In a couple of months, I'll be taking a much needed vacation to visit friends in Germany. A good bit of our time will be spent in the German and Austrian Alps, and we've booked an excursion to the Eagle's Nest outside Berchtesgaden.

I've been to and through Berchtesgaden many times, but this will be my first visit to the Eagle's Nest. I'm told the view from there is simply spectacular. I have a older pair of Pentax 7x20 compact binoculars that would probably be okay, but if I can get something that is clearly better for a reasonable price I'd like to.

I've looked on some of the popular buying websites, and it looks like there are some pretty good compact binoculars available under $200. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I have a pair of Steiner 8x30mm binoculars that I have found to be extremely useful. Excellent quality, clarity, etc. I've had them for over 20 years. Never a complaint. Had to replace the eye cups about 4 years ago.

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Thanks! Steiners seem to be terrific binoculars, but a little out of my price range. I'm looking at some Minox 8x25 compacts and 8x42 full-size, but there seem to be decent models available from Pentax, Leupold, etc.

I cannot in good conscience make any recommendations in your price range. But if you must have really compact items, I suggest limiting choices to Zeiss, Leica, and Swarovski. The first two also have outstanding 8x20 monoculars.

I know that Nikon makes some good compacts, but have only looked though a few in stores, and some years ago. They were okay for the money, but certainly not on par with the best German brands.

If you want a good full-size binocular at a value price, I suggest the Swift Aududon 8.5X44, at about $500 the last I looked. I compared mine directly to an 8X32B/GA Leica in both daylight and dark, and the Swift held up pretty well, although the Leica had less problem with reflections. Keep in mind that the smaller Leica was very close to the larger Swift.

I expect that the superior German glass has better lenses, prisms, and coatings. My Leica is the 8X32B/GA, which I think has been replaced by a new super-priced item. I know the model, but can't think of it at the moment. Check all these companies' Online sites.

If you're tight on funds, consider the Zeiss 8X20B monocular, which also carries very conveniently. The Swarovski 8X20B binocular that I owned a few years ago was also exceptional, and performed much better in dim light than expected. Had I not had to sell it to pay some medical bills, I'd still treasure it. I think it compares better to Zeiss and Leica equivalents than Swarovski's full-size binoculars do. That is, of course, my opinion, based on having used a number of such models. However, all of those brands are excellent binoculars.

If B&L/Bushnell still makes their 7X26 compact, take a look. They used to be remarkable items for the money, although the hinges were sometimes looser than they should have been.

First, get copies of astronomy and birding magazines and request catalogs from the binocular ads therein. Be very careful with dealing with dealers in NYC. Many of them are reputed to offer "gray market" goods that may not have US warranties.

Learn what you can, then call several major dealers from those ads and see who treats you best. If you're treated badly on the phone, that's probably a clue to how they view you as a customer!

One other option: maybe you can buy a good used binocular in Germany? Check customs issues and maybe someone here can add to this idea. But be danged sure that you learn how to buy used optics. Most that I've examined have fogged lenses and prisms caused by leaving the instrument in a closed car in hot weather. Look around inside the glass with a strong flashlight! (Shine the flashlight into the objective lenses.)

I have had a set of 10x25 Nikon compacts for years. They were well-priced at $109 thirty years ago. I see similar ones today (Nikon Travelite) for not a lot more, sometimes less. For all I know, they have cheapened them up some, but mine have taken some bumps over the years.

The Steiners perform well and the rubber armor makes them very rugged, I have knocked them around on boats for years.
I've also had good luck with Pentax but am more careful with them.
Good luck with whatever you purchase.
Steve W.

You might want to hold off buying now and make your purchase in Germany. Same goes for rifle scopes, etc..

Have a great trip, take lots of pictures and be sure to post them when you return!

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Read this: I have owned an 8X50 Docter Noblilem, and if the Fujinon tested as well here (it did) and is more rainproof and rugged, it must be a fine glass.

QUICKTEST, Fujinon compared with Zeiss Jenoptem

Keep in mind the weight. However, this speaks well of Fujinon products in general. I have had trouble finding reviews of the brand, so was delighted to see this UK review.

I agree with D-S's post, you might want to check with your friends in Germany and see what prices are for specific optics your interested in.

Might be cheaper to by good German glass in Germany.

GF

Thanks all for your posts thus far. It did occur to me that I might be able to get a good deal on binoculars when I get there. I'll be flying into Frankfurt, then staying in the Rhineland for five days, then driving south to the Alps.

I think I'll check with my friends there and see what the going rate is in Frankfurt. That's a very big city with lots of different stores, so I'm sure I can find something there.

The suggestion to buy over there reminded me of something I noticed years ago: One country's cheap local goods is another country's expensive imports. I remember seeing a Winchester 1300 in a German gunshop priced at about 600 Euros. Maglite flashlights and Leatherman tools were also very expensive. Swiss Army Knives, of course, were dirt cheap there compared to their prices here.

I'd check those prices in Germany before going over there, if possible. with the US dollar on the slides and the already unfavorable exchange rate maybe getting worse you might get a better deal here espscially if you are not buying a German made product.
Steve W.

Read this before buying used binoculars in Germany. I had the Docter 8X50B Nobilem in the review. It was a remarkable glass, but I felt that the rubber armor weathered badly in my climate. Maybe acidic air pollution was the culprit. Other rubber armor has fared better.

Review: 8x50 Zeiss (Oberkochen) vs. Zeiss (Jena) Nobilem Super vs. Docter Nobilem B/GA

Review: Zeiss Dienstglas 8x30 vs. Hensoldt DF 8x30 vs. Steiner Fero-D 12

I really think that anyone who admires Steiner binoculars should read this. Their present commercial binoculars may be better than the German service model tested.

I tried a Steiner 7X50 maybe 20 years ago against two B&L 7X35's,and was underwhelmed. The smaller Bausch & Lomb Porro and roof prism models performed significantly better, even in dim light and in astronomy. This is the opposite of what should have happened! The B&L's were not only brighter; they were sharper. However, those models are no longer made. I have not tried recent Bushnell's products, or seen any. Opinions expressed are my own, and are subjective, but I am an experienced binocular user, with wide experience of various brands and models.

I have not tried (even seen) Steiner's recent models, which may be better.

If one is going to Germany, one of these ex-military glasses might be a really good buy, if in great shape. I'd probably choose the Hensoldt or the Zeiss. I had a Zeiss 8X30B monocular that amounted to half of the binocular tested here. It was pretty good for its day. In the 1960's and '70's, these were among the best binoculars made.

You may even find the brilliant 8X50B Zeiss, something for which I lusted, but couldn't afford. I saw a pair at Abercrombie & Fitch in Chicago, and was impressed. Jack O'Connor wrote that using one was like looking out of a picture window. Nice, wide, very sharp view for the times. Still impressive, if found at the right price.

The East German 7X40 is also sometimes seen at good prices, but I've never used one.

I dont see how a german made binnocular could cost less here than in germany!

one of the best values in optics today is the Nikon ATB Monarch series of binoculars. I have owned a number of them and they are fabulous. Also take a look at Leupold's line up as well. I recently purchased a set on Minox 10X42 binoculars that are quite the equal to the Nikon ATB.
My serious binoculars are Leica's 8x42 BA or Swarovski 8X32 EL's.
You need not spend mega dollars to get some great performance..
I buy, sell and trade optics all of the time.
Randy

You lucky rascal!

My advice, whatever you choose, is to by small binoculars. You won't have the wonderful field of view that larger optics offer but you also won't have to lug around several pounds of optics for the entire trip. I have a pair of Leitz binoculars, 10x25 I think (that I don't think are made any more) but the size is VERY portable and, when I'm not using them, I'm hardly aware that I have them with me.
I'd look at reviews and buy the best your budget allows whether in this country or over there. Good luck.

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What goes around comes around

Used 8x40 or 10x40 with a commercial harness.

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Incoming fire has right of way

I can highly recommend these. A lot better than the price suggests, compare very favorably to binocs priced MUCH higher.

Bushnell H2O 8x42 Binoculars 150842 150842c FREE S&H 150842, 150842C. Bushnell H2o Binoculars, Bushnell Binoculars.

A larger pair of binoculars would almost demand a good harness if what you want to do is mostly look at stuff on the trip but I suspect you're gonna want to have a decent camera too - should also be a compact, decent quality - and maybe some info, maps, water, who knows what? I'm just thinking about the fact that you're traveling and will probably want your "day pack" to be lighter rather than heavier.

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What goes around comes around

I had two pair of the upper end Bushnell 10x42 binos, both lasted @ 2 years and were damaged in falls. Switched to Nikon 10x42 Monarchs and haven't looked back. I hunt and bird. Most times they ride on the dash of the truck, or in the bikes tour pack.

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

I will definitely not be buying a fullsize pair of binoculars, for exactly the reasons you mention.

I've been reading tests and reviews and buyer comments the last several hours, and the Minox 8x42 BR looks pretty good. It's available from several sources for just under $300. I'm going to check and see what it costs in Frankfurt.

Thanks everyone for your advice...you've all been very helpful! :-)

Thanks for mentioning these! Amazon has them for a song, and there are some very strongly positive reviews of them on there.

You can't beat TASCO, without the outrageous prices. I used 7X50's on my cabin cruiser for years.

Keep an eye on (he-he) samplelist.com, which often has great prices on used optics, sales and show samples, etc.

Pricey, but my Swarovski 8x20 compacts are high performance glass in a package that folds up to about the size of a cigarette pack, fit into shirt pocket. Not best for long sessions or birding, etc., but great for viewing static distant objects.

I bought my son a new pair of Redfield 8x32 glasses for Christmas. As I recall, they were just over $100, and in my humble opinion, comparable to some that cost several hundred. You might want to check them out.
Google

I have had a pair of Leupold Yosemite 8x30's for several years. They have given perfect service and run around $100; also backed by Leupold's lifetime warranty.

Hi, folks! I want to thank all of you for your thoughtful and very helpful suggestions on what binoculars I should consider.

After doing a lot of reading and researching, I decided on a pair of Minox BV II 8X42 (MINOX Germany: Description MINOX Binoculars BV ll 10x42) and over the weeks since I started this thread, the Amazon price on them dropped from just under $300 to $240, which is only $10 more than the best price I could have gotten had I waited to buy them in Germany.

They arrived the other day, and I'm really impressed. They seem very well-made, and have a nice, solid feel to them. They have enough eye relief to allow for the fact that I wear glasses, and the image quality is excellent. They're a little on the heavy side, but small enough that they'll fit easily into the messenger bag (AKA "manpurse" LOL) I'll be carrying on some of the day trips we'll be taking in Germany.

Thanks again for your responses and help! :-)

Sounds like you got something very close to what I have had good use of. I have used a pair of Nikon Monarch ATB's in 8X40 for many years now. They are light to carry, have good eye relief for eyeglass wearers, and the 8 power magnification is simply a great compromise for field use.

Looks like a good choice. I have a couple of similar 8X42's.

Where are Minox binoculars actually made?

Please allow me to suggest an alternative. So far we've see fairly low cost binoc's, and then some high priced ones. There is a better high tech answer. Before you buy, test a set of Canon IS binoculars. I bought a set maybe 5 years ago for a ride on the Mississippi Queen steamboat. Boats do rock and roll, even big ones. The IS feature is just great. Sure, you've boosted the price up to maybe $600, but worth every penny.

I guarantee you I can hold the 12 power ones more solidly than you can any 7 or 8 power. All you do is press the little button and you see a little quiver and then the target becomes rock steady. The reason most people limit themselves to low power in the 7-8 range is because they shake. Its normal. The Internal Stabilization feature looks at your eye, the image, and then cancels out the shake. The difference is unbelievable.

Same for their camera lenses. Our experience with the binoc's moved me to spend the extra money for an IS Zoom lens for my wife's new camera. So in the spring of 2010 we went to Utah. My older son and his son (my grandson) went along in their jeep. There was a scene (lots of them in the Red Rock country) that the grandson wanted a picture taken. Older son, who is well acquainted with one-upsmanship told him to use Grandma's camera, it takes better pictures! The camera had nothing to do with it. Same resolution. The difference is the IS camera is rock solid, the conventional lens camera isn't.

Note: Where's Shugart when he's needed? He has stories about the IS Canon's, too. The big time birders all splurge for the high dollar conventional Binoc's. He's a piker like me and has an IS Canon. One of them saw a rare bird and asked to use his "better" glass!

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Dick Burg

I borrowed a set of small Steiner's for a deer hunt back in '08, my buddy had gotten them on closeout for $69.00 and was amazed at their quality, lightness and clear bright image. My current binocs area set of Kahles 8X42 that I am very well pleased with, I bought them used for approximately half of their $800.00 retail price.

I too wondered about this.

Minox is a German company, famous for their miniature cameras that were used by Cold War spies. Given the relatively low price of these binoculars, I suspected they might have been made in China, just like everything else these days, but I looked all over the box, the instruction booklet, and the binoculars themselves, and I cannot find anything that indicates they are made anywhere but Germany.

Thanks. I knew about the spy camera, but am amazed that a modern German glass costs so little.

The Czech Meopta is said to be good, but costs more and is heavier.

Like you, I was amazed. So many things now are made in China -- or elsewhere in the Far East -- that I really thought these binoculars were too. But unless the "Made in Wherever" stamp is too small to see, it appears they aren't.

I thought that imports had to carry the name of the originating country. If this doesn't have, "Germany" on it or some other country, they may be gray market goods without a US warranty.

Not saying they are, but check.

Sometimes, the name isn't obvious. I just bought a Cross pen and had to read the box carefully to discover that it was indeed made in China. It does operate well, and looks to be up to Cross standards, but I wanted to buy American on goods made famous as originating here. Who wants to buy an S&W that came from China?! I hope we never have to!

Sportsmansguide.com has Steiner 8x30's for under $250.00. I have two pair and love them. I misplaced my first pair (I'd left them in a detectives car while on a stakeout) and got in a panic before we left for a trip to Alaska last year so I bought another pair. Got back from the trip and was reunited with the first pair. I love them, they are extrememly clear, I like the fact you don't have to focus them, and they're easy to carry . . . they're larger than a compact binocular but smaller than a full size. You know, kind of like a 3 inch K frame.

If I was going on a trip to Germany I don't think I'd get a pair of Taurus or Rossi binoculars, I'd go ahead spend a few extra bucks and get a S&W pair.

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Another recommendation is the BARSKA Battalion 8x30's. They are a Russian made knockoff of the Steiner 8x30. Our department bought a dozen pair of these and they run about $150 at Sportsmansguide. I've used them and was quite impressed. Definitely in your price range and worth a look.

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The Nikon Monarch binos have been a legendary choice for a while now at their price range.

You can find the 8x42 and 10x42 versions for about $300 . . . and well worth it. The 8x42 is brighter of course but Nikon probably sells a lot more of the 10x42s to the novice crowd . . . since we all know that "bigger is better!" LOL

At three Franklins these would be my choice.

It used to be that US Customs would demand a tax on imported new optics... UNLESS the optics had a bit of wear to them and were obviously used.

It might be a good idea to follow GF's advice and get your optics in Germany. I would take the Pentax 7x20 compact binoculars that you have and use them, or use them as a down payment on the Zeiss binocs you always wanted! Used Zeiss is still Zeiss!

On the other hand, my Nikon camera cost more in Japan than I paid for it from a NY wholesaler!

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Fuego

Fellas, thanks for your considered opinions and advice, but as I mentioned in post #28 on this thread, I already bought a pair of Minox BV 8x42 binoculars from Amazon for $240, which was about the same as I would have paid had I waited to buy them in Germany. I'm impressed with them so far, and I think they'll be fine for my upcoming trip.

There are two specific places I have in mind to use them. Early in our trip, we'll be taking a cruise on the Rhine river from St. Goar to Rudesheim, which will take us past the Lorelei and a number of castles that line the banks of the river. And in our second week there, we'll be taking an excursion to the top of the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden, where I'm told the views of the Alps are just spectacular. I think these Minox glasses will be perfect for that...

While in Rudesheim, try the wine. It's some of the best in Germany. The vineyard called Berg Rottland is well known. I hope you can enjoy it for less there than one pays here.

I have to say this just as I told a friend that was going on a world tour for a month. I will start by saying I own three pair of binoculars and not happy with any of them but I know zilch about such.

What I told my friend when he asked for my help with getting a camera (I know a lot about cameras). He wanted something that he could use but priced less than $150.

My advice to him was this: You are taking a trip that few ever take but many would love. It may be a one time thing but it may well not be. It is also not the time to scrimp on prices. Get something nice that will give the quality photos (viewing) that will reward you for years to come. If, at some time in the future, you decide to sell the camera (binoculars), you will recover at least most of your investment but had a quality product to use during a nice trip.

Spend what is needed to get the quality you want and you will not regret it later. Limiting yourself today may cause regrets forever.

Hi, folks!

Well...the Minox 8x42 binoculars I ended up buying performed very well. While on the Rhine river cruise, we were able to see details of the castles and towns along the Rhine that were barely visible to the naked eye. The brightness and clarity of the images was just fine.

I had also planned to use these glasses on our tour of the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden, but on the day we were supposed to go -- Sunday, October 9 -- it snowed in the Alps, and the tour was cancelled.

Thanks again for all your replies and great suggestions! :-)

I have at least 6 or 7 pair of Binoculars, and my ALL TIME FAVORITE is my Canon (10 x 30 I believe) Image Stabilizers. They act as standard binoculars until you push the button on top - which activates the internal gyroscope. They are simply incredible! You can follow flying insects in flight with perfect clarity. They take the fatigue out of long term observation, and their optics and coatings are spectacular. If memory serves me, I believe I paid somewhere about $275.00 for them, although they do list for a much higher price. I purchased them online about 7 years ago and since then I sold my pair of Zeiss which cost 5 times what the Cannon's did, but in my opinion were not nearly as useful to me. I still have a pair of Minolta, Pentax, Celestron, and 3 others that I forgot the brand name on, but I ALWAYS go to the Canon's. Once you've tried a pair of Image Stabilizers, I think you will have little use for others.

Chief38