TommyGun86 0 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 What binoculars would you recommend thinking about the quality of optics vs the price you pay? I'm wondering if you can get quality without the dent in your wallet? Anyone got any recommendations from experience, or have seen any decent sets for sale? Tom Quote Link to post
Spangle 0 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 I have always used 'cheap' pairs, I got on ok with them but recently bought a pair of Swarovski EL's, wish I'd bought some years ago! I have also looked through my mates Leica's, fantastic glass. I will never go back to cheap glass again! Quote Link to post
Rake aboot 4,929 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 At the mo I am using Konus and they are excellent,, so are minox, and Opticron. The mega money glass is worth it,, but not within everyones means. ATB Quote Link to post
bob.243 7,524 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Bought a second hand, like new, pair of Carl Zeiss Jena Jenoptem multi coated, off ebay a couple of years ago for £86, use them for stalking all the time, they are excellent, my mate has a £1100 pair of Swarovski's, reluctantly says, he can't see much difference, looking through the two. Quote Link to post
markha 99 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 I have been using a pair of Vortex Diamondback 8x28 for the past year or so, I did a lot of research on quality of glass versus size, weight and most importantly cost. I was very lucky and dropped on to a pair of military surplus ones in desert colours for £90, happy days, very bright glass for the size and would have no qualms in extolling their virtues. Having served in the the army I have had the opportunity to look through a lot of bin's (wise cracks welcome you quick witted bunch) and I'm happy with the Vortex stuff so much I was contemplating shelling out for one of their FFP scopes. Quote Link to post
Neal 1,784 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 I have a pair of Steiners which have great clarity and colour quality. However, mine are only the Safari range and are 10 x 26 which means that although they're extremely light (about 300 g) they're not as good in low light conditions...but they worked fine this morning watching four bucks and three does in the rain. Quote Link to post
fireblade_rrw 20 Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 http://dk.scottcountry.com/products_detail.asp?productID=2066 Quote Link to post
AUSSIE HUNTER 0 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 I bought some Leupold Golden Rings off Ebay, great mid priced Binos, and i wouldn't be heart broken if i had a ding with them. Would really love a pair of Leicas but the Leupolds suffice. Quote Link to post
HUnter_zero 58 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 Cheap high quality binoculars are a dream of many people. You can strive to find a pair but such equipment does not exist or more to the point, just by asking the question you mean to say is there anything that's as good as the top three for cheap money; the answer is no. However, not all is lost. Leica, swarovski, zeiss are for many the best money can buy and in more or less that order. The truth is you will be paying many hundreds of pounds just to squeeze that last drop of light, contrast and clarity. So there are many good binoculars that have excellent viewing quality, just not quite as good as the top three. Even these good binoculars will cost several hundred pounds to buy new, optics and quality optics cost it's a fact of life. Now if you are anal (like most of us) and simply want that outstanding colour, contrast, clarity and know that you are squeezing every last drop of light out of the dawn sunrise or dusk sunset, then you will need to buy one of the top three because you will forever be trying to achieve that elusive goal. If you are happy just to have a solid quality set of glass, then the world is your oyster as there are many pairs to choose from, so good and some very bad. My advice is not to take anyone's words for it and before you part with your hard earned, look through the binoculars with your own pair of eyes! One man's "very good" is another mans "very bad". Even some of the top end kit, can look bad to you. The American made Zeiss kit, is to my eyes no better than Nikko optics. Binoculars come in two formats (for the ease of the matter), Porro prism and Roof prism. Porro being your tradition looking binocular, roof being like two straight tubes. Many experts will say that roof prism binoculars can never achieve the high quality of Porro, which is good for us as most people go for roof prism these days. One of the highest quality binoculars that can be had for cheap money is porro swift Audubon, in fact it's what most other binoculars are measured against. John Quote Link to post
Caprelous 217 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 I have a pair of these which are brilliant for the money Made by Zeiss for the military and nitrogen filled so they dont steam up Zeiss optics are the finest in the world always have been http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4684.m570.l1313&_nkw=Hensoldt+binoculars&_sacat=See-All-Categories Quote Link to post
pestcontrol121 11 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 Cheap high quality binoculars are a dream of many people. You can strive to find a pair but such equipment does not exist or more to the point, just by asking the question you mean to say is there anything that's as good as the top three for cheap money; the answer is no. However, not all is lost. Leica, swarovski, zeiss are for many the best money can buy and in more or less that order. The truth is you will be paying many hundreds of pounds just to squeeze that last drop of light, contrast and clarity. So there are many good binoculars that have excellent viewing quality, just not quite as good as the top three. Even these good binoculars will cost several hundred pounds to buy new, optics and quality optics cost it's a fact of life. Now if you are anal (like most of us) and simply want that outstanding colour, contrast, clarity and know that you are squeezing every last drop of light out of the dawn sunrise or dusk sunset, then you will need to buy one of the top three because you will forever be trying to achieve that elusive goal. If you are happy just to have a solid quality set of glass, then the world is your oyster as there are many pairs to choose from, so good and some very bad. My advice is not to take anyone's words for it and before you part with your hard earned, look through the binoculars with your own pair of eyes! One man's "very good" is another mans "very bad". Even some of the top end kit, can look bad to you. The American made Zeiss kit, is to my eyes no better than Nikko optics. Binoculars come in two formats (for the ease of the matter), Porro prism and Roof prism. Porro being your tradition looking binocular, roof being like two straight tubes. Many experts will say that roof prism binoculars can never achieve the high quality of Porro, which is good for us as most people go for roof prism these days. One of the highest quality binoculars that can be had for cheap money is porro swift Audubon, in fact it's what most other binoculars are measured against. John John very good reply and no more needs to be said Quote Link to post
stav#69 0 Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 i have a pair of leica and thought they were the mutts nuts but whilst out stalking as the light was fading i thought i could see a deer at distance but could only make the shape out so thought i,d take a look through my new meopta scope which i,d just fitted and it was as clear as day!!! i,m new to stalking so not sure if this is the norm.stav. p.s. it was a bush not a deer lol Quote Link to post
mally 832 Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 I went to thoresby country fair and looked through a pair of binoculars priced at just £40 i didn't expect much to be honest. I was amazed and not having much cash on me i asked for there business card so i could order online. After visiting there website i saw they sold them on ebay too. They are 8x42 and i have them with me all the time wether i'm out with the dogs or shooting. They are great in low light condition too and at just over £40 your not worried about damading them at that price unlike a pair that costs over a grand!!( They list them buy it now or best offer i made them an offer of £38.00 and they worked out just over £40 with delivery). Click here to view them I'd recommend them to anyone, i'm well pleased with them Quote Link to post
sako 23 Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 i have a pair of leica and thought they were the mutts nuts but whilst out stalking as the light was fading i thought i could see a deer at distance but could only make the shape out so thought i,d take a look through my new meopta scope which i,d just fitted and it was as clear as day!!! i,m new to stalking so not sure if this is the norm.stav. p.s. it was a bush not a deer lol This makes me think about my leica's. I was looking at a rabbit through my leica range finder binos at last light at 584 metres (think it worked out nearly 640 yrds) and could see it reasonably ok, so I thought I'd look through my swarovski scope..... I turned it up to max mag (18) as I thought that should almost look twice as clear as my leicas on 10x. The picture was shite I was gutted, then I thought....Fork this scope is parralax adjustable! say no more! Quote Link to post
mad al 146 Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Well it depends what you are doin/lookin at/firin at, but I use these Binos Quote Link to post
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