Newbie bino question
- Thread starter norfolk shooter
- Start date
Yes, like those, or like these: Carl Zeiss Jena 10x40b mc Notarem Binoculars DDR | eBay
Dont be fooled by the "scarce" or "rare" description - there are always a couple of pairs for sale. Condition is everything - the ones you posted look quite worn and the rubber eyecups need replacing, whereas the ones I posted have a mark on the prism. Difficult to know with the latter whether its an issue or not. The pair I bought on eBay were around £175. They had a speck of dust on the prism but were otherwise unmarked. A speck of dust can be removed, whereas damage to the prism itself can be more problematic.
Personally I'd leave both pairs, set up a saved search and wait for a better pair to appear.
If you were any nearer to me you'd be more than welcome to come and try them out to see for yourself what they're like.
willie_gunn
Dont be fooled by the "scarce" or "rare" description - there are always a couple of pairs for sale. Condition is everything - the ones you posted look quite worn and the rubber eyecups need replacing, whereas the ones I posted have a mark on the prism. Difficult to know with the latter whether its an issue or not. The pair I bought on eBay were around £175. They had a speck of dust on the prism but were otherwise unmarked. A speck of dust can be removed, whereas damage to the prism itself can be more problematic.
Personally I'd leave both pairs, set up a saved search and wait for a better pair to appear.
If you were any nearer to me you'd be more than welcome to come and try them out to see for yourself what they're like.
willie_gunn
norfolk shooter
Well-Known Member
what are they like in the rain?? do they fog up?? And when you say there not as good as the others swaro etc is the differance realy noticable??
maximus otter
Well-Known Member
Go 8 power:
Binoculars: How 8 is more than 10
The higher the mag the more your hand shake is magnified, the lower the light-gathering power and the narrower the field of view.
Independent tests show that more people extract more info from 8 power than from 10 power.
maximus otter
Binoculars: How 8 is more than 10
The higher the mag the more your hand shake is magnified, the lower the light-gathering power and the narrower the field of view.
Independent tests show that more people extract more info from 8 power than from 10 power.
maximus otter
That's more difficult to answer, simply because I don't take the Notarems out in the rain. The case is not rubber armoured and I doubt the binos are either Nitrogen-filled or waterproof....and I'm not about to test them to find out
If you want a pair of binos that you can take out and abuse and that will stand up to normal stalking wear and tear, then buy from Swaro/Zeiss/Leica. If you search on the site you will find plenty of examples of people who've had need to use the excellent warranties that come with these binos, and at the end of the day that's partly why you pay a premium for them. Stalking binos will get a lot of abuse - knocked on the way into high seats, dropped from high seats, left on the car roof, used as a rifle rest, half-buried in peat bogs, etc. I wouldn't expect the Notarems to put up with that kind of abuse, but I would the premium brands.
As to whether the difference is really noticeable, to be honest for 90% of the time the answer is probably "no", but when stalking it's often that last 10% difference that matters. People will tell you that they have tested cheap binos and premium binos side by side and can't see any difference. Most likely they've tested them during the middle of the day at a game fair or outside a high street shop. I wouldn't expect to see a huge difference under those conditions either, but then I don't go stalking at a game fair or outside a high street shop
My Swaros are less than 10 years old, the Notarems probably 20 years old, so this is not a like-for-like comparison, as glass quality and bino construction has moved on considerably in recent years. But in general with better binos you get more sharpness and more brightness with less distortion, across more of the image, than you do with cheaper pairs. For early morning/late evening a good pair of binoculars make a HUGE difference. You will see more colour, more detail and just plain "more" with a good pair of binos. With my Swaro's I can see more through the binos than I can with my scope, and more through my scope than I can with the naked eye. As a rule I don't like shooting at last light, and I know of several times when I've turned a shot down rather than take it, but that light gathering power is just as important in the early morning.
So on a reasonable day I can probably see as much through the Notarems as I can through the Swaros, but the latter come into their own when you really need the light gathering power that only good glass gan give.
Don't get me wrong; I really like the Notarems and I'm impressed with both their quality and the image they give. If someone was after a pair of binos for more casual use - garden birdwatching, horse racing or spectating - I'd have no hesitation in recommending them. But for stalking, you want a pair of binos that are going to stand up to the rough and tumble of stalking life, that will deliver a quality image across the whole stalking day, and that come with a warranty that gives you peace of mind and that you know will be backed up with the service should you ever need it.
Finally, think about resale value. With the premium brands if you ever need to sell them to upgrade, chances are you will recoup all, or at least a major part, of your initial investment. I have just sold a pair of Zeiss binos basically for what I paid for them 15 years ago. I did this to buy a secondhand pair of Leicas that I doubt I will ever lose money on either. I know I could sell my Swaros for what they cost me new 8 years ago. With the Notarems I am probably the second, third, or even fourth owner, so others have suffered most of the depreciation in value, but if I had to sell them I might have to be lucky to recoup the investment.
Most stalkers use the premium brands of binos for a reason. Sadly the choice comes down to whether you invest in a good pair up front, or buy a cheaper pair to keep you going until you do. Personally, I would sell my rifles and scopes before I sell my Swaros! Even now, after almost 10 years, I still think "wow" when I look through them. You'll remember the difference good binos can make long after you've forgotten the money you invested in them.
willie_gunn
Uncle Norm
Well-Known Member
Others have mentioned consideration of used/old models of the top brands,with caution. I have a pair of Swaro' 7x42 rubber armoured with the old style of 'porro' prisms. The modern style is 'roof' prisms, which look very different. Swaro' still make the porro prisms or at least some retailers still stock them new. The new price is @£750 so used ones should be relatively cheap. More so because they are old fashioned. Old fashioned or not, they work beautifully in all conditions with the superb optical performance we expect from the brand. When one looks at the £2K price tag of the latest models, they are one hell of a bargain whether new or used. I have friends in the trade so am fortunate in having the opportunity to look through the latest models at first and last light. I will not be changing my old faithfulls as the difference, that my eyes can see, (there is some) would not justify the expense. Google porro prisms compared to roof prism and read an independent assessment of the benefits of each type for interest.
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