Binoculars

The difference in clarity between good binoculars and cheap ones can clearly be seen, I would rather use the 7x50Swarovski than the cheaper 10x60 binos, I can see more detail through the 7x50. Whether I would actually shell out my drinking vouchers for them that point is moot, but it was a revelation when I first put them to my eyes, it was a Wow! moment.

They are handy checking if that black smudge a few km away is coming or going or turning around and blocking the canal for a few minutes. When underway I keep the binos to hand, they do help in decision making in plenty of time to take action.
 
noelex said:
There is no advantage of smaller objective lens sizes other than more compact size and weight, which is typically not important on a yacht. 50mm is normally the sweet spot depending on your pupil size. Magnification around 7X is optimal for non-stabilised binoculars on a yacht, but a little higher or lower is not important.
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I guess we come to the subjective part of this topic. I do agree that having premium quality optics is nice.
but what I notice from practice. eg. I have my steiner 7x50s on the dash and it blocks half of the instruments, but it's a very "natural place" to put them. easy to grab. sometimes I check something, then steer, then look again. so yes, you could put on your neck band, but in practice I don't use that.. :) having smaller ones roof prism design 7x42s is significantly smaller. but when it's calm and I have the time to enjoy, I take the bigger ones. also having multiple pairs allows to share with others on the boat and watch together.
then there is redundancy factor, not that huge, but I managed to accidently sink one pair :)

what is good in this thread is to share those different points of views on the practicalities. but I guess if you plan to own just one pair, get the most quality you can, nobody was unhappy that the quality was too good :) but if you think of having a few on board, then worth just spliting the budget. like also if you have small children, you will feel very nervous handing over very expensive ones to them. more basic ones they can enjoy the full experience and carry them arround and nobody is anxious.

in the end there are many strategies to go with binculars on board.
 
if you have strong hands, another idea - Kowa is another brand I like, again not a top-tier, but really premium.
Kowa BD 8 x 56 XD Binocular

56mm lens would be very bright and at low magnification. best would be to check those out at the store on a sunny day.
I have 12x56 (Celestron DX) and it's very bright with 12x magnification (the higher the magnification the dimmer it would be for same size lens).

but for compact size they have also other series like "BD II XD" series, though more oriented to birdwatchers.
I don't suggest going with their "Genesis" series, they they cost more than necessary.
 
Alicatt said:
The difference in clarity between good binoculars and cheap ones can clearly be seen, I would rather use the 7x50Swarovski than the cheaper 10x60 binos, I can see more detail through the 7x50. Whether I would actually shell out my drinking vouchers for them that point is moot, but it was a revelation when I first put them to my eyes, it was a Wow! moment.

They are handy checking if that black smudge a few km away is coming or going or turning around and blocking the canal for a few minutes. When underway I keep the binos to hand, they do help in decision making in plenty of time to take action.
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This might get a bit like the “audiophile” debates 🙂
“cheaper” doesn’t mean “cheap.” If we compare Swarovski to entry-level binoculars, the gap is massive — not even worth debating. But there are many high-quality models that cost less than Swarovski where the difference is far smaller, and sometimes subjective. Even the best optics have trade-offs: Swarovski excels in consistency, but other brands produce models that are equal or better in certain aspects.

For example, Nikon Monarch HG, Fujinon FMTR, Kowa Genesis, or Canon’s higher-end IS series can genuinely compete. In a blind test, an experienced user could tell differences — but might not always prefer the Swarovski. For many, the “wow” moment comes from upgrading from low-quality glass, not from comparing between the very top brands.
 
mnts said:
This might get a bit like the “audiophile” debates 🙂
“cheaper” doesn’t mean “cheap.” If we compare Swarovski to entry-level binoculars, the gap is massive — not even worth debating. But there are many high-quality models that cost less than Swarovski where the difference is far smaller, and sometimes subjective. Even the best optics have trade-offs: Swarovski excels in consistency, but other brands produce models that are equal or better in certain aspects.

For example, Nikon Monarch HG, Fujinon FMTR, Kowa Genesis, or Canon’s higher-end IS series can genuinely compete. In a blind test, an experienced user could tell differences — but might not always prefer the Swarovski. For many, the “wow” moment comes from upgrading from low-quality glass, not from comparing between the very top brands.
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How true. I have been involved in hifi much of my life. I always used to tell people that the difference between £100 Amstrad and a £2k Arcam/Tannoy stereo set up was huge. Above £5k it's a law of diminishing returns.
 
wonkywinch said:
How true. I have been involved in hifi much of my life. I always used to tell people that the difference between £100 Amstrad and a £2k Arcam/Tannoy stereo set up was huge. Above £5k it's a law of diminishing returns.
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Alas, whilst my hifi budget might now reasonably stretch to Arcam my hearing could probably no longer distinguish it from Amstrad......sigh......whereas forty years ago I couldn't even afford Amstrad!
 
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