111 replies to this topic

[DarkDisplay]

This would include a wide variety of uses such as casual astronomy, birding, plane spotting, nature, surveillance and so on. Naturally, a smaller bino would be more convenient but not necessarily a must. I personally think a 10x42 roof might be just right. Not too big and with pretty good magnification. Of course, there are others that could be considered “multi-purpose”. A bino you grab for just about anything would be.....

Best wishes,
Frank

[B 26354]

My 15x60 Docter Nobilems. I keep them un-cased and in a closed desk/cabinet... so they're ready at a moment's notice. Jets and helicopters flying overhead; hawks in the air and roadrunners on the ground; ISS flyovers; sunspot checks; wide-field deep-sky cruising... and everything in between.

 

[TOMDEY]

Well... if it's gota be just one bino... that would mean medium power, medium aperture, and highest possible quality... that would be my Zeiss Dialyt 7x42 B TP **. The image quality, comfort, ruggedness, and ergonomics are all superlative. I've got a few smaller and a few larger binos... but the best toss in the car are the 7x42s.    Tom

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[HansD]

I use Pentax 7x50 and Celestron 20x80 binocs for astronomy, both porro prism design, and my compact on-the-go binoculars are Leica 10x25 roof prism binocs.

 

But without a doubt if it comes to choosing one pair for everything, it’s my Leica 8x42 Ultravid HD. Bright, contrasty, light and as sharp as can be. No color fringing even in the most severe applications.

 

Hans

[Napp]

My 10x50 Nikon Aculon's

[Mark9473]

For me it's my Zeiss 10x42. It does everything well including close focus. For daytime use only, I could be happy with 7x35 or 8x32, but in astronomy, well, things are small and far away.

[sg6]

Bushnell Natureview 8x42's, roof prism.

Nothing expensive but they perform well, very well.

 

Still love the fact that they have the cheapest "nastiest" objective covers ever made. Which was reflected in just about everyones review of them, which all went along the lines of "Brilliant optics (for the cost), awful objective covers"

[Ant1]

Hi,

 

For me multipurpose is 8x30, then go for the best quality you can afford.

 

Regards

Ant1

[Stefano Delmonte]

Helios 15x70, maybe not as light as the Bresser 10x50 I've too, but I prefer enlargment vs field of view.

 

By the way the Helios have less ER than the classic Celestron 15x70 but they give a darker and more contrasted background sky.

 

Ste

[j.gardavsky]

I agree with the post as above.

 

Most of my binoculars, I am keeping at the moment, are those all purpose,

 

https://www.cloudyni...all-binoculars/

 

Leica Ultravid 7x42, Swaro 8.5x42 EL Swarovision, Docter Nobilem 7x50, Docter Nobilem 8x56, Docter Nobilem 15x60.

No one is redundant, each of them excels in its own way.

 

Best,

JG

[Tony Flanders]

I use my image-stabilized 10x30s more than all my other binoculars combined. Great both night and day.

 

Of those three statistics, the "image-stabilized" is more important than the 10x or the 30 mm.

[Alex65]

I've had several binoculars but the ones that I use most often, for hiking, bird watching, star gazing and day to day viewing, are my Tasco 8X30s (Model 308).

 

They were made in Japan back in the 1970s and the optics are still crystal clear. I can also use them for extended periods without causing straining as they are lightweights, which makes observing so much more enjoyable for me.

[Second Time Around]

Like Tony I use my image-stabilised binoculars more than anything, although I'm down to just 3 pairs at the moment.  This is a direct result of buying the image-stabilised ones. 

 

In my case it's the 12x36 model.  Most of my viewing is long distance so the extra magnification is very useful.  It also shows me more detail at night, although the field of view is smaller.  However the 5 degree FOV is flat to the edge.  If I want wide field I use night vision.

[jazzsalsadrummer]

Nikon PROSTAFF 3  8X42

[ArsMachina]

My Canon 15x50 IS

[*skyguy*]

It's a little hard to pick out just one "favorite" multi-purpose binocular ... but here goes:

 

1.) Canon 8x25is image-stabilized bins:

 

Daytime: light-weight, compact, wide-field for "is" bins (6.5º), nice optics, image stabilization

 

Nighttime: Surprisingly good at picking out open clusters against the Milky Way background

 

2,)  Vixen Ascot 10x50 Superwide Binoculars:

 

Daytime: Superwide FOV (8.5º), nice optics, compact, lightweight, internal focusing mechanism

 

Nightime: Superwide FOV (8.5º), nice optics, compact, lightweight, internal focusing mechanism

[michael1959]

Swarovski 8x32EL. Light. Comfortable. Excellent optics for day and night. 

 

If I still had them, I might put the Zeiss 7x42B Dialyt Classic ahead of the Swarovski. They are outstanding in many ways.

 

I find 10x too jittery for general purpose . . . but that might be a personal weakness.   

Edited by michael1959, 25 November 2020 - 09:37 AM.

[Jon Isaacs]

Favorite all around binocular:

 

For me it would be 10x50s, currently they're a pair of Japanese Orion UltraViews.  I like the 6.5 degree field of view, I can hand hold them pretty easily and in my hands they are quite steady.  They're reasonably sharp across the field of view.  Enough close focus for birding, enough aperture for star gazing.  

 

I am not seeing 15x70 binoculars as suitable for going on a hike and checking out the wild life...

 

Jon

[B 26354]

I am not seeing 15x70 binoculars as suitable for going on a hike and checking out the wild life...

Definitely not!    

 

But while I've never taken my 15x60s on any backpacking excursions (I'm not that crazy)... on all-day hikes deep in the High Sierra back-country, where the chances of spotting black bear or bighorn sheep are good -- or osprey / bald eagles at the mid-sized high-country lakes -- it's always been worth having the 15x60s in my day-pack.

 

Same with the local mountains here in SoCal. Bobcats and coyotes are everywhere, and views of them at 15X are just so much better than at 10.  

[Erik Bakker]

Good question.

 

For allround use, 8x works better for me than 10x to hold still, though on the night sky it brings more detail and sees a bit deeper.

 

For day and night use, 40-42mm are a good compromise.

 

For mostly daytime use including walking in the mountains, the nod goes to 30-32mm.

 

But all of these in a good quality instrument are a joy to use.

[edwincjones]

zeiss FL 8x32

 

edj

[Milos1977]

Nikon Monarch HG 10x42, best for day and night nature/hiking, astronomy, and even staring at my wife's fish aquariums from 15 feet away while sitting in the sofa :-) 

Edited by Milos1977, 25 November 2020 - 01:12 PM.

[Binojunky]

Swift Audubon 8.5x44 ED does most jobs for me, though I do have a soft spot for a Nikon Action Extreme in the 7x35 size, cost a lot less as well, Dave.

[gwlee]

I find a high quality 8x42 roof is a good compromise for day/night use, especially for a traveler that doesn’t want lug two instruments around. 

[KennyJ]

My 10x42 Nikon SE does many things well enough.

 

Whilst not rated as highly these days as it was 20 years ago, neither am I, so it's good enough for me!

 

Kenny