Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 Darren B super member Reged: 05/02/05 Posts: 174 Loc: Poole, Dorset UK Which one?       #2423202 - 05/27/08 06:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have decided to buy a pair of marine 7x50 binoculars and I am stuck between two pairs. 1st pair - William Optics, these are well known and have a good reputation. The 2nd pair are the Opticron Marine Pro. web page. These are made in Japan and guaranteed for 30 years. Both these binoculars cost the same. I have product from both companies and I am equally impressed by both. -------------------- Darren WO ZS80FD 10th AV with Vixen Porta Mount Skywatcher Equinox 66ED William Optics 7x50 Post Extras:       KennyJ Reged: 04/27/03 Posts: 10029 Loc: Lancashire UK Re: Which one? [Re: Darren B]       #2424018 - 05/28/08 03:31 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Darren , To my knowledge , hardly anyone , if anyone at all , in the USA , has any hands - on experience with Opticron - badged products , as in the USA , the products bearing their logo in the UK probably have different names , if they exist at all over there . Neither am I aware of many , if any , UK residents owning the Williams Optics 7 x 50 Marine -- so I would be surprised if you receive many responses from people who have literally tried both of the models you are considering . Unfortunately , I can't get the individual product pages of the Sherwoods' web site to download right now , so cannot even view the specs. If I were you , presuming you are happy to pay the price , I would simply take a chance on one or the other , whichever is easiest to obtain and return , if necessary . Whichever one you decide upon , I will be surprised if you are not very pleased with it . I have a 7 x 50 Japanese - made Marine binocular , with Individual Focus , in the form of a Helmsman , which came from Bill Cook's Captain's Nautical in the USA . It is a real pleasure to use -- surprisingly good for the price ( £130 in UK money ) . In fact , in spite of it's 7.2 degree TFOV , for star gazing , I prefer it to the legendary Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT , with it's 8.6 degree TFOV . ! Good luck Kenny -------------------- Two eyes and a preference to use both Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50 Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50 Helios 15 x 70 Observation Strathspey 20 x 90 Televue 76 APO Zeiss 85 Diascope Helios 102 f5 refractor Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc. Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera Post Extras:       SkyG member Reged: 09/04/07 Posts: 34 Loc: London Re: Which one? [Re: KennyJ]       #2424051 - 05/28/08 05:19 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi there, have you tried calling Opticron for some advice about their binocular? I have always found them to be really helpful and surprisingly impartial when discussing the astronomical abilities of their binoculars. Ps I don’t work for them or have anything to do with them and ended up buying miyauchi exceeds. -------------------- WO ZD66, Miyauchi Exceeds, besser 10x50, WW2 RAL 7x50s, ZEISS 10X50W Jenoptem Post Extras:       Darren B super member Reged: 05/02/05 Posts: 174 Loc: Poole, Dorset UK Re: Which one? [Re: SkyG]       #2425088 - 05/28/08 04:38 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Here are some more details from the Opticron Website. The captain Helmsman looks similar to one of the Models on this page. -------------------- Darren WO ZS80FD 10th AV with Vixen Porta Mount Skywatcher Equinox 66ED William Optics 7x50 Post Extras:       KennyJ Reged: 04/27/03 Posts: 10029 Loc: Lancashire UK Re: Which one? [Re: Darren B]       #2426119 - 05/29/08 07:03 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Darren , Your latest link above does not work or me , but since I last posted , I manged to get the original pages from Sherwood's web site to download . Indeed , one of them certainly LOOKS LIKE the Helmsman , and for all I know , could be one and the same , although the Helmsman does have a built in tripod adaptor and attached objective lens caps , and I'm not sure about those features on the Opticrons . Kenny -------------------- Two eyes and a preference to use both Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50 Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50 Helios 15 x 70 Observation Strathspey 20 x 90 Televue 76 APO Zeiss 85 Diascope Helios 102 f5 refractor Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc. Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 13 registered and 21 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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