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favorite porro binos?

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outlawskinnyd View Drop Down
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    Posted: December/18/2010 at 18:37
hey now.

i got a pair of redfield rebel binos that are roof prism and im very happy with them. i want a pair of real nice porro prisms. i dont know i just find them so much easier to focus in between ranges. i find them more comfortable too.

i love the leupold yosemite. but will never committ to buying something without checking whatelse is out there.
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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: December/18/2010 at 19:16
What magnificationQuestion
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outlawskinnyd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote outlawskinnyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/18/2010 at 20:46
no more than 8x
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etudiant View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote etudiant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/19/2010 at 07:30

Hi,
Welcome to the world of porro lovers. They still offer the best binocular performance around, at least imo.
For your question,  remember that the size of the glass matters as well. A small 8x25 is a much different tool from a 7x50.
Once you specify your needs, it is easier to lay out some alternatives.
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outlawskinnyd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote outlawskinnyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/19/2010 at 12:56

hey now.

thanks for the warm welcome to the porro world. for starters its mostly gonna be used for predator hunting. i want something that is tough enough to handle the trek through the woods (i hunt on public land...it is what it is) but is also light enough so when im walking im not walking with my head leaned foward.
 
heres what im looking for:
-bad weather performance. snow, fog, rain, etc. i need optimal performance in this category. in central ny where i hunt it can be snowing and a little below freezing at 7am, but it can be 45 degrees by noon. that makes for a lot of rain of snow and hazy conditions.
 
-low light performance for hunting well into dusk and use when having one of those green or red lights at night (not so much a flood or spot light, more of a laser or beam of light).
 
-rugged design...i dont mind spending money on these things, im trying to stay at the $200-$250 range.
 
-good fov and power for scouting out to 200-250 yards at most
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/19/2010 at 15:35
Built like a tank and excellent waterproof/fogproof, as well as low light capability, I recommend the discontinued Minox BD 8x44 BP Porro, (24 oz.) still listed on the internet via Google, etc.
 
 
For ruggedness and waterproof/fogproof, as well as the best price, I would recommend the Pentax PCF WP II 8x40. (28 oz.)
 
 
Stan


Edited by Bird Watcher - December/19/2010 at 15:42
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/19/2010 at 15:42
Minox or Fujinon.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/19/2010 at 15:48
Fujinon BFL 8x42 Porro prism, with center focus, would be in your price range, but, it is also discontinued.
 
Leupold Cascades 8x42 Internal Focus Porro prism, also discontinued.
 
Vortex Porro ?
 
 
Leupold Rogue ? (30 oz.)
 
 


Edited by Bird Watcher - December/19/2010 at 16:29
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outlawskinnyd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote outlawskinnyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/19/2010 at 17:31
what about steiner predator pros or sightron s2's?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote etudiant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/02/2011 at 14:53
Hi outlawskinnyd,
You laid out a very clear set of priorities.
You want a rugged set of all weather hunting glasses that will work well into the twilight, with a budget around $300..
Imo, you are the ideal candidate for a set of milspec surplus glasses, an old 7x50 IF such as an M22. You would want a Fujinon,
they are really solid glasses, with desiccant cartridges built in.
An alternative, which would be harder to get , is an old Zeiss Jena 7x40 Checkpoint Charlie glass, not just bullet but also radiation proof, with spendiferous eye relief and a tab to attach it to your shirt so that it does not bang around while crawling through the bush. Do note that you can buy the BinoManager for $10 from Coleman's to do the same thing more conveniently.
I have no opinion on Steiner, but it seems to me material that both the German as well as the US armies bought Steiner glasses and then rejected them.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NDhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/02/2011 at 19:00
Originally posted by etudiant etudiant wrote:

Hi outlawskinnyd,
You laid out a very clear set of priorities.
You want a rugged set of all weather hunting glasses that will work well into the twilight, with a budget around $300..
Imo, you are the ideal candidate for a set of milspec surplus glasses, an old 7x50 IF such as an M22. You would want a Fujinon,
they are really solid glasses, with desiccant cartridges built in.
An alternative, which would be harder to get , is an old Zeiss Jena 7x40 Checkpoint Charlie glass, not just bullet but also radiation proof, with spendiferous eye relief and a tab to attach it to your shirt so that it does not bang around while crawling through the bush. Do note that you can buy the BinoManager for $10 from Coleman's to do the same thing more conveniently.
I have no opinion on Steiner, but it seems to me material that both the German as well as the US armies bought Steiner glasses and then rejected them.

Outlaw:
I would stay away from any of the old military optics mentioned here.  Coatings and all the rest are outdated.   Over 50 yrs. old, probably due for a cleaniing, etc.  Min. cost to bring back is over $100.00.
 
Steiner bins are rugged, rubber armored, and they have a large selection of porros.  I had a 10x50
Nighthunter, and they are excellent low light.
Also you can buy these new and demo from SWFA.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LRSMike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/02/2011 at 20:39
I just recently purchase the Yosemite's in 6X30, and absolutely love them. Low light, cold weather, Fog hasn't been an issue whatsoever, plus they are under 80 from SWFA Big Grin. Those would be my recommendation.
You don’t know what you don’t know.

And those who don’t know and never try, never will.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rich Coyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/14/2011 at 20:52
Check out the NIkon 7-15X35.
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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: January/14/2011 at 22:46
Originally posted by Rich Coyle Rich Coyle wrote:

Check out the NIkon 7-15X35.

I disagree.  Strongly.

I would have a hard time thinking of a binocular less suitable to your requirements.

Try one of the following:

Swift Audubon 8.5x44
Fujinon FMTR-SX 7x50 "Polaris"
Minox BD 8x44 BP (discontinued).

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rich Coyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2011 at 10:35
koshkin,
 
I'm not suprised you disagree with me.  We got off to a bad start and you look for anytlhing I do so you can disagree.
 
When I bought the 7-15X35 Nikons I went to the binocular store and started with the most expensive they had.  They cost $1000.  I took two different brands outside the store and compared them.  I asked the clerk to take the one I least prefered bach in and bring me another.  He did this until he brought the 7-15X.  I could hardly believe how nice something costing $165 could be better for my eyes than something costing about six times more.  None of the lower priced items were as nice.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2011 at 10:39
Originally posted by Rich Coyle Rich Coyle wrote:

koshkin,
 
I'm not suprised you disagree with me.  We got off to a bad start and you look for anytlhing I do so you can disagree.
 
When I bought the 7-15X35 Nikons I went to the binocular store and started with the most expensive they had.  They cost $1000.  I took two different brands outside the store and compared them.  I asked the clerk to take the one I least prefered bach in and bring me another.  He did this until he brought the 7-15X.  I could hardly believe how nice something costing $165 could be better for my eyes than something costing about six times more.  None of the lower priced items were as nice.
 




“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2011 at 10:42
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Originally posted by Rich Coyle Rich Coyle wrote:

Check out the NIkon 7-15X35.

I disagree.  Strongly.

I would have a hard time thinking of a binocular less suitable to your requirements.

Try one of the following:

Swift Audubon 8.5x44
Fujinon FMTR-SX 7x50 "Polaris"
Minox BD 8x44 BP (discontinued).

ILya
 
Originally posted by Rich Coyle Rich Coyle wrote:

When I put the Nikon on 15X I noticed the field of view shrank to about 60% of the Minox.
 
Just another good reason to avoid the zoom binoculars. Thumbs Down
 
http://www.bigbinoculars.com/nozooms.htm
 
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/45514/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/vc/1


Edited by Bird Watcher - January/15/2011 at 12:47
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2011 at 10:48
I strongly agree with Koshkin. 
 
Just be prepared to hear all sorts of repetitive nonsense about the Nikon 7-15x35 zoom "alleged" binoculars.  This guy won't stop.
Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2011 at 13:02
There is a reason why not many zoom binoculars are available.
 
There is a reason that we refuse to take them on trade.
 
There is a reason why Leica and Leupold made dual power binoculars instead of zoom.
 
Claiming the Nikon 7-15's are better than a $1,000.00 pair of binoculars is like claiming a tasco World Class is better than a Swarovski Pro-Hunter.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2011 at 13:14
Originally posted by Chris Farris Chris Farris wrote:

There is a reason why not many zoom binoculars are available.
 
There is a reason that we refuse to take them on trade.
 
There is a reason why Leica and Leupold made dual power binoculars instead of zoom.
 
Claiming the Nikon 7-15's are better than a $1,000.00 pair of binoculars is like claiming a tasco World Class is better than a Swarovski Pro-Hunter.
 
Just wait for that last one Chris!  He's done it before.
Steve
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