Bird Watchers... Need Bino Sugestions

Bayer-Z28

My ma has been asking me for some advice on a set of binoculars. She's a bird watcher and we have a lot of different breeds of birds in this area (CT).

Can someone recomend me an affordable set of binoculars for my ma? I was going to get her a set for Christmas, but that has passed. Something w/ a decent zoom. I know cameras, not binos...:D

Thanx...

Tommyboy

In another lifetime, I sold binoculars for Nikon. Without knowing your mom, I would suggest:

Porro prism rather than roof prism design. The former are the "dog leg" variety, the latter the straight tube. Porro prisms are easier to focus and to achieve a singular image. They are also less expensive.



Porro prism design



Roof prism design

I would get a small pair, one that she can put in a coat pocket.

I would recommend nothing stronger than 8X. You can get 9X, 10X, or even zoom binoculars, but they are all but impossible to hand hold. Think of this: if you are looking at something 100 yards distant. . . .

8X looks about 12 yards away
10X looks about 10 yards away
12X looks about 8 yards away

Not a big difference; however, 12X binoculars are very difficult to hold steady, whereas 7X or 8X are relatively easy.

IF your mom plans on using these at dawn, twilight, or on a boat, you might want to consider some 7X50 (very large) binoculars. Otherwise, I would consider a compact 8X25 or 9X25. Leica makes some great glasses, but they are quite a bit more expensive.

And finally, you may want to read this: http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/optics/prisms.aspx

jdryan3

My wife gave me a pair of Nikon Travelite V 12x25 4.2" binos a few years back. I am not a birder, she got them for sports and when in the great outdoors. But her criteria was light, compact and good distance (reach). She new that if they were big and/or heavy I wouldn't carry them. They are a hit on all accounts.

For instance, I was in almost the last row of the upper deck straight up from third base at Jacob's Field in Cleveland. Looking at home plate, the entire frame was filled with only the batter, catcher, ump, plate and about 4 feet in front of the plate

Fit in my cargo pants, outer pocket of my Tenba pack, or center console in my car. I shoot Canon, but these are great binos.

Bayer-Z28

Thanx y'all.. That helped... I think she'd want some decent zoom bino's, but if they're hard to hold steady, she might complain about it.

zacker

hows about a 40D and a 100-400 L is and tripod?? why watch when you can take photos...

a woman in my club sets her camera on a tripod pointed out her kitchen door, when she sees an interesting bird she just shoots it... gets some awesome shots that way!

pathfinder

If she is a serious birder, she will appreciate a good pair of 8 x42, and despite the previous comments, I strongly suggest the roof prism design. Pentax makes a very nice 8x42 DCF. Nikon and others make similar units. The Pentax roof prism set is phase corrected and very sharp. I own a set of the Pentax in 8x42 DCF - very nice binoculars - enough reach, easy to hold still, and far brighter than 8x25s which will not work very well in early morning light.

My experience with Porro prism binocs ( including Steiners and others ) has not compared to my Pentax roof prism binocs. I am sure that in the most inexpensive binocs, that porro prisms are better, but not better than good apochromatic roof prism phase corrected binocs.

z_28

I have really fantastic binoculars bought about 12 years ago -
Tasco Lumina 10x50 Wide Angle Rubicon coated.
Not longer in production, maybe available used, great glass for small bucks

Recently I bought somewhat lighter one for my wife -
Nikon Action 8x40 - it got nice 3D effect - funny to watch
Maybe this one will fit hers (yours) needs.

Tommyboy

pathfinder wrote:

If she is a serious birder, she will appreciate a good pair of 8 x42, and despite the previous comments, I strongly suggest the roof prism design.

Point well taken. I note that all of Leica's binoculars (which are legendary) are roof prism design. I still contend that they are inferior from a design point, but with enough money and manufacturing technology, these shortcomings can apparently be overcome.

Several responses have pointed to 8X binoculars. Why don't you find a good optics store? Many towns have stores that specialize in these. Check out a few and find a salesperson who knows what she's talking about. Don't go to your local sporting good store and expect to find quality glass or information as a general rule.

BigAl

Tommyboy wrote:

Point well taken. I note that all of Leica's binoculars (which are legendary) are roof prism design. I still contend that they are inferior from a design point, but with enough money and manufacturing technology, these shortcomings can apparently be overcome.

I agree with the superiority of Leitz/Leica (I have had a pair of Leitz 10x42 for almost 30yrs and wouldn't change them for anything). I disagree with the inferior design though. The biggest problem with porro prisms is the alignment of the prisms - a bump can knock them out of alignment fairly easily. Your eyes then try and compensate for the misalignment and you end up with eye problems (ask me I know).

For birdwatching, 8x40 is a good way to go. 50mm objective lenses tend to make the bineys very heavy. Smaller than 40mm makes for a very dark image. 10x magnification makes the field of view rather small, which makes it difficult to find and track flying birds.

For good quality birding bineys, if Leica is out of your range, try the Nikon Action VII 8x40, even though they do have porro prisms.

jdryan3

Tommyboy wrote:

Several responses have pointed to 8X binoculars. Why don't you find a good optics store? Many towns have stores that specialize in these. Check out a few and find a salesperson who knows what she's talking about. Don't go to your local sporting good store and expect to find quality glass or information as a general rule.

Or camera store! My wife got the ones I referred to earlier at the main store of a large local full service camera store - the kind of place that actually stocks 300 f/2.8 lenses.

pathfinder

In addition to Pentax, and Zeiss of course, I also like Leupold a great deal.

Leupold makes optical sights for hunting, and also makes splendid binocs. Hunters depend on Leupold binocs.

I buy Leupold from Cabelas without hesitation. Great stuff, not sure why I didn't suggest it earlier.

Zeiss, Swarovski, Leica, are all great, but European pricing, which means more expensive.

Leupold is more reasonable, as is Pentax. I rec Nitrogen filled also - keeps moisture outside of the lenses after a long day in the field.

There is a very good discussion of what to look for in binoculars, and the Porro prism vs Roof prism discussion in chapter 10 of "Optics for the Hunter" by John Barsness. Very informative book, even if you have no interest in hunting.