Binoculars recommendations

michaelg

michaelg

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My friend is looking for a set of binoculars for his 70 year old mother to see birds better when out walking with her dogs.

Budget is around £100 and should be fairly portable and not too heavy.

I know nothing about binoculars to be honest so am hoping for some help. Any advice much appreciated (and bargains in Black Friday sales even better!)
 
I bought some Delta binos 15 years ago, they are brilliant. £100 is on the low side, but try used. If your friend has a local shop, go and try especially if weight is a factor.
 
I have always liked the Bushnell's 10x42 H20 binos. They are solid and on Amazon about £109. They are very good optically but weight is 709g so not sure if that might be too heavy
 
I would recommend 8x42 as they are typically lighter, more compact, easier to hold steady and easier to get on target than 10x50. 10x42 are more compact than 10x50, but can be a bit dark IMHO.

Had some Opticron Oregon 8x42 and in good light they were not bad and were/are relatively inexpensive. But, if I was considering binoculars in this price range now, I think I'd try the T3 Trailfinders instead. Better spec same price.

http://www.uttings.co.uk/p109813-op...VwrDtCh0cDggaEAQYBCABEgKgOvD_BwE#.WhfhAdGnyhA

8x32 can be nice, but can be a little dark unless spending more money for better quality glass. They are lighter and more compact though.
https://www.tringastro.co.uk/opticr...MIss3l1O_W1wIVrL3tCh1VdAfMEAQYCiABEgKTjPD_BwE

The best thing to do is do some hands-on auditioning.

Binoculars below £100 will typically struggle in poor light. Above £200, there are some very capable pairs that hold their own in most situations with bins at c.£500. From £500-700 up, the differences become less apparent, but if discernible and appreciated by the user then they become factors for consideration. I was very impressed by Zeis Conquest 8x42 HD, though for me they're not quite as good as the pair I ended up with.
 
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I'd also suggest the 8X magnification rather than the 10x for watching birds while dog walking/general use. As with a telephoto lens, the higher the magnification the more prone to 'shake' they become. Also 8x will usually give a wider field of view, which can make it easier to find the bird you've just spotted. I can't suggest any particular make or model for around the £100 mark as I've not bought in that price range, but searching for some reviews, tests and recommendations on some of the UK birdwatching forums might be worthwhile?

Binocular technology seems to have come on in leaps and bounds over the last 15 years, I wanted some new bins about 8 years ago and after reading several tests and reviews I chose the Hawk Frontier ED, and paid about £230 for them. They are still going strong and I couldn't believe how bright and clear they were compared to the £60 pair I had before, and how much better the 'depth of field' on the focus was too, which makes a difference when trying to quickly focus to ID a bird you've just spotted in a tree.

I compared the Frontier EDs against a friend's £1,500 Swarovski binoculars on one occasion, and image-wise in reasonably good light neither of us could see a big difference between them, certainly not what we'd have called a £1270 difference anyway! I'm sure the Swaros would have been better in low light/dusk and would last a lifetime, and if I used binoculars almost every day or relied on them professionally as an ornithologist, then I'd have gone for the Swarovski ones if my budget allowed, but it's horses for courses.

This goes to show there's some good value for money binoculars out there though, it's just a question of doing some research on the internet to find them. However, if it turns out that spending an extra £30 or so will nudge up into the next 'quality bracket', and the improvement in image quality is fairly noticeable, then I'd suggest your fiend gives it some serious thought if it won't break the bank, as the quality is usually appreciated long after the price is forgotten. Hope this is useful to you and anyone else in finding some bins to compare and choose from. (y)
 
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Mr Badger said:
... I compared the Frontier EDs against a friend's £1,500 Swarovski binoculars on one occasion, and image-wise in reasonably good light neither of us could see a big difference between them, certainly not what we'd have called a £1270 difference anyway! I'm sure the Swaros would have been better in low light/dusk and would last a lifetime, and if I used binoculars almost every day or relied on them professionally as an ornithologist, then I'd have gone for the Swarovski ones if my budget allowed, but it's horses for courses.
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I agree. In decent light, mid range binoculars (around the £250-350 mark) hold up VERY well in comparison with top end models and for sure Hawk make some decent binoculars. I think (not dead sure) that some of the RSPB branded binoculars are Hawk, though some of them look a lot like Opticron too.

Poor lighting i.e. Dull overcast days or pre-dawn, twilight conditions are where Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica really win out in my experience. I have been in the field in late June at midnight in the Scottish highlands where looking through my Opticrons and other folks mid range bins the scene was darker than the naked eye. Through a pair of hired Swarovski EL, it was almost like night vision. Quite remarkable really.

When we upgraded, we spent an afternoon trying out a number of different pairs from top-end Opticron (c.£500-600), mid and top end Zeiss, Leica and Swarovski (£600-1600). After a lot of consideration I went with Swarovski 8.5x42 EL SV and the missus got a pair of Swarovski 8x42 SLC HD. The EL SV have 'field flattening' optics which I prefer over the more traditional pin-cushion optics in the SLC HD. Both are simply outstanding binoculars that hopefully will last us forever. Even after three-years of ownership they still amaze me with the views they deliver. Last week, we were in Zambia on Safari, and am so glad we didn't cheap out on bins.

All that said, for some casual birdwatching whilst walking the dog, £100-150 should get some bins that are well up to the job. I don't think I could recommend going for anything much less than £100. The difference in optical and build quality from the few extra pounds spent at that end can be substantial. It's the other end of the scale where small differences/improvements cost a lot more.
 
Thanks, everyone - II've passed the tips onto my friend!
 
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