I am looking to buy binoculars. But, I just can't make up my mind which ones to get.
I have $400 to spend and I would like them to be light and VERY VERY crisp. Water proof would be nice.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Eric
Well there is crisp and then again there is also crisp. That is sort of a subjective criteria and will be defined differently by different eyes. But there are lots of good binoculars these days in the less than $400 price range. I will offer the following suggestions.
1 Swift Eaglet 7x36 @ $410
2 Swift Audubon 828 8.5x44 @ $350ish
3 Leupold Mojave 8x42@ $350ish
4 Vortex Fury 8x42 @350ish
5 Pentax HRc 8x42 @ $260ish
Go to CameralandNY's site and look at their Demo list. Lots of good stuff there. Vortex Vipers, usually $500 glass can be sometimes found for right at $400.
Also at $500 there is the Promaster Infinity Elite ELX ED. It is what I would call a 99 1/3 binocular. That is 99% of the optics of the best but at 1/3 of the money. It is more than you want to spend and is maybe heavier than you want, but its good.
Of those I listed, I have the 7x36 Eaglet and a Vortex Fury (6.5x32). You are going to get some Nikon Monarch recommendations as well, but I have those too, and they are not at the level as the others I listed, at least in my opinion.
And you can get the Promasters for $400 ... perhaps your best bet.
See the Binocular Bargains thread as I fail to recall the company name somthing like