Binoculars

Looking to spend a few hundred on a compact pair

Seems to be a huge choice – Carson is a new name to me but seems well reviewed

How do they compare to Leica and Opticron etc?

Steiner are worth a look. (No pun intended)

James, youv’e got a PM.

Few hundred?

I’d be putting Zeiss Terra 8×32 up near the top of the list – not ‘folds tiny compacts’ but actually comfortable/stable to use and with a good balance of power and light gathering for the size.

James, sorry I didn’t check the ad I put on! I’m in Boroughbridge, North Yorks.

Meopta (Czech firm) make good binos in that sort of price range, I have two pairs for different jobs, pleased with both of them.  And a rifle scope.

Bought some vanguard Endeavour II ED 8×32 after some protracted research a little while ago. Very happy with them, and one reviewer pointed out a very handy feature of the 2 hinge design making it nice to carry.

Probably on the lower end of your price range, but I reckon the bins you’ll leave in the car, or in the bottom of a bag will be used more often. And it means that you’ll have some budget left for oh, I don’t know, some 15×75 Apollo Helios for the lunar eclipse on Friday!

Below budget, I have a pair of Hawke bins which I was very impressed with for the price

Typical price list here http://www.ffordes.com/category/Binoculars_and_Scopes/Binoculars/Hawke#&&PageIndex=1&SortExpression=SalesPrice&SortDirection=Ascending

Is a few hundred 2 or 8?

Leica/Swarovski/Zeiss are the three alpha brands, you’d be pleased with anything from there

My small pair are Leicas. My medium pair are Kowa 6×30, good for my kids to use. my big pair are Zen Ray. ZR are asian bins but made very well made, as opposed to made ‘cheap’. They used to have a european seller but not sure if they still exist now. You’re few hundred would go a long way there

Not sure if it’ll help but some RSPB reserves have a good selection to try out. Handy if there’s one nearby.

Vortex make some clear glass (http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/binoculars). I bought one of their monoculars for hunting and range work and it is superb. I know several people that swear by the higher end rifle scopes too.

We’ve got “big” (8*42) bins from Celestron (Granite HD) and Vanguard( Endeavour, the original range). Both great, the celestron probably edge it and they do a 7*33 and 9*33 if you want something mid-size

for “small” bins we had some RSPB Rambler 8*25, they were ok – I tested them against the 8*20 HD binoculars and against some swaro 8*20 ish bins at at test event, and in truth I preferred the 8*25s. They were under £100 as opposed to 300 for the RSPB HD and over £500 for the swarovskis.

We lost them while out skiing (probably dropped out of the backpack) and have replaced them with – erm – something else. Frustratingly I can’t recall what hey are offhand. again though under £100.

If you want to pop round to try our bins James you’re more than welcome, drop use a line or give us a bell

what I have found is that I don’t find the smaller binoculars as comfortable to use as something bigger.

Thanks Jules!