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Re: [birdnet] Binocular advice again

Ron,

Here are four web addresses for birding binocular reviews on the internet; you'll find them very helpfull:

www.betterviewdesired.com 
www.njaudubon.org/genlmenu/optics.html 
http://birds.cornell.edu/publications/livingbird/spring99/binos.html
www.birdwatching.com/optics.html 

You can get a great binocular for under $300 these days.  You've mentioned B&H, but I would also recommend that you call Eagle Optics.  Look them up on the web at www.eagleoptics.com.  I have purchased 3 binoculars and a scope from them.  Their customer service is wonderful, and their prices are almost as good (sometimes better) than B&H.  They are very friendly and knowledgeable about helping you pick the right binocular.  I definitely do not recommend Sportsman's Warehouse in Provo.  I bought a binocular from them about a month ago and it was the worst retail experience of my life.  I've never been treated so poorly.  

I've looked at a lot of binoculars in your price range and I'd recommend you consider the following:

Pentax 8x42 DCF WP: My brother used these before he bought a Swarovski binocular.  He loved them.  The reviewers at birdwatching.com and betterviewdesired.com like them too.

Swift Audubon 8.5x44:  These are legendary in the birding world and have recently been updated with better ergonomics and twist-in eye cups.  See a detailed review of them at betterviewdesired.com.  One cautionary note, these aren't the best if you wear eye glasses or sunglasses while birding because their eye relief is short.  In other words, you won't get the full field of view (which is one characteristic that makes this binocular great).  

If you wear eye glasses I would recommend the Swift 8x42 Ultralites over the Audubons.  I've used the Ultralites for the last four years and think they're great binoculars for the price, and I love their light weight (21 ounces).  I recently upgraded and would sell my Ultralites to you cheap if you were interested in a slightly used binocular.

You'll notice I've recommended all 8x binoculars.  In your price range, 8x is the way to go.  A 10x binocular of the same optical quality as the 8x bins I've recommended would cost you more like $600.  The lowest priced 10x binocular I could recommend would be the Nikon Superior E 10x42 which runs about $650-$700.  Nikon also makes the Superior E in an 8x32.  I recently purchased a pair of these for my dad from eagleoptics.com for about $560.  The Superior E's are terrific and are a significant step up in optical quality and price from what you're looking at, but if you decide to splurge, they are my recommendation.

My last word of advice is echoed by every good optics critic you encounter: test before you buy.  Find some other birders who have the binoculars you're considering and take a look through them.  Everyone's hands and eyes are different, and different people like different things in a binocular.  Find the bins at a local retailer and look through them.  Ask if you can take the binoculars outside and look through them since the lighting in stores seems to make all binoculars seem just about the same.

Let me know if you have additional questions.  I'd be more than happy to help.

Kort Utley
Salt Lake City, Utah

e-mail: kutley@gov.state.ut.us

 "Ron" <miles2go@konnections.com> 03/26/01 08:34PM >>>
Well I'm finally going to buy better binoculars for observing the birds
around our home and on the trails. I suppose the Falcon nest was the last
straw. I'll be using them to pull in stands of trees that are between 3 and
600 yards away in most cases. I don't want anything huge though as I'd like
to be able to hike with them too. I remember talking to some folks on the
list not long ago and it seems that the larger the exit pupil the better.
I'm wondering if there is a typical minimum exit pupil size that is
recommended and if there is a clear favorite for binoculars at or under
$300. Actually I'll likely be buying from B&H at
http://www01.bhphotovideo.com/ in the hopes of getting the best I can for
what I want to spend.
I suppose that 8x42 or 10x50 is the standard choice. I've also seen some odd
variants such as the Swift 8.5x44 BWCF Audubon Waterproof binocs that B&H is
selling for $274. Actually the wide choice at B&H is bewildering even just
among the Swift line. I will certainly welcome some advice. While I intend
to do a little bit of research as well, I always greatly value unbiased
consumer/user level "word of mouth" over what could possibly be dollar
driven influence.

Thanks again,

Ron


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