Montana24

I need to get a good pair or 2 of binoculars for watching game. I have some sightlines on top of the mountain that go out up to 2 miles. Most of the others will be between 1/4 mile and 3/4 mile. It's a big area. I spent a couple of hours looking at different guides but still am not sure if I want the 10x50 or 8x42 or some other varient. I've got to order online too, no chance to go in store and check them out in person. It's mostly dry where I'm at but it's very possible to get into snow and fogging situations.

I think a tripod & phone setup would be nice to get photos of elk.

Anyone have nice binoculars they use or some they could recommend?

mrbb

well when you want GOOD binoculars your going to have to open your wallet WIDE, GODO glass is costly
Swarvoski optic's are HARD to beat, then you got Zeiss, then Leica, that IMO are about the top of the list on Binoculars period! cannot go wrong with any of them

NOW< if your in a more stationary environment, and NOT carrying them far and wide on long hikes, the 10x50 will be better for long viewing and even allow more low light in to extend some viewing
the reason for GOOD GLASS, is it lessens eye strain, so if your planning tom look thru binoculars for long periods of time, you GET what you pay for and GOOD glass ends up being worth every penny

NOW< if your just going to be a so so, look now and then and not get into long sessions of viewing things, LESSER quality binoculars can be OK to GOOD

BUT sadly, in ALL my years experience(sold optics for a LONG time) there not always the same from same model to same model, its like PICK of the Litter at times,(so NOT being able top look thru possible models before buying your at a disadvantage IMO)
yes they can ALL be OK< but if you bought say 10 of a cheaper model, and looked thru ALL 10 of them, some would be sharper edge to edge than others of ALL the same model!
I know this for a fact as again, I sold optics and many time bought several of same model to have in shop(mostly due to deals at time of buying)

NOW< if your really looking to get BETTER up close pictures using an optic and either camera or a phone
you should; be looking at SPOTTING SCOPES< NOT binoculars IMO
you can get MUCH more powerful optic's in spotting scopes, thus making things seem much closer/larger and maybe even clearer due to the more power spotting scopes can provide

but like above GOOD glass is NEVER cheap!
so same rules apply on brands and quality issue's!

weekend warrior types will tend to be happy with almost ANY decent pair
folks that use them more often or in a professional way,. will NEVER be found using cheaper models or brand name 99.9% of the time any how!

GOOD optic's also HOLD there value way better than lesser models!
the way to VIEW GOOD optic's IMO, is to look at them as an INVESTMENT and not just a item your buying!
buy once cry once, !

CalHunter

Tripods are definitely a plus when viewing long distances. From what you're describing, it sounds like you might be best served by a decent quality pair of 8x42 binoculars and a spotting scope that at least goes up to 40x or better. You mention "watching game" which suggests scouting game rather than bird watching. 8x42's would help you at least see game better and would be more useful for game closer than a 1/4 mile. Do you wear eyeglasses? That could point you towards binoculars with more eye relief. Are you watching for longer periods of time? You'll want better glass for less eye strain. Are you mainly watching in daylight or that last 1/2 hour before dark? If it's the last half hour, you'll want better glass that does better in low light. Do you have any nearby family or friends with binoculars that you could try using first? If so, that could help you determine what level of quality would work best for you.

I know it's a lot more questions with less answers but simply telling you to buy brand X or model X without knowing more particulars could likely result in you having to return your purchase and pay more to upgrade. Just as an example, I bought my first spotting scope (Bushnell) from a local gun store. I tried it out the first day and noticed it wasn't as clear as I wanted or anywhere near the quality I wanted. I took it back and upgraded to a Leupold Gold Ring model that cost 3x as much but worked so much better. I still have that Leupold spotting scope decades later. Hopefully this helps get you pointed in the right direction.

Montana24

Great points about checking individual pairs. I may order a few and pay return shipping just to check out different models. So, I'm not a professional but I take optics seriously. What I need is a pair or 2 of binoculars that I can scout big game and poachers with, and take pictures of game through to document what's on my property. I'll be using it during all times of day and mostly from a 4wheeler, minimal hiking.

I had lasik done about 15 years ago, and my vision is good outside in bright light, but it wanes in the dark. I also have some slight astigmatism still and I don't wear regular glasses, so adjustability is key. When I say I take optics seriously, I currently have 5 pairs of maui jims, all glass lenses, and wear different lens colors based on the time of day or year. So after not seeing clearly a lot of my life, I like to see clear now.

I've had to make some major investments in upgrades this year including $3k of hunting cameras, so I was hoping to keep this purchase under $500. So I may have to try a cheaper pair this year and upgrade next year.

That may be what I need ideally, just not what I wanted to hear today. I don't think I'll be watching for longer periods of time, I just need to find and document what I have on the property.

Thanks to both of you guys for your guidance. I was just about to order some on Amazon. you've probably saved me headache of returning things later on. I do have a couple I know I can try next week of friends. I'll do that before ordering. I wanted everything set so I could use them for the first weekend of elk season, but given the cost it's better to wait for a couple of weeks.

Montana24

Thank you for the replies. I made another detailed post yesterday in response but it's waiting for moderator approval for some reason. I'll sit tight a bit longer to see if it approved before retyping it out again.

CalHunter

I went in and approved your post above so it won't show as moderated (pending approval, usually happens for the 1st 5 posts or so).

It sounds like you're on the right track. I don't know about taking a picture through a pair of binoculars but that doesn't mean it can't be done though. I've seen some camera/cell phone adapters for astronomy scopes and assume one could find same/similar for spotting scopes. My experience with spotting scopes is you usually get close to $1K or so if you want better quality and less mirage effect. With a $500 price point for binoculars, I can personally vouch for Vortex Viper HD binos in 8x42 and 10x42 (I own both). I looked through Vortex's lesser models at a major store and wasn't as impressed. Vortex has a top of the line Razor model but those are always over $1K. With the Viper models, you get really good glass as a price point you can afford. I have looked through other makes of binoculars and they seem to have a similar quality level at the mid-price point for each brand. Hopefully this helps some.

elkman30

+1 on Vortex. The Viper model is a good one although not quite as good as the razor model. For the money you spend on a razor, you're getting close to Zeiss and Swarovski lower level binoculars which are outstanding quality.

Big Uncle

For that price range I doubt if you will find better binoculars than the Nikon Monarch 7. 10x42 would be my choice. My wife has her choice of any binoculars on this planet and likes the Monarch 7 the best. At last count she had three pairs. I use Swarovski almost exclusively, and she like the Nikon better than mine. Of course since she married me many years ago there is no accounting for her taste. I think the Nikons are a great value and so are the Meopta products. To my eyes the Meopta looks almost as good as the Swarovski's do. Meopta is quite a bit less expensive than the Swarovski but the quality seems very close to me.

Look at the birdwatching sites. Those folks are serious about their equipment and do not seem to be particularly brand loyal. I believe that you will find a few recommendations there.

mthusker

I have a couple pairs I use, my favorite are the Swarovski's. I actually just sent them in to have them cleaned and serviced. I also have a pair of Zeiss plus i have a Zeiss scope on one of my rifles. If buying a new pair, I would look at Swarovski or Leica personally, if buying the best pair of bino's was only consideration. That said, there are lots of good makes out there, and trying a few pair is a good decision, everyone's different in what they like. Both Zeiss and Swarovski have been excellent when it comes to customer service, which I value quite a bit. Good luck ......think about buying a phonescope or similiar device for taking pics!

mrbb

if your goals is to try and photo trespassers and hunters, I would maybe suggest looking at BUYING some GOOD camera's or video camera's , they will have stabilizers built in to help you get better details on things farther away than an adapter and a cell phone ever will!
I still say if your Not walking or carrying things FAR as in on your body
your way better off with larger objective optic's
they will normally add better low light viewing by design of the larger lens
8x42-x10x42 are great hunting binoculars as they give you a good amount few everything, but when looking Afar and not worried about weight and overall size, the larger objective's give you more for your money! there is a lot of info on the wb of how light works in optic's its ratio of eye to objective len size and magnification
the HIGHER the magnification the FASTER light leave s things
a simple example when two optic's GLASS is the same, and you have say a 8x42 and a 10x42
the 8 power will allow you to see longer in evenings

BUT when you got to say a 10x56 mm objective, the gains of the lower 8 power are NOT as great due to that larger 56 mm objective lens allows more light to work with!

but again, if you look into some higher end camera's, video recorders(not sure exact name anymore, at tome time way cam corders, and likes?)
but they sell some very good ones that work pretty well into low light(not as good as GOOD binoculars will )
but you have have all things on video if you want, still be able to ZOOM in and just LOOK, will need more batteries maybe for a LL day event, but rechargeable battery's are out there so, you can buy a couple and always have good charged back ups!
but it will be saving you a step in trying to add a camera to a optic to get a picture or video!

and allow documenting things even easier
speaking from experience, if your trying to have someone arrested for trespassing or?? video of them doing so in court works a LOT better than pictures ever do!