Binoculars
- Thread starter black bear 84
- Start date
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
PENTAX PCF 7X BY 35MM
PORRO PRISMS
Six years ago I arrived in Gillete, Wyoming without my gun case and binoculars (the airlines momentarily lost it).
I was able to borrow a gun from the outfitter but the binoculars offered didn’t appeal to me, so I looked for a good one in the store where I purchased my out-of-state license.
I really can’t understand how any serious hunter can spend one grand in a rifle and scope and then turn around and pick up a $39.99 binoculars from the “on sale” rack.
To me the binocular is the “hunt”; I spend most of the time in a hunt glassing for game, looking for that tell-tale piece of fur between the vegetation, that antler sticking out of the bushes or that liquid shine of an eye in the bushes.
For me, glasses that are sharp, bright and have good definition are imperative to the success of the hunt, after all if I see something that appears to be an antler or horn sticking out of the brush, I want enough definition in my optics to tell me that it is really an antler and not a just a weathered branch.
PENTAX PCF 7X 35 mm
Good optics cost money, sometimes a good deal of it. A bargain is not found in the price, but in the quality of the optics that you can get for a predetermined amount of money that you are willing to spend.
For that reason when you are in that store comparing binoculars to each other it is necessary that you know what you are looking for regarding the quality of the glass inside the binoculars.
A good company name will have glasses of different prices; today it seems that even the cheap brands will advertise that they have Barium Crown glass (BAK4) and coated optics.
What you have to look for in the box that comes with the binoculars are those advertisings that say they use fully multicoated lenses. This coating is a bombardment of the glass with anti reflection particles of magnesium fluoride or other similar compound, the deposit will change the color of the glass to a blue hue or ruby or green, and what is does is sharpen the image and eliminate reflections that robs the light entering into them.
Cheap brands will coat once and only the outside of the lenses, what you looking for is fully multicoated lenses (as much as seven coats are applied) in all of the inside and outside surfaces, good brands will advertise the fact in the box or literature that come with the glasses.
Looking through a good glass, you will see that an image is sharp and well-defined, while the image from a cheap binocular will be soft and fuzzy.
Brightness in a binocular when you are in a store has to be checked by looking into dark corners of the store and trying to read some labels. The letters in those boxes will appear dark and fuzzy when looked at through cheap binoculars, while with a good set you will notice how the letters are sharp, lighted and well-defined. Don’t look out of the window to a bright street: it will tell you little about the capabilities of the binocular to perform in poor lighting conditions.
Some brands make waterproof and fog-proof binoculars by using good seals and charging the interior with an inert gas such as nitrogen, as it is more difficult to make a good seal in binoculars that have more parts than rifle scopes, and if waterproofing is important to you, consider a good name brand that will stand behind its warranty.
Look toward the borders of the glass to see if you can find any distortion in the picture. You may find some, as only the very best glasses are free of it, so just consider the brands that have the less of it.
Now that binoculars are designed by an optical computer program, it is rare to see other optical aberrations unless you are looking through a set of very cheap glasses.
That day in the Wyoming store I spend a good hour looking at different binoculars. I walked out with a Porro prisms model from Pentax (Porros are less costly than Roof of the same optical quality). I think I paid about $175.00 for it, and I never have regretted my selection.
It is just a coincidence that I selected a Pentax, as I was looking for optical quality that can be met by many brands: Bushnells, Nikons, etc. It is just that I have used Pentax cameras and I have been awed by the quality optics they have.
This one is a 7x by 35 mm Pentax PCF Porro prisms binocular and at 28 oz. not that heavy, Porros are always more bulky than roof prisms, but this particular model has good ergonomics and at 6” long by 5 ½ “ it is quite compact for a full-size glass.
This particular model have a focus lock on the focus turning wheel, when you have achieved the focus you can lock it in place by sliding the lock into place, very neat,
The right ocular has detent clicks in the diopter adjustment for the eye, another very neat feature that speaks attention to detail and innovation in the design.
While most Porros binoculars have a couple hinges connecting to the center shaft, these are designed with a more solid, all-body mass to center shaft, more like a quality roof prisms. I don’t see this binocular get knocked out of alignment by rough use anytime soon.
The glasses I have, had been replaced in the Pentax line for the new PCF WP II 8x40, and they are even better as they feature helical adjustment for eyeglass wearers instead of my old style fold down rubber eye guards, and I have noticed that they come with a rain guard for the ocular lenses tethered to the neck strap while my model has the easy-to-lose plastic caps.
As I want my optics dry and clean all the time, I had to rig my glasses with some tethering ribbons for the plastic caps attached to the strap for the oculars lenses and to the center screw cap for the objectives lenses.
And what’s more, the price of the new Porros PCF is still about the same, even lower at internet discount houses.
The exit pupil of an 8x by 40 mm is the same 5 mm as the 7x35, so these glasses should perform very well in low light situations, much better than those toy 8x20 daylight only binoculars that most folks seem to buy these days at the department store.
Good quality binoculars are a joy to use. If you can not afford the quality popular roof prisms that are in the market for about $300.00 USD, you owe yourself to look for a quality Porro prisms that for about half the price will give you just about the same optical quality.
Cheers
Black Bear
PORRO PRISMS
Six years ago I arrived in Gillete, Wyoming without my gun case and binoculars (the airlines momentarily lost it).
I was able to borrow a gun from the outfitter but the binoculars offered didn’t appeal to me, so I looked for a good one in the store where I purchased my out-of-state license.
I really can’t understand how any serious hunter can spend one grand in a rifle and scope and then turn around and pick up a $39.99 binoculars from the “on sale” rack.
To me the binocular is the “hunt”; I spend most of the time in a hunt glassing for game, looking for that tell-tale piece of fur between the vegetation, that antler sticking out of the bushes or that liquid shine of an eye in the bushes.
For me, glasses that are sharp, bright and have good definition are imperative to the success of the hunt, after all if I see something that appears to be an antler or horn sticking out of the brush, I want enough definition in my optics to tell me that it is really an antler and not a just a weathered branch.
PENTAX PCF 7X 35 mm
Good optics cost money, sometimes a good deal of it. A bargain is not found in the price, but in the quality of the optics that you can get for a predetermined amount of money that you are willing to spend.
For that reason when you are in that store comparing binoculars to each other it is necessary that you know what you are looking for regarding the quality of the glass inside the binoculars.
A good company name will have glasses of different prices; today it seems that even the cheap brands will advertise that they have Barium Crown glass (BAK4) and coated optics.
What you have to look for in the box that comes with the binoculars are those advertisings that say they use fully multicoated lenses. This coating is a bombardment of the glass with anti reflection particles of magnesium fluoride or other similar compound, the deposit will change the color of the glass to a blue hue or ruby or green, and what is does is sharpen the image and eliminate reflections that robs the light entering into them.
Cheap brands will coat once and only the outside of the lenses, what you looking for is fully multicoated lenses (as much as seven coats are applied) in all of the inside and outside surfaces, good brands will advertise the fact in the box or literature that come with the glasses.
Looking through a good glass, you will see that an image is sharp and well-defined, while the image from a cheap binocular will be soft and fuzzy.
Brightness in a binocular when you are in a store has to be checked by looking into dark corners of the store and trying to read some labels. The letters in those boxes will appear dark and fuzzy when looked at through cheap binoculars, while with a good set you will notice how the letters are sharp, lighted and well-defined. Don’t look out of the window to a bright street: it will tell you little about the capabilities of the binocular to perform in poor lighting conditions.
Some brands make waterproof and fog-proof binoculars by using good seals and charging the interior with an inert gas such as nitrogen, as it is more difficult to make a good seal in binoculars that have more parts than rifle scopes, and if waterproofing is important to you, consider a good name brand that will stand behind its warranty.
Look toward the borders of the glass to see if you can find any distortion in the picture. You may find some, as only the very best glasses are free of it, so just consider the brands that have the less of it.
Now that binoculars are designed by an optical computer program, it is rare to see other optical aberrations unless you are looking through a set of very cheap glasses.
That day in the Wyoming store I spend a good hour looking at different binoculars. I walked out with a Porro prisms model from Pentax (Porros are less costly than Roof of the same optical quality). I think I paid about $175.00 for it, and I never have regretted my selection.
It is just a coincidence that I selected a Pentax, as I was looking for optical quality that can be met by many brands: Bushnells, Nikons, etc. It is just that I have used Pentax cameras and I have been awed by the quality optics they have.
This one is a 7x by 35 mm Pentax PCF Porro prisms binocular and at 28 oz. not that heavy, Porros are always more bulky than roof prisms, but this particular model has good ergonomics and at 6” long by 5 ½ “ it is quite compact for a full-size glass.
This particular model have a focus lock on the focus turning wheel, when you have achieved the focus you can lock it in place by sliding the lock into place, very neat,
The right ocular has detent clicks in the diopter adjustment for the eye, another very neat feature that speaks attention to detail and innovation in the design.
While most Porros binoculars have a couple hinges connecting to the center shaft, these are designed with a more solid, all-body mass to center shaft, more like a quality roof prisms. I don’t see this binocular get knocked out of alignment by rough use anytime soon.
The glasses I have, had been replaced in the Pentax line for the new PCF WP II 8x40, and they are even better as they feature helical adjustment for eyeglass wearers instead of my old style fold down rubber eye guards, and I have noticed that they come with a rain guard for the ocular lenses tethered to the neck strap while my model has the easy-to-lose plastic caps.
As I want my optics dry and clean all the time, I had to rig my glasses with some tethering ribbons for the plastic caps attached to the strap for the oculars lenses and to the center screw cap for the objectives lenses.
And what’s more, the price of the new Porros PCF is still about the same, even lower at internet discount houses.
The exit pupil of an 8x by 40 mm is the same 5 mm as the 7x35, so these glasses should perform very well in low light situations, much better than those toy 8x20 daylight only binoculars that most folks seem to buy these days at the department store.
Good quality binoculars are a joy to use. If you can not afford the quality popular roof prisms that are in the market for about $300.00 USD, you owe yourself to look for a quality Porro prisms that for about half the price will give you just about the same optical quality.
Cheers
Black Bear
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
LEUPOLD KATMAI 6X32
BINOCULARS
I must be off my rocker. I have binoculars coming out of my ears and I just went out and ordered another.
This time the culprit that captured my heart is the Leupold Wind River Katmai binoculars, a roof prism model that is quite compact and light but offers superior viewing compared to full sized premium binoculars.
I had seen them before in catalogues such as Cabela’s and Red Head, but I never got interested because I thought they were only available in 8x32.
Having recently bought the Leupold Yosemite 6x30 binoculars, I became interested in seeing what others models they offered and discovered that the Katmai were also available in 6x32.
The reason that I am particular about the six power binoculars is that they offer a perfect magnification for the kind of close woods hunting I do.
When available in the 32 mm sized objectives, I am getting a 5.33 mm of exit pupil, giving good quality optics; the right pupil opening for the low light condition that I often glass under. I never saw any reason to own them in 8x32, as I will be getting only a 4 mm of eye pupil: no doubt good for daylight, but no good for the use I put binoculars through.
If I am going to use an eight power, then it will have to have 42 mm objectives to give me 5.25 mm of eye pupil. I already have two great pairs of glasses in that size (the Pentax and the Nikon) and I use them often, but the new Leupold Katmai is going to fulfill the same task, using less bulk and weight, which is important for me in certain instances.
Here is a picture of them together so you can appreciate the size difference. From left to right: the Leupold Yosemite 6x30 Porro prisms, the Leuopold Katmai 6x32, the Nikon Monarch 8x42, and the Pentax DCF 8x42.
I am fifty miles from New York City, so it is not possible for me to go to check binoculars every time I have a whim for them (and it happens often), so I ordered the Katmai over the mail knowing that you will not always get something over the mail that will fulfill your expectations. No such problem occurred with the Katmai binoculars, though: they are great and exactly what I expected them to be for a glass of this price and more.
I performed the usual checks and was amply satisfied with the optical quality and mechanical precision of the glasses. The ergonomics are also great for a glass of this size, and I was well pleased with my purchase.
One aspect of this purchase is worth mentioning: when looking at the Katmai 8x32 that Cabela's and Red Head have in their catalogues, the price for them was hovering around $400 to $420. I bought the Katmai 6x32 over the web for $289 shipped.
Now the question is how they compare optically with the lower priced ($98) Porro prism Leupold Yosemite binoculars, and if the $200 difference is noticeable in the optical quality.
If that difference is there, I can’t notice it! Both glasses performed well in my low light test and both are sharp and with enough resolution to satisfy the most rabid birdie.
We all know that roof prisms are more expensive and difficult to make well, so part of the money goes toward that end, perhaps of influence in the price is the fact that the Katmai are made in Japan and the Yosemite in China; we know that our money buys more Yuan than Yen.
So what is going to happen to the Yosemite 6x32 now that my new love is the Katmai? No problem on that end, since my son already declared ownership of the Yosemite, as he recently took them on a trip to Florida’s Everglades, using them in the Aninha trail and in the Flamingo point.
He came back saying, “Dad, you will never these back; they are great glasses!” Now if I can just hide the Katmai from him until he goes to college in September, I will be fine.
For those that don’t understand the obsession that possesses me, I am here to tell you that there is nothing better than to look through quality glasses. I am just in a rush to finish typing this to go and sit in my patio and look for the red-tailed hawk that has been visiting us here lately.
Cheers,
Black Bear
BINOCULARS
I must be off my rocker. I have binoculars coming out of my ears and I just went out and ordered another.
This time the culprit that captured my heart is the Leupold Wind River Katmai binoculars, a roof prism model that is quite compact and light but offers superior viewing compared to full sized premium binoculars.
I had seen them before in catalogues such as Cabela’s and Red Head, but I never got interested because I thought they were only available in 8x32.
Having recently bought the Leupold Yosemite 6x30 binoculars, I became interested in seeing what others models they offered and discovered that the Katmai were also available in 6x32.
The reason that I am particular about the six power binoculars is that they offer a perfect magnification for the kind of close woods hunting I do.
When available in the 32 mm sized objectives, I am getting a 5.33 mm of exit pupil, giving good quality optics; the right pupil opening for the low light condition that I often glass under. I never saw any reason to own them in 8x32, as I will be getting only a 4 mm of eye pupil: no doubt good for daylight, but no good for the use I put binoculars through.
If I am going to use an eight power, then it will have to have 42 mm objectives to give me 5.25 mm of eye pupil. I already have two great pairs of glasses in that size (the Pentax and the Nikon) and I use them often, but the new Leupold Katmai is going to fulfill the same task, using less bulk and weight, which is important for me in certain instances.
Here is a picture of them together so you can appreciate the size difference. From left to right: the Leupold Yosemite 6x30 Porro prisms, the Leuopold Katmai 6x32, the Nikon Monarch 8x42, and the Pentax DCF 8x42.
I am fifty miles from New York City, so it is not possible for me to go to check binoculars every time I have a whim for them (and it happens often), so I ordered the Katmai over the mail knowing that you will not always get something over the mail that will fulfill your expectations. No such problem occurred with the Katmai binoculars, though: they are great and exactly what I expected them to be for a glass of this price and more.
I performed the usual checks and was amply satisfied with the optical quality and mechanical precision of the glasses. The ergonomics are also great for a glass of this size, and I was well pleased with my purchase.
One aspect of this purchase is worth mentioning: when looking at the Katmai 8x32 that Cabela's and Red Head have in their catalogues, the price for them was hovering around $400 to $420. I bought the Katmai 6x32 over the web for $289 shipped.
Now the question is how they compare optically with the lower priced ($98) Porro prism Leupold Yosemite binoculars, and if the $200 difference is noticeable in the optical quality.
If that difference is there, I can’t notice it! Both glasses performed well in my low light test and both are sharp and with enough resolution to satisfy the most rabid birdie.
We all know that roof prisms are more expensive and difficult to make well, so part of the money goes toward that end, perhaps of influence in the price is the fact that the Katmai are made in Japan and the Yosemite in China; we know that our money buys more Yuan than Yen.
So what is going to happen to the Yosemite 6x32 now that my new love is the Katmai? No problem on that end, since my son already declared ownership of the Yosemite, as he recently took them on a trip to Florida’s Everglades, using them in the Aninha trail and in the Flamingo point.
He came back saying, “Dad, you will never these back; they are great glasses!” Now if I can just hide the Katmai from him until he goes to college in September, I will be fine.
For those that don’t understand the obsession that possesses me, I am here to tell you that there is nothing better than to look through quality glasses. I am just in a rush to finish typing this to go and sit in my patio and look for the red-tailed hawk that has been visiting us here lately.
Cheers,
Black Bear
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
HOW TO GLASS
Well, what now, you just put he binoculars to your eyes and look through them, right?
Just in case we have new binocular users here, I am going to explain the mechanics of glassing the right way. Not long ago a new hunter in the family was showing me his new binoculars that I noticed were adjusted in the interpupilary distance with a far greater length that I knew his eyes to be set.
When I questioned him if he was not seeing two uncompleted circles when looking through the glasses, he admitted it and was surprised when I told him that the binoculars are supposed to deliver only one circle. I guess he has seen too many movies where the view trough binoculars are shown that way.
So our first business with the binoc is to adjust the interpupilary distance by bending the barrels at the center hinge until our eyes see only one circle; that will ensure that the optical center of the glasses is in line with the center of our pupils.
Second is to adjust the diopter wheel that is usually in the right barrel; as not everybody has 20/20 vision, this wheel will adjust the focus for your right eye. To accomplish the adjustment cover the right objective with your hand or objective cap, look through the glasses and adjust the center wheel until the view is sharp and clear, now cover the left objective and adjust the diopter wheel until the view is sharp.
I used for years to do this in the reverse sequence, adjusting the diopter first and then the center wheel, you get the same results.
Look at the markings at the edge of the wheel to remember the settings in case somebody changes them, (I just put a small drop of white out correction fluid to mark the setting).
The eye relief is fixed and in modern binoculars quite generous, but the eye cups collapse to use the binoculars with your eye glasses, some models can be adjusted to stop midway or at increments so you can get your oculars lenses as far or as close as you want to your eye glasses.
Now you are ready to glass, if yours glasses are 10x they are marginal in how steady you can hold them, people varies but 10x is the magnification that can do with some serious help in holding the glasses.
Sit down and brace your elbows against your knees or sunk them into your stomach looking for the best stable position, grasp you binos with both hands but leave your index fingers free and anchor them against your temples, or alternatively grasp the edge of your cap’s bill to add another anchor point. What you are looking for is to minimize or cancel any tremors, as a jumping up and down picture magnified 10x will not let you appreciate the detail that you bought the glasses for.
With the 8x you have a little more freedom from those tremors, I have a very steady hand (I am a watchmaker) and can hold 8x glasses with one hand for relatively quick looks, but it is not recommended, after all glasses are not for quick looks.
Don’t scan with glasses, your vision should be concentrated in the center of your view, and the glasses when moving, should be moving in very small increments when you are sure that the picture that you are seeing is completely understood by your brain.
The part of the eye that does the stationary looking and captures detail is very small; it is called the macula and covers only two degrees of your vision. When looking through 8x glasses this angle decrease to ¼ of a degree, so if you want to capture the detail that you pay so much money for, keep your glasses steady and look through the center of them.
The crouch and the belly down position are also glassing positions that should be not overlooked, take a tip from African hunters and steady your glasses in the standing position with the aid of a mono pod or shooting sticks or even a walking stick.
In carrying your glasses you can do as the African white hunters do and use a long strap to place them out of the way in the left side of your body at waist level and under your arm, or hang them from your neck but with a very short strap, so they ride high on your chest and will not swing and strike another object when you bend down.
There are in the market some harnesses that will keep your binoculars close to your body when you move around, but they usually interfere with other equipment, at least in my case as I wear a back pack most of the time but for those that carry only the glasses those harnesses work well.
All the best
Black Bear
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
THE BUSHNELL CUSTOM COMPACT
6X BY 25MM BINOCULARS
Hi guys,
This is for all the old timers that bought small binoculars in the 70’s.
This was the most popular and highly regarded binoculars in the decade of the seventies and beyond, five guys in my hunting club had them, I bought one in the middle seventies and another for my wife a couple of years later.
Mine had the center screw hinge attachment for the strap and my wife’s was a little more modern with the strap attachments on the side of the body.
In the pictures you can see my wife’s binocular with the optional rubber covering that was sold by Bushnell, it makes the binocular appear a little bigger, but it was a great noise reducer and helped with grasping the small binocular.
It will be a surprise to many to learn that the Custom Compact is still made today by Bushnell, in a slightly changed outside appearance, with a street price of about $220USD.
However they sell the 7x26, instead of the six powers. I consider the six power a better magnification for small binoculars as the exit pupil is 4.16 mm, a much better aperture for looking under low light conditions.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-7x26mm-custom-compact-binoculars-120726.html
Hope you guys have enjoyed the trip down memory lane.
All the best
Black Bear
6X BY 25MM BINOCULARS
Hi guys,
This is for all the old timers that bought small binoculars in the 70’s.
This was the most popular and highly regarded binoculars in the decade of the seventies and beyond, five guys in my hunting club had them, I bought one in the middle seventies and another for my wife a couple of years later.
Mine had the center screw hinge attachment for the strap and my wife’s was a little more modern with the strap attachments on the side of the body.
In the pictures you can see my wife’s binocular with the optional rubber covering that was sold by Bushnell, it makes the binocular appear a little bigger, but it was a great noise reducer and helped with grasping the small binocular.
It will be a surprise to many to learn that the Custom Compact is still made today by Bushnell, in a slightly changed outside appearance, with a street price of about $220USD.
However they sell the 7x26, instead of the six powers. I consider the six power a better magnification for small binoculars as the exit pupil is 4.16 mm, a much better aperture for looking under low light conditions.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-7x26mm-custom-compact-binoculars-120726.html
Hope you guys have enjoyed the trip down memory lane.
All the best
Black Bear
I think one corollary to "How to Scope" is "Why things are seen"... this (according to many military text and lessons aimed at scouts and sentries) is because of:
Shape
Colour, and
Movement.
These three things more than anything else will draw our attention to an object that otherwise might go completely unnoticed.
It is for this reason that the experts in the military favoured field of view over magnification power in optics that had to be portable so that they could be carried by infantry vitally concerned about detecting an enemy before they were detected.
Without getting too melodramatic....the bottom line is that lower magnification will (all other things being equal) provide a bigger field of view...which is why 6x, 30 have been (in the past) so popular with infantry.
The same 3 principles apply equally when trying to find game - except that often colour is less helpful given that nature has provided many game animals with wonderful camouflage and of course they all look like stumps right
BUT it is their movement that draws our attention most (as it draws a hawks attention or a coyote) as a result the bigger field of view (FOV) your binocs have the better your odds become of "finding" your game.
Of course if you have already found it and simply want to study it - a high powered optic is helpful - but for hunting - eg "seeking" game . stick with a modest power and a large field of view.
It is an extraordinary testimony to the power of marketing that a 10x binocular with essentially the same optical components as a 6x binocular (and therefore the SAME cost of production) frequently costs more than the low power optic.....thanks to the North American preconception that Bigger is Better.... which ain't necessarily so..................
Shape
Colour, and
Movement.
These three things more than anything else will draw our attention to an object that otherwise might go completely unnoticed.
It is for this reason that the experts in the military favoured field of view over magnification power in optics that had to be portable so that they could be carried by infantry vitally concerned about detecting an enemy before they were detected.
Without getting too melodramatic....the bottom line is that lower magnification will (all other things being equal) provide a bigger field of view...which is why 6x, 30 have been (in the past) so popular with infantry.
The same 3 principles apply equally when trying to find game - except that often colour is less helpful given that nature has provided many game animals with wonderful camouflage and of course they all look like stumps right
BUT it is their movement that draws our attention most (as it draws a hawks attention or a coyote) as a result the bigger field of view (FOV) your binocs have the better your odds become of "finding" your game. Of course if you have already found it and simply want to study it - a high powered optic is helpful - but for hunting - eg "seeking" game . stick with a modest power and a large field of view
.It is an extraordinary testimony to the power of marketing that a 10x binocular with essentially the same optical components as a 6x binocular (and therefore the SAME cost of production) frequently costs more than the low power optic.....thanks to the North American preconception that Bigger is Better.... which ain't necessarily so..................
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
Agree with you, well put.
COMPACT BINOCULARS
Hi guys,
Many people will think that because I am advocating full-sized binoculars most of the time, I don’t have any use for the small, light, and compact binoculars that are so popular in the market.
This is not the case at all! I use them and enjoy the lightness and small size when the occasion is favorable.
Actually, if you are not into serious birding or need a full-sized binocular to evaluate elk antlers at last light, the small compact binoculars make a lot of sense.
Take, for example, initiating my European vacation starting at London about ten years ago. I decided that I needed a small binocular that would fit into my already nearly full camera bag.
I found my price in Portobello Road, a small reverse Porro prisms 8x by 24 mm Pentax binocular. Perhaps you are not familiar with what a reverse Porro prisms is; in this class of binoculars (to make it compact), the designers invert the relation of the barrels and oculars. The objectives are actually very close together, and the big separation is in the ocular lenses.
The Pentax has the diopter adjustment in the right barrel, like other modern binoculars, this particular model comes very well coated with magnesium fluoride for good light transmission and the focusing of the binoculars is all done internally, unlike other Porro prisms, which means that there aren't moving parts that can bring dirt or moisture inside.
The unit is rubber coated and weighs 10 oz. My steel tape says that it is 3 ¾" long by 3 ½" wide. A well constructed and solid unit, as you can see in the pictures.
I haven’t seen this particular model in the Pentax line lately, but I don’t doubt that what they are putting out to replace it is as good as the model I have, which has been tested in many hikes and been under rain when accidentally left for two days hanging from a branch at the top of a ridge.
Best regards,
Black Bear
COMPACT BINOCULARS
Hi guys,
Many people will think that because I am advocating full-sized binoculars most of the time, I don’t have any use for the small, light, and compact binoculars that are so popular in the market.
This is not the case at all! I use them and enjoy the lightness and small size when the occasion is favorable.
Actually, if you are not into serious birding or need a full-sized binocular to evaluate elk antlers at last light, the small compact binoculars make a lot of sense.
Take, for example, initiating my European vacation starting at London about ten years ago. I decided that I needed a small binocular that would fit into my already nearly full camera bag.
I found my price in Portobello Road, a small reverse Porro prisms 8x by 24 mm Pentax binocular. Perhaps you are not familiar with what a reverse Porro prisms is; in this class of binoculars (to make it compact), the designers invert the relation of the barrels and oculars. The objectives are actually very close together, and the big separation is in the ocular lenses.
The Pentax has the diopter adjustment in the right barrel, like other modern binoculars, this particular model comes very well coated with magnesium fluoride for good light transmission and the focusing of the binoculars is all done internally, unlike other Porro prisms, which means that there aren't moving parts that can bring dirt or moisture inside.
The unit is rubber coated and weighs 10 oz. My steel tape says that it is 3 ¾" long by 3 ½" wide. A well constructed and solid unit, as you can see in the pictures.
I haven’t seen this particular model in the Pentax line lately, but I don’t doubt that what they are putting out to replace it is as good as the model I have, which has been tested in many hikes and been under rain when accidentally left for two days hanging from a branch at the top of a ridge.
Best regards,
Black Bear
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
If you read the post about the leupold Yosemite binoculars, you can see how I compare them, and what I look for in optical quality.
Thanks
Black Bear
Thanks
Black Bear
So I'm not a big game hunter and don't have a bottomless bank account.
I'm looking for a good all around set.
So far I've looked at (but not through) the Bushnell Excursion in 10X42 and the Nikon Travelite (10X25, 12X25 or the 8-24X25).
Any opinions on these, or similar in the price range? They don't need to be compact, but a full field size would not suit my needs either.
They need to go from a sporting event to a concert to a birding/canoe trip to a deer camp... you get the drift.
I've read both good and bad reviews about the Burris Landmark II, and the rest of their line is a little more than I'd like to spend.
I'd like to keep it under $200, and I have the option of shopping both U.S. and Canadian websites (if that helps).
I might add that I don't wear glasses (yet), but my wife does.
I'm looking for a good all around set.
So far I've looked at (but not through) the Bushnell Excursion in 10X42 and the Nikon Travelite (10X25, 12X25 or the 8-24X25).
Any opinions on these, or similar in the price range? They don't need to be compact, but a full field size would not suit my needs either.
They need to go from a sporting event to a concert to a birding/canoe trip to a deer camp... you get the drift.
I've read both good and bad reviews about the Burris Landmark II, and the rest of their line is a little more than I'd like to spend.
I'd like to keep it under $200, and I have the option of shopping both U.S. and Canadian websites (if that helps).
I might add that I don't wear glasses (yet), but my wife does.
Last edited:
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I recently bought these for the girlfriend,
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/minox.pl?page=62149
I found the size a good compromise between the full size vs compact. And with the current exchange rate, the $259US price tag for the demo is pretty darn good. (By the way, I did buy the demo... and I they were as new in the box)
My 2 cents,
Mike.
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/minox.pl?page=62149
I found the size a good compromise between the full size vs compact. And with the current exchange rate, the $259US price tag for the demo is pretty darn good. (By the way, I did buy the demo... and I they were as new in the box)
My 2 cents,
Mike.
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
So I'm not a big game hunter and don't have a bottomless bank account.
I'm looking for a good all around set.
So far I've looked at (but not through) the Bushnell Excursion in 10X42 and the Nikon Travelite (10X25, 12X25 or the 8-24X25).
Any opinions on these, or similar in the price range? They don't need to be compact, but a full field size would not suit my needs either.
They need to go from a sporting event to a concert to a birding/canoe trip to a deer camp... you get the drift.
I've read both good and bad reviews about the Burris Landmark II, and the rest of their line is a little more than I'd like to spend.
I'd like to keep it under $200, and I have the option of shopping both U.S. and Canadian websites (if that helps).
I might add that I don't wear glasses (yet), but my wife does.
I am just a guy with an optic itch, so I haven't tried all models.
I recently bought two binoculars, the leupold Yosemite for $98 and the Leupold Katmai for almost $300.
In the optical department it is hard to see any difference between them. Weight wise they weight the same, the Yosemite are Porro prisms and the Katmai are roof prisms, beside the fact than Porros are always less expensive, I think that the fact that the Yosemite are made in China account for the price difference.
Both are great glasses.
Cheers
Watchmaker
Because of my aforementioned reasons, I abandoned all recommendations and common sense
I recently ordered these from Bass Pro Shop (RedHead Pursuit, 8X42)... haven't looked through them yet, as they haven't arrived. Made this decision on reviews (?), features and price.
Today I bought these in 10X25.
These are currently on sale at Crappy Tire for $29.99, reg $79.99. This sale is TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY... if you're interested.
Clarity and depth perception seem remarkably good for a "cheap" set.
I bought these for obvious reasons... they seem more than good enough for their intended purpose... and should slip into a turkey vest quite nicely.
I recently ordered these from Bass Pro Shop (RedHead Pursuit, 8X42)... haven't looked through them yet, as they haven't arrived. Made this decision on reviews (?), features and price.
Today I bought these in 10X25.
These are currently on sale at Crappy Tire for $29.99, reg $79.99. This sale is TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY... if you're interested.
Clarity and depth perception seem remarkably good for a "cheap" set.
I bought these for obvious reasons
... they seem more than good enough for their intended purpose... and should slip into a turkey vest quite nicely.
I have used optics al my life for work and play and have used many types. I now use a Leupold spotting scope and various binoculars. On fathers day, a set of 10x42 Swarovskis came into my collection and hands down they beat any other optic I've ever used-they are incredibly clear and sharp and I find them easy to use. I use them at the range where they are so sharp they replace a spotting scope to see holes in the target when I'm sighting in.
black bear 84
Member
- Location
- Long Island N. Y.
NIGHT OWL 4X NIGHT VISION
COMPACT BINOCULARS
I have owned this night vision binoculars for about seven years. They are made in Russia and feature the first generation of Russian intensifiers tubes that are so popular lately.
It is my understanding that the Russian tubes were not of new manufacturing, but surplus tubes were released into the market. My first unit of these binoculars had a tube that was much dimmer than the other; however the Night Owl Company quickly exchanged them at my request.
As you probably you already know, unlike the older infrared night vision technology, the intensifier tubes do just that: intensify the light that is available (up to 30,000 times according to the instructions) and if ambient light is present, it doesn’t depend on the attached infrared emitter that is placed on top of the binoculars as an extension of the center pivot.
The binoculars enlarge the image transmitted to the oculars by 4 times. Not exactly a long-range pair of binoculars, but really very useful at short distances.
The Infrared emitter has a separate button for its operation. It is not really full infrared (infrared light is invisible) but a good amount of red shows out of the lens of the tube, making the fact that you are watching with them noticeable to humans. For game it really doesn’t matter, as most animals are blind to the red spectrum of light.
When used with a truly blind infrared powerful source (I just rigged a BOREALIS 1050 lumens flashlight ~2 million candlepower~ with a surplus Israeli jeep infrared filter) the binocular can easily “see” 300 yards away in total darkness.
The glasses weigh 31 oz., which isn't bad for a binocular that is 6 ¼ long by 6 ½ wide and 1 ¾ thick. The barrels of the objective adjust for focus individually. The adjustment is very smooth and easy to move; likewise, the ocular also has an adjustment that is individual to each eye, and it is not a center focus adjustment wheel, like in regular binoculars.
The metal screw in caps covering the objectives have a little pin hole to limit the amount of light that will enter if the binoculars are used during the day, which is mostly done to make adjustments for distance and focus previous to the projected night use. Those metal caps are noisy to unscrew or screw them, so if you're using them when game is near, I recommend replacing them with Buttler Creek or similar spring loaded binocular caps.
The power is supplied by a Lithium 123 3 volts battery that is loaded from the rear where the hinge is in the binoculars. These batteries are more popular than ever, thanks to the amount of tactical flashlights that make use of them.
This is better than the present problem I have of trying to find a number 1 battery for my Israeli surplus infrared night vision goggle (and by the way, if one of you readers know a source for such battery, please let me know).
For a first generation unit, the Night Owl 4x Compact is a very good binocular, well thought-out in its design and construction, with rubber covering to make gripping easier and to deaden game spooking noises. When I first bought them my son was 10 years old and interested in watching game, so we spent a few enjoyable nights watching deer eating apples at the tree and watching over a bear bait in upper Maine, just to see what was showing up. To all you fathers out there, those kinds of memories can last a lifetime and tend to be the greatest ones, especially when that same son is now a college student and interested in watching other types of game. So cherish them well.
Best regards,
Black Bear
COMPACT BINOCULARS
I have owned this night vision binoculars for about seven years. They are made in Russia and feature the first generation of Russian intensifiers tubes that are so popular lately.
It is my understanding that the Russian tubes were not of new manufacturing, but surplus tubes were released into the market. My first unit of these binoculars had a tube that was much dimmer than the other; however the Night Owl Company quickly exchanged them at my request.
As you probably you already know, unlike the older infrared night vision technology, the intensifier tubes do just that: intensify the light that is available (up to 30,000 times according to the instructions) and if ambient light is present, it doesn’t depend on the attached infrared emitter that is placed on top of the binoculars as an extension of the center pivot.
The binoculars enlarge the image transmitted to the oculars by 4 times. Not exactly a long-range pair of binoculars, but really very useful at short distances.
The Infrared emitter has a separate button for its operation. It is not really full infrared (infrared light is invisible) but a good amount of red shows out of the lens of the tube, making the fact that you are watching with them noticeable to humans. For game it really doesn’t matter, as most animals are blind to the red spectrum of light.
When used with a truly blind infrared powerful source (I just rigged a BOREALIS 1050 lumens flashlight ~2 million candlepower~ with a surplus Israeli jeep infrared filter) the binocular can easily “see” 300 yards away in total darkness.
The glasses weigh 31 oz., which isn't bad for a binocular that is 6 ¼ long by 6 ½ wide and 1 ¾ thick. The barrels of the objective adjust for focus individually. The adjustment is very smooth and easy to move; likewise, the ocular also has an adjustment that is individual to each eye, and it is not a center focus adjustment wheel, like in regular binoculars.
The metal screw in caps covering the objectives have a little pin hole to limit the amount of light that will enter if the binoculars are used during the day, which is mostly done to make adjustments for distance and focus previous to the projected night use. Those metal caps are noisy to unscrew or screw them, so if you're using them when game is near, I recommend replacing them with Buttler Creek or similar spring loaded binocular caps.
The power is supplied by a Lithium 123 3 volts battery that is loaded from the rear where the hinge is in the binoculars. These batteries are more popular than ever, thanks to the amount of tactical flashlights that make use of them.
This is better than the present problem I have of trying to find a number 1 battery for my Israeli surplus infrared night vision goggle (and by the way, if one of you readers know a source for such battery, please let me know).
For a first generation unit, the Night Owl 4x Compact is a very good binocular, well thought-out in its design and construction, with rubber covering to make gripping easier and to deaden game spooking noises. When I first bought them my son was 10 years old and interested in watching game, so we spent a few enjoyable nights watching deer eating apples at the tree and watching over a bear bait in upper Maine, just to see what was showing up. To all you fathers out there, those kinds of memories can last a lifetime and tend to be the greatest ones, especially when that same son is now a college student and interested in watching other types of game.
So cherish them well.Best regards,
Black Bear
