Binoculars Advice December 07, 2010, 12:33:38 pm Yahoo Message Number: 118907We are considering buying binoculars for a Christmas gift to ourselves and would appreciate any opinions/recommendations on the best brand in the $500 range. They would be used for scenery and bird watching primarily. Since this is a tad off topic, please feel free to contact me off line.Chris Horst
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #1 – December 07, 2010, 12:59:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 118909Chris... I recommend you check out the canon image stabilized binoculars... the 12x36 model I have used for astronomy is fantastic... check the prices on amazon and read the reviews... Rob. 2000 FL
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #2 – December 07, 2010, 02:34:21 pm Yahoo Message Number: 118913QuoteWe are considering buying binoculars for a Christmas gift to ourselves and Chris, We have both 10 x 50 and 8 x 42 Nikon binocs and I have found the image quality and ease of use for wildlife watching to be much better with the smaller ones. They let in plenty of light and the image is very crisp and clear. The 8 x 42s are the Monarch ATB series which is waterproof and armor coated. Cabela's has them on sale right now. They don't cost $500.00; in fact you could probably get two pair for that, but they work fine for us.Larry
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #3 – December 07, 2010, 03:35:21 pm Yahoo Message Number: 118914I agree with Larry. The Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 are excellent binoculars and a great value. I have had a pair for a few years. They are excellent birding optics. I have taken mine twice to Africa and they have done very well. They list at $420, but are under $280 online.Christopher Hoffer Minneapolis, MN
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #4 – December 07, 2010, 07:59:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 118920I've used Kate Klein's Canon image-stabiliized binocs, and in my humble opinion there's simply nothing that compares with them. It doesn't matter how good your optics are--if you can't hold them steady, they don't do you much good. Canon's optics are second to none, and their optical image stabilization puts them ahead of the competition by a country mile.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #5 – December 08, 2010, 09:38:03 am Yahoo Message Number: 118923I found this site that reviews image-stabilized binoculars: http://www.imagestabilizedbinoculars.net/Canon's stack up well, as expected, but there are some turkeys from other makers (e.g., Newcon), so the reviews are worth reading.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #6 – December 08, 2010, 10:07:17 am Yahoo Message Number: 118925Chris, I have a little different slant on this topic. As a long time professional yacht captain I have used every type of binocular out there from the $5000 Fujinon image stabilizers down. When fishing on the ocean we are looking for things that are very subtle and hard to see, add to that the motion of the boat and the image stabilizers are the way to go and all the tournament boats have them. We are also concerned with navigating at night which requires bright and clear optics. As a result I have had an interest in binoculars over the years. Now that I no longer work on the ocean I carry a pair of binoculars in my car and LD to check the surf, look at the islands, wildlife, etc. I have a pair of inexpensive,(under$100), Bushnell 16X50s and they are perfect for my needs. I find the image surprisingly good and the magnification gives me a much better view of my subject. They are more difficult ot hold steady, however for me that is overcome by the greater image size and detail. Just another idea to check out. Skip
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #7 – December 08, 2010, 10:32:13 am Yahoo Message Number: 118927Quote "...As a result I have had an interest in binoculars over the years. Now that I no longer work on the ocean I carry a pair of binoculars in my car and LD to check the surf, look at the islands, wildlife, etc. I have a pair of inexpensive,(under$100), Bushnell 16X50s and they are perfect for my needs. I find the image surprisingly good and the magnification gives me a much better view of my subject. They are more difficult ot hold steady, however for me that is overcome by the greater image size and detail. Just another idea to check out." Skip Thanks to all of you who provided excellent advice and direction. I've saved the comments and will sort through them in the next weeks.Chris
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #8 – December 08, 2010, 12:47:12 pm Yahoo Message Number: 118930ChrisI would have to recommend the Canon stabilized binoculars. I know that many people are happy with regular binoculars, but they NEVER worked for me. The imaged stabilized ones are like a miracle. You zoom in on whatever, press a button and all of a sudden, all my feeble shaking stops and I can actually clealy see what I'm looking at.I fond them perfect for birds and the night time sky. I know of several folks who have purchased them after looking through ours. They are pricey, but so worth it. I just looked on Amazon, and they have a pair of 10x30 (which is what we have) for under $400.a great deal in my book.Here's a link http://www.amazon.com/Canon-10x30-Stabilization-Binoculars-Batteries/dp/B00004THDC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291833843&sr=8-1 orhttp://tinyurl.com/2f96y64Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com http://www.cholulared.comWe make lots of plans . . . then do something else[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Binoculars Advice Reply #9 – December 21, 2010, 02:31:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 119161I'll put in a tiny word for my tiny little Swift 6x15 individual focus binoculars that I bought 40 years ago. They are totally un-cool and probably rate at the bottom of every comparison chart ever made for binoculars. But they are always at hand! They are light and compact and can be whisked out of my shirt pocket quickly and put to use. So they are always with me and have seen much more use than any of the full-size binocs and telescopes I've ever had. They are cranky to focus, have a small field of view, and are dim in low light, but they are there when no other vision aid is available. Thus, they've been around the world, sometimes in the pocket of a bicycle jersey. They shake a little, but often I can lean against something or brace my elbows. I usually carry a folding camp stool ($15 at REI, 15 oz. weight, clipped to belt with a carabinier) so I can sit and gawk at animals and birds.But I would NEVER advise anyone (else) to buy them!
Re: Binoculars and cameras Reply #10 – December 21, 2010, 03:05:19 pm Yahoo Message Number: 119164"They are totally un-cool and probably rate at the bottom of every comparison chart... But they are always at hand! They are light and compact and can be whisked out of my shirt pocket quickly and put to use. So they are always with me and have seen much more use than any of the full-size binocs and telescopes I've ever had." And that's a HUGE advantage. I routinely use a twenty-dollar pair of 10 x 25 folding Bushnell binoculars for the same reason you mentioned: they can go everywhere. It has often been said that "the best camera in the world is the one you have with you." The same is true of binoculars. A $1,200 pair of high-powered Leica binoculars won't help you if you don't have them along when you're out on a hike and you spot that rare Purple-Crested Nuthatch. ;-) Sure, I have a decent pair of 10 x 50s for use at night, but the little folding 10 x 25s are what I grab nine times out of ten. They're so cheap that I can keep a pair by my desk, a pair in my backpack, and a pair in my car. I love 'em! Same thing goes for my tiny Canon SD1100 IS camera. Because it's the size of an Altoids tin, it's always there, riding in a little case on my belt. Sure, I also have a big, fancy camera with a long zoom lens, but I take 95% of my photos with the little SD1100. People who admire my photos are always surprised when I tell them the images weren't taken with a digital SLR. But you don't need a $700 camera and a $500 lens to take good pictures. You just need 1) a good eye, and 2) a camera that's always ready to hand.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Binoculars and cameras Reply #11 – December 21, 2010, 03:51:02 pm Yahoo Message Number: 119165You just need 1) a good eye, and 2) a camera that's always ready to hand.Andy Bairdand Photoshop John & Patti Golden, CO[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Binoculars and cameras Reply #12 – December 21, 2010, 05:09:33 pm Yahoo Message Number: 119166"... and Photoshop " Yup, that helps. Here's how it helps in my case. Small cameras generally produce noisier (grainier) pictures than large ones. But a Photoshop filter such as Noise Ninja or NeatImage can greatly reduce that noise, which is especially noticeable in skies and other mainly solid-colored areas, while preserving image detail. And of course I optimize every image's exposure and color balance in Photoshop. I can almost always do better than the camera's automatic exposure system. My objective when working in Photoshop is not to create some kind of synthetic image, but rather to reproduce what *I* saw, which is never quite the same as what the camera photographed. There's one other secret to being a good photographer: be a ruthless editor. I throw away seven out of eight images I shoot. If you're sentimental about your photos and keep everything, you're guaranteed to look like an amateur. Pros know that you can't afford to fall in love with "near miss" images. Ruthlessly discard them, and only keep the really great shots. By doing that, I look like a much better photographer than I really am. ;-)Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Binoculars and cameras Reply #13 – December 21, 2010, 05:47:19 pm Yahoo Message Number: 119167Quote There's one other secret to being a good photographer: be a ruthless editor. I throw away seven out of eight images I shoot. In the days before digital (you know, film) I had a friend who was (and still is) a dedicated amateur photographer. When he took a picture, he shot an entire roll of 36 using different settings and filters (recording everything, of course). When he had the film developed, he saved the best shot and threw away the remaining 35. Film was probably a major portion of his budget! But he has some beautiful pictures.--Al in Scappoose --2002 26.5 MB
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