Hi guys,
I'm off to the Seychelles shortly for a four-month stint as a conservation volunteer. Part of my job will be helping with bird censuses by walking along trails, so I'm looking to get some new bins before I go.
I don't know much about binoculars, so bear with me if I make any rookie mistakes.
My price range is £150-250.
Two models I've been looking at are
8.5x44 Swift 820 Auburon Porros
8.5x44 Swift 828 HHS Roofs
I found these fairly quickly, so I'm a bit worried I'm missing a better bet. Can anyone recommend any other options? Is there likely to be much of a drop-off in quality between these and a <£150 pair (e.g. Viking)? (I'm thinking spotting scope here..) Are 8x32s good enough for use in shaded conditions?
For my specific use I think weatherproofing and lightness/compactness will be important so I'm leaning towards the Swift roofs, but I'm a bit worried by the restricted field of view. I've read all the Bird Forum material I could find on these glasses but I still have a few questions.
Can anyone comment on how waterproof the Swift porros are?
Are they nitrogen filled?
How good/bad is the strap? (I understand you can't change it?)
Are there any special issues with these glasses that mean I need to test them first? (I live in quite a rural location, and time is a bit short.)
Does anyone make/use 9x glasses? Are they just the worst of both worlds?
Any comments on the Vortex Broadwing 8x42s, which got quite a good review in Bird Watching magazine?
Lots of questions... Any answers would be greatly appreciated!
[QUOTE=Oyster Catcher]Hi guys,
Two models I've been looking at are
8.5x44 Swift 820 Auburon Porros
[/QUOTE]
The porros, because they have a much wider angle of view, and have a better overall image. They are not submersible but they are sealed and will withstand the tropics. Besides, you can check the weather and see if it will be moist and humid during your stay.Take a ziplock bag with a bunch of silica gel packs with you, just in case they fog, but they shouldn't. If they do, a few hours closed with the silica bags should fix it.
The porro si a nicer binocular, and where you are going wide angle will be important.
I did surveys in Brazil during rainy season with a non-waterproof binocular (a 7x50 Zeiss) and learned that image quality, field of view, and brightness are much more important than waterproofness.
Seychelles, huh? May i offer you a pair of 100% waterproof Zeiss FL in exchange for your 4 month stint?