Binoculars

[great white]

Hi Guys

 

We are going on a Holiday later this year, to a scenic part of the states and I was considering updating my Bino's to take with me.

 

The pair I have on the boat are fine but they are a bit large and heavy.

 

Does anyone [Maybe the bird watchers] have any recommendations, for compact and lighter ones at a reasonable price.

 

Thanks

Charlie

[Mal Thomas]

Avalon compact pro hd 8x32 are a budget but reasonable pair with a decent warranty, look at procular.co.uk website you could go up to in size.

[Greg]

Likewise Charlie,

 

Going on holiday this year and our hotel is on the edge of a rainforest. So I had a a pair of compact Bins (Nikon) bought from Jessops Circa £189.00 for my Birthday a couple of weeks ago.

 

Although they say they are compact I would a say they are about three quarter size of a normal pair so not massively compact.

 

However, the Zoom is amazing and far out perform my full size RSPB pair.

 

Happy to bring them along to the Meeting tomorrow night if you want to have a look?

 

Let me know?

 

Greg

 

 

 

 

 

[great white]

41 minutes ago, Mal Thomas said:

Avalon compact pro hd 8x32 are a budget but reasonable pair with a decent warranty, look at procular.co.uk website you could go up to in size.

Thanks Mal

I saw those online, but thought I would ask for input rather than just accept reviews.

Thanks for your recommendation

[great white]

9 minutes ago, Greg said:

Likewise Charlie,

 

Going on holiday this year and our hotel is on the edge of a rainforest. So I had a a pair of compact Bins (Nikon) bought from Jessops Circa £189.00 for my Birthday a couple of weeks ago.

 

Although they say they are compact I would a say they are about three quarter size of a normal pair so not massively compact.

 

However, the Zoom is amazing and far out perform my full size RSPB pair.

 

Happy to bring them along to the Meeting tomorrow night if you want to have a look?

 

Let me know?

 

Greg

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Greg

 

That's a great offer, but I may have to miss tomorrows meeting as its the Yacht Club AGM.

In case it finishes early could you please take them with you.

 

Could you also let me know what model no yours are so I can have a look at specs online.

 

[jerry.shutter]

Charlie,

I am way atm, fishing with some rain forest😜I have different binos you would be welcome to borrow if any suit your needs👍

Jerry

[great white]

Thanks Jerry

appreciated thanks

[Greg]

Hi Charlie

No problem.

Nikon Prostaff P3 10x42 7.0
Waterproof ( Not Saltwater Proof)

Actually, just put them next to my RSPB ones and they are the same height but thinner.

I guess that makes them compact!!!!!

Miss sold again !!!!

I will still bring them along though


Greg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Graham Nash]

Interesting thread.

 

Ive been using some big old cheap second hand ones (bought from an old dear in Wimborne when her hubby died) and some RSPB (cost an arm and a leg) ones purchased in the last few years. The old ones are almost as good as the RSPB ones but cost less than a twentieth of the price. I tend to use the RSPB ones for their size more than their performance.

 

Ive checked out some of the binoculars mentioned above and they all look great. I do like the thought of image stabilisation tho because with age i seem to shake more especially when trying to catch a bird (feathered type Jim) whether through binoculars or camera.  

[Jim]

You've already caught one.  I met her. 👍

[great white]

9 hours ago, Graham Nash said:

Interesting thread.

 

Ive been using some big old cheap second hand ones (bought from an old dear in Wimborne when her hubby died) and some RSPB (cost an arm and a leg) ones purchased in the last few years. The old ones are almost as good as the RSPB ones but cost less than a twentieth of the price. I tend to use the RSPB ones for their size more than their performance.

 

Ive checked out some of the binoculars mentioned above and they all look great. I do like the thought of image stabilisation tho because with age i seem to shake more especially when trying to catch a bird (feathered type Jim) whether through binoculars or camera.  

Thanks Graham

all great information. Image Stabilisation sounds a great idea, as it seems to work so well with cameras.

 

I was going to go for high magnification but after reading some of the information available online, I will limit that.

[Mal Thomas]

On 3/7/2023 at 5:51 PM, great white said:

Thanks Graham

all great information. Image Stabilisation sounds a great idea, as it seems to work so well with cameras.

 

I was going to go for high magnification but after reading some of the information available online, I will limit that.

8x42 is the favourite in the bird watching community.

[great white]

On 3/10/2023 at 1:46 PM, Mal Thomas said:

8x42 is the favourite in the bird watching community.

That is the quandary Mal

 

A lot like your original recommendation are 8 x32

or same brand are larger/heavier at 10x 42

 

is it better to reduce magnification or field of view?

 

certainly do not have the budget to go for some that bird watchers use. Avalon seem to be a good respected brand at reasonable cost.

[Mal Thomas]

3 hours ago, great white said:

That is the quandary Mal

 

A lot like your original recommendation are 8 x32

or same brand are larger/heavier at 10x 42

 

is it better to reduce magnification or field of view?

 

certainly do not have the budget to go for some that bird watchers use. Avalon seem to be a good respected brand at reasonable cost.

If that is your budget and size they are a decent buy, we had great service when we had a small problem. Up against my other 4 sets of binoculars the optics are very reasonable. The 42's are the more expensive part of the market in the quality optics. See some photos sent on SMS, just done a field test to a tree 100yrds away and the Avalon image was very decent, up against my 10.5 x 42 just not as magnified. 

[great white]

Thanks again Mal

[great white]

Just watched this podcast

 

 

Goes a bit deep and is Vortex biased, but if you are interested it explains what changes over their ranges

[great white]

Just to finish this one off.

After a bit of discussion at the AGM, I thought I would let you know what I decided to do.

 

Last week I went to Castle Cameras , who were very helpful and had a lot of different Bino's to handle and try.

 

I also had a couple of sets on loan, so that I could check that they were also a good size for Wendy.

This made it clear that the original plan to go for a compact pair was probably the best idea.

 

So having decided top go for 8 x 32, which one to buy

 

With so much assistance from the staff at castle cameras, I decided I would support them back and buy from them. The pair that I chose are Vortex Diamond backs, these seem to have good specifications and a good clear site when tested again today against other brands. 

The other thing that helped me decide is the lifetime warranty that includes any accidental damage, and back up from a fairly local shop.

 

They will spend plenty of time on boats in my grab bag, [After our holiday in September] so I expect that to be a sensible precaution.

 

Thanks for all of your comments and advice

Charlie

 

 

[Mal Thomas]

1 hour ago, great white said:

Just to finish this one off.

After a bit of discussion at the AGM, I thought I would let you know what I decided to do.

 

Last week I went to Castle Cameras , who were very helpful and had a lot of different Bino's to handle and try.

 

I also had a couple of sets on loan, so that I could check that they were also a good size for Wendy.

This made it clear that the original plan to go for a compact pair was probably the best idea.

 

So having decided top go for 8 x 32, which one to buy

 

With so much assistance from the staff at castle cameras, I decided I would support them back and buy from them. The pair that I chose are Vortex Diamond backs, these seem to have good specifications and a good clear site when tested again today against other brands. 

The other thing that helped me decide is the lifetime warranty that includes any accidental damage, and back up from a fairly local shop.

 

They will spend plenty of time on boats in my grab bag, [After our holiday in September] so I expect that to be a sensible precaution.

 

Thanks for all of your comments and advice

Charlie

 

 

Glad to help if you don’t need my compacts return to suit you.

[Graham Nash]

On reading this thread again last night I too visited Castle Cameras this morning and checked out the Vortex and Hawke binoculars. My requirements are more for bird watching so I had already decided 8 X 42 was probably my preferred size. This gives a reasonable magnification, good field of view and easier to hold stable than the higher magnification. While there I did try the 10 x 42 but I struggled to keep them rock steady with my little bit of "old age shake"

 

Like you, the help was excellent and I felt that after all their effort I should buy from them. I opted for the Hawke Endurance ED's. I compared them to my old ones once i got home and the difference is amazing.  

 

 

[great white]

46 minutes ago, Graham Nash said:

On reading this thread again last night I too visited Castle Cameras this morning and checked out the Vortex and Hawke binoculars. My requirements are more for bird watching so I had already decided 8 X 42 was probably my preferred size. This gives a reasonable magnification, good field of view and easier to hold stable than the higher magnification. While there I did try the 10 x 42 but I struggled to keep them rock steady with my little bit of "old age shake"

 

Like you, the help was excellent and I felt that after all their effort I should buy from them. I opted for the Hawke Endurance ED's. I compared them to my old ones once i got home and the difference is amazing.  

 

 

I am sure you will be happy with them Graham.

Bird watching from the boat it is probably a good idea to limit magnification.

[Jim]

Don't know anything about this subject

So can I ask. . . . . . 

8 x 42 is 8 x magnification?    What's the 42 ?

After seeing the above posts I'm looking at maybe this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hawke-Endurance-ED-10x42-Monocular/dp/B0786NNRPW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=TOB5REJ9TPJ6&keywords=Hawke%2BEndurance%2BED%2Bmonocular&qid=1683798999&sprefix=hawke%2Bendurance%2Bed%2Bmonocular%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-3&th=1

 

Jackie can't use binoculars but has used monoculars before.

It's nearly her Birthday and as she loves looking at "stuff" when we're out. I thought it may be a good all rounder for a beginner.

All answers need to be simple . . . . . so even I can understand them.   👍

Ta.

Jim

 

[gaffa]

 

Jim, as Graham posted get yourself down to Castle Cameras in Bournemouth to try out a couple .As well as the Hawke 8x42ED and 10x42 ED they also have some other brands to compare with.

 

My monocular is a bit of a different beast I bought it as a spotting scope but is great for bird watching when tripod mounted. Do a search on internet for PICCOLO COMPACT 15/30/45x ZOOM 60mm SPOTTING SCOPE.

I got mine off the bay for £33 used of course, I don't think they manufacture them any more

[Jim]

Thanks Pete.

It'll be a surprize so no testing.  She needs something easy to use and lightweight as she'll have it in her pocket.

Also she needs it to be stable whilst in her hand (something she's not good at)

 

[great white]

Hi Jim

I wanted a pair that matches your requirements too [IE light and fairly small]

I also needed them to be OK for me or Wendy to use.

 

As covered above there is a lot of choice, which mainly comes down to what they are being used for and budget.

 

If Jackie finds it hard to hold them still avoid any higher magnification than 8X, unless you can budget for stabilised ones.

 

I took my Hawk 8 x 50 home from the boat for Wendy to try, and she found them to large and heavy, simply they physically did not narrow down enough for her to look through them comfortably. Maybe the 8 x 42 would have been OK, and I did look at the ones Graham bought, which were great for me.

 

As said I bought the 8 x 32 compact Vortex Diamond back ones, we are both happy with them

 

Hope that helps

[great white]

Sorry Jim missed the bit where you say Jackie cannot use binoculars, but that may be because like wendy she cannot close up a large pair far enough for her size.

A compact set may be much better.