Ok,
The time has come to move on from my 7x20's (will be a useful tool in the car though).
So i would like 8x42 for general birding but they do need to be reasonably robust and waterproof-ish.
What does anybody recomend?
Cheers
Nev
Hi Nev, I've been through a lot of bins but just got Nikon EII's, which have been discontinued but can still be got from a few dealers in the UK (Ace Optics is one). I think optically they are as good as anything I've ever seen, they cost 239 Sterling or thereabouts. They are trad-style porro bins, not waterproof, but that doesn't mean they're soluble either. Just like old-fashioned bins used to be, I'd say they'd be fine in a light shower but you'd need to put them under your jacket in a heavy downpour. As far as robustness goes, they're fine as long as you don't want to play baseball with them. They are very light (mine are 10x and weigh about 700g, the 8x are a lot lighter, and although they're 30mm objectives, they're wider-angle and at least as bright as comparable top-end roof prism European-made bins). But to get optics this good in a roof-prism you'd have to pay three times the price. Worth a thought, depending on just how robust and waterproof you need. Best Wishes.
The RSPB bins range is definately worth a look. I bought the 8x42 HGs for just under 400GBP. But they do a 8x42 BG for about 300GBP and when I looked through them they were good. The HGs are much heavier than the BGs but they both felt quite balanced when round the neck and in use. They are waterproof and have a 10 or 30 year guarantee. Pop down to your local RSPB reserve with shop and they are usually quite happy to let you take them to the door to test (in return for a credit card and your car keys etc!!!). THey also have the Viking range. Quite a few of these places run OPtics days where you can go and test all the brands out.
Claire