Dedrater

Can anyone recommend a decent pair or know what the decent makes are and where to buy them.

I would prefer a powerful set which are fairly compact, they are for motion viewing (silverstone in June) if that makes a difference, but will also be used for peering through peoples windows as normal.

ta

Simon C

I'm on the same road.

According to the parents, Infocus are good and usually carry a wind range.

http://www.at-infocus.co.uk/index.html

Whats your budget?? I found a pair I like Nikon HGL 10x42 at £1000!!!

Good makes are going down in price
Swarovski
Nikon (prefer these over Swarovski)
Zeiss
leica
Steiner
Opticron
Pentax
Delta

Dedrater

Wow!, no a grand is will out my price range, I just need an basic/intermediate pair that are good quality and don't feel like I am looking through a loo roll.

Looking at that site I suppose I may have to spend £200+

Simon C

All I can suggest is go try them.

The Chief

Try these people Telescopes and Binoculars from one of the UK'S premier specialists

Not well up on actual makes but just make sure you get a large aperature objective lens and dont assume more magnification = better, the larger the objective lens the more light gathering and thus the higher magnification you can use - go for a larger lens unless portability and weight is a factor.

speedking

I would recommend Bushnell as a good budget brand. I use Legend 12x50 for sailing spectating (waterproof), may be a bit powerful for motor racing, unless you're staying outside the perimeter fence.

Wife uses Bushnell H2O 10x25 because they will fit in a handbag.

Nikon also good.

All bought from Microglobe who have always served well. 10x25 12x50

dpb

Mate picked up some 'Meade' binoculars for a good price ( well he goes about em a lot ) in local shop

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

I have a pair of Canon 10x30 IS Image Stabilising binoculars Canon 10x30 IS Binoculars - Canon UK and they are amazing

I wanted them after trying someone else's and seeing them on the Gadget Show where they rated them highly. I use mine for motorsport, plane nobbering and looking at objects a long way away

That price on the Canon site is way off, they're around £300 elsewhere


Try them, you won't be disappointed

TopBanana

I've had a few pairs of binos over the years. The lidl ones mentioned above compare well with models for £100 and would do you proud if you could find them.

Don't for more than 10x or you'll struggle to hold them steady. Likewise something over a 50 aperture will be uncomfortably heavy for long periods.

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

I'm sure you already know this, but binocs are rated like 10x30?

The 10X gives the magnification: anything OVER 10X is difficult to hold still, so not comfortable for viewing for very long....unless you LIKE motion sickness

The last number is the size, in mm, of the objective lens....that's the one that lets light in, so the bigger the better: brighter image.

There are different types: roof prism, porro-prism, Bushnell, penta-prism etc.

All have their ADvantages as well as their DISadvantages. Weight is a consideration if you use them a lot.

I have a pair of Dixon's own brand, (Miranda?) 10-30x 30 zooms. On 10x and up to about 15 X, they are great. Over 15X they are hard to hold and stuff goes blurry. NOT good. I should have bought some fixed magnification ones, but we live and learn.

I HAD a neat little pair of 10x30's which folded down, (together), and could be easily slipped in a pocket. They were really good, light, easy to use, etc, but when I lost them on a train in France, I WOULD go for zooms...........

Wife has some VERY good ones for birding, 12X but I can't remember the make or what the objective is, and they are in France.

Best advice is to find someone seling them: Jessops, Dixons etc, and TRY some.

Minitrue

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

The Canon Image Stabilising gizmo stops all shake and blurryness, it's ideal for cancelling out hand shaking. You just press the button on top of the binos and the image stops wobbling, it really is fantastic. Everyone who has tried mine has been very impressed, my dad even got himself a pair

They're brilliant for motorsport because they're small and light enough to carry around and have excellent optics. Because of the image stabilising you can read the drivers names on a race car passing at speed a distance away

DYK

Praktica are pritty good i have a few pairs of them along with the bresser etc.You can try Skopes n Skies have some good prices on noculars,now some who are familar with them may say don't order from them because you don't get quick delivery.I have ordered loads of stuff from them,spotting skopes etc and never had any problems.
Scopes'n'Skies or you can easily just google it.

TopBanana

They are good but he only wants to spend £200

hux309

Kikatek.com | (2897A017AA) CANON - STILL/VIDEO CAMERA BINOCULARS 10X30 IS PROMO ND

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

He should stop being a tightwad then

Leslie

Worth looking at e few flea markets. You can often get a good quality pair surprisingly cheaply. Depends if you have to have new of course, but providing they are undamaged,they rarely wear out!

Les

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

e-bay, anybody?

WRX_Dazza

looksee here:-

Binoculars - Bresser,Vanguard, Meade, Adler binoculars

Simon C

Problem with Ebay is you can't try them out. You won't know if the prisms are out of alignment untill you have paid for them.

Leslie

Good point-very important to check that.

Les

Dedrater

I am intrigued by these, so after you press the button you can continue to see in real time how does that work?

I think I will take the advice and go have a look at some, Im shopping in Manchester this Saturday, so I'm sure they will have a better range of shops then Ive got round here.

Just need to convince myself they will be an investment, cheers for the replys

r32

Motor racing, depends how far back you are, but I wouldnt recommend anything above 8X magnification. I have a pair of Nikon compact 7X30's and for Silverstone I've found them ideal. Dont want heavy as after a while you'll be struggling to hold them still, high magnification will give the same problem, doesnt sound as though you are going to get much other use out of them so I wouldnt spend huge sums (and thats quite possible) so dont go for gas filled etc etc. But buy a well known make, Nikon probably have the best overall range of models from cheap to expensive. Just search in Google.

TopBanana

They have a lens element which moves left/right or up/down via electromagnetcis as vibration is detected. The same way high-end canon lenses work. If you can stretch to it you won't be disappointed I'm sure. They do eat batteries though.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

I've had mine for one year & eight months and am still on the original pair of Duracell M3 AA's and I use the IS button all the time

Dedrater, when you press the button everything still moves but the camera shake is eliminated. That's the numptie explanation BTW, see Mr Banana's post for the intelligent description of what happens

Rapid17

I have a pair of these Ace Cameras For Avian Binoculars - Avian F, Avian Lite, Avian Trekker (8x42) and they are superb. I recently telephoned the shop and enquired about Swarovski EL 8.5 x 42. I asked whether spending a lot more money would give me a huge improvement over my Avians. The guy could have said yes and sold me an expensive pair of Swarovski's at £1139.00 but he didn't. He just told me that some people spend that sort of money because they like to think they have the best available. Reading between the lines there's not much in it in respect of optical quality.

Geoff.

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

I can vouch for the fact that however they work, they work really well

yoza

I need a pair of these...

Night vision binoculars goggles Dedal DVS 8 Gen II+ NEW on eBay, also, Night Vision, Hunting, Sporting Goods (end time 04-Apr-09 17:29:28 BST)

Buffalo Bill specials.