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Paging Kenny - Binocular advice

bebe

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
2,845
Hi Kenny, at the Vegas GTG, I asked you about binoculars. You gave me a set of numbers to remember - of course
I can't remember them! Looking for some nice binoculars, good for checking out wildlife - from a distance :)
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,225
You have to decide on your size and budget.
After considering 8 x 42, 8 x 50, 10 x 42, and 10 x 50, I settled on Swarovski EL Swarovision 8.5 x 42s and I could not be happier.

The first number is how much magnification there is, so I'm seeing things magnified 8 times.
8 power and 10 power are most popular since higher powers are hard to hold steady with your hands.

The last number (exit pupil) is the diameter of the opening (in mm) that lets light in.
The larger the opening the more light they gather, and the better they are for low light :praise: , but the heavier they are :blackeye:
.
42s are about average with some people preferring 32s for their lighter weight and size and others preferring 50s for their better low-light performance.

Budget can be from $5 to $3000, and you get what you pay for.

The best brands are Swarovski, Zeiss and Leica and each of these companies make a few lines at different price points.
I did not do much research on less-expensvie brands but I recommend you google up fora on bird watching and hunting and read what the old-timers say about various brands and price points.
If you are considering also using them for astronomy you'll want 50s or higher and should check out astronomy fora, but big and heavy 50s or 56s are hard to hold still without a tripod, which makes them poor for bird watching.

Here's the thread about my binocular safari. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/anyone-here-into-high-end-binoculars.189509/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/anyone-here-into-high-end-binoculars.189509/[/URL]
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,225
I liked the website below and how they rated and ranked bins.

He lists them by overall rating regardless of price.
Perhaps go down the list till you reach your budget.
I do not know what country's currency the prices are in. (Poland?)

This link is for the 8 x 42s:
http://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ranking-binoculars_ranking-8x42.html

On the right side click on the red word TEST to see a wonderful test review of that model.
 

bebe

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
2,845
Kenny - thank you, thank you !!!

under $500.00 for sure. I will start studying. Thanks again for your fast response.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,225
I'd recommend doing what I did.

Narrow it down to 3 models.
Buy all 3 from B&Hphto, Adorama and another vendor with a good return policy.
Try them out yourself in many conditions.
Keep your favorite and return the others for a refund.

I was astonished how different binos with similar prices could be, especially 3 in the top price category!
I expected they'd all be so good I'd not notice any difference.
You may just have a strong preference for one for the way it feels in your hands or against your face which is 100% personal and can't really be determined from any review.
 
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