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[tinman44]

i'm probably going to invest in some good binos very soon. i'm considering these companies, steiner, zeiss, or leica. my budget is around 500$ atm. so i recon leica is about out of the picture, these would have to be waterproof and i dont know much about power's either. anyone got any suggestions or recommendations?

[RAM Engineer]

http://www.vickerstactical.com/Tips/binoculars.htm

[tinman44]

i have read that several times, i was hoping for a few more opinions :( and he basically says leica is the way to go. looking at their specs and reviews i would agree but my budget is around 500 $ and thats pushing it.

[tinman44]

http://www.binoculars.com/binoculars/bird-watching-binoculars/conquest10x30bt.cfm

considering these

[Joe Mamma]

tinman44, do you need them to be small and light, or can you use something a little on the larger/heavier side than those Zeiss' binocs that you linked to?

The 10x30 size is a very good size for your pack or range bag. But, it would be better if you could go with something bigger than a 30 mm objective. It will let more light in, and you can see more clearly. If you do the math, a small increase in that number (the diameter) will still give you a large increase in the size of the opening (the area). As an example, the opening (area) for a 40 mm objective is not twice as large as a 20 mm objective. It's 4 times as large. So, even going from a 30 mm objective to a 40 mm objective will let in about 78% more light. That's a lot.

FYI, I like 8x over 10x because it's easier to hold them steady and see details. But, that's just a personal thing.

Joe Mamma

[tinman44]

yeah these are mostly just scout/range bag binos. i will get a spotting scope when i get a spr.

[Joe Mamma]

Keep in mind that at least some Steiners have some type of coating that makes image contrast very good, but slightly changes the colors of some things. But, I think this is just on the medium and larger ones. Also, for image quality, my understanding is that Zeiss is much better than Steiner.

One random thought, I like twist up or pull up eye cups (to adapt to situations when you do or don't have glasses on) instead of rubber eye cups. I don't have any experience with the Zeiss Conquest but, it's safe to assume they are excellent.

From what I know, you generally get what you pay for with binoculars. You're smart to stay away from the cheap ones. I'd suggest trying a few different ones before buying. Or maybe buying a few different ones with the understanding that you are going to return all but the one you keep.

Joe Mamma

[tinman44]

they are just so d@mn expensive. if i go after the Zeiss i want my wife will demand i take it back and buy her a tennis bracelet.

[fabulous45s]

If you're in the market for a full-size and your budget is the $500 range, take a serious look at the Pentax DCF SP series.
I've spent a lot of hours behind a lot of glass these are hard to beat for the price.
No, they won't beat out $1000+ glass, but they are the closest I've found in the mid-priced range. I've had mine for close to 9 years now and have used them anywhere from mulies in Montana to two-legged snakes in 'Stan to site surveys in Vietnam. Zero eye strain and no fogging problems.

If you're in the market for a compact, keep in mind those little objective lenses will be a disadvantage in low light conditions (i.e. dusk and dawn).