Binoculars, I need a new pair

[kipper]

I need a new pair of bino's. I have had a pair of compact bushnell(not sure what model) for the last few years but they are just not as clear as I would like them to be. I think the lense coating is worn / damaged.

 

I have not got a spare £1000 burning a hole in my pocket so my budget is arround the £100 mark give or take a little. can anyone reccomend a decent pair for this kind of money?

 

They will be used for spotting pigeons / fox / and hopefully roe / muntjack.

 

Any help advice would be graitfully received.

 

Kipper.

[steve_b_wales]

The HAWKE range of binoculars are excellent quality. Very clear optics and good on price.

[eddoakley]

if you are/were happy with bushnell check out sportsman guncentre. They have some bushnell 8x42 and 7x50 (i think) on offer and you could get both for your budget and still have change!! I cant decide which ones i want so have ordered both

Edd

[Beardo]

Bushnell H20 8x42 are superb for the £100 mark

[pigglet]

This is a review of my IOR's I got off Ebay

http://www.riflesunlimited.co.uk/showarticle.php?id=41

 

They were about £120 from a romanian seller. A mate has also got some from him and they too are in mint condition. they come up on the bay quite regularly if you keep an eye out. The more I use these bino the more Impressed I am with them.

They are totally bombproof.

 

I would be happy to pay £350 for a new set from border barrels given the quality.

http://www.border-barrels.co.uk/ior-7x40-binoculars-64-p.asp

 

I would really like to try them side by side with zeiss or swaro's to see how they compare. They knock spots of everything I've looked through up to the £450 mark.

Edited December 20, 2010 by pigglet

[Fisherman Mike]

At around the 100 quid Mark you would be better off looking at some of the top end Porro Prism models in a maximum of 8X magnification. Anything more unless you have a really steady hand or a tripod are difficult to secure a image. If you are using them for spotting work a wide angle Binocular would be best and I would reccomend the Opticron Aspheric 8 x 40 http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-opticron-aspheric-wa-8x40/p15250

 

If you have your heart set on roof prisms and not so much worried about the wide field of view then the Opticron Oregan LE 8 x 42 would fit the Bill. http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-opticron-oregon-le-wp-8x42/p1008311

 

Opticron Optics are superb quality and very popular with Birdwatchers and Naturalists. Many of the Optical systems in this price range boast performance equal to binoculars costing 5 times the price....Believe me they dont equal it, many dont even come close.

 

I have collected, bought and sold binoculars and reviewed them over many years and own a couple of pairs of Opticron bins.

 

Also worth considering for another £ 20 are the swift 8 x 42 which are very compact flexible Binoculars.

 

Warehouse express links are used for information purposes only I have no alleigance to them, although they are very good.

 

Whats ever you buy make sure the optical system has been Nitrogen purged and are described as waterproof or they will soon fog up. Note not all rubber coated binoculars are waterproof.

 

Good luck.

[al4x]

Have a look at Uttings they had a deal on a fair range of Bushnell and nikon binoculars in your price range

[rsrjerry]

here you go mate

these are brilliant and check out the reviews and price cant go wrong mate

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=107160

[Fisherman Mike]

here you go mate

these are brilliant and check out the reviews and price cant go wrong mate

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=107160

 

 

With the utmost respect to rsrjerry, BK-7 borosilicate glass is the low end of optical quality and wont give edge to edge image definition or clarity of the BA-K 4 prism systems. Also if you have even the slightest shake 10x magnification is going to spoil your enjoyment of use as even your breathing will amplify the movement.

 

If you have a budget of £100.00 buy the best you can afford for that price. Rewiews are OK if the product is being compared side by side with another. Go to the local camera shop and try a few out in the 30 - 40 quid range and then some at 100 - 150 and you will soon see what I mean.

[Rasher]

Go for the Nikon range. You'll not get better for the money.

[rsrjerry]

With the utmost respect to rsrjerry, BK-7 borosilicate glass is the low end of optical quality and wont give edge to edge image definition or clarity of the BA-K 4 prism systems. Also if you have even the slightest shake 10x magnification is going to spoil your enjoyment of use as even your breathing will amplify the movement.

 

If you have a budget of £100.00 buy the best you can afford for that price. Rewiews are OK if the product is being compared side by side with another. Go to the local camera shop and try a few out in the 30 - 40 quid range and then some at 100 - 150 and you will soon see what I mean.

 

 

No Disrespect taken whatsoever Fisherman Mike - but for the money they really are spot on believe me and ideal for having knocking about in pick up etc cheers

[Fisherman Mike]

No Disrespect taken whatsoever Fisherman Mike - but for the money they really are spot on believe me and ideal for having knocking about in pick up etc cheers

 

 

For the money indeed they are a good buy.

[Sinistercr0c]

Kipper,

 

Most (if not all) binoculars are of two basic designs which are dictated by the prisms used in them. You have either the BK7 roof prism type which results in a compact 'straight tube' binocular, or a BAK4 porro prism type which results in the more traditional 'German tank commander' style.

 

BK7 prisms are (as fisherman mike states) boro silicate crown and BAK4 are Barium crown. BK7 prisms are not as bright as BAK4 prisms however unless you are going to spend hundreds of pounds on your bino's the difference (given your stated use) should make no odds to you.

 

Have a read of the info in the link below, it will give you some background to base your choice on.

 

http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/glossary-binoculars.php

 

@ Fisherman Mike - I happen to own a pair of the 7dayshop binos noted by rsrjerry and you would be suprised by the quality. They are in fact rebranded Konus Titaniums (an Italian company). There have been several previous posts about these binos and a fair few PW'ers have bought them based on other feedback. For £20 delivered they are a steal.

[jollysp2]

Kipper,

 

Most (if not all) binoculars are of two basic designs which are dictated by the prisms used in them. You have either the BK7 roof prism type which results in a compact 'straight tube' binocular, or a BAK4 porro prism type which results in the more traditional 'German tank commander' style.

 

BK7 prisms are (as fisherman mike states) boro silicate crown and BAK4 are Barium crown. BK7 prisms are not as bright as BAK4 prisms however unless you are going to spend hundreds of pounds on your bino's the difference (given your stated use) should make no odds to you.

 

Have a read of the info in the link below, it will give you some background to base your choice on.

 

http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/glossary-binoculars.php

 

@ Fisherman Mike - I happen to own a pair of the 7dayshop binos noted by rsrjerry and you would be suprised by the quality. They are in fact rebranded Konus Titaniums (an Italian company). There have been several previous posts about these binos and a fair few PW'ers have bought them based on other feedback. For £20 delivered they are a steal.

I can also vote for the qualaty and VFM of the 7dayshop binos

[Fisherman Mike]

Kipper,

 

Most (if not all) binoculars are of two basic designs which are dictated by the prisms used in them. You have either the BK7 roof prism type which results in a compact 'straight tube' binocular, or a BAK4 porro prism type which results in the more traditional 'German tank commander' style.

 

Sorry to correct you Sinister but BAk-4 prisms are infact used in the more expensive models of both porro prism and roof prism Binoculars. The BAK-4 prism is in my opinion far superior to The BK-7 optical system which is why they generally cost more. I dont doubt the 7 day Bins at £20.00 are very good value for Money but the difference in image quality particularly in low light conditions will be easily discernible between the two. If you are looking for a pair of Bins which are cheap as chips, can take a little bit of abuse, you can replace after two or three years service then you indeed couldnt go wrong with the 7 day bins. However if you have a budget of £100 and you can afford the BAK 4 optics in porro or roof Prism form which will give a much better image at far and particularly near range (if you want to do some birding or wildlife observation) then in my opinion you should consider these. I would respectfully reiterate again about the magnification... 8 x is the optimum in the field unless you have the posture and poise of a SAS sniper.

 

Why not try the £20 bins and get a pair of Bak 4 porros http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-opticron-aspheric-wa-8x40/p15250 with the other £75.00 you will have a set then for every occasion.

 

 

Good luck with your choice.

[Sinistercr0c]

I agree that BAK 4 prisms are superior to BK7 ones. Re-reading my post, what I meant to convey was that roof prisms are inferior to porro ones and thus usually constructed from BK7 optical glass, though as you rightly say, not always.

[fenix]

Ive got the 7dayshop binos and a pair of Nikon sportsters I paid £100 for, also get to use a range of other optics including Opticron, Zeiss, Leica, etc.

 

The 7dayshop or good, but they are noticeably inferior optically to the Nikons, I would put hem in the £50 bracket, so although a great buy at £20, if you have £100 to spend get something else.

[Sprags]

Having used 'cheap' binoculars for a long time I can say hand on heart, lay out some good money and get some quality optics. Buy once, cry once!

 

I have just bought a pair of swarovski EL's, wish I had done it many years ago.

[kipper]

I am very graitfull for all of your help/advice thaughts and link's on binos. keep them coming

 

I have not made my mind up yet as what to go for but, I certainly know a lot more about biniculars than I did before this topic.

 

Once again Thank you.

 

Kipper

[billytheghillie]

have a look here

 

 

scopes"n"skies just google it

[kipper]

well chaps after reading all your tips and advice which was very much appreciated and santer bringing me some xmas money I decided to up my budget. I have purchased a pair of Hawke frontier 8X43 Ed range they cost me £260 but after compareing them to the current bushnell binos I was using before I am very impressed They are far better and seem very well made.

only thing i dont like about them is the "STAY ON" lense caps, the small side 8x is ok no probs but the large side are ****. they fall off. I will have to come up with a solution to this BEFORE I lose them, mabe a tie wrap/cable tie will solve the problem.

 

Anyone else use these binos? Any Good?

 

Thanks again

 

Kipper