small binos

Try looking around at some Nikons :thumbup:. Best bang for the buck, in my opinion. They make a bunch of small, lightweight models.
 
There is a cheap, but good quality monocular on countycomm.com. I have one and its small and easy to carry in a pocket. May not be what you are after, but its not bad for the money. If you lose or break it you are not losing a whole lot of money.
 
Compact, powerful, good quality, and inexpensive don't usually get mixed up together where binos are concerned. There is significant opportunity cost in compact binos (bigger are easier to make), that is compounded when you want high power (bigger are more powerful on average), and high quality (quality cost money). Quality compact binos for under $100 are a myth. You don't have to buy Zeiss or Swarovski to get good glass, but they make good glass. They cost what they do for a reason, and only a small part of that is name recognition.

If you want good quality that won't break the bank, look at the Nikon Monarch line and the Leupold Gold Ring line.

Leupold is made in the USA, if that matters.

Personally, I own exclusively nikon binos and leupold scopes.
 
I'd recommend Minolta binos, but they're no longer being produced. Try to find a dealer who still has them, they're excellent for the money!
 
leupold makes great scopes. I will have to check out their binos too. I want to keep the price low b/c of the use, and possibility of breaking them or losing them while out.
 
I like my small Nikons pretty well, but my 30 year old pair of Leitz are FANTASTIC, even with a bad scratch on one of the lenses. Good quality optics are amazing, I swear the world looks better through German glass.
 
Best bang for the buck (IMO) is the Meade brand binoculars. Meade makes telescopes primarily but is the same company that owns Weaver, Simmons, and Redfield scopes.

I use an older set of their Travel View line. 8X32 reflective. The field of view and clarity are outstanding. Best travel/packable size set I've found. Ive tried others and the FOV on the Meade was much better than the other low-buck brands/models I've tried.

This: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/376962-REG/Meade_B120108_8_17x25_TravelView_Zoom_Binocular.html
Is about as close as I can find to the set I have. These have the zoom feature where mine are fixed at 8X .

I paid close to $100 for mine. Can't remember exactly but I have no problem recommending Meade for binos on a budget.

Chris
 
Nikon, as mentioned has a wide price range and some nice glass for the dollar.
I bought my GF a pair of Nikon 8-24 powerX 25mm. They were about 160.00 though. She loves the zoom feature for bird watching. I think it makes them lose a little too much light for my eyes.
I use a set of 10X26 Steiner Predator Pro binos that my GF and I found at Sam's Club two years ago for 94.00!! They are over 160.00 every else I looked. I love the glass in these. Very crisp and bright glass for the dollars.
Presently the Steiners are 150.00 but they have the 10X26 Safari model for 112. and change, shipping included.
www.binoculars.com and www.opticsplanet.com are a couple of good sights to look at for products and info also.
 
While not binos I have a really cheap monocular on order from Amazon I'm going to try out.

Barska Lucid 10x25 Monocular Binocular (Black)
 
Look for waterproof, nitrogen charged, and fully multi coated optics. Fully coated means that all glass surfaces get at least one coat. Multi-coated means that at least one glass surface gets multi-coat. Only fully multi-coated gives multi-coat coverage to all glass surfaces. It is more expensive. Porro prism are less expensive than roof prism, but are bulkier. Roof prism tend to feel heavier because they are more compact than equal magnification and objective diameter porro prism models. If going roof prism, look for phase coated prism. Bak4 glass is considered superior to Bk7, but those who know say that the difference is hard to tell in models with large exit pupil diameters. The difference would show up more in the compact, high mag, low objective diameter models that the original poster is looking to buy.

Buy the best that you can afford, then don't drop them or break them (rubber armor coating may be an advantage here) or lose them. Your eyes will thank you in the long run, and you will enjoy using your binos more as well.
 
hlee said:
Look for waterproof, nitrogen charged, and fully multi coated optics. Fully coated means that all glass surfaces get at least one coat. Multi-coated means that at least one glass surface gets multi-coat. Only fully multi-coated gives multi-coat coverage to all glass surfaces. It is more expensive. Porro prism are less expensive than roof prism, but are bulkier. Roof prism tend to feel heavier because they are more compact than equal magnification and objective diameter porro prism models. If going roof prism, look for phase coated prism. Bak4 glass is considered superior to Bk7, but those who know say that the difference is hard to tell in models with large exit pupil diameters. The difference would show up more in the compact, high mag, low objective diameter models that the original poster is looking to buy.

Buy the best that you can afford, then don't drop them or break them (rubber armor coating may be an advantage here) or lose them. Your eyes will thank you in the long run, and you will enjoy using your binos more as well.
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Thanks for the insight, I didnt know alot about them. I can spend up to 250.00 on them, so maybe I will broaden my search a little. I want to only have to buy one set to last me a long time, so the quality is pretty important to me. Definitally rubber coated though.
 
hlee said:
Look for waterproof, nitrogen charged, and fully multi coated optics. Fully coated means that all glass surfaces get at least one coat. Multi-coated means that at least one glass surface gets multi-coat. Only fully multi-coated gives multi-coat coverage to all glass surfaces. It is more expensive. Porro prism are less expensive than roof prism, but are bulkier. Roof prism tend to feel heavier because they are more compact than equal magnification and objective diameter porro prism models. If going roof prism, look for phase coated prism. Bak4 glass is considered superior to Bk7, but those who know say that the difference is hard to tell in models with large exit pupil diameters. The difference would show up more in the compact, high mag, low objective diameter models that the original poster is looking to buy.

Buy the best that you can afford, then don't drop them or break them (rubber armor coating may be an advantage here) or lose them. Your eyes will thank you in the long run, and you will enjoy using your binos more as well.
Click to expand...


Thanks hlee. I had to dig mine out after that informative post. They are Bak-4 prisms, Fully Multi-coated. I no longer have the paperwork but they are Rigid Rubber Armored. I've got ten years(at least) on 'em and still crystal clear.
Ten years ago, these were the best I could afford :p.

I should probably look into a new pair but, like a good knife, why replace what still works.
 
j williams said:
I can spend up to 250.00 on them.
Click to expand...

OK, if you can spend 250$, I can recommend the Steiner Wildlife Pro 8,5x26. But try it out yourself before you buy it and compare it to other binos. If you can, also try the Wildlife 8x24, it's 100$ cheaper but almost as good. But I'm not sure if it's available in the US.
 
Here are the specs. I found on the Predator Pro. These are a great glass. About the nicest I have found for the money. Good luck in your search.:D
10x26 Predator Pro binoculars are designed for big game hunting and rugged outdoor use
High power light-weight binoculars have a strong aluminum housing with a specially designed, rugged armor covering that insures a firm grip
Large center focus wheel is perfect for operation even in cold, wet weather
Green-tinted Predator lenses filter out the colors of haze and foliage and amplify the visibility of colors common to wildlife and game animals
Light weight Predator Pro binoculars incorporate the newest Steiner PC-5 optics and are fully multi-coated on every lens surface throughout the system, delivering game-sensing contrast and exceptional light transmission
Equipped with a rain guard and carry case for travel and storage
The Predator Pocket binoculars are ideal for rugged hunting environments or any outdoor endeavor where walking and climbing are involved, regardless of the season or weather
With waterproof seals, users won't have to worry about rain, snow or changes in temperature
Weight: 12.3 oz.
Field of view: 289 ft./1,000 yds.
 
I like the steiner preditor pro 8x24. I think those sound like a great set for the money. I think I will go with those if I cant find any I like better.
 
j williams,

What are you planning on using these for? Are you using them for hunting, birdwatching, or just to have in your backpack to see something a little closer while outdoors? Is low light situations a factor? I think all of these questions will help you determine what bino to buy. Also what range do you expect most of your use to be, under 100yds or more like 200-300 yards?
 
100-300 yds, daytime viewing, Just to get a better look while outdoors. I only bird hunt, so they might be helpfull in that too.
 
All good binos will preform almost identically in the store. The reason is that the lighting is good, and you really won't be looking at anything over 100 yards away. Mostly much closer. If you want to compare, find people that have what you are looking at and then take them out for a test drive. Compare the binos under the conditions that they will be used. For me that is almost exclusively low light (dawn and dusk) conditions. This is where differences in glass, coatings, and construction will really become apparent. Starve the binos for light and the champs will literally shine.
 
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