gnowellsct
Postmaster
Reged: 06/24/09
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The car binoculars
#5363689 - 08/11/12 05:55 PM
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I think I've decided to keep two pair binoculars in my car.
I always forget to pack the binos for astronomy, so the 10x50s stay in the car for astronomy. When I take a walk with my dog I like to use the 7x30 Swaros I inherited. They are much lighter and more suited for daytime viewing in any case. They are also the binoc of choice to take in to a concert.
I have a pair of 10x43s DCF SPs which is supposed to be a good all around pair but the 10x50s were just sitting there one day so I bouoght them. The 10x43 DCF SPs reside near the kitchen sink for the what-the-hell-is-going-on-in-the-yard function.
I would prefer NOT to have two pair in the car but the Swaros aren't really good for astronomy....
Greg N
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Scott Beith
SRF
Reged: 11/26/03
Loc: Frederick, MD
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: gnowellsct]
#5363710 - 08/11/12 06:07 PM
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I just keep one pair in my Jeep.
My Oberwerk 8X40 WP's are my camping/hunting/offroading binoculars.
My Steiners and my Bushnell Legend Ultra HD's stay in the house unless I am using them.
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mdowns
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/12/10
Loc: Englewood,FL
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: Scott Beith]
#5363775 - 08/11/12 06:54 PM
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I always keep a couple of pair of beaters in the truck with me.A bushnell audobon 8x32 and a barsaka 10x42.In our car I keep a couple of monos,a orion 8x32 and a very old stellar 6x30. Lots of wildlife down here so I'm often graping one for a look.
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Binojunky
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/25/10
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: mdowns]
#5363792 - 08/11/12 07:09 PM
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Considering the summer we have had, to me leaving a pair of binoculars in a vehicle is folly, its just as easy to pick a pair off the hat stand with the car keys, also thieves just love binos and the like left in cars.DA.
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mdowns
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/12/10
Loc: Englewood,FL
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: Binojunky]
#5363829 - 08/11/12 07:42 PM
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I always keep the monos in our glovebox and the truck glasses under my seat.Sorry about your luck.
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Binojunky
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/25/10
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: mdowns]
#5363951 - 08/11/12 09:29 PM
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Mine were still out of sight and got pinched just the same, the repair to the window cost twice the price of the bino, the heat levels this summer in a vehicle have been pretty grim as well,DA.
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gmazza
sage
Reged: 03/10/09
Loc: RS, Brazil, 29S 51W
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: mdowns]
#5363953 - 08/11/12 09:31 PM
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Is possible the situation in this thread is one of the few were a cheapo binocular (even in this case with a cost-benefit mindset), is the preferable choice.
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mdowns
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/12/10
Loc: Englewood,FL
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: gmazza]
#5364070 - 08/11/12 11:34 PM
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Thats certainly true for me and the ones I keep in my truck.The summer sun here in southern florida is brutal to be sure. I would never treat good pairs this way. It is amazing how long the Bushnell birders have held up without mold,let alone collimation concerns.I've used them as truck binos for 16 years I believe.The Barsakas have only been out there for a year.
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Simon S
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/07/07
Loc: Crawley West Sussex UK
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: mdowns]
#5364305 - 08/12/12 04:44 AM
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See others here
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3913601/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1/vc/1
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: gmazza]
#5364341 - 08/12/12 06:47 AM
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Quote:
Is possible the situation in this thread is one of the few were a cheapo binocular (even in this case with a cost-benefit mindset), is the preferable choice.
Cheapo binoculars are more likely to go out of collimation and more likely to suffer damage from any rough treatment. I think a decent pair is in order, nothing too fancy though. I have been carrying a pair of 8x36 Nikon Sporters in the car, it's probably been 10 years now. It gets hot here occasionally but rarely humid so the issues Michael faces with mold and such are not present for me.
It's sad that Binojunky's were stolen even though they were out of sight. But the binoculars were not targeted and probably the biggest hassle was dealing with the broken window, not replacing the binos.
Jon
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edwincjones
Close Enough
Reged: 04/10/04
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5364464 - 08/12/12 09:30 AM
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I have gone from alphas to cheap binoculars,
and currently have monoculars in my car
-more expendable
-I have an extra one
-this heat is scary this summer
just where I am today and may change tomorrow
my preference is better quality-so I can see better when I need then
edj
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gnowellsct
Postmaster
Reged: 06/24/09
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Re: The car binoculars
[Re: edwincjones]
#5364667 - 08/12/12 12:46 PM
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Well the thing is for my needs the binoculars live in the car for astronomy so that I don't forget them. I don't want a pair of beater binoculars in the field. For daytime birding I suppose I could get some Leupolds. But what I notice about the Swaros is that if I don't keep them in the car they never get used, so what's the point. The used value of the Swaros is probably around $500 (7x30, 1990s vintage). The Pentax binoculars that I own were all in the $400 to $500 range (if one looks around one can usually save $100 or more of the price at places like binoculars.com).
So thing is if I bought a cheap beater pair for the car then I would be looking through a cheap beater pair all the time.
I am fortunate however to live in an area where car break ins are practically unheard of. In fact I think car break ins plummeted when all new cars started having good stereo systems and the market for stolen radios disappeared. There are a few places (NYC and Montreal, in my experience) where a car will be broken into if something interesting is visible but generally speaking there's not as much as there used to be. However, I note that someone stole my radio antenna in Queens. (The mast of a non-automatic Corolla antenna, replacements cost $15, they just unscrew).
But I don't think there are as many break-ins as once there was. Greg N
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