81 replies to this topic

[Rich N]

Usually zoom binoculars don't perform very well. Some of those look pretty big and bulky. Not something that's much fun to lug around an a day hike.

One question, do you need to wear eye glasses when you look through a binocular?

It is hard to go wrong with a good 8x42 roof prism binocular. You could pick one up in the U.S. An Orion 8x42 Savannah roof prism binocular should be fine. If you wanted to get a high end (expensive) binocular a nice Leica Ultravid or Zeiss FL 8x42 or 10x42 would be very nice.

All the best,
Rich

[Pinewood]

Steve,

1. A big question. The difference is the arrangement of the prisms. There are two or three different types of roof glasses. The most common is the Schmidt-Pechan and the other is Abbe-Koenig type, used in some Zeiss binoculars. Porro prism binoculars look like an "M," while roof glasses look like two straight tubes. The roof glasses cut down weight and size but cost rather more. They lend themselves to being made truly waterproof and shock resistanct. The roof prism binocular will generally have a narrower field of view but a first class, read expensive, roof prism binocular can be just as good as a Porro glass.
2. All portable binoculars are of the refracting type.
3. In general yes. Leica Duovids and some others with a small zooming range are enjoyed by some. Most have a narrow field of view.
4. Magnification x diameter, in millimeters of the front objective. From those specifications, others like exit pupil, relative brightness, and twilight factor may be deduced.
I have bought binoculars on ebay, even from the UK, but I no longer do so. Too many of the used ones, required some work, usually involving collimation, the alignment of the images to produce a single view, which is not cheap, when done properly.
I will take a clearly minority view that even a ten power binocular cannot be held steadily.
A good binocular for your U.S. trip may not be the best for astronomical observing. For astronomy, the bigger the objectives the better, but any binocular with a 50 mm. objective is going to be bulky.
You may want to buy in the U.S. In the States, local sales taxes are added to the posted price. The rate in New York City is 8.625% What is your first stop? There are good camera shops in New York, and Chicago , and sporting goods vendors all over the country. Many have web sites.
I have probably generated far more questions for you. Please note, I have recommended neither any model nor have I recommened any vendor.
Clear skies,
Arthur

[KennyJ]

Steve ,

I wish we had the time to have a chat for about THREE WEEKS !

Alas we haven't.

I wish I knew how much you were seriously willing to spend.

Basically , my advice for YOU at THIS point in time :

1. DON'T BUY FROM E -BAY

2. Don't expect to find a VERY GOOD binocular for much less than at least £250 UK minimum.

3. Don't expect to get ONE binocular that will be perfect for EVERY different type of use.

4. For a basic " starter " bino that will not be too big to carry around , which has good optics and will WOW you for around £250 -- consider a Canon 10 x 30 Image Stabilised model. It uses batteries , so get a few spare ones too.

5. If you have NOT that much to spend , consider either a Nikon Sporter 8 x 36 ( £99 from www.warehouseexpress.com )
or a Swift Ultralite 8 x 42 ( will check prices and UK availability for you as soon as I've finished this post )

6. Concentrate on an ASTRO - SPECIFIC bino AFTER your honeymoon ( most of them are too expensive or too bulky for you right now )

7. If you wear glasses -- let us know ASAP and look for a model which has generous EYE RELIEF ( at least 15mm )

8.. If you POSSIBLY can -- TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.

Oh -- and have a GREAT WEDDING and honeymoon ( both are which are far more important than a new binocular )

Regards , Kenny

[KennyJ]

Steve ,

8x42 Ultra Lite - reduced
All Ultra-Lite binoculars feature lightweight bodies (21 oz.), BAK-4 prisms. Rubber coating, low interpupillary adjustment of 51 mm allowing virtually anyone to use them, padded cordura cases, wide woven cloth neckstraps, and our Lifetime Warranty. Both the 761 and the 762 Ultralite glasses have received the "Best Buy" designation from Better View Desired.

• Rubber armoured
• Magnification : 8x
• Dia : 42mm
• Weight : 620g
• Type : Porro prism
• Field of view : 115m @ 1000m
• Closest focus : 5.0m
• Eye relief : 22mm
RRP now
104-842
Ultra-Lite 8x42 NOW ON OFFER - £125

THIS is also at WAREHOUSEEXPRESS.com

Kenny

[KennyJ]

Steve ,

I'm sure you COULD get yoruself some VERY good binos at a place " somewhere in New York City " for $500 US.

You New Yorkers out there -- how much are Nikon SEs there ?

Steve ,

PLEASE remember that for practically ANY bino above 10x magnification , you need either image stabilisation technology OR a GOOD TRIPOD and GOOD HEAD ( which together might cost half the price of a VERY good bino )

Tripods and heads and GIANT binos are NOT recommended for international travel , and especially during a HONEYMOON for Cantona's sake ! :-)

I would seriously consider the Canon 10 x 30 IS

Or perhaps a Canon 12 x 36 IS mark 2 in the US ? ( price ? )

You will always use them later , for all kinds of uses , even if you buy 6 telescopes and a 150mm Fujinon !

Kenny

[KennyJ]

By the way Steve , I must GO now -- I have things to attend to.

Hope I've helped.

P.S -- Welcome to Cloudy Nights !

Kenny

[EdZ]

Kenny and others,

you all certainly have given good advice.

edz

[Erik D]

Steve,

Welcome to CN. Other regulars on this forum have given you excellent info. I will add this:

1. Since you are arriving NYC on 31 Aug you might consider selecting one or two models from a NYC retailer web page and pick up when you arrive.

Friend KJ has been Lamenting the high cost of optics in the UK for sometime. A year or two ago we were comparing prices of either the Nikon 12X50 SE or the Fuji 16X70 in the UK and USA. I think the cost difference was such KJ could easily consider purchasing a discount air tickett to NYC, purchsed the bino here and spend the weekend and still save money. You may want to consider shopping here:

http://www.adorama.c...cat2=Binoculars

or Here when you arrive:

http://focuscamera.com/sc/res.asp

both carry several hundred models. Just make sure the model you are interested is in stock. NYC camera retailer usually close for the Sabbath on Friday afternoon and Saturday but are open on Sundays.

2. The Pentax PCF WP and Nikon Action Extreme 10X50s are consider top picks as good beginner astro binos. Both are porro prisms. I take 3-4 overseas trip each year with binoculars. Since all of my business trips take me to urban locations I prefer something more compact. I think 8/10X42 roof prism binos make excellent all around travel binos. I have a pair of Leupold Windriver Olympic 12X50 Roof Prism as my high power travel bino. Some people feel 12X is too high power for handholding. Try a pair before you buy....

The Canon 12X36 IS II is worth considering too if you are thinking Image Stablized binos. It's US$ 499.95 plus 8.25% sales tax if you buy in NYC.

Erik D

[Joad]

"PLEASE remember that for practically ANY bino above 10x magnification , you need either image stabilisation technology OR a GOOD TRIPOD and GOOD HEAD ( which together might cost half the price of a VERY good bino )."

Welcome to CN, and *just in case* Kenny's recommendation that you will need a good head puts you in mind of a brain transplant, he's referring (I think ) to the device that will attach your binocular to the tripod. On the other hand, if I could find a good head (better brain, better looking than the one I came equipped with), for only half the price of a very good bino, I'd buy it.

Oh yes, some of us like to kid around a bit on Cloudy Nights. Don't mind us.

[Erik D]

I emailed my brother(he has been living in NYC since1986) after posting a recommendation to purchase in NYC above. He told me NYC sales tax rate was raised to 8.375% in June 2005....

My friend loaned me his Canon 10X30 IS for serveral weeks a few years ago. The optics are very sharp and the size is compact. However, I am quite comfortable holding 10X42 and 12X50 binos so a 15X50 or 18X50 IS make more sense if I am going with IS binos. Each person is different.

I recommend going to a retail store and try holding 8X32, 8X42 and 10X50 binos to see which one you prefer. Also think about how you'd feel carrying that bino in you backpack with book, travel kit, snacks on a 24 hour international flight connecting thru 4 different airports, carrying one around your neck on a two hour hike, etc....There is no "best" bino for every application. That's why I have a dozen+. ;-))

Erik D

[KennyJ]

I've just been checking out the prices for Nikon Superior E binos at the New York retailers Erik mentioned and at the UK based www.warehouseexpress.com

The 10 x 42 SE is $799 US plus the 8.3% state tax.at both of the NY shops.

From Warehouse in the UK the same model is £479UK inclusive , with the 12 x 50 SE now also available at £499

I'm not sure of today's pound to dollar exchange figure , but when one considers having to find and travel to the NY store etc. , on the face of it , not THAT much difference there !

Kenny

[aporigine]

Hi Steve
Allow me to offer a bit of a dissenting opinion. (Please note: the following is my subjective wisdom. Your mileage may vary!) I use 10x70 binoculars for stargazing and all'round day duty. They're Fujinons that I ordered from Oberwerk. Set me back less than $600 shipped. In my personal, subjective opinion - these are lightweight, easy to hand-hold well with a few nights' practice, and the 70mm optics give me the light grasp I want. While smaller objective sizes are more portable - if you intend to use these at night a lot, the light grasp (and the top-shelf optics of the Foojes) is a major feature. Maaajor.
And the 10x70s fit my definition of "packable" in terms of size and durability. If you're road tripping, they'll be nice to have on the dashboard ... for the passenger, of course...
Using such binos to explore the night sky is just about as much fun as I can have with my clothes on. (Append honeymoon humor HERE)
One other bit of Free Advice while I'm on a roll.
Do try to plan your stay in Yosemite when there's not much moon. The skies from Yo Valley are astoundingly dark if the weather plays nice. Of course, in California we reserve the term "weather" for the anomalies!

I am two hours from Yosemite. If ya'd like to meet me and my 20x100s, I'm sure that can be arranged for a remarkably modest fee ...

The Fujis are porro prism binos. I have no real experience with roof prism designs. Please apply appropriate Poster Ignorance Corrector.

[KennyJ]

Aporogine ,

I have no doubt that Fujinon 10 x 70 FMT SX is a truly GREAT bino.

Runnin the risk of sounding contrary , jaded , cynical , and even non - helpful to a " newbie " , I have one or two reservations about recommending this model as a first purchase for a buyer who only 3 hours ago had to ask questions such as " what the numbers mean " and what was meant by Porro and Roof prisms etc etc etc.

I could be wrong , but I'm not sure that Steve or anyone else new to the hobby would expect ( or be overly delighted about ) a hand -held binocular having a weight of close to FIVE POUNDS !

Also , although a 7mm exit -pupil bino might be pure bliss in the darker areas on the US for a couple of weeks stay ,I cannot imagine it being necessary in the suburbs of light - polluted Cheshire for the remaining few thousand weeks of the man's life !

Make no mistake , I LOVE larger exit -pupil binos myself , my two current favourites having 6mm and 7mm respectively , and I would LOVE to own a Fujinon 10 x 70 FMT SX , probably more so than the 16 x 70 ( due to eye relief )-- and I know that our friend Steve could do MUCH MUCH worse than get himself one of these for " less than $600 shipped "

In some respects , for some people , that COULD be THE best bargain currently available in astro - binos .

But if I DID find myself with one , it would sure as anything be mounted on my Manfrotto tripod and 501 Bogen head before I could say " Jack Robinson ".

Still , variety is the spice of life , and I am thrilled that a newbie has received such a lot of help and suggestions from so many caring members.

Regards , Kenny

[KennyJ]

Just to clarify that I have still NEVER actually looked through ANY Fujinon binocular - period.

I am making " eye - relief " comments based on several specification lists I've seen which list the 10 x 70 FMT SX has having 23mm of eye -relief ( same as the 7 x 50 )

The 16 x 70 is now stated from at least one source to have only 12.4mm eye -relief , which would be too short for me and MY glasses.

Surprisingly , there is no mention of this by EdZ in his CN mini -review 10 x 70 v 16 x 70 comparo ( in which the two models are described as being " almost the same " apart from exit - pupil and magnification.

Ed's is , also surprisingly , the ONLY representation of this model in the CN review section.

Kenny