MKB Forum

Forum Information => Questions and Queries => Topic started by: Roadkill on April 27, 2011, 08:09:52 am

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Roadkill on April 27, 2011, 08:09:52 am

My Dad's 70th is coming up and he's voiced an interest in a set of binoculars.

A subject I know nothing at all about.

Budget is around £150 - maybe a bit more.

Suggestions / ideas / advice ?

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Andy on April 27, 2011, 08:39:36 am

I think for a real decent decent pair you'll be pushed at your price range, although there are some around. What does he want to look at?

My dad upgraded his old pair to a Canon set with image stabiliser, they really pay dividends on long distance viewing (planets, far away stuff) but they were just shy of £700 (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/sad.gif)

Have a gander on MicroGlobes website, or give them a ring, really helpful guys!

http://www.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cName=binoculars

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Roadkill on April 27, 2011, 09:25:53 am

Quoting: Andy

What does he want to look at?

Birds (I'm guessing) - all varieties. (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/tongue.gif)

He won't have the time to make a hobby out of it - I think he just wants something to use from time-to-time.

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Motorama on April 27, 2011, 10:01:59 am

Quoting: Andy

£700

(http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Rob on April 27, 2011, 10:06:59 am

Magnification isn't always the best thing to go by.  The larger the lenses, the more light is allowed in and the clearer the viewing field.

I've got a pair of TCM 10-30 Zoom x 60.  Bought them on Ebay as unwanted gift for £5.00.(http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/up.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Fieldy on April 28, 2011, 09:45:18 am

Quoting: Motorama

Quoting: Andy
£700
(http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif)

Exactly my thoughts, I even read it out to my wife in dis-belief...(http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif) (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif) (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif) (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif) (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif) (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Andy on April 28, 2011, 10:04:50 pm

Quoting: Fieldy

Exactly my thoughts, I even read it out to my wife in dis-belief...    

Try buying a single Canon lens with IS with those focal lengths for anything cheaper!

http://www.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cName=binoculars-canon-binoculars

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Roadkill on May 20, 2011, 01:51:32 pm

Read a couple of reviews then spoke to the Guy at Microglobe.

Ended up buying this. (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/up.gif)

http://www.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?pName=nikon-7x35ex-action-extreme-waterproof-binoculars

Should do the job.

Thanks for the input. (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/up.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Incursus on May 20, 2011, 02:19:29 pm

My mum gave up on binoculars and bought a cheap camcorder with 72x zoom!. (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/shame.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Andy on May 20, 2011, 03:29:55 pm

Good stuff!

They're good guys there, if a little fussy with the whole faxing a bank card and driver license... Maybe that was just me (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/tongue.gif)

That 72x Zoom will most probably be digital, which there's nothing wrong with as long as it stays true. The thing with extreme hand held zoom devices is that without a tripod or IS of some sort the object becomes really difficult to view.

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Roadkill on May 20, 2011, 08:29:24 pm

Quoting: Andy

faxing a bank card and driver license...

(http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/dontknow.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Andy on May 21, 2011, 12:08:51 am

Quoting: Roadkill

(http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/dontknow.gif)

guess they just wanted a laugh in the shop... (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/sad.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: Fieldy on May 22, 2011, 06:40:59 am

(http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/rofls.gif)

Title: Advice on Binoculars
Post by: philoldsmobile on May 30, 2011, 10:06:02 am

if his old ones are more than a few years old, the difference will be huge. My dad had a set of chinon (apparently very good in their day (http://www.mkb.cc/forum/smileys/dontknow.gif) ) binoculars for years, but with the impending move, has bought some much smaller argos ones for the staggering price of 9.99

shockingly, they are way better than the huge, but old chinons, with far more magnification and a very solid feel considering the price.