Cameras and Lenses

Best Small Bins for <$125. Feeder Viewing!

OK, Back to the drawing board. I had a pair of Leupold Yosemite 6x30's in my cart ready to go but bailed once i talked to the rep about my concerns with their Close Focus of just 16.4 ft. I'm worried that they will not be ideal when viewing our feeders at just over 16' away.

Now that i've done about as much research as my eyes will allow, I have a better set of criteria and requirements to go on. Please help me find our first pair of bins!

REQUIREMENTS:

Less than $125. Not $175, not $150.... Please. TY.
6x-8x Magnification
Close Focus <15'
"Small" Form Factor (Compact Roof or Small Porro)
Easy to Use/Focus
Lightweight
Waterproof
30mm or above
Quality Optics
Solid Build (not plastic)


USES:

Feeder Viewing from inside Sliding Glass Door at approx 16-20ft - Main Use
Hiking
GeoCache Hunting
Beach
Sporting Events
Stargazing
General Use


I REALLY LOVED the Leupold Yosemites (from everything i read and saw) and if they had a closer focus i would have had NO hesitation in ordering them with full intention of loving every bit of them for years to come. Perfect form, design, quality and everything i was looking for...except the CLOSE FOCUS! AHH! I'm truly hoping there is something of this high praise for their quality and performance but with a closer focus and still remain in my price range.

I understand that the Compact Roofs are generally what i'm looking for but are generally 25mm and can have too small of a Exit Pupil and therefore be too dim. Hence the 30mm Objective requirement. I also understand that Roof Prisms at similar quality to the Yosemite Porros can be upwards of $150-200 and up from there. If i had the $$ i'd be buying the Leupold Katmai 6x32's but..well..i just don't, hence the $125 ABSOLUTE LIMIT.

If they're out there, i know y'all know about em! Even if I have to go eBay hunting or purchase someone's used pair, I'm down!

Thanks for all of your helpful insight, it's been a treat learning about this hobby

Thank you. Oh...and it's for an Xmas Present so i gotta order it before this weekend! hehe..

Get the Yosemites,they generally focus closer than the specification limit..plus if your feeder is 16 feet away,..You just need to go 0.4 feet back!(in the worst case scenario)...I owned a pair of 6.5 vortex raptors(very similar to Yosemites),and close focus was better than the specifications..not much than 10 feet,if i remember well...Celestron also have a new line of 8x30 inexpensive(looks also based in the yosemite design and enclosure),not sure of close focus on that one...

checked the specifications on the celestron nature 8x30 and close focus is 8 feet!..pretty good.also features the narrow Interpupillary distance setting ,to acomodate to ALL people...life time NO_FAULT warranty is a good warranty,if you are in a budget..I think a 8x is probably more useful as a general purpose and the 8x30 celestron have a 8.2 degrees!!!!! FOV...!!! MASSIVE..18 mm eye relief..pretty good indeed..

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