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Best $300-$400 range binos |
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hondo56
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/05/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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Posted: June/11/2006 at 21:46 |
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I'm going to order some binoculars from SWFA and just don't know what to get in the mentioned price range.
A friend bought some of those $1800 Swaros that you can see into the parallel universe with. I only have the funds to stay in this universe. So, enlightened ones, Monarch ATB, Bushnells, Pentax? I want good clarity and depth, prefer roof prism and want a 10 x 42 setting.
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Here's to ya, pilgrim.
Hondo56 |
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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Well, if you want to get a view into that parallel universe but, don't want to spend the high dollar pricetag, you should be looking at porro prism binoculars. Swift, Bushnell, Nikon, Pentax, and others all have good options here that will easily match (or best) the image of any roof prism binoculars, regardless of cost. The tradeoff is that the porro binocular will be somewhat larger and (probably) heavier.
If you insist upon a roof prism view of just this universe, my vote would go to the Bushnell Discoverer, which is easily the best binocular available in your up-to-$400 price range. If you need to go closer to the $300 mark, I would suggest either the Nikon Monarch or the Bushnell Legends. Either one is the equal of the other and are probably the best options in this lower price range.
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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blsnelling
Optics Apprentice Joined: August/09/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 60 |
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The Pentax DCF WPII binos are only $339 for 8x and $359 for 10x. They are excellent phase-coated roof prism binos.
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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I just remembered that the Leupold WindRiver Cascades were recently upgraded to include phase-correction coatings, which should put them on par with the Monarchs and Legends though, I haven't seen one of these yet in the store to make a comparison. I believe these sell for right around $299
If you do go for the Leupold, you just need to make sure that you walk away with one of these newly enhanced models and not some left-over stock of the old ones that your dealer might be trying to get rid of fast. |
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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hondo56
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/05/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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I was looking at the Wind Rivers, thanks for the heads up.
Lucznik, you brought up the better clarity of porro prism. I've seen that opinion in other posts here. It appears that most bino makers are focusing on roof prism and most porros are lower priced with less selection. I could go for a 10 x 50 porro if it made sense performance-wise and financially. Does a $150 pair of porros give the performance of $400 roof prism glasses? Is it just that much more expensive to make roof prism binoculars, or are manufacturers merely capitalizing on the popularity of the sleeker roof prism design? |
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Here's to ya, pilgrim.
Hondo56 |
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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In a word; Yes.
Actually a $150 porro prism glass will generally be optically superior to that of the $400 roof prism glass.
Again, yes (to both questions.) Porro prism binoculars are much, much easier to construct. They also don't bend light to the same degree as roof prism optics and so they avoid many of the design difficulties that roof prism glasses deal with and for which extra coatings (for example, phase correction coatings) are needed to try to fix. The primary draw for roof prism glass is essentially two-fold:
First, roof prisms can be accomodated in smaller, sleeker housings which are both more convenient to carry and more stylish. They also are generally lighter. This is a legitimate issue and it cannot be denied that porro prism binoculars are significantly larger than their roof prism siblings. They are not however, so large as to be unmanageable or to be excessively strain-inducing and I tend to think that the improved image quality is worth a little extra bulk and weight. I have a porro prism 10x42 B&L Discoverer and it easily matches the image quality of the Top offerings of Swarovski, Leica, Zeiss, and Nikon. This binocular originally retailed at $400 but, I bought mine for $200 on closeout. Unfortunately this binocular is no longer made so, it would be very difficult (if not impossible) to find one. However, there are still several other very good options available from Nikon, Pentax, Swift, Bushnell, etc. If you don't mind Individual Focus mechanisms, you can also get high quality porros from Steiner, IOR, etc.
Second, the design of the roof prism housing makes them sturdier and more easily waterproofed. This additional ruggedness is often played up to a very high level by optics marketing departments. It is however, not always as significant as it seems at first blush. Porro prism design has improved and so have the materials used to make these binoculars to such a degree that they can be very robust products indeed. Many of the current porro prism models are gauranteed waterproof/fogproof and even include lifetime warranties - a feature that would not be offered if they were expected to fall apart after only a few years of use.
Edited by lucznik |
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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hondo56
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/05/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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I love it when you get an education that substantiates opinions. Thanks much! I am going to Cabelas in Fort Worth to compare porros vs. roof. I have a set of cheap Tasco 10 x 50 porros and they surprised me at the clairty. However, I want to move up to excellent rather than OK binos. With this feedback I just might get a $200-300 set of porros, save a bunch of $$ and be perfectly happy. Since SWFA hosts this forum, I will start looking with them. Thanks again. |
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Here's to ya, pilgrim.
Hondo56 |
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Stud Duck
Optics Journeyman Joined: May/20/2005 Location: WV Status: Offline Points: 508 |
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Wind River Pinnacles......the poor man's Zeiss.
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Wheels
Optics GrassHopper Joined: January/09/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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I would pick
Roof: Nikon Monarch Porro: Fujinon BFL Actually find what fits you the best. I find it hard to buy without trying them first. You may end up with something that has good optics but you don't quite like the feel so it stays home or back at camp more then in the field. good luck |
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The Crusader
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/16/2006 Status: Offline Points: 2 |
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Unless your dead set on spending extra a larger amount of money for
less optical quality on a set of roof prisms to save a few ounces of
weight, Id put your money on a set of porro prisms. About a year
ago I did the ole' which Bino would I be happiest with for the
price, with a budget of 200-250 dollars. I did some
in store optical comparisons of various 10x50's . I did a lot of
comparisons (as best I could) and looked for various optical aspects
such as feid curvature ( used a rack of fishing poles as a target) and
also looked for such things as edge of feild sharpness and such.
I looked thru various Nikons, Bushnells, Pentax's, Windrivers
ect. and what I was able to compare in the store, the Pentax's
10x50's appeared to be optically the better binos. I cant
remember which binoc was best from other features. There was a
problem will all of them though. They all carried a Made In China
sticker on them(unless they pull them off befor you look at them), and
while I hate sending money overseas if I have to, I would prefer to
send dollars to Japan then to Communist China, if you get my
drift. So the question is what Binocs did I buy? Well ,
after reading all of the reveiws written by the group of people who are
the fussiest about optic quality, ( astronomers) I ended up
buying a set of Orion Vista, 10x50's, which I have been very happy
with. These are excellent quality optics and are much better than
the pair of 7x50's Ive been using in the past. Do they have
any drawbacks? well yes, like everything else there are
compromises. The Orion Vista 10x50's have a little less eye relief then
some others which may bother some people if they have to wear eye
glasses when veiwing, but for me that is not a concern. Price?
~ 229.oo . These Binocs are also sold under a
different label, ( cant remember which) . Im not sure if these
are sold thru SWFA, but if they are not, they really should consider
adding them to their product line, as they have excellent optics,
and seem to be of well constructed.. I
Now, If size and price isnt an issue, What binocs would I buy? a set of Fujinon 15x70's, An absolutely wonderful set of binoculars. These are a little large for hand holding so these may not fit your purpose. While I only have experience with Fujinon 15x70's, if the rest of their product line is of similar quality as this particular model, I dont think you could go wrong. Recommendations: Orion Vista's (or possibly Pentax ) if you want a decent pair of moderately priced 7x50's or 10x50's without getting soaked. or consider checking out the fujinon line of products if you have a little more money burning a hole in your pockets, but realisticly unless you need a set of coke bottle glasses to see thru a set of binoculars, Id recommend the Orion Vista's ( note: Im not sure about any of the cheaper branded Orion binoculars, as they most likely would compare both price and quality wise as most of the other chinese imports) ( although, i have heard some people praising the Oberwork line of imports, expecially their larger sizes, for being of decent quality for cheap price. Id do some reading on these as with all chinese produces, quality control is subject to wide variability. If you are going to spend money on chinese optics, one should try not to pay premium prices for chinese glass as you would if you buy a set of Chinese Nikons, or Chinese Pentaxs or Chinese Windrivers, etc. |
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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I hear you. Not to mention that a lot of those optics fatories are owned by the Chinese Army. |
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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The Orion Vista is also sold under the name Celestron Ultima, or it was. Mine are actually made in Japan, but they are older. Nevertheless, great glass for a big ole porro 10x50. |
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