Binoculars
 

Not sure if this is the right forum to post this in but....

For deer hunting the northeast and some in midwest such as Ohio, what magnification of binoculars would be best to consider? I was told that 8x is better than 10x as the 10's are so high that its hard to hold steady when peering into brush/woods etc. I considered zoom style but that jumps the price up and I wonder if its worth it? I was looking to get one pair to use while doing my hunting. I have a larger pair for watching fields from the vehicle in the summer time.

I guess on the same topic, what about objective lens size? I was thinking 40-42?

Thanks again for any input!!

D

RE: Binoculars
 

dta, the US Navy and the US Coast Guard use 7x50.

RE: Binoculars
 

8X42 work great in the N-E...;)

RE: Binoculars
 

go to a web site www. eabrown. com or look it up with jeeves , its a gun store , they sell swift scopes they have a 8 power binocular by swwift for sale 39.00 , i use swift scopes , i will bet these binocs are great

RE: Binoculars
 

I just ordered a pair of Zeiss Conquest 12x45's. I like high powered scopes and thought I would try higher powered binoculars than 8x or 10x. I don't know what is necessarily best, but I am going to give these a try.

RE: Binoculars
 

Don't buy the zoom binos! I bought them back when I was about 14 and "knew everything" despitean experienced huntertelling me to buy some 10x50's. Granted my zooms were cheap Bushnells but when you get up to the higher power it's way too unsteady to get a good look at the game. Anyways, I dropped them in a dry creek bed 2 years ago and got dirt/sand/silt particles into the gears and they hadn't worked very well since then. This past winter I ponied up the money and bought some Nikon Monarch 10x42 porro prisms and they are the best damn binos I've had/seen. I know there's much better brands out there but nobody I hunt with has the money to buy Swarvoskis, Leica, etc (me included)but they're all jealous....even though they're not that pricey. Get some decent power binos that are lighweight and you'll be happy!

RE: Binoculars
 

Do a quick search in the hunting gear forum. There have been some excellent threads in there on binos in the past 6 months or so.

My personal preference for an all around bino would be an 8x42. 8x generally provides sufficient magnification without making it too difficult to hold steady....plus you generally get a wider and brighter image (compared to a 10X). The 40-42 mm also is a good choice because it, again, gives you a brighter image than smaller sizes while not being too big and cumbersome. Also, the larger the objective the better the resolution assuming similar quality levels are being considered.

What price range are we talking about?

Under $250 I would consider the Bushnell Excursion, Carson XM, etc...

Between $300 and $400 I would look at the Leupold Wind River Olympics, Nikon Monarchs, Bushnell Legends, etc....

Between $450 and $800 I would look at the Zeiss Conquests (smaller objective though excellent image quality), Pentax SPs, and Kahles models.

Between $800 and $1100 I would be looking at the Leupold Golden Ring, Bushnell Elites, Nikon Premier LXLs...

..then you start talking used car level cost....;)

RE: Binoculars
 

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RE: Binoculars
 

Thanks all for the tips and info. It has been very helpful.

Im going to look over the different models andget the bestthat I can afford. Im in the same boat as GSP....I certainly cant afford the way upper end models as much as I'd like to have a pair!

D

RE: Binoculars
 

Zeiss Conquests without a doubt best buy, 10x40.

RE: Binoculars
 

You should check out the available binoculars on E-Bay. Sometimes you can get quality optics at a great price. Another place to check would be www.opticstalk.com. SWFA has some good buys on optics, and the forum has some very knowledgeable people on it. They have a leftover or something like that pricing also.

RE: Binoculars
 

Here are two further websites you may want to also take a gander at. They are geared for birders but they have some excellent info on binoculars.

www.betterviewdesired.com

www.birdforum.net

I just happened to take a gander at the new Pentax DCF HS and was very impressed for the price. At Cabelas....$190 on sale.

RE: Binoculars
 

Timber....are they quality optics? A pig in a poke..Id have to look thru them first.....but you know me..IM CRAZY!!


EVEN PA SEZ NU!

If I buy ebay and the optics are scratched, or not fogproof, waterproof, shockproof........then what...Im tyin to be hassle free..You do your thing ..no disrespect to ya

RE: Binoculars
 

Shortee, go to Wally-Mart or KKK-Mart and buy your
bino's.

RE: Binoculars
 

I agree 8x42 work great for the field. Mine are Pentax Roof's but they aren't exactly cheap but well worth it. I also received a set of Bushnell Legend Compact 9x25 a few years back for b'day, they have also been excellent but they aren't great for extremely low light or making out great detail at long distances -they were much less than the pentax though.

Whatever you go with may I suggest you also pick up some Bino Buddies or similar(I saw bushnell has one saw in our walmart) The best under 20 dollar purchase I have ever made. They hold the binos tight and take the weight off your neck.

RE: Binoculars
 

From 7 to 8.5 power. But I do not like the 7x50 size which is mostly used for maritime work. Pretty heavey and some edge field distortion inherant in the design. 8x40 or 8x42 seems about perfect. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! Instead of buying more magnification, just spend more and buy better optics. You can see more detail with a set of high quality 8x42's than with a set of cheap 15x40's.
Probably the best bino for the money are the SWIFT AUDUBON 8.5x42 (model 802 I believe) at $279.99 on Binoculars .com
Swarovski and Leica are probbaly the best period though some would say zeiss. But the Conquest binos are not as good. You can get a better bino made in Japan that the Conquests (which are made in Hungary).

RE: Binoculars
 

Also you need to check out some amateur sites about bino's. One is run by a guy named Holger Merlitz and another is by a guy named binofan. I don't have the addresses because I am not at home but do a search.
PS check ou the rubber armoured russian 7s30's on these sights. you can find them on ebay for under 100 bucks
okcmco

RE: Binoculars
 

Ebay is hit or miss. In the case of Nikons in particular...and assuming they are new models up for auction...they have a 25 year "no fault" warranty that basically states that regardless of what happens to them Nikon will repair or replace them at no cost.

Did I mention that I have a pair up for auction as we speak....:D

RE: Binoculars
 

I live and Hunt in Ohio and I just bought a new pair of Bino's. 8 x 32 Burris. Brand new on Ebay for about 33% of store cost. These are perfect for where I hunt.