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Binoculars for surveillance

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Jumanji View Drop Down
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    Posted: February/22/2012 at 00:07
Hey guys, brand new to the site.  I was hoping you could give me some opinions/personal experiences on a few sets of binoculars I am considering purchasing for surveillance work.  The binoculars would be deployed in a variety of situations - sometimes in a car through a limo-tinted window in a dark parking lot, sometimes while I'm hiding in some weeds in bright sunlight.  They're going to be used to watch certain, ahem, hand-to-hand transactions from a variety of distances.  Being able to see/recognize someone's face would be a definite advantage.

I am considering the following:

Zen-Ray 8x42 Zen ED2 - $329.95 - a little pricier than I want to go, but I haven't ruled it out

Steiner Military-Marine 8x30 - $269-99

Steiner Predator Pro Xtreme Compact 8x22 - $179.99

Vortex Diamondback 8x42 - $219.99

I am open to any other suggestions that won't break the bank.  Thanks for your help.


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gulf1263 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gulf1263 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2012 at 01:34
IMHO the Leupold 6x30 Yosemite's work great, they are easy to hand hold, compact and cheap ($90.00+).
Being center focus they are easy to use and the optics are much better than their price suggests.
Being low powered they are easy to hold steady for long periods and you can follow rapid movement because they have better depth of field than the roof prism glasses.
Binoculars tend to migrate in a law enforcement situation and these are cheap enough that you can have a back up pair (management and co-workers seem to acquire your "good stuff") and good enough that the id's they provide can stand up in court.
An acquaintance had a judge check them out during trail, the jury was instructed by the judge to believe that with the bino's the id's were valid.
You will need to spend a lot more to get better.
Good luck
Art


Good day.
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rustic View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rustic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2012 at 01:38
Originally posted by Jumanji Jumanji wrote:

Hey guys, brand new to the site.  I was hoping you could give me some opinions/personal experiences on a few sets of binoculars I am considering purchasing for surveillance work.  The binoculars would be deployed in a variety of situations - sometimes in a car through a limo-tinted window in a dark parking lot, sometimes while I'm hiding in some weeds in bright sunlight.  They're going to be used to watch certain, ahem, hand-to-hand transactions from a variety of distances.  Being able to see/recognize someone's face would be a definite advantage.

I am considering the following:

Zen-Ray 8x42 Zen ED2 - $329.95 - a little pricier than I want to go, but I haven't ruled it out

Steiner Military-Marine 8x30 - $269-99

Steiner Predator Pro Xtreme Compact 8x22 - $179.99

Vortex Diamondback 8x42 - $219.99

I am open to any other suggestions that won't break the bank.  Thanks for your help.




?
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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: February/22/2012 at 08:54
Originally posted by Jumanji Jumanji wrote:

  They're going to be used to watch certain, ahem, hand-to-hand transactions from a variety of distances.  Being able to see/recognize someone's face would be a definite advantage.

I am open to any other suggestions that won't break the bank.  Thanks for your help.
 
The Pentax PCF WP II binoculars are very rugged and won't give your wallet a hernia. 
I own a half dozen of the Pentax Porro prism binoculars and enjoy them all.
 
http://swfa.com/Pentax-PCF-WP-II-Binoculars-C3442.aspx
 
What would be the maximum working distance between you and your targets?
Will you need the binoculars for reading license plates from a distance?
 
Stan
 
 
 
 
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Shelley@SWFA View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shelley@SWFA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2012 at 08:58
Vortex Diamondback on the sample List
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Jumanji View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jumanji Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2012 at 11:45
Thanks for the input, guys.

Rustic, perhaps I should've said hiding behind a bush?  Or maybe in treeline?  Think you guys get the idea though, lol.

Bird Watcher, the distances really vary.  I've been as close as 100 feet and as far as about 900 or a 1000 feet.  Reading license plates is a plus.  My partner has 10x50's but they are a bit on the shaky side.  I was actually thinking about purchasing a harness for steadying them similar to this one:

*competitor link REMOVED by Moderator"
 
jumanji, please read and follow the rules you are required to acknowledge when you join the OT Forum.


Edited by Kickboxer - February/22/2012 at 12:20
________________________________
Jeff

Adventure lays in the journey, not the destination.
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rustic View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rustic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2012 at 11:53
Originally posted by Jumanji Jumanji wrote:

Thanks for the input, guys.

Rustic, perhaps I should've said hiding behind a bush?  Or maybe in treeline?  Think you guys get the idea though, lol.

Bird Watcher, the distances really vary.  I've been as close as 100 feet and as far as about 900 or a 1000 feet.  Reading license plates is a plus.  My partner has 10x50's but they are a bit on the shaky side.  I was actually thinking about purchasing a harness for steadying them similar to this one:




I have a these and was very sceptical when buying them but, they won me over after using them in the field. With a harness you barely know you have them on your chest. 

Leupold BX-1 Yosemite 8x30mm


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2012 at 12:46
Originally posted by Jumanji Jumanji wrote:

Thanks for the input, guys.

Bird Watcher, the distances really vary.  I've been as close as 100 feet and as far as about 900 or a 1000 feet.  Reading license plates is a plus.  My partner has 10x50's but they are a bit on the shaky side.  I was actually thinking about purchasing a harness for steadying them:
 
One other option would be the Canon Image Stabilizing binoculars such as a 10x30 IS or 12x36 IS.
 
Or, how about an inexpensive chest monopod?
 
 
Stan


Edited by Bird Watcher - February/22/2012 at 13:49
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Jumanji View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jumanji Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/24/2012 at 01:09
Kickboxer, my apologies.  I was trying to rush out the door and forgot to turn my brain on.

Again, thanks for the input everyone.

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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: February/24/2012 at 02:43
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opticPunk335 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote opticPunk335 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/24/2012 at 03:58
Originally posted by Jumanji Jumanji wrote:

Hey guys, brand new to the site.  I was hoping you could give me some opinions/personal experiences on a few sets of binoculars I am considering purchasing for surveillance work.  The binoculars would be deployed in a variety of situations - sometimes in a car through a limo-tinted window in a dark parking lot, sometimes while I'm hiding in some weeds in bright sunlight.  They're going to be used to watch certain, ahem, hand-to-hand transactions from a variety of distances.  Being able to see/recognize someone's face would be a definite advantage.

I am considering the following:

Zen-Ray 8x42 Zen ED2 - $329.95 - a little pricier than I want to go, but I haven't ruled it out

Steiner Military-Marine 8x30 - $269-99

Steiner Predator Pro Xtreme Compact 8x22 - $179.99

Vortex Diamondback 8x42 - $219.99

I am open to any other suggestions that won't break the bank.  Thanks for your help.


competitor ny has the Zen Ray 8x43 ED2 for $279 shipped. Just thought I should let you know make your options better.
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opticPunk335 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote opticPunk335 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/24/2012 at 03:59
^ competitor NY
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opticPunk335 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote opticPunk335 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/24/2012 at 04:13
Crap, my bad. Anyway to delete posts. 
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