Binoculars

Hi i would like some advice on binoculars.
what would be the best magnification for hand held use when i am out and about with my camera.
10x42 or 8x42 ???

and are bushnell a good make ??

Cheers
Mark

Hi Mark,
I use Bushnell Nature View 10x42 and they are superb for the money cost about £100 I think.

If they look a decent size through the bins I`ve got a decent chance with the camera as its about the same magnification.

I use Nikon Monarchs 10x36-Really excellent bins and under £200-you can get them in camo as well Nice clear image and not too heavy

Dave

Glad this was brought up, as I intend to invest in a (fairly) decent pair soon.

There was a very recent discussion about binoculars HERE which may be of interest.

I use 8.5 X 42 and am very happy with them and would go for the same magnification again if I had to.

I use a pair of Viking GR 10x45. I work as an Ecologist, and as such, spend a lot of time in the field carrying out bird surveys, and I can happily look through these all day with no hint of eye strain. I think they retail at ~£260. In my opinion Viking (and also Opticron) optics perform above their price range.

HTH!

I use Opticron 10x42 and am very happy with them, and as Pete said, they're excellent value for money. However, many birdwatchers would tell you that 8x42 is the best magnification as its slightly faster to find the subject.

i ahve 7x42 Leicas and use them all the time but they are expensive and Exceptionally good

Ian Hardy

Hi Mark

I think the best all round binoculars are either x7 or x8 with a maximum objective lens of 42 which keeps the weight down but still gathers light well. I use Swarovski 7 x 30 which I have had for approx. 14 years and are still optically excellent and are very smooth to focus. I also use a pair of Nikon 'high grade' 8 x 20's which will fit easily in even a small pocket and are optically superb!

David

I have a set of 8x32wb Swarovski EL that I swear by ( but I also liked the zeiss 8x32 F FL's) that are normally with me and a set of leica 8x20 trinovids which as stunning for there size when weight is really an issue. PS the Nikon HG L DCF 8x32 are probably the best value of all the 'dear' binos in this optical range.

An ophthalmologist who had one of my eyes out for his christmas a few years ago told me that if I wanted a quick (but painless) way to lose the quality of sight in my remaining eye I could do no worse than buy cheap optical equipment.
Binoculars are as much a part of my job as a computer is to a secretary and when you spend a lot of time looking through cheap or out of focus glass it wears your eyesight quickly and silently.
ALWAYS check that the binoculars you are going to buy suit your eyes, not just in terms of clarity but also in terms of how well they come into focus for you and how good the adjustment for each eyepiece is.
Look out for edge to edge sharpness, most cheaper bins will look great in the center but lose focus around the edges, and it's in these areas where eyesight damage can be done.
7x or 8x are good, not simply because they have a reasonable FOV but also because they don't tend to shake the same as 10x or higher.
Better to look at a set of small compacts from Swarovski, Zeiss or Leica than spending a reasonable sum on a lesser brand full size set.

Best advice I can give is to try before you buy, and be sure you know what you're looking for.

John

I've spent a lot of my hobby time in the past going sailing and, in that world, you won't hear a lot about S, Z or L binos. The top brand there are Steiner who have recently been moving into the birding/wildlife market.
I have a pair of 10x42 Discovery's that are superb but expensive, but they do models down to around £100 including the new Safari range. They absolutely suck light in! Contact Intro 2020 for stockist, as they are well worth considering.

Ian

Good discussion - thanks for the input - need to by a new pair after I lost mine in sea water on Mull. Wouldn't normally have minded but they were in my jacket pocket at the time worth the shot though I have used the small Leica 32s before and they are very bright for such a small lens. Have been using Bushnell 8x42. They are OK, but the dioptre is hit and miss and the periphery is not sharp enough. From what I have looked at, Nikon, Steiner, Swarovski, Leica are all good makes. I think it should be a very personal choice, down to lightness, durability, comfort and brightness... oh and the size of your pocket!

I have had my Opticron 8x42 binos for 20 years and they are still fabulous. People I lend them to say they are fantastic and usually better than theirs.

Bill

I got a pair of Opticron Oregon 8x42 a little while back as something to have handy out in the field. The brightness is great, they're not too heavy and also waterproof (although I guess a lot of others are too these days), which is helpful where it rains a lot! Well worth the £100. Definitely go somewhere you can try different sets out.