My 5 yr old grand daughter has long enjoyed animal spotting (rabbits, deer, cows ,sheep) as well as birds on country outings. Occasionally she asks to look through the (8 x 32) bins and has obviously begun to see properly though them. She can describe what is there accurately sometimes. Very much hit and miss with focus and IPD still a big problem.
I don't subscribe to the idea of buying 'toy' bins - does more harm than good - her patch in the garden is a 'good' bit, not the spot where nothing grows.
Most of the probems could be minimised I guess with 7 x 30/35 i.e big DOF and exit pupil and probably light enough. Nearest thing I've found so far is Bushnell fixed focus at around £40. They need to be cheap enough to replace without grief when she damages/loses them.
Welcome any comments or suggestions as to similar experiences and/or other contenders, new or used. Already watching ebay.
I think you've got everything covered there Paul.
I can remember when my daughter started taking an interest as about 8 years old, having similar problems.
I agree... "toy" bins are a waste of time, so for me the main issues were as you have said, plus, of course, getting something small enough.
I don't have experience of Bushnells, but I expect they would be perfectly suitable in terms of quality... in the end, we got a pair of bog standard unbranded ones, which she occasionally, but rarely still uses 5 years on (they didn't get dropped!!!). Now she tends to borrow mine!
[QUOTE=birdman]I think you've got everything covered there Paul.
I can remember when my daughter started taking an interest as about 8 years old, having similar problems.
I agree... "toy" bins are a waste of time, so for me the main issues were as you have said, plus, of course, getting something small enough.
I don't have experience of Bushnells, but I expect they would be perfectly suitable in terms of quality... in the end, we got a pair of bog standard unbranded ones, which she occasionally, but rarely still uses 5 years on (they didn't get dropped!!!). Now she tends to borrow mine![/QUOTE]
Hi Birdman
Can you remeber where you found your bog standard ones? Doesn't seem to be much on the web or high street, I must be looking in the wrong places.