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suggestions on porro 8x30 IF?

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ChaslavK View Drop Down
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    Posted: October/07/2008 at 14:45
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Squeeze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/07/2008 at 15:27
Originally posted by ChaslavK ChaslavK wrote:

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
...........................620 grams= 24.40 oz........From all the porro binocs on this site with only a 30mm objective, that meet your weight restriction, with a great FOV, with great 3D optics and edge to edge clarity, my vote goes to the 8x30 Leupold Yosemite @ only 18 oz.
 
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 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/07/2008 at 20:00
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 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/07/2008 at 21:31
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/08/2008 at 06:38
The best binoculars for you would be Fujinon 8x30 FMTR-SX, if you could find one.
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ChaslavK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ChaslavK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/08/2008 at 08:30
Thank you for your responses, can anyone comment on navigator 8x30, is ti opticaly good or just average.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/08/2008 at 11:09
Originally posted by silver silver wrote:

...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. 
 
 
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:
 
Originally posted by henry link on birdforum.net henry link on birdforum.net wrote:

] These "Leica" 8x30's are not made by Leica Camera AG, but by the independent Leica company that used to be known as Kern. ...They are optically identical to the old Kern 8x30 Swiss Army binocular, except that the optics have been ruined by the addition of internal laser filters which can't be removed. The laser filters greatly reduce light transmission and give the color transmission a strong blue tint. They're beautiful and unique little binoculars, but sadly not good for general use. The earliest examples of this body design were made in the 80's and still carried the Kern name. Those might not have the laser filters.

What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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spf2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spf2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/12/2008 at 17:03
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 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/13/2008 at 11:01
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 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ChaslavK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/13/2008 at 14:25
koshkin, what didi/didn't you like about navigators.
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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/13/2008 at 14:41
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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