Which binocular(s) did you use today? (4 Viewers)

[Paultricounty]

Out for part of the day with a some of my favorites;

Nikon 8x30 E2;
A beautiful, warm, sharp wide field image. All in a small elegant smooth body that fits the hand like a glove. Can anyone find better binoculars brand new for around $500?

Nikon 10x42 SE;
An icon in the binoculars world, and the former (still for some) standard reference binoculars for reviewers. Bright, sharp to the edge, simply an amazing 10x porro even to this day.

Bushnell 7x35 Kowa Rangemaster SWA 10°;
Many say that the Bushnell Rangemasters are the best of the high-end SWA genre. The Kowa version is said by many to be the best of the Rangemaster series, certainly the rarest, made only from 1960-1962.
A breathtaking, stunning three-dimensional, super wide and deep FOV. The image must be experienced to appreciated, because there are no other binoculars on the market today that give a similar image window. Does anybody think that a Banner Cloud will still be working perfectly mechanically or optically 60 years from now, or how about 6 years from now?

Swarovski 8x32 EL SV FP
What can I say? The best 32mm birding and nature observing binoculars? Not the widest FOV (but more than most). As sharp as anything and all the way to the edge, (if not the sharpest), no blackouts, no finicky eye box, no blue ring and very compact. Imo it doesn’t get better than these true gems. I think I’ll need a second one just in case.

Paul

 

[dries1]

Some nice glass there Paul.

 

[VonMaunder]

Out to a barred island preserve in the fog today, first outing with a new to me, and newer model Zeiss 10X40B T*P* Saw Swainson's Thrush and heard plenty more, Magnolia, Myrtle, Black Throated Green, Black and White Warblers, oodles of Golden Crowned Kinglet flitting about the spruce tops. Herring Gull dismembering and munching crabs, Great Black Backed Gull, Double Crested Cormorant, Hairy Woodpeckers and hundreds of Rose Pogonia Orchids (Pogonia ophioglossoides) blooming in a peat bog field.



Rose Pogonia

 

[PatR]

Out for part of the day with a some of my favorites;

Nikon 8x30 E2;
A beautiful, warm, sharp wide field image. All in a small elegant smooth body that fits the hand like a glove. Can anyone find better binoculars brand new for around $500?

I must admit that the little Nikons have astonished me, a fantastic pair of bino’s. They are my 8x30’s of choice when the weather is dryish and the Habicht’s are saved for the days when it is pelting down. If anything the Nikon’s are sharper edge to edge. Delightfulness wrapped in a beautifully designed, and made, body.

 

[Scott98]

with all the "excitement" over some new wide-field binos, some priced very high, some priced lower, it's often forgotten these are extra-wide field for an 8x bino at 8.8 degrees

 

[chill6x6]

Over the last few trips I've been using the "My Junior" 7X28, a Trinovid 7X35, AND the Vixen Artes 6X21 monocular. I'll say that Vixen monocular...pretty impressive. The only monocular I've ever had and it's a much better view than I expected.

 

[Paultricounty]

I used these Swift Audubon bins the last few days, it kind of fit the discussion but I didn’t want to highjack the thread if not applicable. If interested here’s the link.

https://www.birdforum.net/threads/swift-8-5x44-804r-audubon’s.458879/

 

[Thotmosis]

My Leica 10x25 today on an overcast day start to show it’s limitations under this kind of circumstances.
Doable but next time i will take my Leica 10x32 or 8x32 with me, also heavier so more stable as there was strong wind.
The swan and her entourage didn’t mind the wind, they where hungry.

 

[A2GG]

My Leica 10x25 today on an overcast day start to show it’s limitations under this kind of circumstances.
Doable but next time i will take my Leica 10x32 or 8x32 with me,

viewing conditions this morning were even worse here; total cloud covered sky, humid and a faint smell of smoke. It was terribly hazy and dark/gray. I used my Trinovid HD 8x32 which also showed its limitations. there is an excessive heat warning and also a poor air quality alert for today.

 

[Scott98]

Over the last few trips I've been using the "My Junior" 7X28, a Trinovid 7X35, AND the Vixen Artes 6X21 monocular. I'll say that Vixen monocular...pretty impressive. The only monocular I've ever had and it's a much better view than I expected.

I see you fell prey to the new Swaros! The other new ones. I am tempted, being a fan of all things 7x...I might try one. My diopter's always at zero so no problem there. How does it hold up to something like the 7x35 Leica's in use?

Is the Vixen 6x21 a new acquisition? I've had one for many years, now residing in my car's glove box. It does seem like an exceptional value for the low price. The optics seems on par with any of my expensive binoculars, so does the focuser and mechanical quality and the case.

I find it works best if I make a fist and press the thumb-side of my fist against my eye socket, it braces it and keeps it steady.

 

[dries1]

The available colors though for the "Junior 7X28" (with a purpose of not losing them in the weeds) eeech. Now if they had one in Orange.

 

[chill6x6]

I see you fell prey to the new Swaros! The other new ones. I am tempted, being a fan of all things 7x...I might try one. My diopter's always at zero so no problem there. How does it hold up to something like the 7x35 Leica's in use?

Is the Vixen 6x21 a new acquisition? I've had one for many years, now residing in my car's glove box. It does seem like an exceptional value for the low price. The optics seems on par with any of my expensive binoculars, so does the focuser and mechanical quality and the case.

I find it works best if I make a fist and press the thumb-side of my fist against my eye socket, it braces it and keeps it steady.

The available colors though for the "Junior 7X28" (with a purpose of not losing them in the weeds) eeech. Now if they had one in Orange.

Ahhhh... y'all want some friendly advice?

The "My Junior" is by no means a CL or SLC in disguise. You know how some cameras state "optics by Zeiss/Leica?" The "My Junior" should read, "Focus by Zen-Ray." The focus has play in it...requires more effort than it should and/or focus wheel circumference is too small and/or focuser material isn't grippy enough and/or the focus wheel is recessed and difficult to access.

The optics aren't bad. They are't that good either. FOV is of course on the small side. A "ring of death" (lol) is visible around the circumference of the field stop. The most visible I have ever seen.

The armoring is pretty slick...as in slippery.

No diopter adjustment. You certainly won't see what you're missing without one!

Wow at the missed opportunity!

I can't describe how the Leica Retrovid 7X35 is leaps and bounds better than the other two pictured in every way. Every way! And folks are practically giving the Leicas away on the classified.

 

[chill6x6]

Is the Vixen 6x21 a new acquisition? I've had one for many years, now residing in my car's glove box. It does seem like an exceptional value for the low price. The optics seems on par with any of my expensive binoculars, so does the focuser and mechanical quality and the case.

I find it works best if I make a fist and press the thumb-side of my fist against my eye socket, it braces it and keeps it steady.

Yeah! I bought the little Vixen on a whim. It has always been spoken highly of here on BF. It's better than I anticipated! It really is good! Vixen should offer a 6X21 binocular. And thanks for the user advice!

 

[MJ73]

Used SLC 15x56 to watch Ospreys feed their chick for the better part of the morning.

 

[jmulvey]

I thought this might be a fun thread. I got inspired to start it by similar threads in watch forums that say "what are you wearing today?". The rules are simple. You have to post a pic of the bino(s) you are using today. You could write a sentence or two why you use this one or why you like it. But a pic with no text will do just fine. But please include the model and maker unless it is clearly visible on the pic.
I'll start -- I am using a "Hanseat" 8x30 which is actually a Hartmann Porlerim in disguise. I cleaned this one myself as unfortunately all the old Hartmanns I bought so far had hazy prisms.
But after cleaning it, it offers some stunning views. Very sharp in the middle, very bright -- of all the old porros I have, Hartmanns have the best coatings for sure. That's why I have more than one.

I have been using my Sig Zulu9 9x45 to watch a flying squirrel at my feeder in pretty dark conditions. I am trying to get a background shout but no luck.

 

[Thotmosis]

viewing conditions this morning were even worse here; total cloud covered sky, humid and a faint smell of smoke. It was terribly hazy and dark/gray. I used my Trinovid HD 8x32 which also showed its limitations. there is an excessive heat warning and also a poor air quality alert for today.

Hold on there!

 

[Ignatius]

Freshly cleaned 1915 Zeiss Wien Feldstecher 6x to watch one of the white stork fledgelings who live a few houses down attempt to take off from a rooftop where it had landed on an outing. It took him/her about 4 attempts and a lot of mooching around until finally taking off for the short flight home. Lovely to watch and quite amusing as well because I could see that it was in a bit of a predicament - 'I got here alright (quite chuffed with myself), but how do I get home again now'.

 

[Thotmosis]

Freshly cleaned 1915 Zeiss Wien Feldstecher 6x to watch one of the white stork fledgelings who live a few houses down attempt to take off from a rooftop where it had landed on an outing. It took him/her about 4 attempts and a lot of mooching around until finally taking off for the short flight home. Lovely to watch and quite amusing as well because I could see that it was in a bit of a predicament - 'I got here alright (quite chuffed with myself), but how do I get home again now'.

Freshly cleaned 1915 Zeiss Wien Feldstecher 6x to watch one of the white stork fledgelings who live a few houses down attempt to take off from a rooftop where it had landed on an outing. It took him/her about 4 attempts and a lot of mooching around until finally taking off for the short flight home. Lovely to watch and quite amusing as well because I could see that it was in a bit of a predicament - 'I got here alright (quite chuffed with myself), but how do I get home again now'.

Interesting, do you have a picture of this freshly cleaned Zeiss Feldstecher. It would be appreciated!

 

[Ignatius]

Interesting, do you have a picture of this freshly cleaned Zeiss Feldstecher. It would be appreciated!

I left the outside untouched and just disassembled it to clean the ocular and objective lenses as well as the lower prisms, but because I could not remove the ocular tubes without damaging them, the upper prisms were left as is. The view now is much improved and I am once again impressed by the view and quality of vintage Zeiss porros. Of course it is going into the display case only to be taken out now and again. 109 years old

 

[Thotmosis]

View attachment 1589639
I left the outside untouched and just disassembled it to clean the ocular and objective lenses as well as the lower prisms, but because I could not remove the ocular tubes without damaging them, the upper prisms were left as is. The view now is much improved and I am once again impressed by the view and quality of vintage Zeiss porros. Of course it is going into the display case only to be taken out now and again. 109 years old

Thanks, she is a beautifull old lady. She is in good hands 👍