Let me suggest another inexpensive alternative. I can only speak about
relatively binocular-friendly conditions, not tropical forests in extreme
heat and moisture, but I have been very happy for several years with my
Fujinon 8x40 binoculars, which probably cost me about $350. I've never had
a fogging problem with them. They have excellent optics and quite close
focus, about 9 ft. Two summers ago, when we were in Salzburg, Austria, for
the music festival, I took off one day to hike up to the heights above the
city for some birding, and on my way back I stopped in at a Swarovski shop,
thinking that if I were going to make a big move to a really expensive
binocular (I had looked at them before here at home), I might be able to get
a better price there than in the States. I compared my old Fujinons to some
of the Swarovskis and couldn't detect any difference; of course, I was
looking at objects on a city street, not trying to find an obscure bird
half-hidden in the bush in dim light. The owner/salesman I was chatting
with said he put Swarovski and Fujinon optics in the same class, at the top
of his list; and of course he may have said that to be friendly and
reassuring after it became obvious that he was not likely to make a big
sale. Anyway, while I fully understand that quality in binoculars is highly
correlated with price, I'd advise anyone to check out the Fujinons.

Burt Guttman guttmanb at evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA 98505 360-456-8447
Home: 7334 Holmes Island Road S.E., Olympia 98503


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gary Bletsch [mailto:garybletsch at yahoo.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 7:54 AM
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: binocular suggestion requested
>
>
> Dear Tweeters,
>
> I love my Swift 8.5 X 43 binoculars, nine years old
> and still excellent, but am going to Costa Rica soon,
> where it will rain some. The Swifts don't do well in
> downpours.
>
> I am planning on buying a pair of waterproof,
> fogproof binoculars, 8 power or thereabouts (I find I
> am not steady enough for 10-power).
>
> Would any Tweeters care to offer suggestions?
>
> Assuming the Chancellor of the Exchequer (AKA my
> wife) gives me the green light, I can purchase some
> expensive ones. Even so, I understand that there are
> some for less than a thousand dollars that are just as
> good as some of the $1500 ones.
>
> Looking forward to your suggestions,
>
> Gary Bletsch
>
> PS I saw a phalarope at the little pond east of Lyman
> yesterday. Unfortunately, a cow scared it off before I
> could study it well. I presume it was a Wilson's
> Phalarope. It was gone today.
>
>
>
> =====
>
> Yours truly,
>
> Gary Bletsch
>
> near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington
>
> garybletsch at yahoo.com
>
>
>
>
>
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