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"Opera Glass" ?

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rdnzl View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rdnzl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: "Opera Glass" ?
    Posted: August/10/2020 at 13:15
Is there any of the small, foldable Opera Glass type binoculars that are any good, and provide decent views outdoors?  I'm just thinking about portability and how they would fit into a pocket.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 16:36
I have an older pair of Bushnell 8x30 made in Japan. When the barrels are pushed together they fit easily in jeans and Dockers. I take them to sports stadiums and the theater all the time. The 8X is perfect for the football stadium or the Detroit Opera House.
I would only look at roof prisms if you want them for pocket carry as porro prisms are much wider. I have both.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 17:03
Are you talking about something like this?  I have a pair like this I just happened to pull out of the drawer the other day and they were terrible.  Maybe mine are just cheap junk and htey have nicer ones. 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rdnzl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 17:05
I am talking about those flat folding opera glasses. Like would fit into a back pocket of my jeans.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 20:08
Mine would not fit in the back pocket of jeans for sure. They are like the ones in the links I posted. I'll take a pic when I get the chance. 
I have used the type you show and they were probably cheap because they were awful.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rdnzl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 20:13
Thats what I am asking. Are there any of them that are NOT awful?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 20:43
with the way those lenses fold on those cheap spring hinges i dont see how they could ever like up properly to create a clean clean image.  There is so much slop in them
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rdnzl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 20:48
They are just a Galilean design, right?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/10/2020 at 21:48
i dont know on that. Mine look like that pic i posted
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/11/2020 at 06:37
Most of the decent ones I looked at were of mini-porro design. The foldable designs had a number of issues that really work against high quality. Super tool mentioned a big one but the very small objective lenses also necessitate small mags (3-4) so your exit pupil can let you see more than just the brightest scenes. I saw some up to 5 power but would think their field of view would be very small, not something you want when viewing stage activity.

None of the foldable ones I saw looked especially well made and might be OK for occasional use indoors but didn’t appear to me to be a good choice to take on outdoor ventures if you want decent images. If you think you would use them more for outdoor use I would think small porros that are pocketable would be a better choice. If you want to take a chance for 50 bucks or less on amazon for foldable, go for it.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DPI Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/12/2020 at 02:17
You are not going to find anything that is useful and quality and will fit in the back pocket.

You have a choice, pocket size and barely functional, or useful and bulky.

Anything really useful is going to involve prisms,I have not seen anything with prisms that folds flat. Technically possible, but very expensive to make, and of course the market these days is not great for this sort of thing. I suspect they would be very delicate as well.
This leaves you with 'fold-flat' gallalian types, for which you are stuck with the barely functional problem.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/12/2020 at 07:46
I had a pair of Lutz 10x25 that would fit the bill nicely. They had great image but boy did they shake, couldn’t keep ‘em still. You couldn’t look through them very long.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/12/2020 at 07:52
I have a Tasco roof-prism 8x21 that folds (both barrels fold in) to fit in a shirt pocket or coat pocket (certainly not a pants pocket item).  Not great, but better than the flat ones I used to play with when I was a kid and actually are useful at about 75 yards.  Claims fully multicoated lenses.  Very difficult to stabilize, though...need something stationary to lean against.  I've had it for years, don't even remember where I got it, but actually use it regularly.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raido Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/25/2020 at 15:25
Actually, 8x is too much for most of operas... The qaulity roof prism binoculars can give you compactness, bright and sharp image. There are binoculars which can be folded too
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