recommended binoculars

[ChattingLil]

I'm in the market for a new pair - any recommendations?

What price would you expect to pay for something good enough?

I currently have a pair of the bog-standard Plastimo such as: http://marinestore.co.uk/PL40562WP.html

but not finding them that good.

 

[sailorman]

I'm in the market for a new pair - any recommendations?

What price would you expect to pay for something good enough?

I currently have a pair of the bog-standard Plastimo such as: http://marinestore.co.uk/PL40562WP.html

but not finding them that good.

how rich are you

 

[Ripster]

http://www.cliftoncameras.co.uk/Canon_10x30_IS_Image_Stabilising_Binoculars These are great at Sea.

 

[ChattingLil]

how rich are you

sadly, not rich at all! please note the phrase "good enough"

 

[ChattingLil]

http://www.cliftoncameras.co.uk/Canon_10x30_IS_Image_Stabilising_Binoculars These are great at Sea.

£320 - is that about what people would expect to pay for something 'good enough'?

if so, then the binoculars join the list of purchases headed "when I have money to spare".

 

[Skysail]

£100 should do it, Tasco look good:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308173

I have a pair of Steiners which are superb, but they were a retirement present, would never spend that money myself.
.

 

[johnalison]

There have been several threads about this, with all sorts of recommendations.

Seeing conditions on a moving boat are not ideal, so I don't believe that top-quality bird-watching type binos are worthwhile for most of us. Any half-decent pair will be fine for most purposes and I would be guided by how they feel in the hand as much as by optical qualities.

I seem to have acquired quite a few pairs, but on the boat I take an old but good pair of 7x50s and a pair of 10x40 stabilised, for better performance when it is not likely to get wet, bought when I found that I could not hold binoculars still against wind-shake.

 

[ChattingLil]

£100 should do it, Tasco look good:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308173

I have a pair of Steiners which are superb, but they were a retirement present, would never spend that money myself.
.

Thanks for the link - very helpful, all the info I need there.
Cheers
L x

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

I'm in the market for a new pair - any recommendations?

What price would you expect to pay for something good enough?

I currently have a pair of the bog-standard Plastimo such as: http://marinestore.co.uk/PL40562WP.html

but not finding them that good.

Keep an eye on Lidl, every year or so they have some 'Bressler' or something , 10x70 binos for about £10-12. Bought a pair two years ago and they are brilliant. Everyone who trys them is suitably impressed. Went back IMMEDIATELY i tried them out to get more pairs for some friends only to discover that they had sold out !
Imagine my surprise, a couple of weeks later, upon wandering in to a swindlery in Wal-on o- the Na-e to see the entire stock of Lidl Bino's for sale at £49.99 per pair piled up by the counter.
In Fairness,the guy behind the counter managed to look a little sheepish when I mentioned that I had seen them at the original retailer's at less than a quarter of the price !
Good work in a free market economy methinks but a bit saddening for someone who actually wants to use them..........

 

[Bosun Higgs]

a pair of 10x40 stabilised, for better performance when it is not likely to get wet, bought when I found that I could not hold binoculars still against wind-shake.

Thats what I use too. The stabilisation allows you to use higher magnification without problem and to easily spot things like buoy names or anchor balls on big ships.

Having got therm and having used all sorts of other bins often with compass built in, I wouldnt hesitate to buy stabilised again. Its a step forward.

 

[VicMallows]

Good work in a free market economy methinks but a bit saddening for someone who actually wants to use them..........

A bit like the watch batteries I saw on sale in a small local shop recently. 99p EACH.... which I bet some people might even think a reasonable price. They had one of those cards of 120 assorted batteries which you can buy at any street market for 99p!

 

[alahol2]

If you wear glasses check the 'eye relief' (it's not dirty).

 

[ChattingLil]

If you wear glasses check the 'eye relief' (it's not dirty).

what does that mean? I do usually wear glasses (sometimes contacts).

 

[alahol2]

Essentially, eye relief is the maximum distance between the eye and the eyepiece where you can see the full image. Wearing glasses tends to mean you can't get your eye as close to the eyepiece as normal. You need to get binoculars with as long an eye relief length as possible. It makes a big difference to the comfort of using the binoculars.
See here.

I chose these about 20 years ago and never regretted it. You can get ones with longer eye relief but they tend to be much more expensive.

 

[Neil_Y]

Fixed focus and cheap, I bought some in France a few years ago around £25.00

Mine are JL or Jumelle Breaker 7x50

They're great as there is no need to focus to see details like bouy names, and great for identifying wildlife as you often don't have time to focus.

 

[NornaBiron]

cannon 15x50

Our cannon 15x50 is ud 4.5% all weather bino's work very well but the price????
i think i should look after them a little better

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Binoculars/Optical_Image_Stabilisation/15x50_IS/