A Binoculars Buying Guide: What Do You Need and What Should

[BrentB]

A Binoculars Buying Guide: What Do You Need and What Should You Pay?

useful article

http://dealnews.com/features/We-Spotted-These-Binoculars-Deals-Like-a-Hawk-/541051.html

[bridma]

I have the Marine Bushnell 7 by 50 binoculars mentioned in the link. They are exceptional, the best I have ever owned.

Martin.

[Ron Cowan]

If. You have a serious need for binoculars on the water, my canon stabilized are worth the cost. my wife bought them against my will but now I feel they were worth it. You become spoiled and find it hard to use others.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Being a birdaholic, I like good optics. For years I used a set of good quality pocket binoculars. When they dropped and broke, I invested in a set of Swarovski 7x42s. It was like a fog had lifted. There is no substitute for good optics.

I don't advocate the higher power binocs. The 7 and 8 power glass is lighter, has little shake, and gives a wider field of view. Get the largest objective lenses as is practical, they let in more light. With lower powers, you don't need stabilization.

[Sunbeam]

I'm glad some of you are adding comments about your own experience with particular binoculars that you use on your boat. (I'm going to be needing a pair sometime in the reasonably near future.)

Sunbeam

[Da Nag]

[colobear]

I bought a pair of Tasco 7x50 with built in compass. Mistake! Optics are not good; sent them to Tasco with complaint, got reply that they are within specs. Must adjust each eyepiece separately, a pain, and have found that the compass is less useful than I had expected. All in all binoculars are one of those things where spending more really returns more. (But I have heard good things about Barska glasses.)

[Dreamer]

The Fujinon Tecno-Stabi 14x40 Stabilized binoculars are great, but only if you buy them at half price from a friend who is getting out of boating! At over 1k retail, they're pretty spendy for recreational use.

[beermanPDX]

I have the Nikon OceanPro 7x50s with the built-in compass. I really like them as does everyone who has used them on my boat. Excellent optics for the price. The thing that sold me on getting these is Nikon's No-Fault repair/replacement policy on binocs / scopes. If I break them, Nikon will repair or replace them for $10.

As far as the built-in compass goes, I have no clue as to it's usability for navigating. But it certainly makes it easier to hand the binocs over to a buddy and say "check out the sweet hull on that beauty bearing 200 degrees". It's good for checking out other boats too.

[Sea Wolf]

[starcrafttom]

I have a set of Cali-optics 8x30 with instant focus. I really love these. Bright and light and I dont have to refocus everytime I look from far way to something closer. I bought them at the airshow for $100 and they came with a bonus set that folds up. Little ones that are great for the car or around the house. both pairs are far better then my west marine bught ones.

[thataway]

For the skipper (and admiral) #1 are the 14 x 40 Fujinon Techno-Stabi for long vision in the moving boat where you need to ID a marker. You cannot do that with any non stabilized glass. I have a 30 + year old set of Fujinon 7 x50's with Compass--rarely used now--but used to used them for navigation and night glasses. Also A pair of the 8 x 30 Stiener. The latter two are individual focus eye pieces--there is a reason--to keep the seal tight.

Some of us (such as Steve and several others) have some very nice and expensive camera lens--and there you can really sea the difference between cheap and expensive lenses. A $100 and a $2500 lens can do about the same maginfication--but there are many other factors involved.

For the kids, and guests--some nice cheap, center focus West Marine glasses--seem to work well. If really want to show something I'll st up a tripod and put on a 500 MM Lens or a 20X quality spotting scope.

I don't want my good glass dropped or damaged.

[Sea Wolf]

[C-Nile]

Sky and Telescope had an extensive article nearly 30 years ago regarding binocular selection. It went on to state that for older people, purchase of binoculars with an aperature greater then 35 milimeters is a waste of money. The reason: while the human iris can open to accommodate a theoretical 8 mm exit pupil, that ability greatly reduces with age. Essentially, when we are past 30 year's old, we are wasting our money on large binoculars, not to mention the fact that this equipement is much heavier and more difficult to hold steady. The article went on to state that people's interests would best be served with 7 x 35 mm binoculars. I don't completely agree with them, because there are other advantages to having binoculars with a greater exit pupil such as viewing comfort. It is for that reason I agree with those that 8 by 42 binoculars are a good compromise, which is why I have a pair. It might not seem like much of a weight difference, but it is significant.

My Bushnell Trophy 8 x 42 binoculars weigh 1 pound 12 ounces, and my Pentax 7 x 50 binoculars weigh 2 pounds 2 ounces. The 7 x 42 is considerably less bulky at nearly half the physical size of the 7 x 50. So as one might guess, the 8 x 42 gets used all the time and the 7 x 50 collects dust.

Also, those who speak of the value of image stabilization I think are spot on, since it is hard to keep steady with handheld binoculars on open water without it.

Rich

[JamesTXSD]

Speaking of stabilized binoculars: we have a Canon 10x30 IS (Image Stabilized). It has been our go-to binoculars on the boat, but this past year, the IS quit working and the rubber/plastic on the exterior turned to goo. Attempts to contact Canon to see about any possible repair... no response from Canon. Liked the binoculars, I would be hard-pressed to buy another due to their indifference.

When you're looking for a buoy and the boat is a-rockin', the IS is nice. We're currently using old school Tasco Offshore 7x50s that we've had for years... and they just keep on working.