Subject: [Tweeters] Value Bins; off-topic
Date: Sep 15 15:01:09 2009
From: Kevin Purcell - kevinpurcell at pobox.com


You need two pairs for a successful marriage :-)

The "Chinese EDs" -- a common Swaro-like long focal length design with
ED objectives comes with some variations from different makers/
branders. The design has very good optical properties (almost top bin
for sharpness and color correction perhaps a little down on
brightness, contrast and stray light) but it's a bit less robust than
some. Eagle Optics have just introduced one of these in the Atlas
Optics Intrepid ED 8x42 at $350.

http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/atlas-optics/atlas-optics-intrepid-ed-8x42-binocular

An "off base" recommendation which would excellent for safari: the
Canon IS 10x30 image stabilized bins. Very nice porro 2 bins (I love
mine). The image stabilization is excellent and makes 10x completely
usable. Sharp from edge to edge (very flat field). 6 degree field.
Some CA. Some stray light. No waterproofing. Quite compact. A bit odd
looking because of the porro 2 design the compact case is easy to hold
with eyepieces on "stalks" like a microscope. You can find them for
$329 at Adorama.

The new 2009 Vortex Diamondback 8x42 Binocular is not bad but
certainly optically a notch down at $220. Likewise the Vortex Fury
8x32 at $310 is optically a bit less but perhaps better ergonomics.

I wouldn't rule out a decent compact porro like the Leupold Yosemite
8x30 or Vortex Raptor or Eagle Optics Raven 8.5x32: compact, light
(18oz), inexpensive (bit more than $100), waterproof, and very nice
view (it always costs less in a porro).

Or even a decent per of second hand bins.

The old Nikon Monarch 8x42 (with narrow FOV but low weight) are now at
"end of life" but they don't seem to have dropped in price too much.
Calling for a better price often works. Still popular in the field,
I've noticed.

EO have a particularly good return policy so ordering three final
candidate bins and then returning two (before the trip!) is par for
the course.

Might I recommend taking a trip to Birdforum.net Binoculars subform
where folks test and generally obsess over optics so you don't have
too. If you post there you will get quite a few recommendations :-)

http://birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=112

I have quite a few reviews and comments up there under my own name.

On Sep 15, 2009, at 10:47 AM, lammergeiereyes at aol.com wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> I've always been something of an optics snob and mortgaged my soul
> to get Leica and Swaro scopes and bins. But, my wife and I are
> honeymooning in South Africa in a month, and rather than wrestle
> over the same pair while we're looking at birds and game, it would
> make sense to get a second pair. Does anyone with a broad range of
> optics experience have any reccomendations for an excellent value
> for under, say, $300? I have been looking a range of brands from
> nikon to vortex and eagle optics.

--
Kevin Purcell
kevinpurcell at pobox.com
twitter: at kevinpurcell