Binoculars
07-16-2003, 06:39 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: e. bethany ny USA
Posts: 2
Binoculars
I am looking for recommendations on the best for the $ 10x50 (10x42 or similar) binoculars for use in LOW LIGHT conditons. If you know of a WEB SITE that does a spec/quality review, this also would be very helpful. Thanks for your help. Bill
07-16-2003, 09:37 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fountain Hills AZ USA
Posts: 11
RE: Binoculars
What is your budget range?
Cabela' s sells some of the older style Zeiss 10x40 in the $600 dollar range. They are new glasses that use to sell for a $1,000+ before Zeiss stopped making them.
Their quality is top notch.
Cabela' s sells some of the older style Zeiss 10x40 in the $600 dollar range. They are new glasses that use to sell for a $1,000+ before Zeiss stopped making them.
Their quality is top notch.
07-18-2003, 05:42 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: e. bethany ny USA
Posts: 2
RE: Binoculars
$600 would be my upper limit, I would like to get the best in quality and not just pay for the name. For low light I was thinking I would want 50s as I thought these would let in the most light. Obviously the quality of glass makes a difference. Thanks for your help. Bill
07-18-2003, 06:55 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Elizabeth Colo. USA
Posts: 4,413
RE: Binoculars
Some of the better quality binos with the 42mm will be better than some of the cheaper binos that have the 50mm. The quality of glass has a big influence on the brightness of the binos. Just something to conceder. I would much rather carry a smaller bino if they are as good or better than a larger set.
07-18-2003, 07:34 AM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 7,571
RE: Binoculars
I agree that for hunting or packing in, the 10x42mm is my choice. This is what I would suggest doing if you are not in a big hurry. Watch e-bay. I have had a very good experience buying my bino' s from e-bay. I bought a very nice pair of Zhumell' s from a guy that bought them expecting to go on a western trip. He ended up canceling and just used them for maybe 6 hours around the house. To put it short they were brand new, and I got them for 1/2 the price that they would have cost from a store. So my point is if you have $600 to spend, you proabaly could get a real decent pair of high quality big name semi-used bino' s that would normally cost in the $800-$1200 range.
07-18-2003, 07:42 AM
#6
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bowling Green, KY
Posts: 73
RE: Binoculars
I bought a pair of the swarovski 8*32 binos and a friend bought a pair of the 10*42 Pentax DCF WP. There may be some lowlight difference, but I can not tell. I know there is not $300 worth of difference. I would look hard at the pentax.
The Pentax cost $309 at AAACAMERA.COM. IF you fid you like them and want to look at a reconditioned pair, call Pentax service departmetn and see if they sell used/refirbished binos.
The Pentax cost $309 at AAACAMERA.COM. IF you fid you like them and want to look at a reconditioned pair, call Pentax service departmetn and see if they sell used/refirbished binos.
07-18-2003, 01:56 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Dover, PA USA
Posts: 5,497
RE: Binoculars
I have the new Pentax DCF-SP 8X43' s and also had a pair of the DCF-WP' s. I upgraded to the SP' s even tho the WP' s are no slouch and probably the best in the $250-350 price range, I liked them , but I still wanted better, because although quite good for the money you' d be fooling yourself to say that they are every bit as good as the high end German glass..............The " SP" however is another story!
The Pentax DCF-SP " Superior Performance" are SERIOUS quality glass, and like I said on another forum , after comparing side by side to the Swaro' s and Leica $1G and up binos someone is gonna have to show me on a machine that they are not in the same league and they aren' t that much more expensive than the DCF-WP models.
They make a 10X43 also and you should be able to get them on Ebay for around $500 or so.........They list at over $700.
I Love mine, and in no way shape or form could I see spending $500 or more for the Super High end stuff when I could see absolutely no difference.
After all the researching I' ve done I' m convinced that there is nothing out there better than the DCF-SP' s for that mid $500ish range, and might just be the best buy available.
In addition to the upgraded optics Vs the ' WP" they are also a bit lighter, have nice click stop eye cups that stay in place, a locking diopter, and tethered objective covers that stay in place. The eye piece covers are still just mediocre at best but better than nothing I guess.
If you go on Ebay looking you' ll find good deals, just make sure they are an " Authorized Pentax Dealer" and I heard on another forum a bunch of guys complaining and warning each other about AAACamera in NYC. Be careful there, I can' t remember what the problems were as it was a while back but I remember for sure that was the dealer they had trouble with.
The Pentax DCF-SP " Superior Performance" are SERIOUS quality glass, and like I said on another forum , after comparing side by side to the Swaro' s and Leica $1G and up binos someone is gonna have to show me on a machine that they are not in the same league and they aren' t that much more expensive than the DCF-WP models.
They make a 10X43 also and you should be able to get them on Ebay for around $500 or so.........They list at over $700.
I Love mine, and in no way shape or form could I see spending $500 or more for the Super High end stuff when I could see absolutely no difference.
After all the researching I' ve done I' m convinced that there is nothing out there better than the DCF-SP' s for that mid $500ish range, and might just be the best buy available.
In addition to the upgraded optics Vs the ' WP" they are also a bit lighter, have nice click stop eye cups that stay in place, a locking diopter, and tethered objective covers that stay in place. The eye piece covers are still just mediocre at best but better than nothing I guess.
If you go on Ebay looking you' ll find good deals, just make sure they are an " Authorized Pentax Dealer" and I heard on another forum a bunch of guys complaining and warning each other about AAACamera in NYC. Be careful there, I can' t remember what the problems were as it was a while back but I remember for sure that was the dealer they had trouble with.
