I have a few pairs of not-so-good bins and a pair of Leica Trinovid 8x20s that go pretty much everywhere with me. I am wondering how important it is for a pair of bins to be waterproof?
I would have preferred to get Ultravids (which are waterproof and cost around 50% more) but I couldn't justify the increase in cost for the increase in performance. When I've been out in the rain I tend to leave them in my pocket and take them out when I need to, they may get a few drops of water on but I wipe them off and pop them back in my pocket when I'm done. I haven't taken them out when its been torrential.
btw - all my birding tends to be done when I'm wandering about, not in hides
How important is waterproofing to you? Do you use your bins in the rain? Are you precious about it?
I do actually have a pair of waterproof (supposedly) £20 10x42 7dayshop bins that I leave by the back door but they're cumbersome and heavy so they don't really come out with me. When I go to places where they may be birds to watch I take the Leicas just in case - I don't sit around for ages waiting (mainly cos I'll be with the dog or my wife or both) so I like to have a compact pair with me for those occasional moments
Hi, I certainly appreciate not to have to worry in the rain about my binocular and have it ready at any time, so also not need to worry about missing a bird because the bin is in the pocket.
But this is probably the least argument for waterproof bins, as the protection by rainguard and a little care when handling the bin in rain is probably also ok for non-waterproof bins.
More important to me is that I can wash the lenses under the tap, I think that is very convenient and a save way to avoid scratches from dust when cleaning the lenses.
Further, waterproofing means also no humidity inside and no risk of fogging in cold weather or no risk of fungus growing inside. The latter is very important to me, as I live in the tropics.
So all in all, waterproofing means less worries.
W.P is important to me as I live in a humid climate. I have about 40 odd binos the majority of them are W.P. I have about 10x older Japanese and Carl Zeiss porros. I have to be very careful how I store them. Internal deterioration can ocour in a matter of several years with mildew. I have from time to time get then professionally cleaned and collimated even when I store them correctly with in a cool, dry place with air circulating.
So where you live is a factor with non W.P. binos.
Chris