Hello everyone - my first post on this excellent forum.
My hobby background is in Astronomy - I have a pair of Canon 15x50IS bins which do a wonderful job (I'll post a review of them sometime soon). But more and more, I'm wishing I had something lighter and more convenient in my coat pocket for when I'm strolling around the Suffolk coast - lots of birds, wildlife and other things to see....
My criteria are:
. Bright image, as I'll be using for wide field stargazing as well as birding/trekking - (7x42?, Phase coated prisms, if roofs? Certainly, not less than a x42 objective)
. Portable (not large Porros or huge roofs, so the traditional 7x50 is probably out. Ideally, would fit in a large coat pocket)
. Wide FOV (say 7deg min, 8+ preferable)
. Not large magnification - I don't have the steadiest grip and also I've read that high mag tends to give a dimmer image?
. Less than £300/$600 preferably - else I'll have to save up for a while.
. Reasonable sharpness of image
Looking at all the reviews and adverts, it seems to be a veritable jungle out there, although 7x bins seem to have been largely overtaken by 8x at my price point - seems a pity as they'd give me the brightest image, I think....
All help welcome, particularly if you have compared some of the different brands "head to head".
Many thanks,
Keith.
My first suggestion would be to do a quick search of the binocular forum for threads on the 7x42 configurations and the various models offered in it today. I was actually just doing a similar search and ran across a number of good threads that address the issue. Choices are fairly limited because, as you stated, the 8x42 configuration is much more popular right now.
I am unsure of some of the models offered abroad but here in the states there are really just three models often suggested in the 7x42 configuration and at, or slightly above, your price range. They are the Minox BD BR 7x42, the Bushnell/Bausch and Lomb Discoverer (also available as the Meade Montana) and the Meopta Meostar. The first two are well within the price range you listed and offer very good performance for their price range. The Minox has a tack sharp image with very good color and edge sharpness. The downside is that it has a relatively narrow apparent field of view (49 degrees) for a 7x bin. The Montana has an exceptionally bright image with very good sharpness across the center 2/3rds of the field of view. The outer 1/3rd suffers from noticeable distortion and the "rolling ball" effect.
The Meopta models continue to impress me. They are the closest thing to the high end Zeiss, Swaro and Leica models without actually paying the $1000+ price tag. The Meostars typically sell for around $800 new in the 7x42 configuration. They offer a bright, sharp image with a very moderate amount of edge distortion. Field of view at 411 feet is quite good.
Having said that you may want to consider the 8x42 configuration as it does offer you so many more options. At/around the $600 price point I would suggest the Pentax DCF-SP 8x43 or the Minox 8.5x42 BD BR. Both offer excellent image quality for the price and both utilize aspheric lens designs in their eyepieces to get low levels of edge distortion. I am unsure on the Minox but I do know the Pentax utilizes ED glass somewhere in the design as well.
Hope this proves helpful. I am sure others will offer different perspectives on this one.
Everybody forgets this binocular when astronomy is mentioned but I can tell you from hands on experience that the Swift 820 Audubon 8.5 x 44 Porro Prism is an excellent binocular for casual astronomy. 5.2 Exit Pupil. 24.5 ounces. 430' FOV. 17mm ER. New models cost about $300.00. I have the earlier HR5 model and I use it more for astronomy than bird watching. They won't fit in any coat pocket but should fit into any shoulder pack of 8" x 8" x 2" or so. Check this out: www.duluthpack.com. See their "Mini Haversack."
8 x 42 roof prisms in the same price range will mostly weigh the same, be more compact to a certain extent (They won't fit in coat pockets either.) and won't have as large a FOV or be as bright. The top quality 7 x 42 Roof Prisms (and that is about the only kind being made right now) cost upwards of $1000.00 and weigh over 30 ounces, although you still might be able to get a now discontinued Leica 7 x 42 BN Trinovid for under $900.00 US if you search a bit. Great bin, by the way! I have one.
Clear Skys,
Bob