A recent post by Henry reminded me that I wanted to start a thread asking you folks what combinations of configurations (magnification and objective size) would make your ideal collection of binoculars. I am referring to 4 or 5 binocular configurations that you would like to have to fit every situation you might typically encounter. Throw in the manufacturer and models if you prefer.
I post this because I actually feel somewhat sated at the moment for buying new binoculars. I feel as if I have a bin to fit just about any birding situation I may run into.
Greetings!
Here's my "perfect" configuration after trying just about everything on the market and owning more binoculars than any one person has a reasonable right to own:
8x32 (My most widely used, all-around binoculars) Minox 8x32 BD
7x42 (My favorite when weight and bulk don't matter) Leica 7x42 BN
10x25 (My pocket binoculars, for hiking and car use) Nikon 10x25 HG
10x50 (My low-light and astronomical binoculars) Pentax 10x50 DCF-SP
I don't have a need for anything else... the above models seem to cover it all for me!
Best wishes,
Bawko
I've many other models that I enjoy and use at times, but here is my working set. I use all of these regularly. My preference when I'm not juggling kids or cameras or when packing space is not a concern is for full sized models.
6.5x21 Pentax Papilio (when I'm exclusively after butterflies).
8x20 (Leica Ultravid BA or Zeiss Victory; the former has better close focus for butterflies and has better contrast for birding against bright skies, but I end up using the Zeiss alot because of its handling, wider view, and knock-about durability).
8x32 (Leica Ultra/Trinovid BA in winter when there are no butterflies, Zeiss FL in summer. These are my workhorse travel binos. I like the optical characteristics of the Leica better, but the Zeiss with its their 5 ft close focus is my main combination birding/butterflying bino, and its 52 mm interpupillary lets me share views w/my wife and 5 year old son.)
8x42 (Swarovski 8.5x EL preferred, Leica Ultravid when focus speed is of critical concern, such as during all day spring bird counts in the woods).
I also keep a Swift 8x42 Ultralite (older porro version) and Bausch & Lomb 8x42 Discoverer (porro version) to lend to anyone who is birding with me who doesn't have binos or whose binos are not functioning well. Both have good eye-relief for glasses wearers, the Swift have a very narrow minimum interpupillary, the B&L have a wide field of view, neither has particularly good close focus (fine for birds but not for butterflies), and their handling properties are different. I prefer to lend these rather than one of my top roofs mainly because the people who I lend them to are not interested in buying an expensive bino. They are usually so impressed after using one of these that they are convinced they should get an equivalent model (like the new 8x42 Ultralite or the Nikon 8x42 Action EX).
--AP