Good inexpensive binoculars ?

[Pointer]

RSPB are chepest HD around, still not cheap but good for what you pay

 

[hughsurrey]

I am a fan of Hawke also, there is a difference in quality between them and top of the range kit, but it is far less of than the difference in price.

 

[teyhan1]

I am a fan of Hawke also, there is a difference in quality between them and top of the range kit, but it is far less of than the difference in price.

Ah come on. That's like saying a Mini cooper and a Ferrari aren't worth the difference in price. They're both cars, 4 wheels, engine, seats and they both go from A to B. It's just the Ferrari leaves you with a smile on your face when you've done it. And like a good set of binoculars will give you a good resale value.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Opticron.

 

[20-250]

Ex-military Hensoldt 8x30. They're Zeiss and I have no idea why more people don't use them. Have a look on ebay.

 

[kuwinda]

Another vote for Opticron - top of the range quality for less than top cost - I have a pair of the 7x42 Imagic roof prisms and although 5 or 6 years old and very heavily (mis)used are still very good. I have scratched the objectives through wiping with dirty gloves when getting to the "need to see" stage with a stalk but other than when pointing close to the sun they are fine - I could have them recoated = but where?

I also have a (new) pair of Swaro SLC's and am not totally convinced they are worth 2 x the money.

I have a Hawke spotting scope - rubbish.

 

[hughsurrey]

Given, the zeiss or whatever will sell for a higher percentage when you're finished with them, but the quality (for me) only shone through at the extremities of operation (very low light/ extreme distances) neither of which I need, nor am i going to pay two grand more for. And the resale value is a bit of a twist anyway: if I buy a two grand set of bins, use them for ten years and get fifteen hundred back on them, you think 'I have done well, ten years use for five hundred quid', but if I buy an eighty quid pair of Hawkes and throw them away after ten years, I have ten years use for eighty quid.

And to counter the argument of longevity I have Hawke bino's and scopes which I have had from when I started shooting and they still function as well as when I bought them.

[QUOTE\] Teyhan1;487822]Ah come on. That's like saying a Mini cooper and a Ferrari aren't worth the difference in price. They're both cars, 4 wheels, engine, seats and they both go from A to B. It's just the Ferrari leaves you with a smile on your face when you've done it. And like a good set of binoculars will give you a good resale value.[/QUOTE]

 

[Tamus]

Another vote for Opticron - top of the range quality for less than top cost - I have a pair of the 7x42 Imagic roof prisms and although 5 or 6 years old and very heavily (mis)used are still very good. I have scratched the objectives through wiping with dirty gloves when getting to the "need to see" stage with a stalk but other than when pointing close to the sun they are fine - I could have them recoated = but where?

I also have a (new) pair of Swaro SLC's and am not totally convinced they are worth 2 x the money.

I have a Hawke spotting scope - rubbish.

Shoulda bought Leicas like the rest of us.

Opticron sell some cracking glass though, I agree.

 

[caorach]

Ah come on. That's like saying a Mini cooper and a Ferrari aren't worth the difference in price. They're both cars, 4 wheels, engine, seats and they both go from A to B. It's just the Ferrari leaves you with a smile on your face when you've done it. And like a good set of binoculars will give you a good resale value.

This is an excellent comparison in my view because it highlights the problem with marketing and the like.

The truth is that when deer stalking we don't put that much stress on the optics we use and there are a lot of adequate optics out there that are more than suitable for the job. However, people get carried away with the marketing and so feel that they need something "better." The measure of better usually related to some glossy magazine advert rather than to any functional requirement. As an example I use a S&B 8X56 scope and I consider S&B glass to be about 3rd or 4th in terms of quality of the scopes I've looked through. However, although it isn't the best it is entirely adequate for what i need to do and I've never needed anything better or not taken a shot because my scope was at fault.

If all you need to do is travel from one destination to another at, or around, the legal speed limit then a mini will do the job at least as well as a Ferrari providing you focus on the substance of the problem rather than the image and marketing. In many cases the mini will also be considerably better suited to the job at hand, more reliable, better able to cope with snow, ice, rain and speed bumps and a range of other advantages and the money you save you can spend on stalking. The Ferrari will allow you to hang out in bars telling people, who will almost certainly consider that you are sad and should get a life, that you own a Ferrari.

 

[ArmedRamble]

Natureview

Bushnell have got a new version of their Natureview range, and I bought a pair of 8x42s on my travels earlier this year, Cost me £129 complete with soft case, a big spongy strap and cleaning kit.

Light gathering and depth of field is excellent, but there is one really annoying feature - the objective lens covers are little individual push-in bits of plastic that fall out if you so much as sneeze on. I contacted the UK importer and asked if they had an alternative lens cover, and they replied saying 'what are you worried about, you only need the lens covers when you put the binos back in the case'!

Bless them - so much for listening to customers. They've obviously never set foot in the coutryside by the sound of it.

Anyway, apart from the lens covers, I'd highly recommend the binos.

 

[charlieg43]

Im fairly new to stalking and having tried one of my mates sets of binos, I chose to get a pair of Minox BF 8x42 and I couldn't be happier. I have tried a few others, but frankly, as price/quality ratios go, these rank pretty highly. Clear, good in low light, durable and fairly cheap. Look on Ebay for the best deals, I picked mine up for about £120 and they were delivered the next day.

Hope this helps!

Cheers

 

[marrajack]

I have the mid range Minox glasses & find them a great bit of kit, my mate gets longer with his swaro 7x43 SLC both ends of the day, however that is only one way for me, as I would not class myself as confident to take the evening shot.
I also have a pair of Hawke in car and to be honest would be happy to go to the woods with them, that said I would buy swaro if money no object.

I did have a look at the VIKING ED pro recently, and they are awesome - still £800 though

 

[ths84]

I have a set of Bushnell's which set me back £65 incl postage and has been said above does exactly what I need to and if I leave it on the roof of the car and drive off I might swear but I won't be crying

Bushnell Powerview 10x42: Amazon.co.uk: Camera Photo Shop about as you can get them cheaper and I even convinced BaconButtie to pick up a set as he was impressed with the clarity.

 

[8x57]

"I even convinced BaconButtie to pick up a set as he was impressed with the clarity."

You were only getting your own back after he persauded you to buy that awful noisey compensator of him.

 

[baconbuttie]

You were only getting your own back after he persauded you to buy that awful noisey compensator of him.

Well, that's helped decide what rifle/muzzlebrake combo I take to the range tonight 22-250 with very short barrel should clear the cobwebs.

Although in all honesty, Tim bought his MB from TET .... nothing to do with me. Love the binos though.

 

[ths84]

"I even convinced BaconButtie to pick up a set as he was impressed with the clarity."

You were only getting your own back after he persauded you to buy that awful noisey compensator of him.

No Mike that was specially bought for your pleasure and to share the love with the others on the range