Mini/compact binocular recommendations
- Thread starter BenBhoy
- Start date
Steff
Well-Known Member
I was told the Zeiss Terra were good value for their money which was a bit of a surprise to me as I thought they were crap. But I haven‘t tried them tbh.
Otherwise Minox, Kowa, Nikon etc.
Re. ‚Mini‘ you must try if you can get along with those poket style 25mm bins. I don‘t. 30/32mm is were decent binos start for me.
Otherwise Minox, Kowa, Nikon etc.
Re. ‚Mini‘ you must try if you can get along with those poket style 25mm bins. I don‘t. 30/32mm is were decent binos start for me.
Opticron Traveller 8x32 8x32 are pretty good. Kite Lynx HD+ 8x30 even better.
My GF had her Opticron Travellers stolen, put the insurance money into the Kites as an upgrade (recommended by Cley Spy, from whom we buy all our optics, in person. Very knowledgeable and have a great setup to try them out before buying. She is very particular (a birder), her main Binos. are 10x42 Zeiss, top end. Zeiss Terras are not comparable in any way.
I would be quite happy using her previous Opticron Travellers, now replaced with Kite, as my only stalking binos rather than my old Hawke Endurance ED 8x42 Hawke set. She offers to lend me both hers (Kite and Zeiss) but my old Hawkes show so many battle scars that I know I might soon enough ding them up cosmetically. My old Hawkes are still superior to anything in the Zeiss Terra line, at similar prices. I have compared them.
If and when I decide to replace my Endurance ED 8x42 I would first look at their Endurance 8x32 and see how they compare with say Opticron Travellers. Actually I have already done so, couldn't tell much difference, if any, other than weight. Endurance have a magnesium chassis, Traveller are polycarbonate, if that makes any real world difference. I think, nowadays, that 30-32mm objective is as much as you need for x8 magnification. Previous version of Travellers were magnesium bodied, and they even did a x6 version, which would have been ideal to me, should have bought some, still keeping my eyes open for a S/H set.
Something looking a bit like these like these, not water/fogproof, primitive fold down rubber eyecups (mine are waterproof and I know that they are, having been challenged many times, even by submersion), also discontinued, but mine are rather better: https://www.bushnelloptics.com/bushnell-binoculars-139825.html
My GF had her Opticron Travellers stolen, put the insurance money into the Kites as an upgrade (recommended by Cley Spy, from whom we buy all our optics, in person. Very knowledgeable and have a great setup to try them out before buying. She is very particular (a birder), her main Binos. are 10x42 Zeiss, top end. Zeiss Terras are not comparable in any way.
I would be quite happy using her previous Opticron Travellers, now replaced with Kite, as my only stalking binos rather than my old Hawke Endurance ED 8x42 Hawke set. She offers to lend me both hers (Kite and Zeiss) but my old Hawkes show so many battle scars that I know I might soon enough ding them up cosmetically. My old Hawkes are still superior to anything in the Zeiss Terra line, at similar prices. I have compared them.
If and when I decide to replace my Endurance ED 8x42 I would first look at their Endurance 8x32 and see how they compare with say Opticron Travellers. Actually I have already done so, couldn't tell much difference, if any, other than weight. Endurance have a magnesium chassis, Traveller are polycarbonate, if that makes any real world difference. I think, nowadays, that 30-32mm objective is as much as you need for x8 magnification. Previous version of Travellers were magnesium bodied, and they even did a x6 version, which would have been ideal to me, should have bought some, still keeping my eyes open for a S/H set.
My small binos. are Bushnells in 8x25, actually waterproof/fogproof porro prisms in an extremely OTT rubber housing. Proper screw in eye cups to set them just right, since I wear spectacles. Near indestructible I'd say. No longer made, but pretty good in reasonable light. These accompany me everywhere, travelling, hillwalking etc.
Something looking a bit like these like these, not water/fogproof, primitive fold down rubber eyecups (mine are waterproof and I know that they are, having been challenged many times, even by submersion), also discontinued, but mine are rather better: https://www.bushnelloptics.com/bushnell-binoculars-139825.html
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I have kept a pair of Swaro 10 x 28B Habich binos in the car for many years - they do the job very well particularly if you spot something that looks interesting but cannot otherwise see the detail.
I tend to use larger Leicas' for low light stalking but the Swaros' are very good up until dusk.
I tend to use larger Leicas' for low light stalking but the Swaros' are very good up until dusk.
Take a look at these, they might fit and are very good quality glass.
Not sure how readily available here, worth looking out for. Identical to the same made by Kenko for Sightron.
Kenko Global - Kenko 8x32 DH MS
Not sure how readily available here, worth looking out for. Identical to the same made by Kenko for Sightron.
Kenko Global - Kenko 8x32 DH MS
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
how good do they need to be?
Hawke Frontier ED X 8x32 Binoculars Review
Top-end, mid-sized 8x32 binoculars offering an incredible performance to price ratio, these Hawke Frontier ED X binoculars are...
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Tell me if its a rock or a grey partridge at 400yds!
404Shooter
Well-Known Member
I have a Zeiss Miniquick which is the size of a fountain pen but offers 5x magnification and a FoV of 100m at 1000m. I’ve had it for years and it goes everywhere with me, and Zeiss even repaired/rebased it free when I put it through the washing machine.
norcan
Well-Known Member
Newest Zeiss Victory 8x25 seems to be the tiny small binocular now.
www.scopeviews.co.uk
Zeiss 8x25 Victory Pocket Review
Oops, just checked, my old Hawke 8x42, are Frontiers, not the lower budget Endurance. Unsurprising really that I rated them rather better than any Zeiss Terras. Sorry if I have given a wrong steer there.Hawke Frontier ED X 8x32 Binoculars Review
Top-end, mid-sized 8x32 binoculars offering an incredible performance to price ratio, these Hawke Frontier ED X binoculars are...www.bestbinocularsreviews.com
Are they really auto focus or just have a huge depth of field?
I wouldn't spend very much at all if they're going to spend their life been bounced about on a quad.i gave up carrying binos on the quad years ago as the constant bouncing and jolting that they're subjected to tends to bugger them quite quickly .
Huge depth of field, but called auto focus.
Puds
Well-Known Member
I’ve got a pair of these, and they are very good for the money. Bresser UK | BRESSER Pirsch 8x26 Binocular Phase Coating | Call 01342 837 098 for advice and sales.
Kahles Helia 42 Binoculars 8x42 – Glasgow Angling Centre
www.google.com
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
I was thinking about £100 less than them!!
They are gonna get battered on quad bike..Similar threads
