good beginners binoculars

[fordXX]

Hi,

 

i'm interesed in purchasing a good binaculars for general use. Does anyone have any reccommendations. not V expensive though

[DavyR]

Well, you do get what you pay for with binoculars, but I'd thoroughly recommend these:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opticron-Countryma...2/dp/B000L3N8PK

 

You'd have to pay a lot more (new) for any appreciable jump in quality. If that's too expensive, I'd try to find a secondhand example of the older model Countryman (non roof prism). Bulkier, but just as good optically.

 

Steer well clear of the Sunday Supplement offers and don't get fooled into thinking you need high magnification. What you should be looking for is a good trade-off between magnification and the size of the objective lens, so 8x42 is ideal for general use.

[kleinboet]

What do you call cheap? I have posted in the for sale chat room that I have a pair of Zeiss binoculars which sell for over a ton! I will let them go for £60.00 + postage!

Edited October 31, 2007 by kleinboet

[corydoras]

Well, you do get what you pay for with binoculars, but I'd thoroughly recommend these:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opticron-Countryma...2/dp/B000L3N8PK

 

You'd have to pay a lot more (new) for any appreciable jump in quality. If that's too expensive, I'd try to find a secondhand example of the older model Countryman (non roof prism). Bulkier, but just as good optically.

 

Steer well clear of the Sunday Supplement offers and don't get fooled into thinking you need high magnification. What you should be looking for is a good trade-off between magnification and the size of the objective lens, so 8x42 is ideal for general use.

I'd go along with that. Binocular bargains here.

[peterpikefisher]

Hi,

 

i'm interesed in purchasing a good binaculars for general use. Does anyone have any reccommendations. not V expensive though

 

depends on what you define as general use IE: bird watching /hunting or just perving

 

i would suggest 8 X 40 is what most would call general use

[Tony U]

Bushnell H2O's arent a bad all round beginners set of bins nitrogen purged so they are waterproof and the optics are not too bad a good price at £84.95 inc VAT not too expensive for 8x42's.

Look at http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/bushnell_h2o_binoculars/ for details

Edited October 31, 2007 by Tony U

[gozzer]

Steer well clear of the Sunday Supplement offers and don't get fooled into thinking you need high magnification. What you should be looking for is a good trade-off between magnification and the size of the objective lens, so 8x42 is ideal for general use.

 

I'd go along with that.

 

I have a pair of 20x50, (a present from my late father-in-law), great optics, but with only 3 degrees field of vision, you have trouble if you use them without a tripod/stand. I use them for stargazing, but if I don't use a stand,I can't hold them steady enough to get a proper 'fix'.

 

John.

Edited October 31, 2007 by gozzer

[jeepster]

I'll second (or maybe even third) the view that you should avoid high mag binos, i have a pair of binos with good quality optics and huge magnification, but they're so impractical as to be useless, go for a decent pair of something like 8x40s and you'll be happy.

[Paul_D]

Well, I'll strongly disagree with that on the basis of what has already been said. With binoculars you get what you pay for. I've spent a lot on loads of different binoculars as I like nothing better than taking a pair along for a walk, fishing etc. Cheapos are a means to an end but I bit the bullet and bought a Leica Duovid 10-15x50 and it's the biz. I rarely use it at 10x usually leaving it in the 15x setting. It came with a tripod mount but I've never found the need to use it as it's steady enough for general viewing. Superb!

 

The downside - it's too heavy to take along when roving etc so I also bought I pair of 10x25 Ultravid folding compacts at about £350. I've compromised a bit on the objective but the magnification is superb for spotting birds etc on the riverbank. My advice would be to go to a dealer and have a look through a good set of binoculars and save up for them rather than going for cheapo's that you'll change quickly. They'll last you a lifetime.

Edited October 31, 2007 by Paul_D

[jeepster]

The downside of your Leica 10-15x50s is the main downside that means my similar ones stay at home and i think of them as being impractical!