RedHead Epic (2 Viewers)

[Tero]

Or the Eagle Optics 6x32.

I have not bought anything I did not like at the time. All were an improvement on the previous. My first pair was a Bushnell 12x25 off the rack thing, 100 species with struggling, then a quantum leap to the 10x36 Sporters.

I have looked at probably 50-100 models since then. At 10x I can see the difference between "good" and "better". At 8x they all look similar, some dim, some bright.

My 8x32 pair, made in China, has not been tested yet, but I was happy with them at my present level of binocular appreciation. The birding-worthyness is still to be tested.

The Red Heads ended up...in the car. Occasionally at my desk at work. I saw an eagle with them the other day. Not outside the window, had to take a walk to the big river over there. One of the bigger ones we have around. Goes up and down the middle of our land.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

One of the bigger ones we have around. Goes up and down the middle of our land.

the eagle, or the river?

 

[Tero]

Both.

Today, no eagles, gone 20 miles north. Found some pigeons on a wire across the river. I could tell they were pigeons not mourning doves when one landed. The 8x did not tell me what color they were.

 

[nctexasbirder]

Thanks for asking. Kids are fine. The Yosemites work great for them, but i am starting to worry about the long term survival of this model. Ther kids are kind of rough. Maybe i should have bought something sturdy like the Fujinon 6x30.

indeed. i had to return mine cause they were out of alignment! I can hear Tero saying "I told you so!" in the background :-O

they dont seem to be very durable


back to the drawing board for me......

 

[FrankD]

I wouldn't discount them just yet. You may have just had a run of bad luck. My original pair of Yosemites has been banged around quite a bit by my 4 year old and they are still holding their alignment and really aren't showing much in terms of external signs of wear.

It has been my experience that durability really does come with a higher price tag though. The more you pay the more durable most instruments are...unless you find something on sale or clearance somewhere.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

I don't use my own pair of 6x30 Yosemite, unless i take a group of kids out birding. I use it when leading groups because i want to be like everyone else and see what everyone sees. So, i keep the Yosemite in it's case, in the trunk of my car (i had a shotgun fall on my face once when i rolled over with a truck, so i learned my lesson). Now, this car is a little sporty thing with a lot of zip and with a very stiff suspension, and I drive like a bat out of hell on winding Ozarks roads. As a consequence, the binoculars rattle in the trunk quite a bit. They’re still fine.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

Both.

Today, no eagles, gone 20 miles north. Found some pigeons on a wire across the river. I could tell they were pigeons not mourning doves when one landed. The 8x did not tell me what color they were.

The 8x did not show you colors because of poor coatings, not because of 8x. We need to set you up with loaned premium 8x binoculars and a day of birding on the Painted Rock CA on the Osage River. It'll change your perception of low power vs. high power.

 

[Tero]

I have a field test coming up with the Monarch quality 8x32s (I should be able to post by SUN), these were my cheaper RedHead pair that sit in my desk drawer at work. I can tell the difference bwtween these two, but I never keep them with me at the same time.

 

[eetundra]

There is a noticeable difference in a sub-$500 32mm binocular and a $1000+ model in terms of brightness and color. I can say I would be hesitant to use a less expensive mid-size for all my birding but happily use a LX 8x32 with never a hesitation. The coating technology you get at the top really is amazing.

 

[Tero]

As I now have two 8x32s, I can't avoid comparing the two. The Eagle Optics SRT may be a tiny bit brighter, but neither is any brighter than my Monarch 10x42. The useable area seems to be about the same percentage, but since the EO is with fov 393 and the RedHead 367ft, I see more with the EO. Still, the RedHead is getting some use, as I have it either at work or in the car.

Only once I had both, looked at a Sharp Shinned Hawk, and the hawk had wavy lines on its breast. They wer sharper with the EO.