Okay, a (very exciting) six week trip to a South African game reserve is on the horizon. I need to get some binoculars, I've been told that 8×30 is what I should be going for.

I know nothing about binoculars, but I do know (from a quick Google) that I can pay anything from about £5.99 to £5999 for a pair. I guess I'd be looking to spend about £100, is this reasonable? What brands/models should I look out for?

Come on all you closet birdwatchers/perverts, give me your tips.

I have a set of Nikon Action 10×50, proper full size things. Superb for the money and streets ahead of compact things I'd had before. In lower light you really notice the difference with the larger optics. They can be had from about £70, and options for armour and waterproofing still in your budget.

8x magnification is the most for using without something to stabilise them. 8×32 about right as compromise between portability, light capture and price.

Swarovski probably the best. You pay more for quality of optics, light gathering, robustness etc but would cost over £700.

Have had my Optichron 8×32's for about 8 years and are faultless. As close to Swarovski performance as makes no difference.

DO NOT go cheap or they will be rubbish. Game viewing is always at dawn and dusk when brightness of image is crucial. Anyway a few hundred quid on a decent pair is not that much compared to the cost of the holiday

I've got a pair of the Steiner Safari 8×22 binos. Very good quality optics, robust and a good size for keeping in the pocket when hill walking. The only downside is the low-light performance with the 22mm option. I'd go for 8x30mm next time as a compromise between size and field of vision/light capture. I think mine were not far off £80.

CaptainMainwaring – something like this?

http://www.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?pName=opticron-8×32-srga-binocular

A bump for the Tuesday morning crowd

I used a pair of 8x30s for years, then went for 10x50s. Made a huge difference – pretty much only used for birdwatching and the (very)occasional airshow.

MrsJulianA has a very nice pair of Bushnell 10x42s, which are smaller and lighter than mine with not much difference in performance.

Both were around the £100 mark.

If you divide the larger number (front optic diameter in mm) by the smaller (magnification) you get a kind of index which will be some indication of their light gathering abilities. Thus: 30/8 < 42/10 < 50/10.

The quality of the optics will also make a difference to the above as well, obviously.

I'm a big fan of the Opticrons. Got a pair of Opticron Discovery 10×42, and a little compact 8×25 pair. I find Opticron optics super sharp even in their lower-end bins.

Recently went to Kenya with the 10x42s and they performed brilliantly – I definitely would go for 10x over 8x. Very rarely do I take out the little ones now despite their handy size.

I think at the £100 – 150 mark you should be able to pick up a decent set.

Best bet is to get down to a RSPB reserve or photographic shop and test drive some.

Opticron Traveller 8 x 32 for me. Not used them in Safari but they are very bright, reasonably compact and waterproof. I would recommend finding a decent shop and trying them out (including the high end stuff just to appreciate the differences) and you'll see that it's better to avoid the numbers and just get what's right for you. I would recommend these guys – http://www.at-infocus.co.uk/ – 7 shops nationwide and I believe like bike shops they're the kinds of places you can ask for discount (I did and I got…). Also bear in mind a decent set of binoculars should last a looong time.

Disclaimer: Not affiliated to infocus – just a happy customer.

Totally agree with the last two posters. Go to a decent shop and test drive. You will be amazed by the difference between models