£600 ish binos

J111

Well-Known Member
Hi guys I'm in the market for a decent set of binos a my redfields have just packe up. I think one of the prisms has come loose or something as its gone blurt and makes you go cross eyed.

i can't really decide what price point to go in at - I could afford top brand if thought it was worth it but I've been looking at Kahles, meopta, docter in 8 x 42 and wondering if anyone has any thoughts on which are better? Also in mostly using them in woods with some open field and a trip to the highlands booked this winter. Should I get 7 x 42 maybe?
 
my advice wouldbe look for a 2nd hand pair of swarovski 8.5x42 els. the back up service they give is second to none
 
id have jimbo1984 ziess bgat s in classified s in a heartbeat 10x40 if I didn't have a pair of swaros and kahles already
 
If you are insistent on new, then you really won't go wrong with Kahles. That said, having a secondhand pair of Swaovskis is like having a new pair, given their customer service.
 
I was very impressed with the tiny little Leica's on the stand at Diggle this last couple of days, not aware of the price for them but they were bloody good for their size.
 
minox really do take some beating for the price of them and they are going to come in a lot cheaper than your budget, if your local to me i will gladly meet you somwhere for you to have a look through mine
 
minox really do take some beating for the price of them and they are going to come in a lot cheaper than your budget, if your local to me i will gladly meet you somwhere for you to have a look through mine
Minox are without doubt good value but they don't compete with the big 3. The view appears to be very flat meaning that you have to be constantly focusing to get a clear image.
If I had £600 I would spend £600 on a second hand set of Swaro, Leica, or Zeiss before I looked further!
 
The view appears to be very flat meaning that you have to be constantly focusing to get a clear image.

That is intriguing. I always thought it meant exactly the opposite. "Flat" equating to everything being in focus, often marketed as a positive thing.

I think having a fairly shallow depth of field is quite a useful thing when you are trying to pick an object out of its surroundings. Therefore having to focus constantly can be a good thing. Having the foreground and background slightly less sharp means the animal may jump clear visually of the background.

But then I also like the enhanced 3D effect and ergonomics of the wider spaced objective lens Porro prism binoculars for the same reason.

Alan
 
Maybe I'm using the wrong words Alantoo? However, constantly needing to re-focus is never a good thing IMO as most of the view appears out of focus most of the time which to me is hard work. Others may dis-agree and I guess that it's personal preference really? I certainly wouldn't swap my Leica's for Minox but I would have a pair of Minox as a back up pair if I had the spare cash!
 
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Isn't this a reference to depth of field, which is linked to magnification and aperture?
Not really. I have compared my set of 7x42 Leicas and 7x42 Minox owned by a fellow stalker. Very different when it comes to focusing. The Minox aren't far behind in poor light conditions though which can't be said about the set of Bushnells that he owned previously which were 20 mins + behind at first and last light!
 
I've a couple of sets of Leica and Zeiss should you wish to PM. They include :-

LEICA ULTRAVID 8x42 x 2
LEICA ULTRAVID 10x42
ZEISS VICTORY 10X42 T*FL
 
Maybe I'm using the wrong words Alantoo? However, constantly needing to re-focus is never a good thing IMO as most of the view appears out of focus most of the time which to me is hard work. Others may dis-agree and I guess that it's personal preference really? I certainly wouldn't swap my Leica's for Minox but I would have a pair of Minox as a back up pair if I had the spare cash!

Sorry... I was trying to express my confusion rather than pontificating from any knowledgeable position. I may well have misunderstood use of the word "flat" in the blurb when I read it, I think it was in a Swarovski ad., but maybe it was somebody just describing their Swaros.

Of course I am not advocating blurry images are good, but I really like being able to look through woodland and get a real impression of the various layers of distance, in order to sweep through each one in turn if you see what I mean. Or looking across at a hedge and being able to focus specifically on the metre or so in front of it. But viewing is all subjective/personal opinions as you say.

I think like many of these threads, the best advice for the OP is not brand, spec. or price specific...but that he should go to a good dealer and look through as many pairs as he can to find what suits his eyes and handling comfort (and hopefully his pocket!). Much better than buying what somebody else on the internet finds good.

I have just noticed the OP is in Wiltshire...depends where in that county but there is a very good optics shop in Dursley which has a good Website, claims on-line prices and is not far away from Wiltshire. Clifton Cameras (they moved from Bristol)

Alan
 
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I have Zeiss conquest HD binos bought on offer from Uttings for similar money. Great glass and not massive difference to my swaro el rangies
 
Look at it this way, if you spend 50,000 quid you can get a secondhand low kilometre Bentley or a brand new top of the wozza Vauxhall. Which is the better built car?
You can get a secondhand Bentley of binos, Swaro or Leica for the money you have.
 
You'll get a set of mint condition secondhand Swarovski 7x42 SLC's for between £500-£600. You won't lose on them if you decide to change. I am still using mine from 20+ years ago albeit they have had a refurb. I still have the receipt. £530 from Sportsman Gun Centre way back then!
 
Minox are without doubt good value but they don't compete with the big 3. The view appears to be very flat meaning that you have to be constantly focusing to get a clear image.
If I had £600 I would spend £600 on a second hand set of Swaro, Leica, or Zeiss before I looked further!

i had a pair of swaro 10x50 slc's which i sold when i got the minox's im very fussy with my optics and have always gone for the big 3 but in hand on heart can not tell the differnce in image quality from the minox to the sworos and when they were side by side i could see absolutly no differnce in light gathering either, this is on the bv model tho which is slightly more exspensive than the br models which are commonly seen for sale. I take onboard what you are saying about the adjustment being very fine on them tho they do not have a really deep range that is in focus but this was somthing i very quickly learnt to deal with
 
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