RE: Need new Binocs!
Game4lunch,
You are correct. You are not going to get European glass in this price range. Still, ***anese and now Chinese optics have come a long way in recent years. Though my personal preference tends to be a bit of an opposite to yours (I prefer 8x to 10x and really won't use anything less than 32 mm) I think I can offer some additional advice to what has been posted above.
You are correct. $300 these days gets you alot of optical "punch". I could probably recite a dozen binoculars worthy of consideration up to this price point. However, I would strongly urge you to stretch your budget an additional $50 to $60. At this price point you will find some truly spectacular binoculars. In the last year there have been several manufacturers that have picked up on a new optical design to hit the market from one of the bigger Chinese optical suppliers. What I am referring to is the "open-hinge (think Swaro EL)/ED glass" binocular. There are now four incarnations on the market...the Promaster Infinity Elite ELX ED, the Hawke Frontier ED, the Zen Ray Zen ED and now the Atlas Optics Intrepid ED (an Eagle Optics company). I have owned/used all four and I can honestly say that they are a significant step up from anything less than $1500. Yes, you read that correctly...$1500. Don't believe me? Do a google search for Zen Ray Zen ED and see what types of comments folks (including myself) have been making about these binoculars. They are simply fantastic optical instruments that are selling for 1/5th of the level the perform at.
Now, having said that, and with the understanding that $300 is your absolute maximum, I would suggest you consider the new Bushnell Legend Ultra HD. It utilizes the same type of extra low dispersion glass found in the models I mentioned above in a more compact package. ED glass provides a sharper, more contrasty image...not to mention better low light performance. I just received my 8x42s and have been using them quite a bit over the last week. I have yet to be disappointed in their optical performance, handling or size. The 10x42 model received a very favorable review over on 24hourcampfire at the beginning of last month.
Lastly, the above mentioned Leupold Cascade porro (internal focus porro) is another excellent option. The internal focus design makes them just as rugged as roof prism models plus these porros have a brighter and sharper image than any of the previous $300 roofs (original Bushnell Legend, Nikon Monarch, Pentax WP, etc...) Cabelas has the 10x42 for about $200 when they had been selling for $300. You can also find several units on Ebay from reputable sellers for between $130 and $150 right now.
Hope this helps.
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