Binoculars - Nf

[Nemo]

Was thinking about buying a pair of binos for my brother in law for Christmas.

 

Was just wondering what folks thoughts were re: size and brands etc.

 

Looked at some at CT on the weekend. Some were 8X50 and 10X50 up to 80 bucks - Bushnell.

 

Not really familiar with what I should be looking for. He like the outdoors etc and is a pilot as well.

 

Thanks for the tips.

 

Nemo

[dustink]

I've had a pair of THESE for a couple years now and really like them. Forget what I paid, but I think it was around $100 USD.

 

 

 

dk

[ccmtcanada]

You'll have to ask yourself a few questions first....

 

1) What conditions will they mostly be used? Sunshine, cloudy, low light etc...

 

2) What kind of things will he be looking at? Birds? Sporting events? Single objects, etc...

 

3) Compact vs Bigger binocs....is small size important? (ie hikers may want smaller ones if space is a premium)

 

Binoculars are described with 2 numbers....for eg 10x50. The first number is the magnification amount...so in this example, it will magnify something 10 times..or make an object look 10 times closer. The higher the magnification, the higher that first number. The trade off is that the field of view will decrease.

 

The second number is diameter of the objective lens (the bigger of the two). The larger the objective lens, the more light it can gather so that the image will be clearer. This is the number that will decrease in compact binocs.

 

Now, for examples of who would use them....for a 10x binoc, if someone likes to look at individual birds that are motionless, you can get great detail. However, if you are trying to track something in the sky, it will be harder to find cause the field of view is smaller. Another example would be if its being used to watch live sports. You'd want a smaller magnification so you could see multiple people during a play...not zooming in on a players elbow. The objective lens size wont be much of an issue, since sporting events are well lit. You'd prob go with a compact version for sports. The faster the pace of the sport, in general, the less magnification you'd want, cause it's easier to keep focused on them.

 

Low light conditions will require a larger objective lens (second number), but they are bulkier units.

 

Bushnell is a good brand...but not premium, and just fine for most people. With binocs, you get what you pay for. Premium binocs may have special optic coatings for greater clarity, scratch resistance etc.... Cheap ones will try to get you on price, but quality is compromised.

 

Anyhow, this is just an intro in binocs....goot luck!

Edited November 27, 2006 by ccmtcanada

[irishfield]

Another must ask...does the user wear glasses? Wife bought me a nice set that you can hold tight to your glasses and they work GREAT. Not so great for someone without glasses as hard to keep your eyelashes off them. Can't help with the brand..silly me left them hanging beside the kitchen window in Temagami where they are always handy for the houseboats goin by

[Roy]

"silly me left them hanging beside the kitchen window in Temagami where they are always handy for the houseboats goin by"

 

So I guess yours are for wildlife then eh, Wayne?

[irishfield]

Yes Roy...the True wildlife of the lake. Generally only comes out on hot days...but there's always the rare cool day surprise.

[dustink]

Some good stuff there ccm....well done!

 

LOL @ Wayne.....wildlife....I'll second that - sometime the scariest of all animals!

 

dk

[tjsa]

I have owned a few, tasco and bushnell, over the years. Pocket binoculars for hunting and fishing. 8x25 mostly, but have a pair of 10x25 now. Also own a full sized pair 10x50. With the 10x50's, you need to find a good rest for them. With the higher magnification, you need a good steady rest to view anything clearly without a lot of shaking. Any movement will be a problem.

The bushnell and tasco's can be cheap, but if you get the chance to put them against a higher priced pair of same brand or another, you will see an incredible difference in clarity.

Multiple coated optics are sooo much nicer than the cheaper ones.

 

Mine work just fine for what I use them for.