Binocular question

[Farmer17]

I have some Steiners and Nikons and they are both very good for the money and I think for 200 bucks you will be happy with the Steiners.

 

[bummer]

I love my Steiners

 

[n4zov]

Binoculars are a passionate pursuit for many, perhaps even as much as S&W revolvers. You will find countless excellent and varying opinions out there, especially from the hard-core bird watchers. This link will take you to one of the better articles and bino comparisons I've seen on the web:

+1 That is excellent advice, and here is a link to a birding site with binocular evaluations. Good reading.

http://www.birdforum.net/reviews/

 

[Beaver]

I was in the market about 3-4 years ago and the problem is that all bino's look great at the store. I found a web sight done by Cornell Univ. which evaluated about a million pair, classed by price and power. The evaluators were normal ?? people of all ages. I believe Cornell is big into ornithology as a science so hence the eval. In the under $300 price range, first place I believe were Nikon Monarch 8x40's. I bought a pair at Sportsman Whorehouse for $285 and they are excellent. I have hunted hard with them and would buy them again. I hunted bear in the Eagle Cap in Eastern Oregon and lots of rock chucks/birds/deer/antelope in Oregon and elsewhere. Look up the evaluation and see if I'm FOS. There are lots of good products out there.

 

[jkc]

I don't have any experience with Steiners, but have some experience evaluating sport optics, and will suggest that you need to answer for yourself your intended use of the binocs. There's a big difference between birdwatching and purposefully glassing for hard-to-spot game... As an indifferently skilled amateur birder, I find myself putting up my glasses to more closely examine some avian critter that I've already noticed with the unaided eye --- a flash of yellow warbler, a glimpse of orange tanager, a soaring raptor... The birds seldom hold still or stick around long enough to stare at them thru binocs for very long. I was schooled in big-game glassing technique by Jerry Day, a biologist (for you Southerners, a "biologist" is a person who studies animals, not someone who studies very hot water...) and javelina researcher with Arizona Game & Fish. Javelina are about the size of large Spaniels. Jerry said, "Glass for javelina, and you'll see every deer, and most everything else that moves. Glass for deer, and you'll miss most of the javelina and everything else." He spent years behind binocs.

This sort of dedicated, all day glassing, sometimes involving hours behind the objective lenses, reveals the flaws and failings of lesser optics in ways that short duration use, such as my birding, won't. With cheap glasses expect these deficiencies: Misaligned optical paths will cause your eyes to try to compensate and correct, with a fierce headache the typical result. Low light level performance will be poor, as will be contrast and resolution, and color correctness. None of these shortcomings are fatal flaws for casual, short-duration use, but are ruinous to prolonged, detailed observation, especially in poor lighting conditions.

This has been a long-winded caveat about putting too much stock in birdwatchers' evaluations of optics, and an endorsement of the already mentioned "you get what you pay for" advice. As I've said before, "Whoever said 'money can't buy happiness' never spent it on quality optics."

 

[mwtdvm]

I was schooled in big-game glassing technique by Jerry Day, a biologist

I would like to learn more about his methods..GOK how many deer I've overlooked.. Old dogs can learn new tricks..

 

[jkc]

quote:
I was schooled in big-game glassing technique by Jerry Day, a biologist


I would like to learn more about his methods..GOK how many deer I've overlooked.. Old dogs can learn new tricks..

I'll try to point out his methods ---

Use the best binoculars you can get your hands on.

Sit still, i.e., comfortably --- use a padded seat if necessary.

Wear a hat with a brim of sufficient size to shade the ocular lens --- a Stetson may not be right for low sun angles...

With no tripod mount, use a rifleman's "sitting" position, elbows rested on thighs...

Scan the area in an imaginary grid, and go over it again and again. Animals unseen in one pass will sometimes miracuously appear in another examination of the same terrain.

Repeat, repeat, repeat. The animals are there, you've just not found them yet...

 

[Texas Star]

Helps to look for the flicker of an ear or tail, the blink of an eye, or a slight shift in position that brings an animal into your field of view where a moment before, there was only brush. Sometimes, the sun coming out from behind a cloud will reveal what was hidden.

Look through the brush, not just at it.

And not to amaze JKC, some Southerners do know what a biologist is. We aren't all cast in the mold of the stereotype. In fact, my future daughter-in-law is a geneticist at a major university.

T-Star

 

[billhud]

Originally posted by jkc:
a biologist (for you Southerners, a "biologist" is a person who studies animals, not someone who studies very hot water...)

lkc, Are your biases and prejudices always so obvious? What have you to say about us educated southerners? You know, like those of us with degrees in science?

 

[growr]

As stated by an earlier post I have found the Burris Signature Series to be an incredible value..performance next to my Leica's and Swarovski's for significantly less money.
Although I have not always owned the really good stuff like I do now, I was always advised to buy the best quality optics I could AFFORD. I still use my Nikon's, Leupold, and Pentax binoculars for various things.
I would also encourage you to evaluate a set of binoculars OUTSIDE the store as they will all look pretty good inside.
Hope it helps you out.
Randy

 

[sar4937]

Have you considered a used set of a brand you could not afford new?

 

[mwtdvm]

Animals unseen in one pass will sometimes miracuously appear in another examination of the same terrain.

I have had that happen...

THX for the info. Some new ideas to try..

 

[Hikertrash98]

I have a pair of Steiner Police 7x30 binos I used for UC surveillance everyday at work. The picture is crisp & clear and I love the fact that once I set them, I never have to adjust them. I too like the lens caps that never get lost. They're not that expensive IMO for what you get.

 

[ServiceGun]

Check out the SWFA Samplelist.
They've got quite a few factory refurbished Steiners at great prices.
I bought a set of Military Marines 8x30 last year and love them, especially for what I paid.

 

[Landpimp]

the Stiener 8x30's are OK, i carry a pair in my bag.

but if you want some GREAT optics in the $200 range, look for some Carl Ziess Jena(70-80's vinatage) bino's in 7x50...I have 2 pair, got dad a pair and he wont even use his Steiner 7x50 Mil;s anymore. Now the CZ are not waterproof nor small but damn the glass is great. my 7x50's are Jenoptem's, my 10x50 with range finder are Dekaris

another is the Hensoldts(Ziess Mil) surplus, use to be able to find them for $150-200

good site with great info
http://www.holgermerlitz.de/index.html

 

[jkc]

Originally posted by jkc:
a biologist (for you Southerners, a "biologist" is a person who studies animals, not someone who studies very hot water...)

Good grief, I was simply attempting a humorous mockery of Southern accents --- no insult intended, gents...