Binoculars

[Swampy460]

I would like to ugrade my binoculars, i currently have a cheap set of Tasco's which are ok. But after seeing a mates pair of Silva's which have flip up covers, I would like some but they are not available anymore (at least I cant find them).
So any sugestions on a compact 8 or 10 times magnification set.

Swampy

[GPSGuided]

Lots. You can't go wrong with optics from any of the major camera manufacturers eg. Nikon, Pentax etc. They all have lots of compact models that are good for bushwalks. Try online or eBay for the best price.

[Franco]

If you can, go to a shop and look through the binos available in your price range .
Look for edge to edge sharpness and brightness.
Most cheap binos have a much brighter and sharper center than edges.
Check for double vision. (point to a sign 10-30m away and see if it remains in the same spot opening alternatively the left and right eye)
Often the porro prism design (the off set type unlike the straight tube roof prism) offer better quality at the same price with the downside of being bulkier.
There are porro prism models from Pentax/Nikon/Olympus and Bushnell around the $100 that should be much better than the typical 8x20 or 10x25 Tasco roof prism.
Avoid plain blue or bright red (ruby) coating.

[Swampy460]

Thanks Franco, agree it is better to look at and through rather than buy online (or at least window shop)

Swampy

[geoffmurray]

Do a bit of research on the Bushnell Elite Custom Compact 7x26 binoculars. They are spectacularly good for their price.
geoff

[geoffmurray]

Do a bit of research on the Bushnell Elite Custom Compact 7x26 binoculars. They are spectacularly good for their price.
geoff

[GPSGuided]

Do a bit of research on the Bushnell Elite Custom Compact 7x26 binoculars. They are spectacularly good for their price.

Well supported by sections of the birdwatcher community, they are at the same time not cheap at all. For a general purpose stuff-in-the-sack unit out of a major brand, I'd think $100-150 be plenty.

[Travis22]

Without a price range its hard to suggest a pair for you, i was going to say that i went through them all a few years ago and ended up with a pair of Leica Ultravid HD's but if GPSGuided is in the ball park with a 100-150 price range were at very different ends of the scale.

One bit of advice that applies regardless, id suggest 7 or 8 power unless you have extremely stable hands. 10x is a lot harder to hand hold for a steady image. Spend as much time as you can comparing the different brands available to you and again id strongly recommend you dont buy a pair of 10power bino's without having tried them first.

Travis.

[GPSGuided]

Agree on the 7-8x power range. A very usable range for general applications. I based the pricing point on OP's existing Tasco. $100-150 from a premium brand would be an upgrade. $250+ would be moving into the serious pro models.

[Travis22]

"$250+ would be moving into the serious pro models". So what would you call $2500-3000 range lol.

Personally id call 200-600 cheap binos, 600-1200 good cheaper binos for semi serious users on a budget and 2000 upwards pro binos.

Travis.

[icefest]

Having used several IS binocs I'd not recommend them for anywhere where weight is of concern. They're heavy and the spare batteries are too. Incredible to use though.

[GPSGuided]

"$250+ would be moving into the serious pro models". So what would you call $2500-3000 range lol.

I knew you'll come back with this, hence I've covered myself with the "+" sign earlier. I am safe.

Yeah, love those IS models. Incredible stuff!

[forest]

"$250+ would be moving into the serious pro models". So what would you call $2500-3000 range lol.

Personally id call 200-600 cheap binos, 600-1200 good cheaper binos for semi serious users on a budget and 2000 upwards pro binos.

Travis.

I'll back your call Travis as someone who owns a pair of Swaro 7x30's, Leica 10x42's and a bomber pair of Swaro 15x56's. Once you've converted to quality euro optics it's a hard move going back.
Okay so it's clear I have gear junkie issues with my optics too but that's a whole other story, lets not go there.

One model I could recommend is the Vortex Fury in 6.5x32. I purchased a pair for my brother in law a few years ago and for the price they were excellent.
I have a mate with a pair too and he's very happy with them.

[Swampy460]

Sorry, should have given a price guide , I'd like to stay bellow the $250 mark.(could be stretched a little)
I was actually looking at the bushnell's today , the trophy 8x32 look pretty good. I also had a look at the 10x42 but man they are heavy. Had to go to a gun shop as there is not a camera shop in the Illawarra , and they want to keep business in the local area !!!! Looks like I will have to travel to Sydney.

Thanks for the responses
Swampy

[forest]

If you wanted to limit the driving to shops somewhat Horsley Park Gun Shop (About 1km off the M7) has a great range of bino's in all price brackets. Could be easy to get to for you.
This is a gun shop though with global trophy heads on the shop walls. (Good or bad depending on your angle, just thought I'd mention that for the sensitive types)

[GPSGuided]

Like camera lenses, if you want really top end image quality, you will have to carry quality glass. Question is, how much IQ is sufficient for you?

[GPSGuided]

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Binoculars-Reviews

[Zone-5]

Pentax UCF 8x
An old thread revive but the title says it all...



Have had these Pentax UCF 8x mini field bino's for some years now. I chose the 8x rather than the 12 or 24 because as you increase magnification you also increase image shake dramatically! These are used at the footy and cricket and have a wider enough view so I can see the game without having to chase the players. They work best at rock concerts because they can get me almost up on stage with the artists from a safe distance without having to brave the dreaded mosh pit wrestle! For bush walking they give me great wildlife close ups and excellent distance surveying. These will open up your horizon viewing as they use the same hard ground glass optics systems as used in proprietary Pentax SLR camera telephoto lenses.

They capture a lot of light and are optically perfect with no distortions. They generate a true depth of field and are rubber coated so they can take a fair knocking around. People are often amazed at the view when they use these for the first time...



... I'm very happy with them so far and would recommend them to anyone.

approx $100 AUD

[sim1oz]

Zone-5, how much do they weigh?

[Zone-5]

Zone-5, how much do they weigh?

210 gms



http://www.pentaxwebstore.com/category/ ... binoculars

WP in the other models name stands for Water Proof.

[Zone-5]

Similar model to mine but this time submersible: Water Proof + Shock proof

[GPSGuided]

Similar too mine from decades ago until the rubber degraded and fell apart.

[phsculpture]

I've had a pair of these for years.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/9 ... rch_5.html
Good bang for buck, although I'm not sure what they retail for in Australia.
I have them around my neck whenever I'm walking, use them constantly. And not so expensive that I have to baby them.

[Franco]

For many years I posted the same advice about buying binoculars :
if possible, go into a well stocked store and look through them...

(point them at some writing in the distance and compare. Make sure they are adjusted correctly(dioptric adjustment/focus and distance between eyepieces) )
The reason is very simple :what is good/light/affordable to me is not the same for someone else.
If you can't tell the difference between a $100 and a $300 pair, get the $100 version.
If the $300 one is better to you but too heavy, well it's too heavy .
On the other hand if the $100 looks like rubbish to you , don't buy it.

[Zone-5]

The best ones are sealed & nitrogen filled. Some thing to look out for...

[n5750547]

Pentax UCF 8x
An old thread revive but the title says it all...



Have had these Pentax UCF 8x mini field bino's for some years now. I chose the 8x rather than the 12 or 24 because as you increase magnification you also increase image shake dramatically! These are used at the footy and cricket and have a wider enough view so I can see the game without having to chase the players. They work best at rock concerts because they can get me almost up on stage with the artists from a safe distance without having to brave the dreaded mosh pit wrestle! For bush walking they give me great wildlife close ups and excellent distance surveying. These will open up your horizon viewing as they use the same hard ground glass optics systems as used in proprietary Pentax SLR camera telephoto lenses.

They capture a lot of light and are optically perfect with no distortions. They generate a true depth of field and are rubber coated so they can take a fair knocking around. People are often amazed at the view when they use these for the first time...



... I'm very happy with them so far and would recommend them to anyone.

approx $100 AUD

I found these for $79 delivered so I think I might get them. It'll be my first set so hopefully they are the goods (there is a refund policy if not)

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

[walkerchris77]

Nice looking set. Would be good to get your review also when you receive them. I am also looking at getting some.

[Zone-5]

Just be aware that these above are NOT the' water proof' model!

The ones with the 'WP' on the model number are fully sealed & water proof...

Saying that, these are excellent quality optics and thus need to be looked after. I suggest getting a sealable food container for them...



... from say Coles.

[Zone-5]

...I would from experience recommend the WP model over the ones I have.



PENTAX UCF Water Proof series of binoculars
UCF WP 8x25

http://www.us.ricoh-imaging.com/sport-o ... CF_WP_8x25

Dunk them, douse them, get them wet. The PENTAX UCF WP series of binoculars aren't afraid of a little water. Featuring nitrogen-filled waterproof (JIS Class 6) construction and a unibody design, these hardy binoculars are durable enough to stand up to even the wettest weather conditions. Available in two magnifications, the PENTAX UCF WP line features high-refraction BaK4 glass prisms for superior viewing, aspherical eyepiece lens elements for edge-to-edge sharpness, and fully multi-coated optical elements for improved light transmission and decreased glare. Compact, lightweight, and durable, the PENTAX UCF WP series are the ideal choice for use on or around water.

BAK4 Porro Prisms
Fully Multicoated Optics
Angle of View: 50°
Nitrogen-Filled, Water and Fogproof
Reinforced Polycarbonate Housing
Synchronized Eyepiece Adjustment
Center Focusing
Standard 1/4"-20 Tripod Mount
Twist-Up Eyecups

Pentax's highly portable and functional 8x25 UP WP Compact Binocular employs an innovative unibody design that locks the objective lenses into the body with the eyepieces set on a synchronized dual-axis mechanism that ensures they stay symmetrical in relation to the center axis of the optic when adjusting the interpupillary distance. The 25mm objective lenses are fully multicoated to reduce reflection and maximize light transmission to produce the brightest images possible. Aspherical lens elements virtually eliminate distortion, especially around the edges, and corrects for lens astigmatism which can prevent sharp focusing.

Designed for easy carrying and stowing, the binocular features a lightweight fiberglass reinforced polycarbonate housing that is corrosion and impact resistant. The housing material is also temperature-resistant allowing for its use in extreme climates while reducing expansion and contraction wide temperature variations can cause, which can make the optical components move out of collimation over time. Its optical tubes are nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed so they can are submersible to 3.3', as well as fogproof in all weather conditions.

Optical Performance

8x magnification
25mm objective lenses
BAK4 porro-prism optical design
Aspherical lens elements reduce distortion at the edges and corrects for lens astigmatism which can prevent sharp focusing
Anti-reflection fully multicoated optics
325.5' field of view at 1000 yards
50° angle of view

Use and Handling

Dual-axis synchronized eyepiece adjustment ensures symmetrical placement when changing interpupillary distances
Knurled center focus wheel
Twist-up eyecups for use with or without eye wear
15mm eye relief, 3.1mm exit pupil
Standard 1/4"-20 tripod mount

Construction Details

Lightweight fiberglass reinforced polycarbonate housing
Housing is corrosion, temperature and impact-resistant
Nitrogen-filled for fogproof performance, submersible to 3.3' (1m)
Rubberized armoring protects against impacts and provides slip-resistant grip
Inner focusing mechanism provides smooth focus while preserving waterproof seals

$119 AUD
http://www.leedervillecameras.com.au/pr ... +Binocular

[GPSGuided]

You can't be serious about getting kitchen containers for a binoculars, or are you? The bulk!How about a zip log bag or similar? More than rough unless you are expecting regular dunking.