snell@utzoo.UUCP (Richard Snell) (01/18/86)
>Subject: Speaking of binoculars >Message-ID: <798@pyuxqq.UUCP> > >Anyone have recommendations for good binoculars for an eyeglass >wearer that cost under $150? Are 7x35 best or should I think about >8x40? First, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BEST. Needs differ. Consider yours carefully. I do not know about US prices, but cheap binoculars are never "good". Figuring out what to buy is not easy, but I would suggest you keep the the following in mind while "shopping"... 1) the amount of time you spend looking through them (if you use binos for less than 10 hours/year, there seems little point in paying the big buck. 2) the amount of time you spend looking through them at any given time (if you look through tripod mounted binos for a few hours in a row, cheapies produce incredible eyestrain; if binos are used as quick things to peek and check bird I.D., then cheap will do. 3) your budget 4) your desire to keep up with the Jones (who all own leitz, of course) Leitz are great, but for most people they are a waste of money. It would be much better to use the several hundred dollars difference to pay off the VISA bill. As to what to buy, again many considerations...such as 1) weight: lighter is better, but typically lighter means cheaper and worse optics (Leitz are light and wonderful, of course...) 2) waterproofness: if you bird in the rain much, this may be VERY important. A pair of binos which worked swell in the store can permanently fog up if they are cheap junk (permanently or have an expensive repair job). 3) optics: when the centre is focused. how do the edges look? Focus on some thing vertical like a telephone pole for distortions, and something horizontal like a flat roof, to see if the lenses are astigmatic. 4) illumination: remember (IMPORTANT) that brightness = aperture/magnification e.g.: a 10 x 50 has a relative light gathering value of 50/10 = 5 a 8 x 40 = 5 a 7 x 35 = 5 a 7 x 50 = 7.1 a 10 x 30 = 3 etc. If you watch shorebirds at dusk/dawn, you will want lots of light gathering ability. 5) Magnification: I own 10 x 50's, and need the magnification. My imagination is very bad when I go birding, and high magnification tends to make up for it. 6) a tripod mount built in: a great feature. I will never buy binos without, but I tend to watch a specific thing for long periods of time. In short, maybe a Bushnell 8 x 40 Explorer II might do it for you, but if you can affort Leitz, then think about it (depending on needs). (I own Bushnell 10 x 50 Explorer II, and will buy Leitz 9 x 40 someday...) -- Name: Richard Snell Mail: Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1 UUCP: {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!snell