Binoculars for birdwatching…..

So, Dads birthday next week and his trusty old compact bins (8×25 i think) have given up. I’d like to get him a new pair. He uses them mainly from the house to look at birds at the bottom of the garden (20-25m away) but also takes them with on holidays etc. Should i just replace what he’s already got, some compact 8x25s or something else – i think he likes the size of a compact.
Recommendations appreciated, ta.

Escort or Rolls Royce?

RSPB do some very decent bins at good prices, or Swarowski/Leica if you want to spend £££’s I’ve got the Leica 10 x 25 and they are superb.

Escort or Rolls Royce?

£100-150 ish

RSPB then, they are very good but not quite as bright as the S and L models.

Cheers, Ill have a look at RSPB…….

Just had a quick look, which reminded me that I tried the 8 x 42 Avocet (RSPB) last year – they are excellent! £130.

You can get the 35mm optics which are a bit smaller (so not so bright).

look at budget and size.

start with size (sorry if I’m teaching you to suck eggs but someone might find it useful)

binoculars are usually expressed as X*Y, – as you quote above his current set are 8*25. this means they provide 8* magnification, and have an aperture of 25mm at the far end (the objective lens)

8* is about right for birdwatching – it usually provides reasonable detail / magnification while keeping a good field of view.

Aperture wise, the bigger the better – a bigger objective lets in more light, so will provide crisper pictures and better colour. 25mm is normal for compact binoculars, it’s on the small side in general, but is acceptable if the glass is good quality. “full size” binoculars tend to be 42mm objective and the difference is really noticeable

If he doesn’t move very far then for a given budget, bigger binoculars will probably give much better image quality – but if he wants to take them here there and everywhere, the bigger lenses will be noticeable as they will be much heavier.

the other consideration is budget – how much do you want to spend. £100 will get you a reasonable set of compact binoculars. £2000 will get you a fantastic set of full size binoculars

so, what’s your budget?

sorry if I’m teaching you to suck eggs

No, its fine i know nothing about binoculars!

so, what’s your budget?

£100-150

lots of replies while I was typing there. bit more reading here

Best Compact Pocket Binoculars

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/binoculars-recommendations-for-purchase-thereof/

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/binoculars-2/

Oh dear. Cyclelife has just posted. Hope he isn’t in a rush to get anywhere. Give him the e-mail of the RSPB chairman.

Anyway, to bins. As said Escort or Rolls Royce. RSPB do some very good bins at a reasonable price. But as with anything, you get what you pay for. You will get CA at anything other than close distances. If you want clarity at more than 75 yards then you will pay for it. And don’t say you won’t want that. Once you’ve tried to look at a bird across a pond and all you see is purple and green fringing you’ll wish you had something better.
I have some Zeiss Victory HT 10 x 42 and they are clear as a bell even at a mile away. But I bought them nearly 10 years ago and they were into 4 figures then.
£100/150 will be OK in the garden but will struggle out in the big wide world.

I’m off to RSPB at Leighton Moss tomorrow. I can see if there are any leaflets, or I can post you the latest RSPB magazine which I’ve just finished reading. Holler before it goes in Thursday’s recycling bin wagon.

For day time viewing go for quality over aperture. You only benefit from the extra aperture if you are veiwing in conditions dark enough to dilate your pupils

I recently got some Nikon Prostaff 7S 8×30 which seem quite nice and not too bulky.

+1 for nikon prostaff, got some 3s 8×42 from John Lewis which seem perfectly adequate and within budget 👍

or I can post you the latest RSPB magazine

Thanks for the offer, but ill probably need to buy them before it arrives!

based on “go with what you own”

Slightly above budget perhaps, but I have the 8*42 and they’re great
http://www.birders-store.co.uk/vanguard-endeavor-ed-8×32.html

way under budget, I have these- though I paid a fair bit more for them. they’re great for shoving in the rucksack, but not as good ad the big bins
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barr-Stroud-Sahara-Compact-Binoculars/dp/B002BTSGZE

you can get an 8*32 version

note that persnally, I didn;t find the very smallest compact binoculars (RSPB 8*20 HD, Leica Unltravid 8*20 etc) to be comfortable to use.

Useful thread this. Wife is a keen twitcher and is after some new bins. Currently has a semi decent compact set and a cheap full size set. Tried a friend’s new Nikon prostaff 10×42 recently and I was really impressed. In the rspb shop at dungeness the other week spent an hour trying lots of different ones including the avocets mentioned up there. Hard to say which I preferred (all in the £100-£200 range). It seems quite a personal thing. Could you get him a voucher then take him to an rspb reserve to try a few and pick the ones he likes best?

Meopta MeoSport 8×25’s are fantastic quality binos for the money, Meopta are a czech company, not that well known in the UK, but manufacture the glass for a lot of the high end brands.

Sorry for the slight hijack, but i uave an old pr of Zeiss 10×50 that have gone a little hazy inside. I assume it may be an airborne mould? Can i get them refurbished, or is it a waste of time?
Ian

Can i get them refurbished, or is it a waste of time?

https://www.zeiss.co.uk/sports-optics/en_gb/nature/service—support/customer-service.html

Opticron Discovery 8*32 is what we bought.

Light, portable, high quality optics etc

First Light Optics; One of the better affordable bino shops, good advice and nearly always best prices. Well worth a look at, or giving them a call.
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/binoculars.html
I have also bought a couple of pairs of Olympus bins (cheap on amazon) but very impressed for the money – have them as anyone can grab to watch the aircraft, standing up well and lots of people ask about them (think they a pretty good) and then amazed for the money.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0000AKGX3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I’ve got some Leica Trinovid 10×25’s in very decent nick that I don’t need if anyone’s interested. Just upgraded to Swarovski’s to match the scope (trendy innit?)
I’m not fussed about putting them on the classifieds, so pm me.

I bought my dad a pair of celestron nature DX 10×42. I was very impressed by them for the money so bought myself some 8×42.

They are fairly compact, not too heavy and have a nice bright image.

I did the usual searching around for deals and bought both pairs from here: https://www.tringastro.co.uk/celestron-nature-dx-binoculars-310-c.asp

I have a set of Barr & Stroud Sahara 10×42…

Very cheap, super clear optics, and incredibly rugged. Waterproof, fogproof, nitrogen purged, BAK4 prisms, fully multi coated. Only downside is that at 600 grams they are a little bit on the heavy side.

Currently on holiday. Only set I Brough with me are my Leica trinovid 8×20. Small enough to go in a bag and be carried everywhere just in case. And good enough when I want to use them. Got in a perfectly lock and lock container for protection and also IPD goes small enough for the kids to use

+1 for nikon prostaff, got some 3s 8×42 from John Lewis which seem perfectly adequate and within budget 👍

Ended up getting these… thanks for the replys chaps.

Has anyone seen any good deals on some 7 or 8 x42 for under £75 recently?

My uncle is after a pair

Has anyone seen any good deals on some 7 or 8 x42 for under £75 recently?

Iv’e got a spare pair of Opticron 8×42 that you can have for £50.

@sarawak – could you please send me some photos and details? Email in profile

Thanks

Ok. Will do. Am not at home at present so will be tomorrow PM.

Cheers