Binoculars for a new stalker - any help please
- Thread starter Frekie
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caorach
Well-Known Member
If you are stalking in woodland, and I'm sure you already know this, you will spend a lot of hours in a stalking day using your binos so that is as good a reason as any to go with the best quality you can reasonably afford. I use a pair of Minox HGs myself and at the time I paid £400 for them though I think they are a lot more expensive than that now. I've looked through others costing a lot more cash but I'm not considering changing my Minox and am very happy with them. If you have infinite funds then I would suggest you buy Swaro first time around as you will always feel that you should have a pair and there is no question that they set the standard, especially for customer service. Also don't ignore the possibility of buying second hand, MacLeods of Tain get a very good reputation and often have second hand stock.
Monkey Spanker
Well-Known Member
You won't go far wrong with Minox, but have a look at older swaro's or some Leica Trinovids which you will pick up for about 400 quid secondhand.
You didn't mention magnification, but if woodland stalking, don't go above 7x or 8x mag, and if stalking fallow you will need a pair which are good in low light so you'll need an objective of 42 or more. However, 8 x 56 can be quite heavy, so I'd personally go for something VERY close to 7 x 42.
Zeiss did a model called BGAT which are great binos but still fetch a very good price too sadly!
MS
You didn't mention magnification, but if woodland stalking, don't go above 7x or 8x mag, and if stalking fallow you will need a pair which are good in low light so you'll need an objective of 42 or more. However, 8 x 56 can be quite heavy, so I'd personally go for something VERY close to 7 x 42.
Zeiss did a model called BGAT which are great binos but still fetch a very good price too sadly!
MS
I use Minox HGs, but they are quite expensive now so might be a bit of a push for you if you are just starting. I would suggest you look at Bushnell legends 10x42s ....try and get the older model if you can. They are cracking binos for the money, very clear and bright , was looking at a Roe buck at the end of my garden this eve with my girlfriends Bushnell 10 x 42s infact and had to chuckle at how good they were ...having just bought the Minox HGs. I know guys with Swaros who have used the Bushnells and were gobsmacked at how good they are, I think that speaks volumes, yeah they are not Swaros but like I say superb for the money. I even bought my dad a pair last month for his 70th....think they were £209 for the old model...took some searching though...pop into PC World or Currys as they have the new version
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I recently got a deal on some swaro's but I was very impressed with the bushnells, I think 10x will be too much for woodland, I've just replaced my 10x50 bressers as in woodland the mag made me feel seasick, on 8x42 now. I have to say for £80 the bressers did me well for 2 years.
roedeerred
Well-Known Member
Piece of advice given to me long time ago pick a dull rainy day to go look for some as you will be stood in a shop on a good day to test light gathering.Bright sunny days everthing looks good.
I went to Swillington SS in the autumn to look at their bino selection. I had similar criteria to you ; value, as good as I could afford. I went right on the edge of darkness and tried leopold, bushnell, Steiner, Kahles.
The Kahles won hands down in the dying moments of light and the 8x42's have good field of view, excellent build quality and clarity from edge to edge. The Steiner had build quality issues - I was on the look out for them though following a previous viewing in another retailer. The bushnell were ok, clear and apparent value for money however they did not feel as good inthe hand and failed as darkness developed. The Leopold were fine. just fine, not a lot to write up or put down.
I have seen the Kahles on offer in a number of places (can't quite remember what price they were but £550 is probably not too far off).
I don't foresee them having to be replaced for many years to come.
DC
The Kahles won hands down in the dying moments of light and the 8x42's have good field of view, excellent build quality and clarity from edge to edge. The Steiner had build quality issues - I was on the look out for them though following a previous viewing in another retailer. The bushnell were ok, clear and apparent value for money however they did not feel as good inthe hand and failed as darkness developed. The Leopold were fine. just fine, not a lot to write up or put down.
I have seen the Kahles on offer in a number of places (can't quite remember what price they were but £550 is probably not too far off).
I don't foresee them having to be replaced for many years to come.
DC
Hope it's OK to post the link; another member mentioned that Sportsman has a Minox sale on, in case you were interested? Soory if you were already aware.
http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/category/Optics/Minox_1/s-popularity/r-21/
http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/category/Optics/Minox_1/s-popularity/r-21/
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
If you can find a pair of zeiss 7x42 BGATs they are the best balanced bins they ever made. They stopped making them as too expensive. Minox are very good as well, ditto Steiner.
Take time and try lots out as you will find that some brands really suit, whereas others just don't fit and quickly become tiring. Key is also low light performance. Last night I spent twenty minutes watching a pair of does through my bins that I could hardly see them with the naked eye.
Also get a pair that ate light enough so that they are easily carried and don't become a hindrance. And don't skimp - buy the best you can afford.
Take time and try lots out as you will find that some brands really suit, whereas others just don't fit and quickly become tiring. Key is also low light performance. Last night I spent twenty minutes watching a pair of does through my bins that I could hardly see them with the naked eye.
Also get a pair that ate light enough so that they are easily carried and don't become a hindrance. And don't skimp - buy the best you can afford.
Hales Smut
Well-Known Member
One advice, buy something good. I started with Swarovski's SL 8x56, quality stuff but to heavy for walking around. I sold them and after reading to much US magazines I bought a Pentax 10x42. I could have burnt my money just as well.
Try to find a good secondhand pair of quality binoculars. Mc Leods ??? Blackislander are selling a Zeiss Conquest 8x30 for £495, maybe intresting?
Try to find a good secondhand pair of quality binoculars. Mc Leods ??? Blackislander are selling a Zeiss Conquest 8x30 for £495, maybe intresting?
Cut+Squirt
Well-Known Member
Opticron are good value for money mate...........I have a set of 8x50 and they perform well.
May I suggest a trip to one of the "birding" type shops, as they often allow you the chance to compare brands and models side by side, with the added bonus that they are often on reserves so you can look at birds and wildlife and really pick out the detail on them. Take your time and buy right first time if you can. The advice about a dark day, or a twilight setting is definately good advice, they all look good in bright sunshine. And try before you buy, mail order can be cheaper, but optics are a funny world where there can even be slight differences between identical models.
If your realy desperate for a pair straight away, buy something really cheap and throw away. I bought a pair of Bresser safari 10x50 for £80 from www.scopesandskies (or something like that), two years ago, they did me well enough, I took a client out and found a gold medal in a thicket that took him 10min to see even with his £500 binos.
This meant I didn't dig into my savings that much until I could afford my swaros, The difference at last light is incredible I was watching fox cubs play until 2-3 hours after sunset.
If I had bought some £300-£400 pair I would still be saving for swaros now, and I really don't think theres any that compare to them. Some of the expensive other makes weren't that much better than stuff for £200. A couple of clients zeiss, nikon minox etc only outlasted the bressers by 20min.
I'd say if your desperate get a cheap pair then save for the best, my old pair now rattle about the truck covered in mud but they're always there and to hand for daytime and the swaros are for special missions.
This meant I didn't dig into my savings that much until I could afford my swaros, The difference at last light is incredible I was watching fox cubs play until 2-3 hours after sunset.
If I had bought some £300-£400 pair I would still be saving for swaros now, and I really don't think theres any that compare to them. Some of the expensive other makes weren't that much better than stuff for £200. A couple of clients zeiss, nikon minox etc only outlasted the bressers by 20min.
I'd say if your desperate get a cheap pair then save for the best, my old pair now rattle about the truck covered in mud but they're always there and to hand for daytime and the swaros are for special missions.
richardM695
Well-Known Member
Have a look at this previous thread...... re: chickenman
http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?21831-Binos
http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?21831-Binos
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