Which binoculars

* The air of uk.rec.walking was filled with the delicate perfume
* of violets, as ogorman <[email hidden]> descended on a shaft
* of golden sunlight, and announced:

Quoted message said:

I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

My advice is to buy a good quality pair of compact binoculars. If you buy a
pair of 'traditional' ones, you'll allways leave them at home because
they're too heavy! I've had a pair of Nikon 8x20 'Sportsters' for years.
They're light - can go in a pocket - and have a good performance. I think
the're about 80 quid now - well worth it!

Regards: Jim Ford

"ogorman" <[email hidden]> wrote in

Quoted message said:

Having walked on a few costal paths and canal tow paths I have decided
to take up walking
I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

Daniel,

I use a pair of Pentax UCF G 8x binoculars which have an inbuilt camera-
mount type of thread - and a walking pole that comes with the corresponding
camera mount (under a wooden knob). Fitting the two together takes moments
and they work very well indeed. Very stable - but whether they're powerful
enough for your needs I'm not sure.

You'll probably find much cheaper binoculars with the mount - lots more have
appeared on the market in the 5 years or so since I bought mine.

Stuart

Jim Ford <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

* The air of uk.rec.walking was filled with the delicate perfume
* of violets, as ogorman <[email hidden]> descended on a shaft
* of golden sunlight, and announced:

Quoted message said:

I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

My advice is to buy a good quality pair of compact binoculars. If you buy a
pair of 'traditional' ones, you'll allways leave them at home because
they're too heavy! I've had a pair of Nikon 8x20 'Sportsters' for years.
They're light - can go in a pocket - and have a good performance. I think
the're about 80 quid now - well worth it!

I bought Nikkon Travelite 9x25s for similar reasons. I sacrificed some
field of view for the ability to carry them anywhere.
I think they were about £99.

BUT TRY THEM BEFORE BUYING.
--
Gordon

Daniel wrote >

Quoted message said:

Having walked on a few costal paths and canal tow paths I have decided to
take up walking
I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

Main use would be looking at passing ships and general use

I would be grateful if someone with experience would advise on power,

model

Quoted message said:

etc. Where to purchase would also be appreciated

Many thanks in appreciation

Take a look at the following site for the sort of choice you have, light
weight is important for walking but so is the field of view and then there's
price and quality, so you will need to decide where your compromise lies.

http://www.rspboptics.com/

Seems strange that Nikon are some of the cheapest, but that's a good make.

Regards
Bob.

"ogorman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

Having walked on a few costal paths and canal tow paths I have decided to
take up walking
I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

1. Spend as much as you can, then add £50.
2. Buy the best and only cry once.
3. Never buy zoom (variable power) binoculars.
4. Consider 10x to be the *absolute maximum* power you should buy. (See 5
below).
5. Seven, 8 or 9 power bins are even better.
6. The *best* names are (in alphabetical order) Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss.
7. Once bought, look after them:

a) Always use the neck strap
b) Never touch the glass with anything other than an appropriate cleaning
cloth (available from opticians/bino dealers).
c) Never lend them to anyone else. Even for 10 minutes. Really.

8. See 1, 2 and 7c again!

Jim Ford said:

* The air of uk.rec.walking was filled with the delicate perfume
* of violets, as ogorman <[email hidden]> descended on a shaft
* of golden sunlight, and announced:

Quoted message said:

I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

My advice is to buy a good quality pair of compact binoculars. If you buy a
pair of 'traditional' ones, you'll allways leave them at home because
they're too heavy! I've had a pair of Nikon 8x20 'Sportsters' for years.
They're light - can go in a pocket - and have a good performance. I think
the're about 80 quid now - well worth it!

Regards: Jim Ford

The disadvantage with compact ones is that the image is not good in low
light situations (dawn, dusk, very overcast weather.
I had the compact Nikons, which were quite good, but sold them because
of their low-light performance.

A good pair of 7x can show more details that a so-so 10x.

My own tip is a Soviet or Russian one (they go by various names,
including Foton): Either a classic 8x30 or a roof prism (more compact)
7x35 (which is what I use).
Just make shure you can try them first, since quality control isn't a
priority with these glasses.

Chris

Bob Hobden said:

Daniel wrote >

Quoted message said:

Having walked on a few costal paths and canal tow paths I have decided to
take up walking
I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

Main use would be looking at passing ships and general use

I would be grateful if someone with experience would advise on power,

model

Quoted message said:

etc. Where to purchase would also be appreciated

Many thanks in appreciation

I bought some Opticron Travellers - they're 8x32, which provides
for a brighter picture than many other compacts (often 8x25),
yet they're smaller and lighter than ful-size models.

Note that many of the compacts aren't waterproof (even the top notch
ones) and so have to be rather carefully protected in a rucksack. An
alternative to the above were Opticron Taigas, which were cheaper,
lighter, and possibly have better optics but aren't waterproof. The
Nikon Travelites are somewhat similar to these. Another alternative is
to buy cheap ones, accepting their limitations, and regard them as
disposable.

If you wear glasses, you'll find some models work well without
removing the glasses and others are hopeless. The critical factor
here is 'eye relief' - more is better, but you really need to
compare them for yourself.

If you can't find a good stockist that will let you spend a while
trying different models, look at the RSPB's events calendar for
demonstrations set up by suppliers and held around the country
at bird reserves.

-adrian

"ogorman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

Having walked on a few costal paths and canal tow paths I have decided to
take up walking
I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

Main use would be looking at passing ships and general use

I would be grateful if someone with experience would advise on power,
model
etc. Where to purchase would also be appreciated

Many thanks in appreciation

Daniel

I bought my Dad some travel bins for looking at ships when out on walks for
his 80th birthday........they are quite impressive. They are Bausch & Lomb
Legacy...the old model was on special offer as the new ones are about £120
ish? I have some Opticrons which are only OK in comparison to the B&L's.
Leica optics are superb, but cost!!

julie

Chris Malcolm <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

You can sometimes find very good cheap optics if you go to a friendly
shop with a good stock when they're not busy, and they'll let you try
a number of different versions of each model, to see if they vary. And
in general cheap optics vary from dire to surprisingly good without
price having anything to do with it.

My current cheap always-in-pocket tiny monocular cost 10 quid. It's
smaller and lighter and just as good as my previous always-carry one,
which cost 25 quid, and had better optical performance than some which
were twice the price.

LiDL are selling a telescope early in September 25 x 30, 5.4" extending
to 14", that should be fun at under a tenner, I think, but wouldn't
fancy holding it steady without a drystone wall and a bean bag....

Quoted message said:

Note that very few people can hand hold steady enough to use
magnification of more than 7 or 8.

I admit that most of my bird watching is done at home, and the Nikon
Travelites focussed down to a shorter distance than my old Swallow
8x30s. They are very much better in _apparent_ field of view compared
with the Swallows, which are old technology at around 40 years old.

Quoted message said:

Note that dividing the objective diameter by the magnification gives
you the exit pupil size, which determines how dim the light can get
and the thing still work. The dark adapted human eye needs 7mm, hence
the general purpose 7x50 binocular. But for daylight use 2mm may be
all you need, e.g. 7x15.

You're wasting money and weight buying a 10x mag, unless you're going
to use it on at least a monopod (or a rock).

See above at LiDL if you're game for a larf. :-()
--
Gordon

In article <[email hidden]>, Scott Leckey

URL: said:

"ogorman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

Having walked on a few costal paths and canal tow paths I have decided to
take up walking
I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

1. Spend as much as you can, then add £50.
2. Buy the best and only cry once.
3. Never buy zoom (variable power) binoculars.

But the Leica Duovid binoculars which offer a choice of 8 or 12 X rather
than a zoom have received some good reviews.

Quoted message said:

4. Consider 10x to be the *absolute maximum* power you should buy.
(See 5 below). 5. Seven, 8 or 9 power bins are even better. 6. The
*best* names are (in alphabetical order) Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss.
7. Once bought, look after them:

a) Always use the neck strap
b) Never touch the glass with anything other than an appropriate cleaning
cloth (available from opticians/bino dealers).
c) Never lend them to anyone else. Even for 10 minutes. Really.

8. See 1, 2 and 7c again!

Over the years I've looked through and owned quite a range of
binoculars. Then I finally settled on Leica because they were just so
sharp and clear, and also offered very close focussing, which is ideal
for watching insects such as dragonflies. They are expensive and some
may not consider the extra cost to be necessary, but I have no regrets
about the choice at all.

Depending on my aims for the day out I either carry a lightweight
Trinovid 8 x 20 BCA or for more serious nature watching I have Trinovid
8 x 42 BN

Mike <URL:http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/~mrc7/>
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
<\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
"> || _`\<,_ |__\ \> | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

Scott Leckey said:

"ogorman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

Having walked on a few costal paths and canal tow paths I have decided to
take up walking
I would like to buy a pair binoculars or maybe a telescope with a
collapsible mono pod

1. Spend as much as you can, then add £50.
2. Buy the best and only cry once.
3. Never buy zoom (variable power) binoculars.
4. Consider 10x to be the *absolute maximum* power you should buy. (See 5
below).
5. Seven, 8 or 9 power bins are even better.
6. The *best* names are (in alphabetical order) Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss.
7. Once bought, look after them:

a) Always use the neck strap

As short as possible. So short that they don't make them short enough
typically. Mine just goes past my ears and glasses.

Which brings me to another point, if you do wear specs get a pair with
high eye relief because you will be using them further away from your
eyes, unless you take your galsses off each time you use them which is
a right royal PITA

Quoted message said:

b) Never touch the glass with anything other than an appropriate cleaning
cloth (available from opticians/bino dealers).
c) Never lend them to anyone else. Even for 10 minutes. Really.

Even if they don't drop them they come back all wrong (inter-pupil
distance and dioptre adjustment fiddled with) and with smudges on the
lenses. :-(

Quoted message said:

8. See 1, 2 and 7c again!

Mine are Nikon Travelite V 9X25. Good small and light enough to carry
all the time.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

* The air of uk.rec.walking was filled with the delicate perfume
* of violets, as Mike Clark <[email hidden]> descended on a shaft
* of golden sunlight, and announced:

Quoted message said:

Over the years I've looked through and owned quite a range of
binoculars. Then I finally settled on Leica because they were just so
sharp and clear, and also offered very close focussing, which is ideal
for watching insects such as dragonflies. They are expensive and some
may not consider the extra cost to be necessary, but I have no regrets
about the choice at all.

IIRC, Leica bins have a lifetime guarantee.

Regards: Jim Ford

Phil Cook said:

On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 08:51:50 +0100, Scott Leckey wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1. Spend as much as you can, then add #50.
2. Buy the best and only cry once.
3. Never buy zoom (variable power) binoculars.
4. Consider 10x to be the *absolute maximum* power you should buy. (See 5
below).
5. Seven, 8 or 9 power bins are even better.
6. The *best* names are (in alphabetical order) Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss.
7. Once bought, look after them:

a) Always use the neck strap

Quoted message said:

As short as possible. So short that they don't make them short enough
typically. Mine just goes past my ears and glasses.

Quoted message said:

Which brings me to another point, if you do wear specs get a pair with
high eye relief because you will be using them further away from your
eyes, unless you take your galsses off each time you use them which is
a right royal PITA

Unless you wear specs with small lenses which are very easily pushed
down the nose out of the way to use a glass.
--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

"Chris Malcolm" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Phil Cook said:

On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 08:51:50 +0100, Scott Leckey wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1. Spend as much as you can, then add #50.
2. Buy the best and only cry once.
3. Never buy zoom (variable power) binoculars.
4. Consider 10x to be the *absolute maximum* power you should buy. (See 5
below).
5. Seven, 8 or 9 power bins are even better.
6. The *best* names are (in alphabetical order) Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss.
7. Once bought, look after them:

a) Always use the neck strap

Quoted message said:

As short as possible. So short that they don't make them short enough
typically. Mine just goes past my ears and glasses.

Quoted message said:

Which brings me to another point, if you do wear specs get a pair with
high eye relief because you will be using them further away from your
eyes, unless you take your galsses off each time you use them which is
a right royal PITA

Unless you wear specs with small lenses which are very easily pushed
down the nose out of the way to use a glass.

Which also fits well with the current trend to smaller specs.

I really like being able to get smaller and lighter specs each time I track to a
new prescription.
--
"Enjoy the scene involving the impromptu barbecue of the annoying poodle."
- Carl Fogel in rec.bicycles.tech

Mark South said:

Which also fits well with the current trend to smaller specs.

Quoted message said:

I really like being able to get smaller and lighter specs each time I track to a
new prescription.

My glasses are the only piece of Titanium equipment I have 🙂

Roos

"Roos Eisma" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mark South said:

Which also fits well with the current trend to smaller specs.

Quoted message said:

I really like being able to get smaller and lighter specs each time I track

to a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

new prescription.

My glasses are the only piece of Titanium equipment I have 🙂

Titanium watches are a real weight saver, and really coming down in price these
days.
--
Mark South, Super Genius: World Citizen, Net Denizen

In article <[email hidden]>, Mark South
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"Roos Eisma" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mark South said:

Which also fits well with the current trend to smaller specs.

Quoted message said:

I really like being able to get smaller and lighter specs each time I track

to a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

new prescription.

My glasses are the only piece of Titanium equipment I have 🙂

Titanium watches are a real weight saver, and really coming down in price these
days.

My 21g Casio does the job for me when I want to go light - cheap /
disposable too :-)

--

Dominic Sexton
http://www.dscs.demon.co.uk/

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful person Mark
South <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

"Roos Eisma" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mark South said:

Which also fits well with the current trend to smaller specs.

Quoted message said:

I really like being able to get smaller and lighter specs each time I track

to a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

new prescription.

My glasses are the only piece of Titanium equipment I have 🙂

Titanium watches are a real weight saver, and really coming down in price these
days.

Good grief, if you are down to worrying over the last ounce, why not get
a short haircut, and have the barber take your nose off at the same
time. 8>.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.