I am looking to buy a new pair of binoculars, but I am on a tight budget of what I can spend (£100.00).
Can anyone recommend a decent pair for this price, I have seen these Nikon Action VII Series Binoculars ( 10 x 50 ) for £102.00, but not sure if they are worth it, or if there are better ones out there.
All advice is greatly appreciated.
Regards
Darren
[QUOTE=dazzaman;1659578]I am looking to buy a new pair of binoculars, but I am on a tight budget of what I can spend (£100.00).
Can anyone recommend a decent pair for this price, I have seen these Nikon Action VII Series Binoculars ( 10 x 50 ) for £102.00, but not sure if they are worth it, or if there are better ones out there.
All advice is greatly appreciated.
Regards
Darren[/QUOTE]
Hi Darren,
I would go for a porro prism binocular at that price. You will get a better view for you money. They are easier to make than roof prisms and therefore you get a better view for your money.
It's worth noting that Nikon Action VIIs aren't waterproof. Action Exs are. I think you could get better for £100 though. Not that the Nikons are bad, they're not.
I am going to tell you about bins other than 10x50, which you've mentioned, on the assumption that you not sure what configuration you want. 8x is the most commonly used magnification.
If you are only interested in 10x50s I apologise for wasting your time.
Check out Bushnell Legend 8x42s. Excellent view and their only down side is that they're heavy. You can always use a harness to carry them instead of a neckstrap.
Also Vortex Raptor 8.5x32 or 6.5x32s. very good reputation.
Have a look at Opticrons website to check out what they make. They're bins nearly always sell for less than the RRP on their website so don't judge them by the RRP, check out prices from retailers. They have a vast array of bins and several at your price or below. Imagic porros and Oregon roofs spring to my mind as being around £100.
One I've been reminded of recently is the Opticron SRGA 8x32. They have a fantastic reputation for their outstanding optical quality. I have seen them for around £130. Over your stated budget I know but for the extra £30 you will get a huge jump in the quality of the view through your bins. It was recently rated as close second to the best porro binoculars costing 2, 3 or even 4 times more by Brinley Best (authour of books about binoculars).
They are not waterproof though.
I don't know if you wear glasses. Some of the bins I've mentioned have good eyerelief for specs wearers and some don't. Either way it's best to try before you buy if you can.
Don't forget to consider secondhand, it's a good way to get better value. Kay Optical do field days around the south-east and they have new and used bins you can try out at nature reserves. Have a look at their website.
In-Focus do the same thing as well.
As you don't have money to waste, take your time and make sure you buy the right bins for you the first time round.
Happy hunting,
Martin.
Thanks for the info Martin, plenty to digest there.
I have never been too sure on the best magnification to get, hence me looking at the 10x magnification. I always assumed that the bigger magnification is better, but I am starting to hear people say that you can lose the picture quality, and it can be more diffiult to focus.
Regards
Darren