hi, i am a decent birder and now with my stipend I want a bin upgrade. I am torn between seemingly indistinguishable choices. any suggestions/advice would be appreciated:
Swift Audubon HHS HCF RP 8.5x44 - I am told the new guys who bought out Swift don't know much about optics and concerns have been raised about their service and warranty. My brother has had an Ultralite for years now and no complaints!
Minox BL, BD or even HG.
Vortex Viper 8x42 - the local store I went to was bent on selling these to me
at $460 they seemed steep for the quality. They apparently have special XD glass and XL coatings.
Zeiss Conquest 8x40 - Is the flare/glare a real problem? and are these worth the price ($750)?
My friend suggests I should just buy Audubon equinox HP 8x42. but the problem with all these "cheap" bins are that they are made in China and I don't usually support Chinese goods and the quality shows in a few years.
I don't have a particular budget - well anything below $800 but I should be making a single investment for the next 5-10 yrs until I become a pro.
thx.
PS> i narrowed my list after extensive review but theres too much conflicting opinions on the web.
Hi vvsarana I see this is your first post, so may I welcome you on behalf of the Staff and Moderators at Bird Forum
I'm sure there'll be someone along soon for some advice for you
D
IMO Under $800 is just not quite there yet. It's hard to get a concensus on the models you mention - you really have to try yourself.
For just a little more, you can really consider some of the best as you approach $1K:
Some say the Nikon LXL 8x32 is as good as it gets.
A certified/pre-owned Leica Trinovid BN can also be had at that price.