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bird watching

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tnyotehunter View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tnyotehunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: bird watching
    Posted: August/29/2007 at 03:36
I would like to purchase a pair of binoculars for bird watching.I would perfer a 8 or 10x and keep the cost less than 500$.I would appreciate any suggestions.Thanks

Edited by tnyotehunter
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anweis View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/29/2007 at 07:40

If you would like to watch birds, which i highly recommend because it is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and could be just as adventurous as a 1920s big game hunt in Africa, please believe me that you want an 8x. I’ve used the best 10x, 8x and 7x; the 8x and 7x just work better because of better and faster perception of details due to less handshake, better depth of field and less focusing, and wider field of view. You also need a wide field of view. Remember, birds move more and are faster than elk, if you want to see them you need to be able to follow them so you need wide field of view (the more the better). My suggestion for a $500 would be as follows, but if your wear glasses you need long eye relief, so check that.

 

Swift porro 8.5x44, Fujinon BFL 8x42, Nikon LX 8x32 (check fleabay and the photo stores - i saw one in Portland for $450), Meopta 7x42 or 8x42 (just recently i saw one on fleabay), Minox HG 8x33, Zeiss Conquest ABK 8x40 or Conquest 8x32, Celestron regal LX 8X42, Nikon Monarch 8x36, Pentax DCF SP 8x32, Vortex Viper 8x42.

 

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jonbravado View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonbravado Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/29/2007 at 09:53

i agree w/ anweis - i even think there is a noticable difference between 8power and 7 -

 

i can personally recommend the fujinon 7x50 polaris (beautiful, stable image) and minox bino's.

 

i would even consider the 6.5x32 minox IF (auto focus) - these are stable, quick target acquisition binos w/ great contrast.

and they are compact.  i love mine.

 

as far as brilliance of image for around 500 bucks - vortex, nikon, or minox would probably be your best bet.

 

if you can spend a little over that, give the fujinon 7x50 polaris a serious look - they are brilliant.

 

good luck - you have some good suggestions above.

 

J

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anweis View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/29/2007 at 14:38

Binoculars with individual eye focus are great in more open spaces such as fields and water, where little focusing is needed. However, if you ever catch the "bird in the bush" bug, you will need central focusing and a minimum close focus of about 12-13 feet, but not longer.

 

The 6.5x32 configuration may be awesome for birding, provided that the glass is of good quality, has a wide field of view, central focus, and a reasonably close focus. I am looking forward to trying the Vortex Fury 6.5x.

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jonbravado View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonbravado Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/29/2007 at 14:58

yeah, close focus IS important if you get lucky enough to be close to those winged critters.

 

the minox IF series is great glass - i too would be interested in the vortex fury.

 

so the IF may not be great for close focus, but the image is brilliant.

 

J

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Klamath View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/29/2007 at 17:37

Anweis has it right with 7or 8x.  10x is more of a specialized use magnification as it is less easy for most people to hold steady than lower magnification glass.  For Raptor or waterfowl watching it is sometimes useful.  However 95%+ of all bird watching is best served with 7x. 

I gotta cheerfully disagree with jonbravdo.  A GIGANTIC Polaris, those things have to weigh nearly four pounds, with IF, regardless of how sharp the optics may be is just exactly the last binocular you need for birdwatching.  Jon, I guess I better be careful here, because if you're big enough to lug those things around here, you're probably big enough to bust my neck. I will agree they are very good optically, but trying to follow a treefull of warblers with a big individual focus glass is not a good place for the Fujinon. A quick center focus is way better.

Don't wait for the Fury.  Swift has put new coatings on their 7x36 Eaglet and that glass is 98% of the way to as good as optics get. Costs $450.00.  I also have a Viper which is every bit as good as the Swift.  The Eaglet has a fast focus which is better for strictly birdwatching.  The Viper is a little slower focus, which is better for hunting, but either is suitable for both uses.



Edited by Klamath
Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron

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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: August/30/2007 at 16:51
Don't forget the Leupold Katmai 6x, 8x, & 10x 32's.

I recently purchased the 6x32mm for the wife and it is an excellent birding binocular for $290.oo

FOV is 425' or 8.1 degrees.

Edited by Bird Watcher
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vkalia View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vkalia Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/05/2007 at 09:54
At $500, your best bets would be Vortex Vipers, Pentax SP or Minox BDs (although with the latter, you may end up going a
little over your budget).

I would go with an 8x42 configuration. It will have better resolution for distant birds compared to the 8x32 models, IMO.

Vandit
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Tero View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2007 at 21:31
I use mostly Bushnell Legend 8x32 and a couple of 10X these days. With 10x, look for weight under 26oz.
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