Hello everyone,.
I'm new to the forum (my first post) and need some advise. I'm looking at the following roof binos primarily for bird and animal watching while hiking:
Minolta Activa D-WP 10x42
Pentax DCF-HS 10x36 (also phase coated but smaller objectives)
Nikon Sporter 10x36 (not phase coated and smaller objectives)
Bushnell Natureview Plus 10x42 (not phase coated)
Bushnell Excursion 10x42 (phase coated but rather heavy @ 26 oz)
I'm favoring the Minolta's as they are phase coated, water proof, have nice close focus, but I have not heard anything about them. Any info would be appreciated.
Any comments on my other choices? I'm trying to stay below $175 USD
Is phase coating that big a deal in cheaper roof binos?
Thanks,
Eddie
Auburn, AL
The Nikon Sporters are OK, I have them. They are pretty water resistant, just not labeled water proof.
These models are a bit heavy if backpacking, I would look at weight and size you want to carry. For birding alone, weights are OK.
I think Minolta has issued at least two different bins with the Activa-D WP designation. My wife has an 8x42, bought about five years ago, that she loves. She finds the improvement of my Zeiss FL to be nice but not worth the expense. My wife's bin is made in Japan. I have a suspicion that the newest ones, sold in the USA as Konica-Minolta, are Chinese. It's possible that some of the bins you're looking at were made in the same factory, with only the exterior cosmetics being different.