Best budget binoculars?

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
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Britannia!
Yo, are there better binoculars for the same price or less as these? : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-FB...ds=binoculars&qid=1558115910&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I fancy some spying and general Tom peepery! Lol just kidding, I'd like to watch birds and wildlife and have never had a pair of binos that weren't cheap junk.

No idea what to look out for or where to shop.. so any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers guys and guyettes.
 

Bishop

Full Member
Jan 25, 2014
1,720
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Pencader
Prinz 10x50's , pretty respectable optics with little chromatic aberration. Downside they are pig heavy and most examples are over thirty years old now though this does mean you can pick them up really cheap. Naturally some will of had a rougher life than others, look for the ones that still come with the travelling case in good condition. The other bushcrafty bonus with them is they are old-school construction with real slotted screws! No injection moulding, snap fit & glued together, non user serviceable nonsense so you can dismantle them for internal cleaning if needed.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
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Lidl's £14.99..

Seriously, my youngest who's a pain about 'good' binos and 'quality counts' re telescopes, cameras and binoculars was impressed with my sub fifteen quid buy. I only wanted them to watch the birds, but they're a lot better than any of us expected.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
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At this price bracket I would go somewhere that has a range and try them. Or try a pair that someone you know has got. There are very useable bins at that price but they vary a lot - even from sample to sample (the quality control suffers at the lower price range so you get variation).

The Olympus 8 x 40 DPSi and the Nikon Aculon A211 8x42, at a similar price, both have a good reputation so I don't think you'll go far wrong. However, they both have a relatively long close focus (4.0m and 5.0m) so they're not ideal for observing insects, dragonflies and butterflies etc. if that would be something you wanted them for.
 

firedfromthecircus

Tenderfoot
Oct 9, 2014
83
35
there
I bought my wife a pair of Nikon binos a few years back for £50 and they were/are very good for the money. Sadly a quick look online and I can't find the same model now. One thing I remember from my bino research days is that the perceived wisdom is porro prism will give better image quality at the lower price range. Apparently it's more expensive to get a similar level of image quality out of roof prisms.
 

GuestD

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Feb 10, 2019
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+1 on Lidl. I've got an older set with BAK-4 prisms, and they are superb. If you see a clean set of old 7 X 50 Soviet made binoculars in a charity shop or boot sale, they are excellent, especially in low light. Gamekeepers favourite.
 
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Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
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Britannia!
Thanks for the advice so far. :)

I gotta ask though, what are the things I should look for? Cuz I know nothing about binos and their terminology and specs etc..

I don't mind heavy, I'm a lardo and extra weight is good exercise!
 

GuestD

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Thanks for the advice so far. :)

I gotta ask though, what are the things I should look for? Cuz I know nothing about binos and their terminology and specs etc..

I don't mind heavy, I'm a lardo and extra weight is good exercise!
You're going to get a barrage of opinions. Personally for ease of use, general purpose what ever you want to call it. 8 X 30 Porro prism.
deltrentis_8x30b.jpg

Russian stuff is generally good, bit always best to try before you buy.
 

Wander

Native
Jan 6, 2017
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Here There & Everywhere
Yeah, brace yourself for lots of suggestions and opinions, most of which will disagree and contradict.

You said you wanted the bins for birdwatching. But will you be going to watch birds with them and that's the main objective for going out, or do you want them with you to do some speculative bird watching whilst out doing other stuff?

Myself, I've never seen the point of 8x binoculars. That's me though. I wouldn't go with anything less than 10x. Despite what others say, I reckon 10x gives a wide enough view to find things but also gives you enough magnification that you will be able to pick out details and see enough of the object that you are impressed by what you see. Many birders take a 8x but will team it up with a scope - they use the bins to locate and the scope to give a good view. I assume you're not thinking of a combo like that, needing the bins to be a compromise. Personally, for me, 8x doesn't provide that compromise. All they'll do is taunt you - offering suggestion of seeing something impressive but never delivering. Some talk about hand shake at higher magnification. Well, I've never had trouble holding 10x on target. I suppose if you do have a shaky hand then it might be a factor. But I don't have the shakes and I've never had trouble holding a 10x binocular on target.

As for objective lens? I'm going to go against the grain again. Anything over a 25mm lens will not go in a pouch on your hip, not comfortably anyway. You'll have to spend the day with it around your neck. It's not a question of weight, but it is a question of just being a damn nuisance. So if you are willing to have it around your neck, then just go for a 50mm lens which will give you a better image. That's OK if you are going out with the sole objective of birding because you'll be using them all the time. If you want the bins with you in case you see something interesting and suddenly need them, but will mostly not be using them, then you'll want to put them away but have them to hand if needed. In other words, in a pouch on your hip. For that you'll want a 25/26mm objective lens.

So, if what you want the bins for is to view things whilst out and about, not necessarily for dedicated bird watching, then I would suggest a 10x25mm pair.
If you are thinking of dedicated bird watching then what to go for will depend on where you will be birdwatching - always go for a bigger objective lens (50mm) and the magnification will depend on whether you will be looking at near or far objects (experience shows they will mostly be at distance) - so my dedicated birding bins are 12x50. But I can see why you might choose 10x50 (most of my viewing is done over marshes and heaths - so I want something with a bit of range).
A smaller objective lens or magnification might be preferable in dense terrain, or if teamed up with a scope. But I find that in woods you see fewer birds, not least because you have less time to see them (more cover) and because fewer birds live in dense woods than in more open terrain. So, realistically, you'll be using them in more open terrain than close terrain. Choose accordingly.

About this time last year I bought these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/PRAKTICA-10-Pioneer-Waterproof-Binoculars-x/dp/B01F67LEFQ

Which is pretty much bang on the same price point as the pair you were looking at.
I always have these on my belt when I go out.
I would instantly buy another pair of anything happened to the pair I currently have.

But brace yourself for umpteen dozen other 'swear by' recommendations.
 

firedfromthecircus

Tenderfoot
Oct 9, 2014
83
35
there
Thanks for the advice so far. :)

I gotta ask though, what are the things I should look for? Cuz I know nothing about binos and their terminology and specs etc..

I don't mind heavy, I'm a lardo and extra weight is good exercise!

Porro prisms are the bumpy looking ones. Roof prisms are the sleek streamlined looking ones. Porros tend to be heavier, bulkier and cheaper than the similar quality roof prisms.

As for numbers. The first number is the magnification and the second is the objective lens size. The bigger the lens the more light it lets in, which becomes more important the higher the magnification. 8x40 is a good general purpose size IMHO.

This is quite a good guide to have a read through. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/outdoors/buying-guide/binocular
 
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stevec

Full Member
Oct 30, 2003
552
149
Sheffield
Depends on what you want. Hawke and opticron are good. Got some 6x30 for my daughter. They are good. Opticrons that is from Amazon. About a ton.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,885
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W.Sussex
Phil-b knows his optics, I had a pair of binoculars from him a few years ago and they’ve been superb. I didn’t know a lot about lenses, magnification, etc but he talked me through why he’d bought them and why they’d suit my needs. He’s a bit like Beachlover with bags, a fair few more will have passed through his hands by now, and he may even have something lurking in a cupboard. Nice bloke to deal with too. :)

https://bushcraftuk.com/community/index.php?members/phil-b.3054/
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
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McBride, BC
I buy optics from B&H PhotoVideo in New York. 3,500+ models of binoculars to pick from over a wide price range.
Currently I have Pentax 7x50 which are excellent in poor light (dawn/dusk).
The gas seals broke years ago so they fog up inside in the rain and fast changing temps.
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
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Britannia!
Regarding my needs, I would like to look at birds but I'm not a bird watcher. I'm just trying to have something with me when I go outdoors so i have something else to do but walk around aimlessly.

So general purpose really.

And where might I find a reliable shop source for russian binos? I've tried a few surplus stores online but no luck so far..
 

Billy-o

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 19, 2018
2,039
1,027
Canada
Budget be pfft!

Get a significant other to buy you a pair of high end compact 8x20s - Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss. It's the route I took and am endlessly glad I did ... (although the significant other part of the plan didn't work out :lol:).

Small enough that you'll always take them with you. Good enough performance that you will pat yourself on the back for your sane thinking every time you use them. You might need to invest in many good deeds to get the significant other aspect of the scheme to unfold for the full desired effect. Which is where I lacked preparedness. I see that now.
 
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GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
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Regarding my needs, I would like to look at birds but I'm not a bird watcher. I'm just trying to have something with me when I go outdoors so i have something else to do but walk around aimlessly.

So general purpose really.

And where might I find a reliable shop source for russian binos? I've tried a few surplus stores online but no luck so far..

I've had a look, and I cannot believe how much these have gone up in price, nor do I recognise any of the brand names. May be over budget, but I bought a pair of these when they were around £50, a bit dearer now but they are good for the money, and compact enough to fit in my jacket pocket.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barr-Strou...&sprefix=Barr+and+stroud,aps,173&sr=8-2-fkmr0
 

Duggie Bravo

Settler
Jul 27, 2013
532
124
Dewsbury
A bit of thread hijacking if I may...
I have recently found my Pentax 10x24 ucf, which are probably around 20/25 years old and have always done what I wanted, but now am wondering what/how to upgrade them.
I generally just tend to use them to look at things I see, rather than any specific purpose.
Any thoughts on whether it is worth it or not?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,672
McBride, BC
If your use is often in poor light at dawn/dusk/spotlights at night, bigger objective lenses capture more light. Optical fact.
That's what I like best about my old Pentax 7x50 and my Nikon 82mm spotting scope.
I have had the opportunity to use Zeiss and Leica binocs.
The resolution, the details of a bear a mile away, is breath-taking but you get what you pay for.
 
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Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
45
Britannia!
I bought a pair of Prinz 10x50 binos from eBay and they came today. They are in Great condition.

However.. I can't adjust them properly due to 'double vision'. The picture can be made clear in each eye separately but not together..

I tried to Google the answer but I'm still confused. Do they need collimating as some forums suggest? Or is it my eyes? I do wear glasses to watch TV but they are mild lenses and I did try to see through the binos with them on and it didn't work at all.

So now I'm just confused and frustrated.. :(
 

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