Binoculars for birding

Joe94

Joe94

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Morning all,

So I’m looking for recommendations for some Binoculars for birding/wildlife.

Im looking with a budget of up to £250 Max (although if going a little over make a huge difference then may consider).

I have done a bit of self reaserch (so apologies if I’m wrong) and have seen 10-42 & brands of Hawke, Nikon & Vortex seem to come up....

Many thanks
 
The first number needs to be either 8 or 10 - this is the magnification. I use 8x bins but Bestbeloved, who is a very keen birder, uses 10x.

The second number is the light gathering ability. The bigger the better but also heavier. Mine are 8x30 and light (Carl Zeiss, 1960) - i have a camera around my neck as well so lightness is important. Bestbeloved's are 10x42 which gives a much brighter image at the cost of size. Her's are also top of the range Zeiss and very expensive (bins can cost more than cameras!).
 
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I have a pair of Opticron ED Traveller 10*42, quite light (500 grms) and portable I paid around £300 from a bird shop in Poole , If I had shopped around I could have got them a bit cheaper.
I did look at Swarovski but very expensive and too much for what I wanted
 
john.margetts said:
The first number needs to be either 8 or 10 - this is the magnification. I use 8x bins but Bestbeloved, who is a very keen birder, uses 10x.

The second number is the light gathering ability. The bigger the better but also heavier. Mine are 8x30 and light (Carl Zeiss, 1960) - i have a camera around my neck as well so lightness is important. Bestbeloved's are 10x42 which gives a much brighter image at the cost of size. Her's are also top of the range Zeiss and very expensive (bins can cost more than cameras!).
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Thank you very much for this explanation, really helpful indeed :)
 
It's worth trying to get 'hands on' with any you are considering, especially if you wear spectacles. Try researching 'eye relief' & you will understand why. (similar effect to vignetting with a camera lens)
 
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I use Opticron 10 x 42’s and find them excellent and a good all round pair of bins. Mine are the ‘porro prism' type but I like the look of these 'roofies'...

www.cliftoncameras.co.uk

Opticron Explorer WA ED-R 10x42 Binoculars | Clifton Cameras

Buy a Opticron Explorer WA ED-R 10x42 Binoculars from Clifton Cameras with peace of mind. We only stock official UK products. We are the UK’s leading independent digital camera dealer with the best deals in the world of photography.
www.cliftoncameras.co.uk www.cliftoncameras.co.uk
 
We're big fans of Vortex and they have great customer service. When I broke mine, and they were deemed unrepairable, they replaced them with a brand new pair of the current model. I carry 10x42 Razors (not in budget), and my wife carries 8x42 Diamondbacks which are also very nice (in budget).
 
I use vortex vipers, best bins I’ve ever used and I’ve paid a lot more money for others that aren’t as good. I highly recommend vortex.

If you’re just plodding around and birding at a closer range 8x are fine, 10x can be a twitchy at close range. I’ve happily used my 10x looking for eagles, whales and otters at range in Scotland when I’ve not taken my scope. Sometimes they’re too much when something lands on a nearby tree or post etc.. My 10x arethat good I sold my scope, something else I no longer need to carry around on a tripod!
 
Binoculars are a bit like cameras everyone will have a different opinion. In that price bracket my choice would be something like these Pentax SD 8/9/10 x 42 WP Roof Prism Binocular
if you shop around they should be in budget. In normal times I would of recommended a RSPB equipment demonstration event but I doubt they are running at the moment but I would still try and find a good shop with a selection of makes to get a hands on experience.
 
I've got some little Nikon 8x23s which are excellent for general wandering about. They fit in a pocket. My heavy old 10 X 50s gave me neck ache and I gave them away. What I gained in magnification, I lost in the difficulty of holding them steady, so unless modern ones are lighter, I'd only recommend them if you can prop your elbows on something or you have a neck and arms like a blacksmith...
 
Thank you everyone so very much for all your help :)

You have given me lots to think about, but at least now I know what sort of thing I should be looking for aha!

Thanks again all :)
 
Don't know where you are but if you are anywhere near one of the InFocus shops (https://www.at-infocus.co.uk/) I recommend having a look.

There is NO substitute to trying out binoculars yourself. I'm lucky as I am fairly near one but I would not consider buying binoculars without trying them first.

If InFocus isn't near you have a look at any local bird reserves. Many of the larger, staffed, RSPB reserves have a permanent exhibition of binoculars and scopes that you can try. This might be a bit more difficult under the current circumstances but it would not surprise me if they have found a safe way around it.

If you normally where glasses and don't want the hassle of having to take your glasses off to use binoculars look for one with a large eye relief, but again actually trying some out is the best way.

Your budget will get you a very decent pair.

Dave
 
as a specs wearer I can only echo the above remarks . , yes indeed you can spend hundred on really good ones .. but is it really needed as your main interest will be the camera a medium priced pair of 10x42 will suffice as long as there nitrogen filled (anti fog) the best pair I ever owned was from 7 day shop and cost all of £17.99 now long gone , dropped them out of the car but sadly missed .
p.s your 100-400 plus 1.4tc will give you more reach btw
 
A lot of birders use 8 x 40s because they're light. I use 12 x 50s just to be different. Actually because that's what I've always used and I'm used to them, and I use them for other things too, like astronomy. The pair I'd had for about 20 years were getting a bit tired so I got a new pair about a year ago and looked at a lot of options. 8 x 40s and 10 x 50s will give you a lot more choice then I had looking for 12 x 50s. My first choice was Hawke. They seem very decent without being silly expensive, but as it happened I couldn't have them. Not a problem a man will have but as a small woman with a fairly narrow face, the minumum eyepiece distance was too wide for me. I ended up with Opticron - a different design, less flashy, less expensive but I'm well impressed with them. As a bonus they're lighter than my old pair.
 
the black fox said:
as a specs wearer I can only echo the above remarks . , yes indeed you can spend hundred on really good ones .. but is it really needed as your main interest will be the camera a medium priced pair of 10x42 will suffice as long as there nitrogen filled (anti fog) the best pair I ever owned was from 7 day shop and cost all of £17.99 now long gone , dropped them out of the car but sadly missed .
p.s your 100-400 plus 1.4tc will give you more reach btw
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Thanks for the advice mate & that a shame to hear for sure... Also thanks for the tip of the lens too :)
 
I bought a pair of Olympus 8x40 binoculars last year. Really impressed. Lovely clear glass and not heavy.
£50ish on a well known internet store beginning with A.
 
Swift Audubon’s seem to be highly recommended.
Birdforum is a good source of binocular information.
 
If you can find a mintish pair of 8x43 Hawke Frontier ED binoculars on the used market (they're a discontinued model) then they'll probably be within your £250 budget: hawke frontier ED 8x43 | eBay

They're also available in a 10x43 but if you don't have really steady hands then any advantage over an 8 x magnification binocular will be lost due to shake. Do bear this in mind when choosing binoculars, as I think it must be the most common mistake people make when buying them! The Hawke Frontier ED was a very well thought of binocular and really shook the price point up when it was introduced. Very clear optics, a good field of view and depth of field (DoF is an important aspect to consider, otherwise you'll spend your time trying to focus and end up missing the bird you wanted to see!). They are also good in low light, and I can see more shadow detail on a dull day with them than I can with my naked eye.

However, as some above have said, it's best to try before you buy if you can, as what suits one person may not suit another, and comfortable use is also an important factor if you're going to be using them regularly and for a few hours at a time.

Hope the above is useful and best of luck choosing the right pair for you.
 
Mr Badger said:
If you can find a mintish pair of 8x43 Hawke Frontier ED binoculars on the used market (they're a discontinued model) then they'll probably be within your £250 budget: hawke frontier ED 8x43 | eBay

They're also available in a 10x43 but if you don't have really steady hands then any advantage over an 8 x magnification binocular will be lost due to shake. Do bear this in mind when choosing binoculars, as I think it must be the most common mistake people make when buying them! The Hawke Frontier ED was a very well thought of binocular and really shook the price point up when it was introduced. Very clear optics, a good field of view and depth of field (DoF is an important aspect to consider, otherwise you'll spend your time trying to focus and end up missing the bird you wanted to see!). They are also good in low light, and I can see more shadow detail on a dull day with them than I can with my naked eye.

However, as some above have said, it's best to try before you buy if you can, as what suits one person may not suit another, and comfortable use is also an important factor if you're going to be using them regularly and for a few hours at a time.

Hope the above is useful and best of luck choosing the right pair for you.
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Thank you very much for this, it definitely is very helpful indeed!

Especially the advice about going for x8 over x10, if you don't have steady hand, in which case I think I will definitely be looking for a pair of x8's :)

I have been looking at the Hawke brand, however I think as yourself and others have said, I will hang fire a couple of weeks until I can get to a shop to give them a try before purchase, especially as I also wear glasses.

Thanks again though, appreciate :)
 
There's a technique to using x10 binoculars, you need to tuck your elbows in ;) , that's why the advice to try them is key. I started with solid old Russian 7x50 that weighed a ton, had some 8x30 and last Christmas my wife treated me to some Zeiss Conquest 10x42 HD which are brilliant but expensive. They were on sale last December at £719 with a further £135 cashback from ZEISS, now they are£1049:eek:
 
broc said:
There's a technique to using x10 binoculars, you need to tuck your elbows in ;) , that's why the advice to try them is key. I started with solid old Russian 7x50 that weighed a ton, had some 8x30 and last Christmas my wife treated me to some Zeiss Conquest 10x42 HD which are brilliant but expensive. They were on sale last December at £719 with a further £135 cashback from ZEISS, now they are£1049:eek:
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WOW!! I bet there are impressive though aha, but unfortunately just a tad out my range haha.

But no I think your right, the key will be to try some out & see what works :)
 
Joe94 said:
Thank you very much for this, it definitely is very helpful indeed!

Especially the advice about going for x8 over x10, if you don't have steady hand, in which case I think I will definitely be looking for a pair of x8's :)

I have been looking at the Hawke brand, however I think as yourself and others have said, I will hang fire a couple of weeks until I can get to a shop to give them a try before purchase, especially as I also wear glasses.

Thanks again though, appreciate :)
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If buying new rather than used, then these 8x42 Hawke Endurance ED binoculars seem to have a good review: Hawke Endurance ED 8x42 Binoculars Review (bestbinocularsreviews.com) and at a shade over the £200 mark (or possibly less in the Xmas sales - or if you ask the shop what their best price might be?) they're well within your budget range and appear to provide very good 'bang for buck' (as the old model Frontier ED did). Plus they come with a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser (limited to 10 years by EU law, but as we're leaving the EU this might become a lifetime warranty again in the UK - an email to Hawke will probably be able to confirm this aspect?).

You'll notice the tester compared the above Hawkes against his 'high end benchmark' binoculars for the image quality test; these were most likely a pair costing close on £2,000, as that's where the 'high end' goes for the likes of Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, etc.

But as we've said, do check you like the feel and fit before buying, so don't set your heart on these yet! Hawke are a popular make so there should be a stockist fairly close to you with some in stock to try - although I'm not sure how Covid rules affect trying binoculars out at the moment? PS As for colour options, the green ones tend to be a bit more desirable as they blend in to the surroundings a bit better (and also look a bit more like £1000+ Swarovski ones! ;) )

Also, aside from the shake issue, 8x42 will give a wider field of view than 10x42, and this can make it easier to find the bird you've seen sitting in a bush when looking through your binoculars - at least until you really get the hang of using them. So perhaps give this some thought too when deciding on 8x or 10x magnification. Anyway, let us know how you go on. (y)
 
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Mr Badger said:
If buying new rather than used, then these 8x42 Hawke Endurance ED binoculars seem to have a good review: Hawke Endurance ED 8x42 Binoculars Review (bestbinocularsreviews.com) and at a shade over the £200 mark (or possibly less in the Xmas sales - or if you ask the shop what their best price might be?) they're well within your budget range and appear to provide very good 'bang for buck' (as the old model Frontier ED did). Plus they come with a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser (limited to 10 years by EU law, but as we're leaving the EU this might become a lifetime warranty again in the UK - an email to Hawke will probably be able to confirm this aspect?).

You'll notice the tester compared the above Hawkes against his 'high end benchmark' binoculars for the image quality test; these were most likely a pair costing close on £2,000, as that's where the 'high end' goes for the likes of Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, etc.

But as we've said, do check you like the feel and fit before buying, so don't set your heart on these yet! Hawke are a popular make so there should be a stockist fairly close to you with some in stock to try - although I'm not sure how Covid rules affect trying binoculars out at the moment? PS As for colour options, the green ones tend to be a bit more desirable as they blend in to the surroundings a bit better (and also look a bit more like £1000+ Swarovski ones! ;) )

Also, aside from the shake issue, 8x42 will give a wider field of view than 10x42, and this can make it easier to find the bird you've seen sitting in a bush when looking through your binoculars - at least until you really get the hang of using them. So perhaps give this some thought too when deciding on 8x or 10x magnification. Anyway, let us know how you go on. (y)
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Thank you very much for This :)

Hawke as you say seem to be popular & infact the ones you mention are ones I have being looking at, along side others. But the video review does make them look even more appealing :)

However I do agree that befor buying, I will definitely try some out to be sure first. Also thank you for the added tip around the wider field of view too, I think 8x will probably be where I go, but as I say try them first aha.

Again thank you for your help, & everyone else’s too and I will certainly update you all in a few weeks once I have my chosen pair :)
 
As with Cameras and lenses, you get what you pay for. If you are not fussy about S/hand there are a number of places worth looking at, you will get a far better better binocular in your budget rather going new. Steer clear of the later Zeiss bino's,that are not up to much, the older models are very good (IIRC they now have some models made in China? and the quality is not good). eBay is always worth keeping an eye on, I managaed to get a pair of Swarovski SLC for £225 a while ago for the glove box, Gumtree is another one to search daily as is Facebook marketplace. Good luck.
 
mex said:
As with Cameras and lenses, you get what you pay for. If you are not fussy about S/hand there are a number of places worth looking at, you will get a far better better binocular in your budget rather going new. Steer clear of the later Zeiss bino's,that are not up to much, the older models are very good (IIRC they now have some models made in China? and the quality is not good). eBay is always worth keeping an eye on, I managaed to get a pair of Swarovski SLC for £225 a while ago for the glove box, Gumtree is another one to search daily as is Facebook marketplace. Good luck.
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Thank you for the tips :)
 
Do also bear in mind that binocular technology has come on in leaps and bounds over the last 15 or so years, with modern lens and prism coatings now being far better (and significantly more affordable) than they were, certainly within the budget to mid-range price sectors. I think a lot of people would be very surprised if they looked through a pair of 'modern' binoculars costing within your budget, compared with their old 'named' models from 20 or 30 years ago.

I remember asking a professional ornithologist colleague about binoculars when I was looking to upgrade around 12 years ago, and he suggested a certain make which had a fairly good 'budget/low mid-range' reputation. As they'd been around a few years I decided to do some internet research, mainly to see if I'd be better biting the bullet and paying around £1000 for a good second hand pair of Swarovski. That's when I found out about the Mk1 Hawk Frontier EDs (which had just come onto the market and were causing a bit of a stir in the birding world at the time) so I decided to take a chance on them.

A short while later I got chance to compare them with my colleague's Swarovski 8.5 x42s, and he got chance to try mine... and he went rather quiet! Yes, his Swarovski binoculars had a slight edge on brightness and contrast, but I had to actually look for it to see it. Bearing in mind the Hawkes cost less than £300 and my colleague's Swarovskis cost around £1300 at the time, this apparent slight difference in performance would have previously been unthinkable.

Don't get me wrong, if I used binoculars every day for work, or bird watching was my main hobby, then I'd pay the £1700+ for top of the range kit (as I know I'd come to appreciate the slight optical advantage they'd give me, and they would probably last me many years of fairly constant use) but for what I need, and the image quality they give, then I'm sure I made a sensible choice.
 
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Mr Badger said:
Do also bear in mind that binocular technology has come on in leaps and bounds over the last 15 or so years, with modern lens and prism coatings now being far better (and significantly more affordable) than they were, certainly within the budget to mid-range price sectors. I think a lot of people would be very surprised if they looked through a pair of 'modern' binoculars costing within your budget, compared with their old 'named' models from 20 or 30 years ago.

I remember asking a professional ornithologist colleague about binoculars when I was looking to upgrade around 12 years ago, and he suggested a certain make which had a fairly good 'budget/low mid-range' reputation. As they'd been around a few years I decided to do some internet research, mainly to see if I'd be better biting the bullet and paying around £1000 for a good second hand pair of Swarovski. That's when I found out about the Mk1 Hawk Frontier EDs (which had just come onto the market and were causing a bit of a stir in the birding world at the time) so I decided to take a chance on them.

A short while later I got chance to compare them with my colleague's Swarovski 8.5 x42s, and he got chance to try mine... and he went rather quiet! Yes, his Swarovski binoculars had a very slight edge on brightness, but I had to look hard to see it. Bearing in mind the Hawkes cost less than £300 and my colleague's Swarovskis cost around £1300 at the time, this apparent slight difference in performance would have previously been unthinkable.

Don't get me wrong, if I used binoculars every day for work, or bird watching was my main hobby, then I'd pay the £1700+ for top of the range kit (as I know I'd come to appreciate the slight optical advantage they'd give me, and they would probably last me many years of fairly constant use) but for what I need, and the image quality they give, then I'm sure I made a sensible choice.
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Thank you very much for this insight, very much appreciated & very helpful too :)

It’s a very interesting to see the comparison you made & helpful too. The whole thing regarding price ranges against brands & specs ect... as, as you say sometime the more expensive things don’t necessarily mean simply the best (okay they are bound to have some small advantages), but yeah most of the time, the lower priced things are just as good. But I think this is the case for many things & not just bins.

Tbh I think too, although I fully appreciate the second hand market, being my first pair I will probably go for new, especially as I will hopefully be trying them out (which I agree will be the most important thing) & would probably want to go with the ones I like :)

Again thought thank you for your helpful advice, everyone has been very kind indeed :)
 
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Joe94 said:
It’s a very interesting to see the comparison you made & helpful too. The whole thing regarding price ranges against brands & specs ect... as, as you say sometime the more expensive things don’t necessarily mean simply the best (okay they are bound to have some small advantages), but yeah most of the time, the lower priced things are just as good. But I think this is the case for many things & not just bins.
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It's what they call the law of diminishing returns. Once you get to a certain level, you have to pay a lot more to get a slight improvement. Yes, cheaper kit is built to a price, so you have to watch quality control and make sure the copy you are looking at is 'finished' correctly and there are no obvious faults such as loose fittings, flaws in the finish, a loose or spongey feeling focus wheel, etc. If you think there's an issue then ask to see another one of the same model and compare them. If in doubt, walk away! There's still the chance of getting a fault even with some top brands but the likelihood should be very much reduced, but build-quality and quality control is one of the things you're paying the extra money for.
 
Good evening all,

Hope your all well & ready for Christmas :)

Following this thread and all your very helpful & appreciated help, I thought I’d let you know that today I became the proud owner of a pair of (part of Xmas present form my dad)...

8x42 Vortex Dimond Back HD’s

I was in a shop today that happens to stock them, tried them & they suited all my needs perfectly and were a good price (under budget), so thought yep there the ones.

I had planned to wait & got to somewhere that did a bigger range to try, however after trying these, realising they tick all the boxes & with the current situation of covid as it, I felt it was better the get them while I was there rather than spend a day traipsing around shops looking & giving myself more options and of course the added risk.

Im really happy with them and would like to say many thanks again for all your help last week :)
 
Hello All,

So yesterday as I said I became the happy owner iv my first ever pair of Vortex Dimondback HD 8x42 binos & having tested them this morning in the garden and only ever used generic small cheap ones, they are amazing!!!

However I do have one question if I may
So I understand one thing with higher end Binos is the use of better glass that helps minimise the chromatic aberration. Now I’m happy to say that my Dimondbacks had HD glass which if I’m right is there version of ED (this is what it says on everything iv read about them) & after testing them this morning on this dull day I certainly can’t notice any colour fringing. However the only time I could see a very very small was when I was tracking a black coloured bird against the really white full clouded sky this morning... So am I right in saying even though my binos have the ED glass you still may notice some on something that has such a difference in dynamic range? (Black on white)?

Hope I’m thinking along the right lines, just interested to see if I am :)

But this certainly dosnt reduce my happiness for them, because the tick everything I need & more


Thanks all :)
 
Joe94 said:
Hello All,

So yesterday as I said I became the happy owner iv my first ever pair of Vortex Dimondback HD 8x42 binos & having tested them this morning in the garden and only ever used generic small cheap ones, they are amazing!!!

However I do have one question if I may
So I understand one thing with higher end Binos is the use of better glass that helps minimise the chromatic aberration. Now I’m happy to say that my Dimondbacks had HD glass which if I’m right is there version of ED (this is what it says on everything iv read about them) & after testing them this morning on this dull day I certainly can’t notice any colour fringing. However the only time I could see a very very small was when I was tracking a black coloured bird against the really white full clouded sky this morning... So am I right in saying even though my binos have the ED glass you still may notice some on something that has such a difference in dynamic range? (Black on white)?

Hope I’m thinking along the right lines, just interested to see if I am :)

But this certainly dosnt reduce my happiness for them, because the tick everything I need & more


Thanks all :)
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Cant help with your questions, but funnily enough I ordered a set of these yesterday. They will be here tommorow and hopefully I will be trying them out Boxing Day.
 
Colour correcting binoculars requires the same technology as colour correcting camera lenses with the addition that you have two sets to become heavy. This is somewhere where cheaper is not so good (same as camera lenses). If you are a birder of Bestbeloved's ability, this is an issue and why £1000 bins are required. For a casual birder, not so much an issue.
 
silure130 said:
Cant help with your questions, but funnily enough I ordered a set of these yesterday. They will be here tommorow and hopefully I will be trying them out Boxing Day.
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Haha, well despite my question, They are brilliant & I think you will love them!

Problem was, I think where I have been doing so much research recently on bins, the correction stuff was something I read about a lot, but you need to spend a lot more to get these type, so it was just one thing I noticed... However this being said it is very minor & I was testing in very extreme colour difference conditions (black on white), so it certainly doesn't make me not want them, because for me they are amazing :)
 
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