Not cameras this time, but binoculars.

I'd like a pair of 'decent' binoculars, you know, the sort that
everyone[0] has lying around in a leather case. For looking at wildlife[1].

Something like some Zeiss 10x50 of which there are a few on ebay. Prices
seem to range from 20-ish to 200-ish quid for the same (as far I can
see) thing.

Anyone know what to look out for, or recommendations? I like the 20-ish
price range rather than the 200-ish.

[0]Except me.
[1]Really. Birds, foxes, etc.

 

Paul can take photos of the locals chasing you when they decide you're
a perv.

 

If you can find a pair of the Meade binos that Lidl were selling a few
years back, they were an absolute bargain at £15 - they are still around
if you're lucky. Some of the astronomy shops have them at times...
<opens Sky@Night magazine>.... there we are, www.telescopehouse.com has
them at £28.99. I have never come across a pair of binos with so much
eye relief as these, and with BAK4 prisms they are still a steal at this
price (BAK7 are the cheaper ones).

I have tried a pair of £200 Opticrons next to these, and they seemed
crap in comparison.

 

Interesting, thanks. Strathspey seem to come highly recommended too,
similar price (£39.99 on ebay, delivered) - have you ever tried those?

 

No, but they get good reviews in the S@N magazine. My Meades have been
functioning just fine.

The Bresser ones are very similar, and also often available at Lidl for
£15.

 

A friend who's a keen bird spotter says the Lidl ones come highly
recommended too.

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

<sniggers>

 

If you can stretch that £20 to nearer £90, then Pentax Papilio are,
IMHO, fucking awesome.

http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/productgroup/136/SO_Binoculars.html

Available as 6.5x21 or 8.5x21. I own the latter, and they are way
better than my Nikon 10x50s - they don't magnify as much, obviously, but
they're pin sharp and distortion free. Plus, they're extremely close
focus - their focus range is from just 18" to infinity. They are a sort
of cross between binoculars and a microscope, and are as good for
watching spiders as they are for watching birds. Compact too, unlike
10x50s.

Very highly recommended.

 

I have some Lidl (Bresser) 10x25s which were £5.99
a couple of years ago.

I didn't need or want binoculars but I was stunned by the
image quality and got my wallet out right away.

I do not have any Leica or Nikon around to compare them
to but they seem pretty decent to me.

I guess that good optics have recently got a *lot*
cheaper. I blame computer modelling, CNC
lens grinding machines and of course Lidl (in this case).

 

I managed to find some Bressers online for 19.99 delivered, so I've
taken a punt on them. 1p under budget too.

Thanks,