Any such thing as decent Binoculars for £150 or less

R. Macleod & Son - The Best Hunting Companion
I have bushell waterproof 10x42 that I payed $190AUD a few years ago, I don't have a problem with the quality for the money, I can see pretty good at last light over a reasonable distance 1-1.5klms
That said, I havnt had any experience with $600+ bino's
i do recommend a good harness to go with whatever you purchase, nothing worse than a sore neck from an hours walk!
Wes.
 
Very interesting debate and one which I think we can all relate to. How much to splash out, how long to save, to buy once and buy wisely ec etc etc. very tricky. For what it's worth, my tuppence worth goes along the lines of buy once, buy wisely. ie better to save and wait rather than rush in and regret. in life one generally gets what one pays for. This advice is free........
 
TheCornishman said:
Hey primer

In a similar boat to you & just curious as to what you did in the end?

I'm toying with the minox & Diamondbacks myself

cheers
Click to expand...

I've stuck with the 8x42 Hawkes I have at the moment as I couldn't really see much different with the Vortex but I got an email from Sportsman yesterday and they now have some Minox 8x42 & 10x42 in their new year sale down to around £120-130 so may have a look at them tomorrow if any left.
 
The old Zeus jennoptems can be had second hand for approx £80 -£100 ish
they are heavier than the current top end kit and might not be quite so good at last light but should still be streets ahead of the budget end stuff
 
urx said:
The old Zeus jennoptems can be had second hand for approx £80 -£100 ish
they are heavier than the current top end kit and might not be quite so good at last light but should still be streets ahead of the budget end stuff
Click to expand...

+1 - also keep an eye on eBay for Zeiss Jena Notarem 10x40's or 8x32's. They can often be picked up for within your budget price and will give years of good service.
 
urx said:
The old Zeus jennoptems can be had second hand for approx £80 -£100 ish
they are heavier than the current top end kit and might not be quite so good at last light but should still be streets ahead of the budget end stuff
Click to expand...
Quality of lenses aside I would suggest staying well clear of them as their weakness is the ease by which prism misalignment occurs. I speak from experience and got rid of mine after the 3rd repair to hold them in place let go again.

K
 
I'd give Nikon's a look as well.
There are some Prostaff's on Amazon for £150 down from £250. At that price they are worth ordering and if you don't like them send them back....
 
Some good advice here, and plenty for you to consider! My humble advice to you, as echoed above, would be, don't be blinded by the brand name necessarily, but TRY THEM! What suits other may not suit you.
incidentally, to my mind this is the optimum time of year to buy binoculars. The light is dim, and it's dark around the time that most shops are closing, so go to a shop towards closing time, with your current pair as a comparison, and try a few, looking at objects near and far, as the light dims. Pay attention to how they fit your face too, this is important (at least it is to me, but I do have a face only a mother could love....) You may be surprised what suits you best, and what you finish up with.
 
http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/product/794e09f406e1a28663081506/Minox+BV+8x42+Flash+Camo/

Not exactly the best looking binos depending on your preference, but have tried these and they are really good. especially for under £100!

If you can stretch your budget id get steiner, i have the 10x42's and they are absolutely amazing, on sale for £350 but could get them cheaper s/h or clearance stock- compare with zeiss etc that i have tried in real life scenarios not just shops etc!

ATB,

Mitch
 
urx said:
The old Zeus jennoptems can be had second hand for approx £80 -£100 ish
they are heavier than the current top end kit and might not be quite so good at last light but should still be streets ahead of the budget end stuff
Click to expand...

Had mine now about 7 years paid £40 at an auction yes a bit heavy(10x50's) but they have been excellent bins and very good glass
 
Nobody has mentioned Opticron Bino's. Plenty fall into your price range and I have used them for over twenty years. Great binos which punch well above their weight in terms of light gathering capability and ease of use. Always good bargains on "the bay". I picked up a second pair of 10 x 50 BGA roof prizms for £120 about a year ago. They were £480 new when I bought my first pair over 15 years ago.
 
Celestron Trailseeker 8x42 Binoculars £180 and won a few awards ,purchased these a few weeks ago ,and must say am well impressed, so is my mate and he has an £800 pair of swaros ,really cant see the £620 difference .maybe in lowlight .
 
geordieh said:
Had mine now about 7 years paid £40 at an auction yes a bit heavy(10x50's) but they have been excellent bins and very good glass
Click to expand...
I got a pair of zeiss jenoptems on ebay for a £45 had them serviced and they are genuine DDR ones 7x50 and cant fault them, i had a look at all the budget end binoculars and theres no comparison the zeiss are far better and most zeiss optics are good kit
 
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