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suggestions on porro 8x30 IF? |
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ChaslavK
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/07/2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Posted: October/07/2008 at 14:45 |
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I want to buy 8x30 IF porro binocular that has very good optics. I insist on porro because I want 3D image. What i want is good ER, I wear eyeglasses, lightweight, no more than 620 gr. and good field of view: 60 deg. appearent field of view.
I've been looking around and what I could find so far is ATN: 7x30 and 8x36, newcon optics 8x30, various steiner models, many military surplus models.
I already have russian military IF8x30 but its optics are bad, I am mostly ticked off by lack of sharpness. I also have BPO 7x30 which is very good but it is heavy, almost 2lbs.
ATN and newcon optics I know nothing about so any input on these from you would be appriciated. Of all the diffrent steiners only 8x30 navigator seems intresting to me but I have read bad things about sharpness of steiner binoculars. There isn't that many reviews of the steiners. Predator has that CAT coating , which, some people say, tends to give false colors of sky. Military/marine has smaller FOV, military 6x30 and 8x30 have rangefinding reticule which I don't care for; so this only leaves me with navigator 8x30, good ER, FOV, weight, but I know nothing about optics. If anyone can give me review of these that would be much appreciated.
Various surplus military models usually have bad ER. Minox 6.5x32 is roof so it is out of consideration and I have its bigger brother 9.5x42 which has only avrage optics.
I would've bought Fujinon FMTR-SX 8x30 long time ago but it is heavy:750gr. that is 50 gr more that my Pentax WP/FP 8x42.
In case you're about to suggest CF 8x30, I already have Pentax CF 8x32 and Jenoptem 8x30. I want something that I would focus ones and forget it. Bin will not be used for birdwatching
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Big Squeeze
Optics Master Extraordinaire GOOGLE NINJA Joined: August/30/2007 Location: Anaheim, Calif. Status: Offline Points: 3143 |
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Every review I have seen on other sites, gives these binocs an excellent rating for the money! They are waterproof and you can`t beat the Leupold warranty.
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Bird Watcher
Optics Master Joined: August/30/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1523 |
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This is probably one of THE BEST for the money, BUT, heavier than you want.
Fujinon 8x30FMTR-SX Fujinon 8x30 Review Edited by Bird Watcher - October/07/2008 at 20:08 |
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silver
Optics Master Joined: November/04/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2291 |
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The Fujion USA service contractor website listed the Steiner Night Hunter as the best 8x30. I found the Fujion service center to be making that statment as a "sign." I asked Chris about the Fujion last year had he could not find stock to quote.
With that said there are some suplus Leica 8x30 out there. They are an odd duck and Leica USA is not able service them. They were made by the survey equpitment branch for a Swiss contract yada yada yada... I got a pair and those people's as "new" is kinda rough.
I got a pair of remaned 8x30 Night Hunter Steiners off the sample list and they were a good buy. They are not as sharp as my old Nikon 7x50 Marines. They did better in dimming light than I thought they would.
On the Sample list are a bunch of 8x30 Hunters. Those are the generation before the Night Hunters. For the money its a good deal.
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"If we weren't all crazy we, We would go insane." Jimmie Buffet
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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The best binoculars for you would be Fujinon 8x30 FMTR-SX, if you could find one.
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ChaslavK
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/07/2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Thank you for your responses, can anyone comment on navigator 8x30, is ti opticaly good or just average.
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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The following was posted on birdforum.net some time ago about these surplus Leica binoculars. I found it rather instructive so; I thought I would share it here:
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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spf2
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/02/2007 Status: Offline Points: 169 |
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How do you adjust focus while out on the field? Or you don't have to mess with focus at all with IF glasses?
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Online Points: 13182 |
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Of the individual focus porros, Fujinon FMTR-SX 8x30 are the best I am aware of. Steiner NightHunters are veyr good as well, but not as good as the FUjis, in my opinion.
The bad part is that Fujis have been either discontinued or not available to the public for a little while now. Steiner Navigator binos are OK for the money, I suppose, but they did not impress me all that much. ILya |
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ChaslavK
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/07/2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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koshkin, what didi/didn't you like about navigators.
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Online Points: 13182 |
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Image quality. It was OK, but I expect better from porros since they are easier to build. Also, the rubber eyecups did not fit me very well.
ILya |
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