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new small set of binocs sought

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rancocasrich View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rancocasrich Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: new small set of binocs sought
    Posted: April/07/2009 at 19:22
I want to buy a small set of binoculars that I can use in the car for birding and that my wife could maybe use at the opera.  I want a nice set that would cost under $200.00. Any opinions are appreciated. Thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jsimoneaud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/08/2009 at 09:03
Leupold yosemite 6x30 about $90.00
J Simoneaud
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lucytuma View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/08/2009 at 17:03
Originally posted by Jsimoneaud Jsimoneaud wrote:

Leupold yosemite 6x30 about $90.00
 
+1
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
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lucznik View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/08/2009 at 17:39
Although I agree with the others that the Leupold Yosemite is a great binocular, I am not sure it is a very ideal choice for some of your expressed purposes (i.e. the opera)  For such a binocular I would suggest you look to one of the various 8x25mm compacts, like the Pentax DCF MC II.  In this case, size concerns will make it desireable to stick with the roof prism models.  I believe these cost just a hair over $100. 
 
Actually, for just a little more than your stated $200 budget, you could buy both.  A Yosemite for birdwatching from the car and a DCF MC II to keep in your pocket (or your wife's purse) for the opera and other such activities.  


Edited by lucznik - April/08/2009 at 17:40
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote clschmalz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2009 at 11:21

For indoor, theater use a magnification of 8x or lower with as wide a field as you can find would be best. In the compact binocular area reverse Porros usually have wider FOV than roofs and are better optically.

Charlie Schmalz
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2009 at 14:01
How about the Leupold Mesa 8x23mm compact?
 
 
Or, Leupold Olympic 8x25mm compact? Much better eye relief.
 
 
 


Edited by Bird Watcher - April/11/2009 at 14:07
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300S&W View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300S&W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2009 at 14:59
 I can highly recommend these:
 
 Been using mine hard and alot for years.
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lucznik View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2009 at 17:44
Originally posted by clschmalz clschmalz wrote:

In the compact binocular area reverse Porros usually have wider FOV than roofs and are better optically.
This can be true, especially when discussing budget-class optics, but reverse Porros actually have problems of their own which, IMO, make them less-than-desireable for theater, balet, opera, musical concert, etc. type uses.

  1. Although smaller than a full-sized binocular, they are still far to big to slip unobtrusively in a pocket.  They are, in fact, no smaller than many 30+mm binoculars.  If you are going to carry something that big, then you might as well benefit from the larger objectives.  It's when you are dressed "to the nines" and don't want to be packing around a bunch of extra stuff that the roof prism compacts really come into their own.
  2. The optical advantages of the Porro prism design are not likely to be seen in the mostly-darkened atmosphere of the theater.  Since they can't be seen, they might as well not be there.
  3. The reverse Porro design actually places the objectives even closer together than with roof prism designs, even the compacts.  For the same reasons that traditional Porro prism binoculars show better 3D images than do roof prism glasses, these reverse-Porro binoculars actually show a much lesser 3D image.  It kind of makes it feel like you are watching the action on a TV screen, rather than giving you that up-close-and-personal experience. 

What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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mwyates View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2009 at 21:29
I have an old (30yrs) pair of Bushnell Custom Compacts 6X25.  They are reverse porro, very small, and are incredibly sharp.  They are no longer made, and that's a shame.  They continued to make the 7X26's but they were not nearly as good ?????

Edited by mwyates - April/11/2009 at 21:30
No man on his deathbed ever said "I wish I'd made more money".
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