Can anyone recommend any decent compact binoculars around the £80 or lower region. They will be mainly used for wildlife observation in the woods etc and hiking trips.
Thanks guys
Thanks guys
After some compact bino's
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Can you be a bit more specific? I have a pair of 8x40 that I use all the time for watching wildlife in the woods where I live. That's compact enough for me. They gather way more light than any of the 25mm things which are OK for the bird feeders in the garden on a bright day but useless in the woods when the trees are in full leaf because it's so dark in there.
The 8x40s cost me eight quid from Oxfam in Chesterfield.
Oh, there are so many... hard for any to spring to mind...
Important features would be?
I think the thing is with binos is that cheap ones are good and expensive ones are good, but anywehre in the region of £30 - 200, you're better off with a cheapy second hand pair from jessops.
Important features would be?
I think the thing is with binos is that cheap ones are good and expensive ones are good, but anywehre in the region of £30 - 200, you're better off with a cheapy second hand pair from jessops.
Erm, dont really know any of the technical stuff, but i would imagine dark woods being one of the places they would get used the most!!! I didnt think of trying charity shops, there are loads near where i live.
Loads of stuff
http://www.binoculars-uk.co.uk/
I bought a set from a discount outlet at the Three Counties Show a couple of years back, not exactly "compact" but the difference with the usual cheapies is amazing.
Wings
http://www.binoculars-uk.co.uk/
I bought a set from a discount outlet at the Three Counties Show a couple of years back, not exactly "compact" but the difference with the usual cheapies is amazing.
Wings
Well how much detail do you want, as my colleague is constantly bragging about his vanguards, but they have quite a wide field of view. The Praktica ones look O.K., but I would stick to known makes. The beauty of going into somewhere like jessops ora camera shop and getting a second hand pair is that you can try them, and they are quality at a fair price.
i am no expert on binos, but I went through several pairs before finding some that I was happy.
Good luck,
Ph34r
i am no expert on binos, but I went through several pairs before finding some that I was happy.
Good luck,
Ph34r
These are the best ones you can look at
http://photography.shop.ebay.co.uk/Binoculars-/10955/i.html?_nkw=zeiss
Wings
http://photography.shop.ebay.co.uk/Binoculars-/10955/i.html?_nkw=zeiss
Wings
If you can sacrifice compactness for value, you won't beat these:
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_8&products_id=107160
Took mine on a Woodlore course and the instructors wanted to know where I got them from with a view to getting them as backups to their Leicas.
Have now upgraded to something a little smaller, and I'm delighted with them:
http://binoculars-maushaus-dorset.com/8x32-WATERPROOF-BINOCULARS-
Somewhat more £££ but will last you forever. Both were recommendations from other clever peeps on BCUK.
Tobes
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_8&products_id=107160
Took mine on a Woodlore course and the instructors wanted to know where I got them from with a view to getting them as backups to their Leicas.
Have now upgraded to something a little smaller, and I'm delighted with them:
http://binoculars-maushaus-dorset.com/8x32-WATERPROOF-BINOCULARS-
Somewhat more £££ but will last you forever. Both were recommendations from other clever peeps on BCUK.
Tobes
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If you're new to the technical stuff then I recommend that you try out a few pairs that you can beg, borrow or steal before splashing out a lot of money on something which might not suit you or the way that you use them. There are a lot of places on the Web where you can read some good advice. Here's an example:
http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/myths2006-9.html
Any of the binoculars that you've suggested will get you started, amongst those my preference would be for 8x42 (lower magnification and bigger objective both tend to give you a brighter image) but I don't have personal experience of any of those models. For comparison of image brightnesses, if you can find some 7x50 do try them. Regarding particular brands, my Praktica 8x22 compacts were very poorly aligned when I got them but I use them a lot for the bird tables now that I've aligned them myself. They'd be no use in a dark wood.
You might also want to consider a cheap tripod or monopod, as it can be a lot easier to see things if they aren't dancing around. If you're tired, or your heart is pounding because you've just climbed a steep hill, holding a pair of binoculars steady enough to see what you want to see can be character forming.
Whenever I can I rest my binoculars on something, even if it's simply pressing them against the window that I'm looking through, it makes a huge difference
M
Mentalpatient
Guest
to get an idea of brightness... try this
divide the second number (front lens size) by the first number (magnification) and you get a number...
EG 10 x 50 binoculars (50 divided by 10) give a value of 5.
a value of 5 and above is bright... good for use inside dense forests and at dawn/dusk
3 - 4.9 is good for light woodland, but not that great for low light eg sunrise/sunset, but can cope
below 3 is only good for daytime and it can be hard to see detail on cloudy days.
also remember the bigger the number you get.. the heavier they will be.
one of the best pairs for low light are these
they give a rating of 7 when you do the maths thing... which means they are great for low light..
obviously this just gives you an idea of the brightness.
it is best to try out several pairs..
popular combo's are:
10 x 50
10 x 42
8 x 42
8 x 40
10 x 25
8 x 25
Will
divide the second number (front lens size) by the first number (magnification) and you get a number...
EG 10 x 50 binoculars (50 divided by 10) give a value of 5.
a value of 5 and above is bright... good for use inside dense forests and at dawn/dusk
3 - 4.9 is good for light woodland, but not that great for low light eg sunrise/sunset, but can cope
below 3 is only good for daytime and it can be hard to see detail on cloudy days.
also remember the bigger the number you get.. the heavier they will be.
one of the best pairs for low light are these
they give a rating of 7 when you do the maths thing... which means they are great for low light..
obviously this just gives you an idea of the brightness.
it is best to try out several pairs..
popular combo's are:
10 x 50
10 x 42
8 x 42
8 x 40
10 x 25
8 x 25
Will
cheers for the info guys, so much choice on the market its frying my brain! I do like the look of the 7dayshop bins, and the price tag is very tempting. I think i may order some in a bit...wooooow scary!!!
I've just done it! Ordered the 7 days shop ones, the price just got the better of me, £20 unbelievable. I canny wait to give them a try!
cheers for heads up tobes01!!!
cheers for heads up tobes01!!!
I was surprised to see the £20 7dayshop binos are nitrogen filled, multi coated and waterproof. Not tried them myself, but that sort of spec usually costs £60-£80. And the £20 includes delivery!
more expensive and better ones have better prisms they are bak 7 look for something with bak 4. a review of the ones i just got
Over the years I have bought numerous pairs of ?budget? binoculars and accepted the limitations ? numerous as they are.
I had for some time been perusing the market looking for affordable quality. I was lucky enough on a recent stalk to try a very expensive pair of well known high end binoculars. The difference in quality was not comparable to the binoculars I had owned in the past. Unfortunately, the ?900+ price tag was just a step too far for me. The hunt continued, but I was certain of the type of quality I was aiming for now.
Then I came across Strathspey and the information on their website was very helpful as well as promising. I opted for the 8X32 pair and the added bonus was that they were waterproof.
Within a couple of days they arrived and I was not disappointed. They felt extremely solid and well built with a rubber armour finish and weighing in at 0.6kg, they are comfortable to hold for long periods. You get:
Full instructions
Objective lenses 32mm
Prisms BAK-4 roof prisms
Coatings level IV
Field of view 7.4 degrees
Exit pupil diameter 4mm
Tripod adaptor fitting
The exit pupil is defined as the lens size / magnification, so for 8x32 its 32/8=4mm
In sunlight your eye's pupil will contract to a size of 2-4mm. But at night they'll open to 7mm (depending on age). If the light beam is wider than your pupil if can't all get through, so binoculars with 4mm exit pupil size seem as bright as those with 6mm in daylight. However they may seem dimmer than those with 6mm as it gets darker.
This is a trade off for size and weight I was prepared to make.
Having tried them out the first time watching for flight lines over some fields, I have to say I did not notice the trade off I had made, as the light faded, they continued to provide a clear and crisp view. They performed extremely well at various distances.
I have also had the opportunity to use the binoculars during a heavy rain storm whilst pigeon decoying. They did not steam up and performed just as well as they did in clear, dry conditions. From my experience of them so far, I have no doubt they will perform well in any weather.
These binoculars are intended for woodland stalking, shooting and general outdoor use. One feature which I think is a must is the built in lens covers that you flip down, but stay attached to the body of the binoculars so you can?t lose them. If you are anything like me, then you will have lost more than a couple of lens covers in the field, never to be found again.
I have since been able to compare these binoculars directly with the expensive ones that I first tried. I have to say that I found them just as clear and lighter to carry. I was using them up until 10:30pm at the end of May and they continued to perform extremely well and the field of view was excellent.
The guide I was with was very impressed with the quality of these binoculars, having always purchased the well know high end brands. Having tried these, he is now in the market for a pair himself.
If you are in the market for quality binoculars, but find the ?900+ price tags beyond you ? as I did ? then these are the ones for you. In a direct comparison with a more expensive brand, they actually performed just as well for me.
I have no connection to Strathspey this is my personal view.
These can be found at http://www.strathspey.co.uk/
Sorry for the rubbish quality pics.
Over the years I have bought numerous pairs of ?budget? binoculars and accepted the limitations ? numerous as they are.
I had for some time been perusing the market looking for affordable quality. I was lucky enough on a recent stalk to try a very expensive pair of well known high end binoculars. The difference in quality was not comparable to the binoculars I had owned in the past. Unfortunately, the ?900+ price tag was just a step too far for me. The hunt continued, but I was certain of the type of quality I was aiming for now.
Then I came across Strathspey and the information on their website was very helpful as well as promising. I opted for the 8X32 pair and the added bonus was that they were waterproof.
Within a couple of days they arrived and I was not disappointed. They felt extremely solid and well built with a rubber armour finish and weighing in at 0.6kg, they are comfortable to hold for long periods. You get:
Full instructions
Objective lenses 32mm
Prisms BAK-4 roof prisms
Coatings level IV
Field of view 7.4 degrees
Exit pupil diameter 4mm
Tripod adaptor fitting
The exit pupil is defined as the lens size / magnification, so for 8x32 its 32/8=4mm
In sunlight your eye's pupil will contract to a size of 2-4mm. But at night they'll open to 7mm (depending on age). If the light beam is wider than your pupil if can't all get through, so binoculars with 4mm exit pupil size seem as bright as those with 6mm in daylight. However they may seem dimmer than those with 6mm as it gets darker.
This is a trade off for size and weight I was prepared to make.
Having tried them out the first time watching for flight lines over some fields, I have to say I did not notice the trade off I had made, as the light faded, they continued to provide a clear and crisp view. They performed extremely well at various distances.
I have also had the opportunity to use the binoculars during a heavy rain storm whilst pigeon decoying. They did not steam up and performed just as well as they did in clear, dry conditions. From my experience of them so far, I have no doubt they will perform well in any weather.
These binoculars are intended for woodland stalking, shooting and general outdoor use. One feature which I think is a must is the built in lens covers that you flip down, but stay attached to the body of the binoculars so you can?t lose them. If you are anything like me, then you will have lost more than a couple of lens covers in the field, never to be found again.
I have since been able to compare these binoculars directly with the expensive ones that I first tried. I have to say that I found them just as clear and lighter to carry. I was using them up until 10:30pm at the end of May and they continued to perform extremely well and the field of view was excellent.
The guide I was with was very impressed with the quality of these binoculars, having always purchased the well know high end brands. Having tried these, he is now in the market for a pair himself.
If you are in the market for quality binoculars, but find the ?900+ price tags beyond you ? as I did ? then these are the ones for you. In a direct comparison with a more expensive brand, they actually performed just as well for me.
I have no connection to Strathspey this is my personal view.
These can be found at http://www.strathspey.co.uk/
Sorry for the rubbish quality pics.
Ive been looking for something similar and found these on jessops site. They have some good deals on the go just now
http://www.jessops.com/online.store...html?cm_re=RECENTLY-_-110510-_-RecentlyViewed
http://www.jessops.com/online.store...html?cm_re=RECENTLY-_-110510-_-RecentlyViewed
aaargh! if only i'd waited 24 hrs! I'd have probably gone for those strathspey bins they look awesome! I will see how i get on with the 7 day shop ones and may look to upgrade next year some time if not happy.
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