I know you get what you pay for in glass but when you can only get what you can afford that doesn't matter. That being said, anybody suggest a good affordable pair from experience that were worth the dough?
I received a pair of 10 x 28 Vortex Diamondbacks as a Christmas gift and have been very impressed with them so far. I saw the 8 x 28's on sale recently for $99.99, but mine were around $140.00.
Well, you're right. You're going to get exactly what you pay for. Not knowing what your budget is, there's no way I could possibly give you any idea where to start. The vortex stuff mentioned above is good. If you can find an older pair of bushnell used online from a smoke free environment, you'd be fine. Nikon makes some affordable compact glass but again, you didn't state whether you wanted compact of full size. I've had a pair of Nikon compacts and full size for about 7 years now with zero complaints. I've got an older pair of bushnell focus free glasses at home as well that are quite good. I just stopped carrying them because my wife bought me the nikons. If you're interested in a full size pair of glasses I'd be willing to sell them but I'll have to find them first. Pretty sure I know where they're at. Just let me know.
Quote from: wvmntnhick on February 17, 2016, 01:52:06 PM
Well, you're right. You're going to get exactly what you pay for. Not knowing what your budget is, there's no way I could possibly give you any idea where to start. The vortex stuff mentioned above is good. If you can find an older pair of bushnell used online from a smoke free environment, you'd be fine. Nikon makes some affordable compact glass but again, you didn't state whether you wanted compact of full size. I've had a pair of Nikon compacts and full size for about 7 years now with zero complaints. I've got an older pair of bushnell focus free glasses at home as well that are quite good. I just stopped carrying them because my wife bought me the nikons. If you're interested in a full size pair of glasses I'd be willing to sell them but I'll have to find them first. Pretty sure I know where they're at. Just let me know.
thanks for the info. Cheap is relative for sure. I left it vague on purpose to get a feel for what folks would consider their opinion of "cheap"
PM me if you find them. Thanks
I've had pretty good luck with ZenRay 10x42 ZRS HDs. I picked up a display model of Minox 10x42s for an even better price that my son uses.
Maybe someday after my kids are out and on their own I'll be able to buy a pair of Swaros.
I know, I hear the just cut this out and you can afford a good pair that will last a lifetime. The reality is that more important things come up while raising a family for money that has been put back. One other reality is most folks are running a credit card through the roof and not really putting back. I've been down that road a short distance and have no intentions of going back. I'll just keep on with the moderately priced binos.
As stated, you get what you pay for in binos. In 2014, around Christmas, Bushnell was offering a $100 rebate on their Ultra HD binos. I found the camo 10X42 Ultra HD's on sale for $199 so I bought a pair. Best $99 I've ever spent. Clear, no distortion, bright, no fog and if your not completely satisfied, 100% return guarantee. Excellent BINOS!
Midway USA on clearance has a pair of Leupold BX 1 Yosemite 8 x 30 for 90.34 in stock...that's a great price..As for as cheap goes you can get a pair from Harbor Freight 10 x 50 for about 19.00 dollars but you get what you pay for like the others said... I use for turkey season a compact pair of nikon sprint IV 8 x 20 i like the compact because it doesn't add a lot of weight for moving around turkey hunting..
I'm also a fan of Bushnell, both binoculars a scopes.
There are a number of good brands of binoculars available nowadays that have great clarity and durability, and are affordable. In my opinion, anybody that is spending more than $300 for set of binos is throwing good money away,...unless they are going to be used under the harshest of conditions and for gauging trophy quality at ultra-long range.
Four brands that come quickly to mind are the two already mentioned,...Vortex and Nikon,....and also Leupold and Vanguard. And for the money, you can't beat Bushnell. I'm sure there are other brands that may be just as good.
Often, the inexpensive "off-brands" seem perfectly good if you look at them at the store, but many of those are prone to getting knocked out of alignment quite easily, and also will lose their seal and fog-up under wet conditions.
Finally, look for optics that have both "fully coated" and "multi-coated" lenses. Those will provide the best clarity under varying conditions.
I've purchased the Minox BF 10x25 and 8x42 a while back as a package deal, and really enjoy them. I haven't had many sets of binos so I'm definitely no authority on them, but they are clear and crisp to my eyes. Cameralandny has the 10x25s listed for $70 (salesman special) and the 8x42s as $150.
Carson makes some of the best binoculars I've ever owned. The 10x42 w/ ED glass @$250 is comparable in quality, clarity, warranty to binoculars in the $500-$700 range. The 10x25 VP-025 compact @$115 is a real deal and has optics which rival Zeiss and Leica which cost 4 times as much. I sell high-end optical equipment and one of the test on quality glass, design, and construction is the ability to be "off center" ie not directly aligned w/ the lens and have no distortion or blurring of the image, as observed when comparing the quality of the optics in rifle scopes. Several years ago, I was evaluating binoculars $600 and up when an associate returned from an International Optics show in Germany w/ a pair of the Carson 10x42 ED binoculars and they were on par w/ binoculars costing three times as much.
Quote from: decoykrvr on February 17, 2016, 03:02:27 PM
Carson makes some of the best binoculars I've ever owned. The 10x42 w/ ED glass @$250 is comparable in quality, clarity, warranty to binoculars in the $500-$700 range. The 10x25 VP-025 compact @$115 is a real deal and has optics which rival Zeiss and Leica which cost 4 times as much. I sell high-end optical equipment and one of the test on quality glass, design, and construction is the ability to be "off center" ie not directly aligned w/ the lens and have no distortion or blurring of the image, as observed when comparing the quality of the optics in rifle scopes. Several years ago, I was evaluating binoculars $600 and up when an associate returned from an International Optics show in Germany w/ a pair of the Carson 10x42 ED binoculars and they were on par w/ binoculars costing three times as much.
this is what I was hoping to hear! Thanks
Quote from: decoykrvr on February 17, 2016, 03:02:27 PM
Carson makes some of the best binoculars I've ever owned. The 10x42 w/ ED glass @$250 is comparable in quality, clarity, warranty to binoculars in the $500-$700 range. The 10x25 VP-025 compact @$115 is a real deal and has optics which rival Zeiss and Leica which cost 4 times as much. I sell high-end optical equipment and one of the test on quality glass, design, and construction is the ability to be "off center" ie not directly aligned w/ the lens and have no distortion or blurring of the image, as observed when comparing the quality of the optics in rifle scopes. Several years ago, I was evaluating binoculars $600 and up when an associate returned from an International Optics show in Germany w/ a pair of the Carson 10x42 ED binoculars and they were on par w/ binoculars costing three times as much.
thanks!
Vortex
I also have a pair of ZenRays binoculars 8x. They work well here in the Mts. of WV as range is short anyway. I think they are kinda heavy.
One thing that has not yet been mentioned (and I'll exclude the Carlson stuff as I've got zero knowledge of that brand) is that if you're looking at a particular price range, $150 is $150 when comparing apples to apples. For example, Brand X has a pair of 8x42 binocs for $150. Brand Y has a set of 8x42 binocs for $150. So long as all the qualities are the same (coatings, waterproof, fog proof, etc) you're basically getting the same glass. Where people make the mistakes is looking at a pair of 8x42 from two different companies and one is $150 while the other is $79. There's a reason it's cheaper. Lesser quality coatings. Inferior gas seals. There's a multitude of things. Look at comparable companies and prices. They'll all have something with a similar cost with the same qualities. There's a reason. Same with scopes too. Buying a 4-12x50 with illuminated reticle and an adjustable objective for $150 vs a 3-9x42 for $150 with no bells or whistles, I'm betting the smaller scope has much better quality glass. Just saying.
IMO the best glass relative to expense is Zen Ray and Vortex, can't go wrong with either one...
I have a pair of Leupold Gold Ring 10 x 25 that I bought 20 years ago that have gone with me every time I go hunting. The optics remain clear, they're lightweight, and they came with a lifetime guarantee. I have no idea what I paid for them, but before I bought them, I went through several pairs of cheap binoculars that just didn't hold up. Some leaked & stayed perpetually fogged. Some were never quite right and only got worse over time, and others gave me headaches because of eye strain due to poor quality optics. It's not like I was glassing great distances for long periods of time either.
Whatever you decide to buy, make sure they are waterproof with sealed optics. Definitely check the warranty. It sucks to have some that aren't even broken in good, fail and the manufacturer not stand behind them. I learned that the hard way.
Jim
I've not used Carson binos, but I would say the same holds true for the Zen Rays that I've been using for 5 yrs now.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 17, 2016, 01:46:57 PM
I received a pair of 10 x 28 Vortex Diamondbacks as a Christmas gift and have been very impressed with them so far. I saw the 8 x 28's on sale recently for $99.99, but mine were around $140.00.
I have the same ones and I love them. Vortex makes great optics. They have these on Camofire for $85.00.
Redfield Rebles
I have a pair of bushnells that I have had for years. Keep trying to convince myself to get a pair of higher quality, but I see just fine with these.
I know 1 binoc or scope i will never buy and that would be Nikon!Just my experience!IM a leupold guy!
I like my Redfields.
Quote from: Devastator on February 17, 2016, 05:49:14 PM
I know 1 binoc or scope i will never buy and that would be Nikon!Just my experience!IM a leupold guy!
Oh, there's lemons in every make and model. Make no mistake about that. I've got a leupold scope that's been back twice for fogging issues. Just had bad seals and the replacements were no better. Sent a vortex viper back over the summer for the same thing and a Nikon monarch 3 years ago. It's not just one brand but I totally see how people develop a bad taste for certain brands. I'll never own another Simmons or tasco unless it was one of their earlier pieces that came from Japan or the Philippines.
I use a monocular from Vortex... The Solo R/T
http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/solo_rt_monoculars
MSRP is $159, most stores carry it around the $120 range. I got mine off the shelf at Gander mountain for $54 because they put the R/T model on display at $54, when I asked for a price check the lady checked and said $116 if I remember correct. I said she could put it back, I thought it was $54 because it was on display. She checked the display and said it was the stores error, and because it was on display for $54 I could indeed have that one opportunity to buy it at $54. I was all over it.
Best cheap...are the best you have budget for. Keep em clean and they will give you years of service.
So there is a lot to the optics world anymore, been in the business for 25+ years and here are my observations and yes opinions.
YES you do get what you pay for, With that said not everyone is in the market for the "Best" binoculars out there but what's within their budget.
So with most binoculars to really see a quality difference you will double the price to see that difference... pretty much anything under $75... then $75/$150 spend $150/$300 spend $300/$600... and keeps going. An there is so much difference in glass than just putting it up to your eyes.
There does come a point to price as to "where" the optics are made... Hard to say but it's pretty tough to find "Made in the USA" for binos anymore, most of the good stuff will come from Japan, lower grade is in China, Philippines (generally) and the best are coming out of Germany, Austria and such "German Glass". And Just because a certain mfg. is selling they are not always made by the mfg. A ton of optics are farmed out this way and even with some of the big names... research research research. There are also companies out there that do not produce a thing and are nothing more than a (Brand) name.
I do own some very high end glass and some very good glass and used for different things, my everyday "truck" pair ran $600. when I was young and bought my first pair were pretty inexpensive and didn't really work as I had hoped. Bought my first high end glass at 30yrs old and won't ever look back, one of the best purchases I have ever made.
Let's talk warranty, So 2 trains of thought Lifetime Warranty and your going to need it and Lifetime Warranty and probably never going to use it.
So just so you get the idea here if I am offering you a lifetime warranty (less costly optics) and hope you don't have to use it I am "making" these with that intention so the price of that optic I am building that cost into the price of my optics... and some of these can be "replaced" a number of times and I still do not lose money, if you have no problems I'm that much ahead.
If I am making high end optics and know it's unlikely you will ever have a problem with them that is also part of the "cost" and it's also built in to the price but in a much different manner.
It always bothers me when I hear "I bought these _ _ _ _ _ _ Binoculars the warranty is so good" "They broke and they sent me a brand new pair no questions asked, didn't even want the broken ones back" How does this work you ask? There is enough room in their price to cover this "Warranty" their not going to fix them, never planned to and most don't even have a facility to do that. They are considered disposable...
One thing I would also note never buy glass from what it looks like from in a store, I always offer to take a walk outside with several pairs so you can get a "real" view of their performance, I always like early morning or late evening to judge glass. In the store you have so much light from different sources... Also would say look at 8x42's lot's behind this and could write you another page on this but let's just say it is a performance pick.
You may have noticed I haven't mentioned a manufacture in any of this, I will not knock anyone's product I always just offer the option and if asked recommendations.
Now it comes to "your" budget...
For me personally if I were able and the $300 mark is in your budget I would be in a pair of Nikon Monarch ATB "5's" in the 8x42 size. Great glass for the price and lifetime warranty. That's my start point and we get better from there.
So I will mention it now I do own a couple of pairs of Swarovski's and glad I spent the money on these and to my eyes unparalleled by most other optics.
Well that's my take, if you really want to talk optics PM me
MK M GOBL
Vortex produce great optics.
there 100% warranty cant be beat.
I use the 10x42 diamond backs for 3D and the 8X28's for hunting.
I got a pair of Pursuit brand binoculars at bps on a black friday sale for I think 40-60 bucks, normal was 100 , for the price they were real nice , they said waterproof too
Vortex or Zen Ray
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Good info MK M GOBL. It is always good to hear reports from someone who deals with the products from a perspective of objectivity.
As a little side-note, much of the effectiveness of the use of binoculars comes from the persons ability to use them properly. For spotting game, I will take a guy that has cheap binos and knows how to use them over the guy that has the top-of-the-line set that does not. Good glass will not make up for poor technique.
I have 8x32 Vortex and my brother has the 10x28 Vortex both are decent I get a glare in mine easy if it's real sunny and is rising or setting but you can't beat there warranty if something did happen
Minox mentioned above are definitely worth the look on quality and price. However, I've been giving the Bushnell's a second glance because I was very impressed with their warranty policy.
I've got a brand new, never been opened, in the box, pair of Leupold Mojave BX-3 10x32's I'll sell you for 280 shipped TYD. Retail is 369.99.
I've got a pair of Swarovski SLC 10x42's and Zeiss Terra ED 10x42's and have no need for these Leupolds that were gifted to me.
Send me a PM if you want a steal on some good glass.
Get yourself Nikon Monarchs and be done with it. I use Swarovski binos for everything, but when researching what I was going to hunt with I came across the nikons. For the money you won't beat the clarity and ruggedness of these. I think you can get them for 300.00. I've seen them on sale for 249.00 at times.
Define cheap. Really like my Vanguards.
Estate sales can be your friend. Last year I picked up a fine pair of Zeiss binos for $50. I already had a pair of Nikon Monarchs and think they are great.
I have a pair of 10x red fields that are quite nice. They are worth every penny which in today's optics world was not many pennies. They are are on the heavy side though. If I were to have a complaint this would be it. I use them for scouting and driving around in the truck peeping at coyote, deer, and turkey. Also I use them for woodchucks on occasion. I keep them handy at the house too so I can peep the birds around the house.
Quote from: Gobble! on February 18, 2016, 10:21:10 PM
Define cheap. Really like my Vanguards.
Vanguard Endeavor ED. They have introduced the ED II and original model can be bought for $200 - $250. Best glass under $600 according to birdwatchers who are very critical of glass. I have 8x42 and 10.5 x 45. Both really good.
http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/2011midpricebins/review_vanguard_ed.html