Author Topic: Advice on Binoculars (Read 1478 times)

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 ?

Andy · « **Reply #1 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

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

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

Roadkill · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2011, 09:25:53 am »

Quoting: Andy

What does he want to look at?

Birds (I'm guessing) - all varieties.

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.

Motorama · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2011, 10:01:59 am »

Quoting: Andy

£700

Rob · « **Reply #4 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.

Fieldy · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2011, 09:45:18 am »

Quoting: Motorama

Quoting: Andy
£700

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

Andy · « **Reply #6 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

Roadkill · « **Reply #7 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.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?pName=nikon-7x35ex-action-extreme-waterproof-binoculars

Should do the job.

Thanks for the input.

Incursus · « **Reply #8 on:** May 20, 2011, 02:19:29 pm »

My mum gave up on binoculars and bought a cheap camcorder with 72x zoom!.

Andy · « **Reply #9 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

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.

Roadkill · « **Reply #10 on:** May 20, 2011, 08:29:24 pm »

Quoting: Andy

faxing a bank card and driver license...

Andy · « **Reply #11 on:** May 21, 2011, 12:08:51 am »

Quoting: Roadkill

guess they just wanted a laugh in the shop...

Fieldy · « **Reply #12 on:** May 22, 2011, 06:40:59 am »

philoldsmobile · « **Reply #13 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

) 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.