Binoculars...probably one for a birding forum but...

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slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
I like Optricron and they often get good reviews in the BTO magazine.
Lady Slowmotion is quite a keen bird watcher and has a pair of Opticron 8x42s. I was amazed at the quality of a reasonably cheap pair of binoculars. Although they are far from heavy, she prefers to carry a small pair of compacts if she is out wandering about on foot for any length of time.
 

wheresthetorch

Dreaming of Celeste
Location
West Sussex
My wife bought me a pair of Barr and Stroud bins for my birthday a few years ago and they are excellent.

This pair might suit?

https://www.barrandstroud.com/barr-and-stroud-series-5-8x42ed-fmc-waterproof-binocular
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
I think 8*40 are pretty much optimum for full sized 'nocs. Mine are Leica ones and pretty expensive even secondhand but they are, as you'd expect, excellent. Now whether they are genuinely that much better than other pukka optical brands like Nikon or Olympus at half the price etc is perhaps debatable. 10x are quite a bit harder to hold steady, even whilst bracing your arms, and, other things being equal, you'll usefully get a wider field of view with the 8x. For the "mature" chap, there's little point in 7x50 even at night as, for technical reasons (exit pupil) only young eyes can benefit from the extra light gathering.

I also have a pair of minature 10x25 (also Leica) but 8x20 would have been better. I went for the 10x25 for the better light gathering rather than the magnification but slightly regret it. There's a lot to be said for the minature ones, particualrly top quality ones like Leica or Zeiss, which aren't quite as brutally priced as full size ones, in that you can stick 'em in your anorak pocket without them being a burden. You only want the 8x42 if you are specifically going to look at stars or birds or whatever

For full sized 'nocs, strongly recommend 8x40 or thereabouts, as good a make as you can afford /justify.

For even more pocketability I have a Zeiss 6x18 monocular which is pretty handy too. Secondhand it wasn't too expensive but are pretty dear new
 
I think 8*40 are pretty much optimum for full sized 'nocs. Mine are Leica ones and pretty expensive even secondhand but they are, as you'd expect, excellent. Now whether they are genuinely that much better than other pukka optical brands like Nikon or Olympus at half the price etc is perhaps debatable. 10x are quite a bit harder to hold steady, even whilst bracing your arms, and, other things being equal, you'll usefully get a wider field of view with the 8x. For the "mature" chap, there's little point in 7x50 even at night as, for technical reasons (exit pupil) only young eyes can benefit from the extra light gathering.

I also have a pair of minature 10x25 (also Leica) but 8x20 would have been better. I went for the 10x25 for the better light gathering rather than the magnification but slightly regret it. There's a lot to be said for the minature ones, particualrly top quality ones like Leica or Zeiss, which aren't quite as brutally priced as full size ones, in that you can stick 'em in your anorak pocket without them being a burden. You only want the 8x42 if you are specifically going to look at stars or birds or whatever

For full sized 'nocs, strongly recommend 8x40 or thereabouts, as good a make as you can afford /justify.

For even more pocketability I have a Zeiss 6x18 monocular which is pretty handy too. Secondhand it wasn't too expensive but are pretty dear new

The Leica 7x50 are for mariners where high mag is unusable on a pitching deck. Even by Leica standards the clarity, contrast and resolution of the 7x50 is astonishing. My 8x20 mini binos are the most practical for me.
 
OP
OP
vickster

vickster

Legendary Member

They’re on the Strand so not close to office or open very helpful hours.
I’m due to be in Guildford tomorrow where I think they have a branch so will see (likely small though so unlikely to have much choice).
They have got the Nikon M7 8x42 on offer at £349 hmm
 
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Dave 123

Legendary Member
I maybe late here, but I own a pair of Opticron 8x42. They are good for the price.

I used to own some Swarovski 8.5x42. They were utterly amazing. In near darkness they would draw in light from somewhere. They were so light to hold and optically perfect. I had a period of not birding, so I sold them after about 5 years for the price I’d paid for them. I regret that now.
 
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