New to Binoculars :) (1 Viewer)

[Joe94]

Evening all,

So I’m totally new to semi pro/pro level bins, only ever using cheap generic ones before.

I’ve gained a passion for birds & bird photography so want a decent pair to assist, when either in the garden or out & about.

After doing some self research, with a budget of around £200-250, it seems Hawke, seems to be a good brand to be looking at & if I’m right a pair of x8-42 should be ideal? Iv read there better for birding & particularly shake...

I have also read it’s best to try them out before purchase, especially as a glasses wearer, but just thought I’d ask on here if I’m going down the right track as it were aha

 

[Jessie-66]

Good morning Joe,
unfortunately, I can't help you in the price category. A few thoughts anyway. In this price category I would look at binoculars from local dealers, Vortex, Opticron, Hawke, Vixen, Nikon Monarch 5 ... None will be perfect.
Or save a little - and buy a pair of Kowa YFII 8x30 porro binoculars first. As light hiking binoculars, the purchase is not false. Your country of origin speaks for an 8x42. Great Britain is not supposed to be particularly bright and sunny ...
To get started, read this thread:

For those of us for whom Swarovski, Zeiss, etc are not in our field of view, what?

I'm reading over a few bin/binocular threads this morning and would like to pose a question? I would never quibble the "nicety" and "desirability" of a really nice pair of binoculars from either Swarovski or Zeiss. The Zeiss name is, to me at least, legendary in the world of optics. And...

www.birdforum.net

Kite Birdwatcher 8x42 (also porro bins, not cheap but inexpensive) has good reviews.
Jessie

 

[Joe94]

Good morning Joe,
unfortunately, I can't help you in the price category. A few thoughts anyway. In this price category I would look at binoculars from local dealers, Vortex, Opticron, Hawke, Vixen, Nikon Monarch 5 ... None will be perfect.
Or save a little - and buy a pair of Kowa YFII 8x30 porro binoculars first. As light hiking binoculars, the purchase is not free. Your country of origin speaks for an 8x42. Great Britain is not supposed to be particularly bright and sunny ...
To get started, read this thread:

For those of us for whom Swarovski, Zeiss, etc are not in our field of view, what?

I'm reading over a few bin/binocular threads this morning and would like to pose a question? I would never quibble the "nicety" and "desirability" of a really nice pair of binoculars from either Swarovski or Zeiss. The Zeiss name is, to me at least, legendary in the world of optics. And...

www.birdforum.net

Kite Birdwatcher 8x42 (also porro bins, not cheap but inexpensive) has good reviews.
Jessie

Thank you very much for this, your advice is very much appreciated 🙂

Also thank you for sharing the link, I will definitely take a read of the thread.

Many thanks 😊

 

[Jessie-66]

Because today I have time and desire to write: It's fun to choose, within the individually possible, financial framework, things that fulfill their usefulness and purpose - but also have something special, are not "mainstream": I like large, wide fields of view with high sharpness in the middle (at least 2/3 radius of FoV). Since my youth I have been spoiled by good wide-angle porros. However, old porros (used but good devices from ebay) are not suitable for eyeglass wearers; Porros are a bit clunky and heavier in relation to the roof edge prism bins. New porros, on the other hand, are useable for eyeglass wearers. If you are a younger and stronger person, you can also look at Nikon Action EX 7x35 and 8x40 - both within your budget. Here one has written nicely individual-impressive, I have supported him technically-dry argumentative:

Narrow vs. wide FOV - "feeling" the difference

I was birdwatching the other day with my cheap and cheerful Olympus 7x35 (9.3 FOV) and suddenly felt the difference between binoculars with narrower and wider field of view. I would describe it as follows: With a narrow FOV you "move the bird towards you", i.e. there is a distinct feeling of...

www.birdforum.net

I find the thread so consistent - same result with completely different approaches. ;-)

Contoured carrying straps relieve the neck, distribute the weight on the shoulders. Niggeloh produces good contoured inexpensive straps.

 

[Joe94]

Because today I have time and desire to write: It's fun to choose, within the individually possible, financial framework, things that fulfill their usefulness and purpose - but also have something special, are not "mainstream": I like large, wide fields of view with high sharpness in the middle (at least 2/3 radius of FoV). Since my youth I have been spoiled by good wide-angle porros. However, old porros (used but good devices from ebay) are not suitable for eyeglass wearers; Porros are a bit clunky and heavier in relation to the roof edge prism bins. New porros, on the other hand, are useable for eyeglass wearers. If you are a younger and stronger person, you can also look at Nikon Action EX 7x35 and 8x40 - both within your budget. Here one has written nicely individual-impressive, I have supported him technically-dry argumentative:

Narrow vs. wide FOV - "feeling" the difference

I was birdwatching the other day with my cheap and cheerful Olympus 7x35 (9.3 FOV) and suddenly felt the difference between binoculars with narrower and wider field of view. I would describe it as follows: With a narrow FOV you "move the bird towards you", i.e. there is a distinct feeling of...

www.birdforum.net

I find the thread so consistent - same result with completely different approaches. ;-)

Contoured carrying straps relieve the neck, distribute the weight on the shoulders. Niggeloh produces good contoured inexpensive straps.

Jessie, thank you again for this brilliant piece.

Your advice & experience is very much appreciated & your are soo right that choosing should be fun, exciting but also individual. However your tips are very helpful indeed 🙂

Also thanks for the second link, I will give that one a read too, although as you say it should be an individual choice, I certainly find others experiences & tips very helpful indeed.

Thanks again, very much appreciated 🙂

 

[Ivydwg]

Morning Joe

I have Hawke's 10x42 Frontier ED X binos and I have been very pleased with them. They are out of your price range at around £400, however, for the price, the optics are unbeatable.

In your price range you could look at Hawke's Frontier HD X 8x32 if you are not so bothered about loss of brightness as the light fails compared to the 8x42s. I don't know what the image difference is between the HD and ED models, but have heard the ED is brighter.

The Endurance models are a step below the Frontier's as they use optics of a lesser quality but still heard the image is great for the price.

Best thing to do is try them out, preferably at an optics shop adjacent to a reserve or similar area of green space.

Also have a look at bestbinocularreviews.com - the reviews and advice provided is very good and non-technical. I think he has reviewed many of Hawke's binocular range.