Binoculars - Is there a knack?

[rickwat]

I have a reasonable pair of self-focussing binos(7X50 I think) but have great difficulty getting them steady enough to see anything useful like a buoy number or even which way a yacht in the distance is going when conditions are little more than calm. Is this just how it is, is there a knack or is it particularly a problem on cats(I have a Prout Snowgoose)?

Thanks for any responses.

Rick

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[whisper]

I have the same problem. I suspect that the only way around it is to splash out a lot of dosh on a pair with image stabilisation. Sorry.

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[ccscott49]

I don't have a problem, on a cat I would have thouight it easier, areyou sure they are 7x50 and not zoom type, where the magnification is too high for long distance?

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[snowleopard]

i too have this problem. one tip is not to rest your elbows on the boat as it transmits vibration. if you can sit and brace your legs and bend from the waist you can get a steadier image.

but don't rush out and buy image stabilised binocs, they are only designed to take out hand shake on land and don't help at all at sea. i have relegated mine to bird watching and changed to steiner 7x50s

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[ccscott49]

Steiners eh! Posh bugger, my old ex-army ones (liberated with me) do me fine!!

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[Johnjo]

Got a pair of 7 X 50 self focusing, great for family sailing as we all have varying levels of eyesight.
No need to refocus everytime you pick them up,
Do not have a problem holding them steady, but do find that I have to hold them square to my eyes
as it was! or get shadows around the outer edges of whatever you are viewing.
not a problem though !

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[hlb]

Much better to just buy a digi vidio camera and use that. As a bonus you get pictures and films besides seeing things at a distance, or plug it into the telly for massive blow up pics that you can all watch.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>It's flog a flag day.<font color=red> Today.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[snowleopard]

yes, serious posh, steiner commander V! and no, i didn't pay for them, i was given them by a very nice man at YM.

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[whisper]

thanks for the info. re Image Stabilisation - it's saved me wasting my money on another useless toy.

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[wpsalm]

immage stabilized binocs are great at sea ,been using mine for a couple years now 12x40 cannons if you are having proplems with 7x50 binoculars immagine what it must have been like in Nelsons day trying to hold a couple feet of telescope steady..

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[LadyInBed]

snowleopard has it right. I also tuck my elbows in and brace my upper arms against my chest. One other point is to ensure you have the lenses the same distance apart as your eyes.

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