Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: ccoli on December 25, 2019, 09:59:33 AM
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Okay here's the deal. My wife asked for a decent set of binoculars for xmas. None of the kids took the hint. Now it's down to me.
Since this list is the source of all knowledge, give me some insight and advice. Used would be fine.
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Leopold makes great binos at a price a great deal lower than Zeiss or Steiner and the glass is superb. I have the Pro Guide BX 4 10x42s and love them...
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I’m a fan of compact binoculars. I did some research about 15 years back and found Nikon to be the best combination of price and quality. I have been enjoying them ever since.
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Does she wear glasses? If so, eye relief distance is especially important. In general, you give up a bit of field of view to gain more eye relief. A company making some ripples with their scopes and binoculars and competing with the best German gear at more moderate prices is Tract:
https://tractoptics.com/binoculars (https://tractoptics.com/binoculars)
I have some of their rifle scopes and they are great and exceed expectations. For more affordable rigs, I don't think you could go wrong with the Nikon Monarch series. A forgotten option is the mid and upper range Pentax gear. They make most of the high end eyepiece optics for serious telescopes and are highly regarded, too. I did a lot of comparisons a few years ago and ended up getting some Pentax 8X43 ED's and have been very pleased at how they compare to friends' Steiner and Zeiss.
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My expectations for this group are not unfounded. This is exactly what I was hoping for.
Yes, she does wear strong prescription glasses and has pretty severe astigmatism.
Thanks for the responses.
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What is your budget? If a pair of Steiner's or other high end binocs are not in the budget, consider Swift or motion cancelling Canon's. Excellent quality without the high price.
What are you/her going to look at the most? Objects in motion or something like an eagle's nest. Can you mount them to a tripod? How far away do you/her like to look? Regular size or compact? All important questions.
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I have some pretty good birdwatching binocs, but I'm in Kalifornia and don't remember :rolleyes: what they are. They weren't horribly expensive uhh 30 some years ago. I'd recommend them if you give me a couple of weeks to get back to the frozen (not, but it will be when we return) north. :smiley:
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A good setup is a regular pair of binoculars mounted to a stick pod. You lose the shake and can easily master panning. If I'm going to take them riding I'd have a pair of compacts.
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Don't get talked into high magnification, much more trouble than worth for common use.
These are the newer generation of what I have carried for years. I like the 8x25 vs the higher mag as the image shakes less at lower mag.
https://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/nikon-products/binoculars/travelite-8x25.html
The idea of image stabilization sounds intriguing, I have never tried a set, but if they work and don't weigh too much and cost is reasonable, might be pretty cool.
Weight is a really concern with binocs, they get heavy quick, the stick works great, but it's one more thing to tote around.
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I bought a pair from Vortex. They are a high quality at a reasonable price. Some of their models use Japanese optics and are routinely compared to optics twice the price.
ZZ
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Vortex Diamondback 8 X 28. Around $140.00. Lightweight. You can spend a lot but don't need to. I find that having a decent small size binoculars encourages more use. These parameters are very good for birding, sports and can follow motorcycle/car racing on track. The optics are very good for the price. I would strongly recommend something in this price range. More than adequate. Smaller size means they will be taken more often for various activities. Large binoculars are best for home viewing.
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What is your budget? If a pair of Steiner's or other high end binocs are not in the budget, consider Swift or motion cancelling Canon's. Excellent quality without the high price.
What are you/her going to look at the most? Objects in motion or something like an eagle's nest. Can you mount them to a tripod? How far away do you/her like to look? Regular size or compact? All important questions.
Budget? Probably under $500.
Use? Mostly birding from our 3rd story balcony, river below has frequent waterfowl. Sometimes Sport events.
Tripod? Maybe, probably not.
Size? Not large.
FWIW we are currently using a set of Tasco 7x35 and she doesn't like them, other than the size.
Also have a loaner Tasco 10x50 which are too big.
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This may sound like “have you checked the kill switch?”, but..i find few people understand the left/right eye focusing adjustment when i hand them mine. Nikon 7x35 “Action” model. I lift my eyeglasses to use them. Not compact not big great glass
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In the range up to 500,- Steiner has quite a lot to offer. Many of them with retractable rubbers at the oculars for people with even strong glasses like me. And they last! How do I know? My favourite binoculars are my old 6 x 30, which can be used on small boats and even in aeroplanes. For the intended use the Safari 8 x 42 could be the right instrument: https://www.steiner-optics.com/binoculars/safari-8x42 .
In comparison to other binoculars the exit pupil at Steiner products very often is bigger. This makes a brighter picture.
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I have found the NIKON ACTION full size porro prisms to be the best for the money. The Leupold also hit out of their league. Leupold 6x30 are my favorite smaller standard type. I second the motion that high power (ie 10x and up) are not the best except as a second pair. I like super wide angle models for comfortable long duration viewing and the lower the power, the better the wide angle.
There is nothing wrong with good old 7x35. The 7x50 are known as the 'Mariners Glass' and are brighter.
You pay more for the roof prism types' compactness, but image quality is no better than standard BAK4 porro prism types, in my experience
Of course, Steiner Zeiss and Swarovski are the greatest as well as some other high end brands. I have never been willing to spend that kind of money. Be careful not to get bit by the vintage binocular collecting bug. There are some good old off-brand models out there if you find some good ones.
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Another vote for Nikons.I have a Nikon rifle scope that is a 6.5-24 x 40. It is a target scope that is very clear and sharp at a reasonable price. I also have a Bosch and Lombe (sp?) rifle scope, 5-15 X 50, very bright and clear. Unfortunately I think they have gone to another brand name which I can't think of the moment and is of lesser quality and just average. I fell for a Tasco binoc. It is an absolutely terrible unit. They aren't nicknamed Trashco for nothing. Give them away and get something better.
kk
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FWIW, my wife had eye problems that required corneal transplants. Prior to surgery a 12-36x50 spotting scope worked well. We used a tripod but newer models are even more compact. Was also good for some night sky viewing. Since surgery a Nikon compact fit the bill.
I have an ausJena surplus bino 7x40 that is remarkable for clarity. Sadly however counterfeit copies permeate the market.
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If found it much better to take my glasses off and use the scope like original intended. For me the distance glasses keep the eye away from the binoculars, even with rubber shrouds pulled back is just too much to deal with.
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The original Tasco and Jasons from the 60s were actually pretty good when Japan was trying to prove their worth to the world, but Tasco went downhill fast.
I have a nice pair of Yashica binos from the 70s that are decent.
In many cases I have come to believe that when new, some mid grade level binos can approach the image quality of the Steiners and Zeiss, but 20 years down the road, the Steiners and Zeiss are still great and rebuildable, while lesser brands have degraded with age.
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Funny, when Bev and I birdwatch, she uses binoculars and I use my camera with a telephoto zooms lens. I have the option of taking a photo.
The truth, I have a nearsighted left eye and farsighted right eye and have never been able to get much use out binoculars.
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Hi Chris,
I went blind reading reviews on this subject. I need a set for an upcoming cruise and spotting from high hills in AZ.
Hawke Endurance ED 8x32
Google them, good treated ED lens, good focal length.... go stronger and you get more blur/shake from breathing. I bought a cheap tripod to steady it. Amazon has them for under $200.
Here's the 32's I have..... https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/Hawke8x32EnduranceED-161.htm
The larger/longer 42's
https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/HawkeEnduranceED8x42-172.htm
ED (Extra Low Dispersion) glass. The properties of ED glass potentially enable a sharper, higher resolution image with less color fringing to be produced when compared to standard glass
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In many cases I have come to believe that when new, some mid grade level binos can approach the image quality of the Steiners and Zeiss, but 20 years down the road, the Steiners and Zeiss are still great and rebuildable, while lesser brands have degraded with age.
Exacxtly. This is great at all our German and Austrian brands. My first Steiner "drowned" on one "channel" when I used it at an exercise when I was in emergency services (including North Sea, open boats, Beaufort 10 - 11). It was exchanged at once cost-free. The old (40 years +) Optolyth Royal 8x56 I inherited from my father was refurbished by the maker for reasonable money.
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I am a big fan of Docter binoculars made in Germany. I have an almost complete collection of their top line Nobilem binoculars. I would not recommend them though, they tend to be quit large. Anyone claiming 200-300 binoculars can run with the big dogs must have never looked thru a top shelf German binocular. There are many reasonable priced binoculars with many more coming on line all the time. Generally you pay for what you get! In a smaller porro prism binocular I would recommend a used Nikon E. Or a Nikon SE (superior E) if your budget allows and you find a nice one. These are very good used porro prism binoculars from Japan. Many Nikons are Chinese as most binoculars you see in stores are now. The SE did come in a 8x32 and the E in a 7x35. That is my picks! You can use this site to make other selections. Take a few minutes and learn to navigate it, it has a wealth of test and information. https://www.allbinos.com/binoculars_reviews.html
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Distance and use and available light arecritical in making the decision. If you are birding while walking through the woods, subjects will be much smaller, closer, and tend to flit about. 8x40 is the standard. 8 power is a decent magnification without restricting the field of view. I have compact Zeiss 10x binos that are tiny- but you cannot track a bird with them.
7x50 to 10x50 are more common for water fowl that are 50-100yds away. The front objective is large enough to let in a lot of light- critical at dawn and dusk (the best times to go birding).
Do NOT underestimate the field of view. It makes your life a lot easier. Light gathering is huge. center focusing is overrated. If she is looking at things over 33 feet away it's not needed. You will need good solid separately focusing eyepieces.
Color, contrast, and "pop" are really hard to gauge from simple stats.
Opticsden is a great resource- do some reading there. Go to a birding web forum and ask there (give them actual distances- not "the third floor".
Tasco is garbage
Steiner is overrated and over priced.
Of course, the German brands (Leitz, Zeiss, Swarovski) are excellent...and expensive
Don't get a hunting brand- if she's birding- look at what's popular with twitchers.
Nikon, in general, does a good job in the lower price range.
If she's not hiking with them, then do not get "compact" models- there'sa price to pay with everything. Compact models will not gather light as well.
Better quality also means tremendous eye relief (it's easy to see through the glass without squinting or working hard to see the image). It's hard to appreciate this critical feature just by looking at specs.
Without any hesitation: if you look through primo glass, you know why it costs so much. It is a joy to use. Top notch Swarovskis are stupendous.
Fujinon is/was a big name in marine glass. They make spectacular prism type 7x50s. Many people in the marine field are ditching their traditional binoculars for image stabilizing models- that's how I got my Zeiss 7x50 Bs for only $300.
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Your best option would be to go to a sporting goods/hunting store like cabellas or Bass Pro Shop. Try several back to back. Also, when you find a pair you really like, ask to try 2-3 pair of the exact same thing. Not all glass is cut the same. You will notice a slight difference between them. (Clarity, brightness, etc). That being said, I am really happy with a couple pair of Vortex binos I have. The Vortex Diamondback 10x42 are really nice for the money. About $229. A step up would be the Vortex Viper HD 10x42. Around $499.
I compared the Vortex Viper's against Swarovski SLC 10x42 ($1,800), and found them to be very comparable. I was really impressed.
Randy
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Here's another vote for Vortex. I got 3 pairs of Diamondbacks (10x42) while on safari in Africa last year. We were all very happy with them, especially in low light conditions. I keep a pair in my truck and use frequently.
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I am a big fan of Docter binoculars made in Germany. I have an almost complete collection of their top line Nobilem binoculars. I would not recommend them though, they tend to be quit large.
Please observe that the Docter brand is not longer used for binoculars. They are sold, the new brand which still produces the Docter types in the old Zeiss Jena factory with the old workers is Noblex. And they of course have compact binoculars. https://www.noblex-germany.com/index.php/en/products
@boatdetective : "Steiner is overrated and over priced." Yeah, of course. First of all, you obviously did not follow my link, second you obviously have no experience with Steiner, and third the same applies to Moto Guzzi...
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Please observe that the Docter brand is not longer used for binoculars. They are sold, the new brand which still produces the Docter types in the old Zeiss Jena factory with the old workers is Noblex. And they of course have compact binoculars. https://www.noblex-germany.com/index.php/en/products
@boatdetective : "Steiner is overrated and over priced." Yeah, of course. First of all, you obviously did not follow my link, second you obviously have no experience with Steiner, and third the same applies to Moto Guzzi...
My experience with Steiner is their 7x50 marine binoculars. Fujinon makes a far better pair of 7x50s. As I recall, the Steiner's were stupid expensive for only average performance. As far as Guzzis, I don't know what that has to do with binoculars, but I've owned four of them. I tore three of them apart and put them back together- so that should earn me a pass on the familiarization front.
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I collect Docter binoculars so you can be assured I already knew they have been sold. I still stick by my first recommendation and don't recommend them. See how that works, I am not recommending my favorite binoculars because I feel that what he wants would be best served with something else. A Nikon E or SE in 8x30 or 8x32 in excellent condition is my number one pick for what the OP claims his wife will most likely use them for. If you are lucky you can still find a new one from Japan ccoli! Go to Ebay and search ccoli. To get the optical performance of those two binoculars in a roof prism binocular that so many are recommending you would have to spend a pretty penny! Many people are recommending large binoculars, roof prism hunting binoculars, this is not what the lady is doing. Sounds like he wants to purchase her a high end general use binocular that she can view birds from, maybe an occasional sporting event. I have a rare, bought in near new condition, Docter Classic 8x30 porro prism that I guarantee she would love. Problem is they are rare, lol! Like hen teeth!
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7x50 to 10x50 are more common for water fowl that are 50-100yds away. The front objective is large enough to let in a lot of light- critical at dawn and dusk (the best times to go birding).
I've had Nikon, Swarovski, and Fujinon binoculars in 8x35, 8x40, and 10x50, but they've all been sold or traded off and I only use my Dad's WWII Navy "BuShips" Bausch and Lomb Mark 23 7x50s now.
7x50 is the perfect light-gathering and magnification combination for what I use them for. Wide field of view, works great in low light, good eye relief .... I had an optics shop take them apart, clean, and align them and they're great, not to mention solid and bulletproof.
Horses for courses, same as motorcycles, firearms, knives, and other personal accessories!
Lannis
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Hello Chris,
Wondering if you have made a choice yet? I wasn't even in the market but now find myself thinking this is a good idea :)
I like John U's suggestion.
I surveyed for many years and the best optics ( remember when surveyors actually had to look through the instrument) were always Leica, hands down the best but pricey... Carl Ziess was a distant second.
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Bratman and Lannis make some good points here. Roof prisms are sexy and slim, but pricy. You can trade some size by going for porro prisms while still retaining quality optics. If you know what you want, you might consider used (not much to screw up on binos). I see a lot of Zeiss 7x50s on EBay for reasonable prices.
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Yea, thank you for the nod boatdetective! I too had the opportunity years ago to view through a Steiner "Admiral", I believe that is what it was called. It was 7x50 and blue rubber armored. Coworker swore that I had nothing in my collection that could touch it! My collection was smaller back then, but I had a 8x50 Zeiss and a 8x56 Docter Optics Nobilem. He left with his feelings hurt in poor light performance. But to be fair both of those binoculars cost more at that time than the Steiner did, if my memory serves me correctly. Many people would be surprised to know what my opinion of the Zeiss was after many viewing sessions side by side. I sold the Zeiss 8x50 and I still have the Docter 8x56. I have a Nikon SE 10x42 and it is a very nice piece of glass. But I don't think it would serve her best being she preferred the size of the 7x35. With the EII and SE you get optical performance that rivals the top binoculars in the world in a 30-32mm body. Very wide field of view and a comfortable body to hold for extended periods. Trade offs are you drop them from a considerable distance they are probably in need of repair. They are not water proof, probably could withstand a drizzle. They are not as slim and small as roof prisms binoculars. Truthfully, for what it sounds like she wants and need I would stick with my recommendation regardless of price.
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The width and breadth of knowledge on this forum is very fine. Every time I think I am approaching 'expert' status on any NGC topic, ie: stereos, batteries, optics, mathematics, electronics....I discover I am still a toddler.
I am only really an expert at figuring out a bargain basement way of doing things barely acceptably half fast.
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Marine Glasses like the Steiner Admiral or the Steiner Commander are different from glasses made for hunting, bird watching and so on. The anti-reflective coating of the lenses are different, furthermore the glasses very often have to cope with an awful lot of light (especially blue light). For these reasons all of the big brands have specialised glasses for a lot of different uses.
In our German forums (hunting and so on) the Nikon SE - glasses are highly regarded in their price field. I had never the opportunity to try one.
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You are exactly correct Fossil! Docter makes a Navidoc that when compared to it's 7x50 brethren performs poorly in low light situations because the coatings are design around water work and reducing glare. I didn't know that at the time of the comparison but do now. I didn't mean that as a dig against the Steiner. I know that they have been rating pretty good in the hunting community the past decade or so. I don't think they have made big inroads in the astronomy or birdwatching community.
The Nikon SE 10x42 I have is awesome in my opinion, especially for it's size. It just works and I consider comparable to the Docters quality wise in a porro binocular. I would love to get a SE 12x50 to compare to my Docter 12x50. Or just to have as I am a sucker for good glass. Most of my work is under the night sky. I have a 5" Takahashi FS128 fluorite telescope and a Celestron C11 CF telescope. Generally when it is set up and I have company over I will take a couple of pairs of binoculars out. That way everyone has something to do while waiting their turn at the eyepiece. I have had some people that for some odd reason didn't want to let the binoculars go after a few minutes gazing the milky way, lol! Usually I have my Docter 8x56, 12x50 and a 10x50 out for viewing.
I would guess in my decades of collecting binoculars I have had between 50-75 total. I probably have 12 right now.
Lannis, was that Cory Suddarth that went through your B&L binoculars. He has cleaned and collimated several for me over the years! There isn't but a couple or three in the US that work on binoculars anymore. So many are disposable now.
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Lannis, was that Cory Suddarth that went through your B&L binoculars. He has cleaned and collimated several for me over the years! There isn't but a couple or three in the US that work on binoculars anymore. So many are disposable now.
Yes it was. He's done a good job for me at a price I consider reasonable, although I haven't tried anyone else ....
Lannis
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I would heartily agree that this forum has been an unfailing resource to me. The problem (and it's not a little one) is that the same crew will provide you with shameless justification to buy more gadgets. Example: Bratman now has me researching Docter binoculars for which I have no need whatsoever.
RE the Nikon glass- absolutely agree. They have quite a range of products that all represent excellent value. Sadly, I've sold off just about all my Nikon camera gear for the Olympus system.
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I forgot that these were for the wife.
My wife does not like my B&L Navy 7x50s because they are pretty heavy.
She LOVES her Nikon "Monarch" 8x42 - light and handy and very clear.
Lannis
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Kind of fun to learn about binocs. Just like most anything worth having, a whole world exists. Just like speakers, amps, watches, radios, and on and on! It's seems always to be about how far one wants to go down the rabbit whole!
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Not the best optics out there...but the Celestron lines are pretty good for the money....we use these for birding and hiking and exploring...Good value (IMHO) :thumb: :cool:
(https://i.ibb.co/qyy1nDK/Screen-Shot-2019-12-28-at-4-03-48-PM.png) (https://ibb.co/qyy1nDK)
(https://i.ibb.co/Nx7xNYx/Screen-Shot-2019-12-28-at-4-03-32-PM.png) (https://ibb.co/Nx7xNYx)
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I am here for you boatdetective, lol!
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No I have not opened up my wallet, yet. Realized that I can't order them until after some travel we have planned.
I certainly am grateful for all the expertise and recommendations given. I'm also glad I gave you guys something to chat about during the long winter. I never expected this thread would exceed 1 page.
I doubt I will go with used one's from eBay as I will never know enough to avoid the imitations and or damaged goods. I am a seasonede Bay user and would gladly take suggestions if one of you binocular geeks watches this stuff on a regular basis.
Hello Chris,
Wondering if you have made a choice yet? I wasn't even in the market but now find myself thinking this is a good idea :)
I like John U's suggestion.
I surveyed for many years and the best optics ( remember when surveyors actually had to look through the instrument) were always Leica, hands down the best but pricey... Carl Ziess was a distant second.
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You might be over thinking it? There just binoculars, however often you/her think you’ll use them, in reality it will be one quarter of that.
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I collect Docter binoculars so you can be assured I already knew they have been sold. I still stick by my first recommendation and don't recommend them. See how that works, I am not recommending my favorite binoculars because I feel that what he wants would be best served with something else. A Nikon E or SE in 8x30 or 8x32 in excellent condition is my number one pick for what the OP claims his wife will most likely use them for. If you are lucky you can still find a new one from Japan ccoli! Go to Ebay and search ccoli. To get the optical performance of those two binoculars in a roof prism binocular that so many are recommending you would have to spend a pretty penny! Many people are recommending large binoculars, roof prism hunting binoculars, this is not what the lady is doing. Sounds like he wants to purchase her a high end general use binocular that she can view birds from, maybe an occasional sporting event. I have a rare, bought in near new condition, Docter Classic 8x30 porro prism that I guarantee she would love. Problem is they are rare, lol! Like hen teeth!
Well I thought so you know that. I did this remark because obviously other Wildguzzisti apart from the OP share the idea that binoculars are fascinating. And your experience with the Docters is good so that others perhaps would like to take a closer look at them. It would be a pity if they couldn´t find them because Docter itself today makes LED - lenses for cars and such stuff.
Another addition: For birdwatching it is important that the colours the glasses show are true. This also must be considered, as they can be altered by the coating of the lenses. If we talk about Steiner and the demand of the OP´s wife a Safari should be clearly superior to e.g. a Commander (my own Steiner is a Safari). Of course, the nonplusultra would be the Peregrine 10x42...
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Years back when I was a teen I shot competition 1000 yd open sight. Later I started shooting prairie dogs (a real problem on the ranch) and acquired a collection of optics such as spotting scopes range finders,(mostly surplus WWII)
and had a good pair of Navy 23s.
I've over the years been fond of the Nikon products and still carry in the bike travel kit an aculon 7X35, (Nikon), that has come in handy at times. Like duct tape I don't leave home w/out them.
:-)
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Honestly I have not followed it much lately Fossil. I knew Noblex purchased Docter but when I first looked it seemed all the same stuff was available. Except for the Nobilem, I think the last of them ended around 2014-2015. Of course a new in the box one can be found here or there. I am much shocked to see what the new Noblex binoculars sell for. You state they still make them in the old plant with the same help? Wow, they sure dropped the prices to near Chinese binocular prices. But I know nothing of them. Except they are way cheaper than I have ever seen a Docter. If Docter would have just spent a few bucks advertising there is no telling what they may might could have done business wise. Oh well!
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Their history in short can be found here: https://www.noblex-germany.com/index.php/en/about-us/history . One of the few examples of a successful outcome for a eastern Germany company after the Reunification. Partly the new prices result in much further developed production methods.
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Tag on question~~Any advice on monoculars (only have sight in one eye)???
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I would probably look into the Vortex Solo. Comes in 4 different versions and fairly reasonably priced.
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Jcctx, I wound up getting a
pair of Vortex Solo 8x25 binoculars monocular ($49) and find them it very nice: solid, with a good grip and a sharp image. [EDIT -- sorry for calling the monocular a "pair of binoculars"!]
But I think binoculars are inherently more stable because of the two-handed grip. You might prefer binoculars for that reason even if you only have one good eye. Maybe you could convert the unused side into a flask!
Moto
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Thanks, will take a look.
I have a couple cheap monos and agree on stability but they are super compact and easy to carry! I also have a 10 to 35 high end (for china) bino that I keep on the bar for wild life viewing and double as a spotting scope at the range. Clumsy to carry tho.
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Great idea, Moto.. :boozing: :smiley:
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Compact binoculars are so good in quality.
I love binoculars and had a habit of collecting them. Recently bought these Hontry Store 10x25 Compact Binoculars from amazon. and I am already in love with these binoculars. They are very small in size and light in weight, hence they are very easy to carry. I am keeping these binoculars on my belt while traveling. It arrived in a safe and neatly packed box. The foldable design helps to fold the binoculars into the palm size due to their less weight. It can also provide a wider range of long-distance activities. It provides accurate focusing and shock resistance with the help of rubber Armour ergonomic design and steady grip.
Because of the slim and simple design of the binoculars, it provides an anti-skid feature. It also had a carrying case and a neck strap which is easy to carry. The spectacle wearers can also use these binoculars very comfortably. It provides sharp, bright, and contrasting images. It also provides very low light night vision. These (https://theoptics.org/best-marine-binoculars/) binoculars are suitable for adults as well as kids.
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IMHO Nikon gives one of the best bangs for the buck and has quite a quality/price spread. I have used a pair of Nikon 10-50 "Action" model for around 15+ years and they have served me well. That said I found this pair of 1930s vintage Zeiss 8x40s at an estate sale for $8.00. Spent about $300 on a professional cleaning, lubing and realignment. At my old house their was a street sign about 1/2 mile away. With the Nikon you could make out the street sign. With the Zeiss you could almost make out the letters on the sign. Both are to heavy for carry around the neck for long.
(https://i.ibb.co/bJwdJfX/DSC01723.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bJwdJfX)
db9 0 60 (https://statewideinventory.org/aston-martin-0-60-times)
GliderJohn
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Many years ago, my sweetie bought me a pair of Swift Ultra lite 8X42s. They are excellent for bird watching.. they show lots of detail. Probably not too expensive, dunno.
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I did some research years ago on this topic. The one thing that really struck me was light gathering capability. The human pupil can typically open to about 5mm. When selecting binoculars, you want the diameter of the objective lens to be at least 5x the power; this ensures good light gathering. If this ratio works out to 7x, you get even better view, especially when lighting is low, around dusk/dawn.
I’ve experimented with this and found it seems to be true. I used a very old Tasco, a Cannon, and 2 pairs of Nikons to test this theory.
For what it’s worth the new Nikons are excellent and only around $100.
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I did some research years ago on this topic. The one thing that really struck me was light gathering capability. The human pupil can typically open to about 5mm. When selecting binoculars, you want the diameter of the objective lens to be at least 5x the power; this ensures good light gathering. If this ratio works out to 7x, you get even better view, especially when lighting is low, around dusk/dawn.
Since Guzzi owners tend to be older we should take into account the decrease of pupil size with age, to avoid buying binoculars whose light output would be wasted on us. A clear, concise and I think authoritative discussion: https://binocularbase.com/choose-binoculars-for-older-people/
(https://binocularbase.com/choose-binoculars-for-older-people/)
I'm 70 years old, so my nighttime fully opened pupils should be about 3.2mm. Binoculars with exit diameters larger than that are wasted on me. If I want 8x magnification, I won't benefit from an objective lens more than about 8 x 3.2 = 25.6mm, even at night! Needing lighter, smaller and cheaper binoculars is the only advantage of age that I can think of right now. My USSR-made field binoculars, at 8x30, are just right and are my favorites.
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My 35 year old Minolta's 8X30 are my favorite and my Nikon 8-20 Zooms I picked up on Ebay for $25 are pretty good, they just are not good at the far end of the zoom.
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When this thread started I bought a Hawke Endurance ED 8x32 for a cruise. Now hopefully 3 years later the cruise will finally sail.
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Are spotting scopes an option for this? I often wondered if that might be an option.
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I like my Vortex Diamondback binos. Bought them earlier this year after agonising over comparison tests on Yt. Never thought to come to you blokes :embarrassed: