:
Zeiss 8x25 Victory: Too fussy for me for regular birding, but great for hiking with.
Astro:
Canon IS 15x50: Lousy ER, and even the IPD is not great for me. I got it years before I began birding, when I was more into astronomy, as a widefield supplement to a telescope, but the IS is a wonderful tool when stargazing. Use without glasses....
Periodic car and walking bin:
Nikon MHG 8x30
There's a few more sitting in their pouches, probably wondering why they don't get used...
-Bill
nkbj
Niels Kristian Bech Jensen
Four pairs between my wife and me:
1. Swarovski CL Pocket 8x25 (in the car)
2. Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 (for travel - stays in the living room for garden birding)
3. Swarovski EL 8.5x42 FP (my primary pair)
4. Kowa SV 8x32 (my wife's)
A couple of older noname pairs are staying in the closet.
1. Swarovski CL Pocket 8x25 (in the car)
2. Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 (for travel - stays in the living room for garden birding)
3. Swarovski EL 8.5x42 FP (my primary pair)
4. Kowa SV 8x32 (my wife's)
A couple of older noname pairs are staying in the closet.
Last edited:
As of yesterday morning, I own just one pair of binoculars (NL Pure 10x32).
My other three pairs I parcelled up, along with a decent lens cleaning kit I bought to accompany them, plus the RSPB British Birds book, and sent them to a charity which organises days out and camping/adventure trips for underprivileged kids here in the UK. Far better enjoyed regularly by many, than sitting almost obsolete in my home gathering dust.
Opportunity, inspiration, education...who knows what effect they may have on some of the hands they pass through under their new ownership.
My other three pairs I parcelled up, along with a decent lens cleaning kit I bought to accompany them, plus the RSPB British Birds book, and sent them to a charity which organises days out and camping/adventure trips for underprivileged kids here in the UK. Far better enjoyed regularly by many, than sitting almost obsolete in my home gathering dust.
Opportunity, inspiration, education...who knows what effect they may have on some of the hands they pass through under their new ownership.
Hi Beth, have you looked through the Swaro CL 8x30B..... I checked some out a few weeks back.
To my eyes they trumped both the 8x32 conquest, and 8x33 Kowa Prominar, both of which were also very good.
They are around the 1000 mark, and from what I saw, pretty good value for money.
Very small, but very usable even in my spade size hands.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Collecting binoculars is fine if that's what you enjoy and listing them as requested by the OP is also fine but I see how needing to list your vehicles might elicit a reaction.
Can you share a link to this fine organization?
A2GG
Beth
Yes, I looked through the CL-b twice outside the store. The second time I had my Nikon HG 8x30 and compared them briefly. The CL optics seemed a little better, but the view not as immersive due to the narrower FOV. It seemed somewhat tunnel like and I never had this impression with my first generation CL 8x30. I also think the CL-a has more usable eye relief compared to the CL-b. The CL-a eyecup rims are more flush with the ocular lens providing more usable ER. I wear eyeglasses and the usable ER on the MHG is just barely enough.
I need to try the CL-b again sometime. The store didn’t have any in stock last time I went up there. They told me they cut their selection of bins down to about half and won’t carry all of the models they used to which is disappointing.
THAT'S a good selection
oldfortyfive
Well-known member
If you know how many you have you don't have enough ;-)
Actually no, the parcel has been sent to an ex employee of mine who is very involved with the charity, for her to pass on, and I'm ashamed to say I have never taken the trouble to find out the name of it, which is embarrassing. I must ask her...
Thank you for your assessment) indeed, in multiplicities of 8x and 10x, I do not see the point in any update)THAT'S a good selection
