binoculars

[NHSHOOTER]

Just returned from a hunt down south where they tend to stay late in the blinds, it was suggested that I get a decent pair of binoculars and I totally agreed, I had a small compact pair that would fit in your pocket, not sufficient at all. I would like suggestions on brands, magnification and of course prices. Just went on ebay and of course they all just jump right out at ya, I am not in a hurry so I will do my homework and shop..
I know I will get plenty of good suggestions here on TFL and I want to thank you all ahead of time.

[riflemen]

Whats your budget, I have a pair of swarvoski that are amazing, for hunting I use Nikon Monarchs, they are really really nice... I also have a pair of explore 10x50s that were very affordable and perform way beyond their cost...
explore optics, nikon, leupold, go to optics planet and look for sales, they have plenty out there


I have these, about the best hunting bi optics I have ever used http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-7548-Waterproof-Magnification-42-Millimeter/dp/B008PEAS78/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1417649095&sr=8-5&keywords=nikon+monarch they are worth every penny...

[Bart B.]

Hand held binoculars used for detailed views are best at 7 power for most people. Image stability gets worse at higher power as does image brightness dim for a given objective lens size. A waterproof lightweight 7x35 is a good choice and makes acceptable compromises for most people. Compare several for image quality in dim light then pick the one you like. If you wear glasses, some binoculars have wider field of views seen with glasses on.

[jmr40]

A 6X or 7X is a good place to start. The most important thing in low light is to buy glass with an objective size at least 5X greater than the magnification. A 6X30, 7X35, 8X40 or 10X50 will work much better in low light than 8X22 and 10X25 binoculars that are so common. And buy quality. Good glass trumps bigger size. There are some good quality 8X32's that will work better than a cheap set of 8X40's

I find 8X40's to be bigger than I really want to carry most of the time. I currently have a couple in 6X32 and 6.5X36 that get carried a lot. If you want to keep them fairly compact then the magnification needs to be kept down. A set of 10X50's are huge and better suited for use in a vehicle.

The problem is that there aren't a lot of good options in a 6X or 7X. Lots of good 8X40's out there at good prices.

[Bart B.]

Jmr40's factor for objective lens size in mm's is new to me, but I totally agree. A good rule of thumb

My wife won a pair of Alpen binoculars in a drawing. That Apex series 10x42 Mossy is as bright and razor sharp as my 40-year-old Canon 7x50's. They've got 8x42's in the same Apex line that should be a better one for field use. Plus a tripod adapter's available to mount them solidly.

[Hunter2678]

Ive got a pair of leupy 8X42 cascades that I love...compared them to the nikon monarch 8xs and to my eyes they were better..

[lefteye]

I use my Kahles 8x32 binocular for bow and shotgun deer hunting in Iowa - current price is about $900. I use my Swarovski SLC 10x42 binocular for western hunting - current price is about $1,800. Both are superb and I feel the Kahles is a very good value.

[oldandslow]

nhs,

I bought a pair of Nikon ATB binocs for about $230 three years ago. Within the first year all the rubber "armor coat" peeled off. I mailed it back to Nikon at my expense and they told me their "warranty" only covered the optics so I would have to pay for the repair and return shipping.

I paid the fees and they sent me a new pair of ATB binocs. Only problem was that the the right objective lens had some sort of liquid smears inside making the right side vision blurry. With the bad taste of their last "warranty" service I just use it as is and did not return it a second time.

So no more Nikons for me. I do have a number of Leupold scopes and have been very pleased with them but no Leupold binocs. Good luck.

best wishes- oldandslow

[nate_g_2003]

I started out with a pair of hand-me-down Empire 7x50s my dad bought for my mom to use when hunting with him. They worked okay, but eventually one of the eye pieces broke, and I had been complaining about them fogging the last few years.

So as a Christmas gift a few years ago, Dad upgraded me to some Nikon Monarch X 10.5x45s. They are really, really nice. I think Nikon dropped the X line of the Monarchs, but I'd still recommend the Monarch line.

[wogpotter]

If you haven't tried somebody's image stabilized ones yet give 'em a whirl. Its probably the single biggest development in binoculars in the last 100 years.

If you want low light ability look at 7X50, 8X 40 or 8.5X44.

Don't ignore "store brands" either. One of the biggest marketing ploys nowadays is re-branding. What that means is that high end manufacturer/importer "A" buys binoculars from a mass maker who is unknown & sticks a high end brand name label on it, & charges appropriately. Then a mass market retail chain buys the same binocular from the same "Peoples Factory #153" but sells it for a lower price.;)

[603Country]

Had some 7x35 binocs for years, but went to 10x40's and much prefer them. Get the highest power you can hold without a lot of wobble and shake. For most folks, that's 10 power. And, in a reverse 'size matters' manner, small is better when it comes to binocs, as is light weight. For years I searched for just the right binocs. Found some Leica 10x40's and paid the money (which hurt). The only thing that might pry those Leica binocs out of my hands might be some new Leica binocs/RF, but that's $3k, and I just don't need them that badly.

Seems there's constant chatter on what's the best binocs for the least money. That is a worthwhile objective, but the truth is that the best aren't cheap, if you want the best.

[Barnacle Brad]

Whatever magnification you decide on, compare the porro prism and roof prism type binos. The roof prism type will be a little more compact.

Another consideration is weight. Moving up from a compact bino means moving up in weight also. You may not mind your binos hanging around your neck if just sitting in a blind, but the minute you have to start hiking you will. They will start swinging like a pendulum. There are nice harnesses available to arrest any movement of your binos. I recommend a harness.

Another consideration is eye relief, especially if you wear corrective lenses. The binos you select should have adjustable eyecups to adjust eye relief to suit your eyes.

Here is a primer on binocular selection:

Binocular Basics (http://www.chuckhawks.com/binocular_basics.htm)

[skywag]

Unless they are "image stabilized," they are just old fashioned junk.

Kind of like going from a slide rule to and HP-35.

[jimbob86]

The "image stabilization" issue is a "software issue", unless you are trying to use the binos in a moving vehichle.

If you can learn to hold a rifle with a 10X telescope atop it steady in field positions, you can hold a pair of binocs steady in the same conditions: the principles are the same. Learn to do it, and practice regularly.

In fact, because the binocs are small and compact, and not held out away from the body in use, they are easier to steady than a rifle .....

Those who advocate buying expensive "Image Stabilizing" have bought into the belief that you can spend enough money to be successful in the field, skillset be damned .......

Give your wallet a rest and invest in yourself: take the time to learn how to DO somesthing. Any idiot, in this age of fiat currency, can amass and plunk down a pile of cash for a gadget that will, on a good day, substitute for a skill that he should have learned ..... it will be harder to learn the skill, and certainly take more time ..... and the skill won't have a flashy logo on it ..... but it'll work so long as you do, and does not require batteries, a warranty, or customer service of any kind! You don't even need a teacher/instructor/mentor: You have the internet, and there are doubtless may instructional videos to be found ..... hie thee hence!

As to the OP's original question: my recommendation?

There is so much good glass out there, compared to the cheap stuff ..... I use a pair of older Leupold Wind River 10x50's ..... they've seen more than a decade of hard use .... the porro prism style, being heavier, has kind of gone out of style ...... The price has gone down on good optics, as well ..... I think I paid over a couple hundred dollars for mine ..... there are now roof prism (lighter) designs that are probably everybit as good as mine, probably better, made by the same company ....

[NHSHOOTER]

I have been checking online and these seem to fit the bill for me.

Leupold BX-1 Rogue 8X42 MOBU Binoculars

[skywag]

They kicked and screamed at "horseless carriages" as well.

Regardless how still a binocular can be held, image stabilization improves the view.

The largest manufactures, Canon, has models that compare in price to Leopold, and MUCH less than Swarovski or Zeiss.

http://www.usa.canon.com/CUSA/assets/app/images/product/Binocular/12x36isii_cl1_186x279.gif

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-12-x-36-IS-II-Image-Stabilized-Binoculars-/321583755386?pt=Binocular&hash=item4adfe2b07a

[Kreyzhorse]

Hard to go wrong with Nikon Monarchs as a great pair of hunting binos.

Love mine and use them often especially out west.

[skoro]

I would like suggestions on brands, magnification and of course prices.

I've used lots of binos over the past four decades. These will do exactly what you're seeking:

https://www.google.com/search?q=canon+10x30is&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=nts#q=canon+10x30is&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=nts&tbm=shop&spd=1773239182986239727

The stabilization makes a tremendous difference and allows the 10x magnification to really work for you. Extremely sharp images and compact enough to be practical for your purpose.

Shop around for the best price, because it varies a lot.

[wogpotter]

Perhaps a slightly different take.
Image stabilization is great for removing things like muscle tremors & heartbeats from high power binoculars. But there is another side to the OP's post he specifically wanted superior low light performance.
they tend to stay late in the blinds, it was suggested that I get a decent pair of binoculars and I totally agreed, I had a small compact pair that would fit in your pocket, not sufficient at all.
Because of the fact that there is a fixed relationship between magnification & objective lens size that works against low light performance lets not go to high power lenses with small objectives just to get image stabilization.

[NHSHOOTER]

I didnt want to spend a whole bunch of money and I had some $$$ left on a gift card so I purchased these. http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=1595397&categoryId=0&parentCategoryId=0&subCategoryId=0&indexId=0&itemGUID=357c0d3589dacd42d5f3c35a16f746dc&destination=/checkout/basket.jsp

[wogpotter]

As long as you keep the power down when the light fades you should be fine. Zoom isn't quite as good at transmitting light as a fixed power, but it compensates wit the ability to have multiple magnifications instead.

[jimbob86]

They kicked and screamed at "horseless carriages" as well.


The Cannons you referenced are not waterproof, and from what I can find in reviews, are not hought of as rugged ...... maybe when IS hardware gets past the Model T stage of development, I'll give them a look again.

[wogpotter]

In reality the biggest problem with IS binos for low light is the power/objective ratio. Look at whats offered & ask this:

"If IS were not a factor would I buy that power & light gathering for dawn/dusk use"?

I don't know why there isn't (for example) a 10 or 12 X 50 IS binocular, unless its a weight & bulk issue.

[jimbob86]

wog, FWIW, Canon makes a 15x50:

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/binoculars/image-stabilizer-binoculars/15-x-50-is-all-weather-binoculars

They do not seem to list the weight or any other specs except eye relief..... they call them "All Weather"..... but don't say "waterproof" ......

... and they want a hefty pile of cash for them: $1699. Add $349 for a "service plan" that provides insurance for "unforseen accidents" and "excessive downtime" ......

Nope, they'll have to be rugged enough that I don't have to insure them against a ground level fall .....and have equal optical clarity to a non-IS binocular of similar make (which according to some of the reviews I have read, they do not), AND the cost has to come down...... which it will, no doubt: Anybody remember what the first clunky PC's cost? The first brick phones? Now there are phones that have many times more memory, computing power, a better screen AND a camera ..... (with no wires) ....than the first desktops .... and they cost very little in comparison.

I think someday, Binocular tech will be like that: the Binos of the future will combine IS, rangefinding, navigation and probably a camera ..... but even then, I'll have the skills to be able to hold them steady in field positions, because "It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it."

[wogpotter]

No problem. I'm still using my Cabela's Alpha extreme 8.5 X 44s without any doodads.:D

They were an upgrade to my 30 year old original Swift Audubon 8X 40's. Yes those old warhorses! The development was excellent, eye relief is such that I can use them with glasses, weight & size were reduced & close focus was improved.

[ohiomossyoak]

Im partial to vortex optics.You get alot for the price an customer service that is no fault,no questions asked etc..I like 8x42s for hunting in my locale(ohio).Even Vortex under 200$ stuff is better than most anything else in the same price range. Just my opinion though

[geetarman]

I have a 35 year old Nikon 7X50 that is just about perfect. They will open up wide enough to accommodate my inter pupillary distance. If you don't have enough movement, the field of view will lead to eye strain. I bought a set of Bausch and Lomb 10X50 without really trying them and I cannot get the spread I need for my eyes. It is pretty good glass but not usable for me.

Many new designs today do not accommodate those of us with wide spaced eyes and some of the new high end binocs just won't work for me.

You need a set that will allow you to approach the "merge" of both eyes from each direction. From being too close together to being too far.

There is a "sweet" spot where the image blooms and you need to be able to get there from both directions.

[Cowboy_mo]

These (Minox) are not well known among hunters but they are fantastic glass for a working man's price. http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/minox.pl?page=62173 They are sold out of them right now which should tell you something.

I've owned and used these binos since 2010 and love them. I bought them for a trip to South Africa in 2010. I asked my guide if he was familiar with them as he had some high dollar Zeiss. He said, Oh yes they are very good and much more reasonable than the Zeiss. They worked great from early morning to very late evening in the bush. If you've never been there, you can't imagine how dark late evening in the bush can be. Mine are 10 x 42 and are very stable. You can look through them all day without sucking the life out of your eyes.

I liked them so well, I have also purchased and used 2 of their scopes. Lifetime warranty and great repeatability.:):)

[Clark]

I wear a pair of Minox HG 8x33 BR ASPH binoculars strapped to my chest when hunting.

From that harness I have lanyards to my GPS on one side and range finder on the other.

Then I have a rifle over my shoulder with a sling, and on that rifle is a scope, bipod, ammo pouch / cheek rest, and a rear bag hanging.

I shot that buck at 477 yards in 2013. I used the binocs to find him. The sun was coming up and was shining on his antlers.

[603Country]

I much prefer 10x42's over 7x35's. I use some Leica binocs (10x40) for hunting, but we have some 10x42 Nikon's around the house and they are pretty darn good glass. Hard to beat Nikon for quality for price, though I'll stay with my Leica binocs.

Don't get 10x50's. Too big, with not enough return for the investment and weight.