Binocular Help Please.

[itgoesboom]

It has become very apparant that I need a pair of binoculars for my hunting endeavors.

Unfortunatly, the budget is extremely tight right now, with a new baby and my wife no longer working, plus I recently got a hunting rifle and other hunting gear.

That leaves very little left in my budget for binoculars.

So basically, I am left with the choice of getting either the Pentax XCF 8x40, or the Nikon Action 8x40. As you can see, my budget is really low. I could probably up the budget enough to get the 10x50 of either brand. So basically, right at $100.

I know that really isn't enough to get a quality set, but otherwise I am left with no binoculars, or extremely compact pair that I can't see through, since I wear glasses.

So what do you think?

Nikon or Pentax? 8x40 or 10x50? If it matters, I am hunting in Western Oregon for Deer, Elk and Black Bear. Anything else that you can suggest that is in my measly budget?

Thanks in advance all.

I.G.B.

 

[Stinger]

Why not just hit some local pawn shops?

They usually have some decent glass.

I'm sorry, but I don't have much experience with those two choices.

Regards,

Stinger

 

[xring44]

I owned a Nikon 7X35 I believe in the action series for 10/12 years, they were better than the ones I now have that cost several times what the old 7X35s did....Heavy but decent glass for the money.

 

[rust collector]

Both Nikon and Pentax produce good glass for the money. Around here, the 10x50 would be favored due to wide open spaces, but the 8x40 is more practical for most and easier to carry.

I use Leupold wind river 8x40s I picked up for $135, and they serve my purposes. Swift and no-name porro prism binos can also serve admirably until you decide you need more spendy roof prisms ($400-600 and up). I agree that you should check local pawn shops occasionally, but be very careful not to buy anything that's been neglected or abused.

Make sure you try the actual glass you're buying before leaving the store--easier to swap out a lemon on the spot than play phone tag with customer service.

 

[dakotasin]

of those two, pentax is the way to go.

rust collector makes valid points regarding porros... however, i cannot reccomend swifts. optically, they are superior to many binocs, even binocs that are fairly expensive. however, they are f r a g i l e and won't like hunting abuse much.

i suggest you use your $100 as a down payment, and try to scrimp together another $200. in the $300 price range, there are some really, really nice choices. and you won't get headaches from looking thru poor glass. brightness and clarity...

oh... 8x40's are excellent general use glass, and if you are unsure, is the way to go.

 

[itgoesboom]

Thanks everyone.

I will check out some of the pawn shops in the area, but there aren't too many.

As for using the $100 towards a down payment, thats not really an option. There isn't going to be another $200-$300 available for atleast another year or two, and I already have 3 hunts in the planning phase for this year, starting in just a couple months.

I.G.B.

 

[OH25shooter]

FWIW: Do not look through a glass window when test sighting the binoculars. It will not give a true outdoor picture. I've owned several brands, and when I purchased the last, the guy let me go outside (on a balcony of the store) and look at objects. Makes a difference...try it. What ever you do, do not look through a pair of Swarovski. I did and I ended up buying them. NOT CHEAP! No comparison to other makers.

 

[waterhouse]

Contact THR member USSR (Don). I think he he selling some in the accesories forum now. He sells Russian binos and gets great reviews over at snipers hide, and I think they are in your price range.

 

[itgoesboom]

Contact THR member USSR (Don). I think he he selling some in the accesories forum now. He sells Russian binos and gets great reviews over at snipers hide, and I think they are in your price range.

Thanks, I am looking into those. That might just work.

Any ideas of the quality of those?

Thanks.

I.G.B.

 

[waterhouse]

IGB, I've honestly never tried a set, but guys I trust who know a lot more about optics than I do say that the binos that Don sells are rugged and have very good glass for the money. If I needed some these would be the ones I'd buy. In fact, now that I think about it I might buy a pair just to leave in the car.

 

[John2453]

Actually.... There's a few name brands in your price range. I bought my Nikon ATB Extreme 8x40s at Silvios in Torrance, CA for $129 after some haggling. It's 30% over what you want to spend less tax, but what the heck. They should last a good long while. They're far from the best though. They're plenty bright, sharp, and contrasty. But, they are not *completely* sharp all the way to the extreme edge and there is some faint chromatic aberration at the edges as well.

If you want flawless optics, you'll have to pay for them. If you're going to spend all day looking through them, save up enough bucks to buy some really high quality glass or you'll suffer headaches from eye strain.

If you're really strapped, you can buy Minolta brand binocs for ~$100. I think Bushnells are even less. If you stay away from Leitz, Steiner, and other ultra expensive brands, you should be able to get a decent pair of porro prism binocs w/in your price range. The only real drawback is the weight. Personally, I like the extra weight because it allows me to stabilize the glass better. That's just my opinion. There are tons of folks who would rather have glass 1/2 the weight and pay 2.5X the price for roof prism binocs. I would do that if I were hunting sheep or backpacking a long ways where weight is at a premium. Dunno what kind of shape you're in, whether you have a base camp or are backpacking in to your area or what.

BTW, if you can spare an extra $50 and want roof prisms, check out http://tinyurl.com/aloyr. Kalinka optics are Russian made on German (modified Zeiss-Jena). A friend has a pair of porro prism 7x30s which are darned good. I like everything about them better than my Nikons except for the eye relief. The glass is coated with some yellow tint which mungs it up for birding but makes it great for adding huge amounts of contrast. The image is razor sharp edge to edge. Amazing optical quality at any price if my friend's binocs are representative of Kalinka's overall quality.

My $0.02. HTH.

John

 

[redneck2]

I'm pretty picky about glass. I have Pentax 8x24 UCF's that I use for deer hunting. Got them maybe 10 years ago and they've been adequate. We compared them to Nikons the next year, and my friend got the Nikons as they were a little brighter and clearer.

I had some Leupolds that were something like $575 dealer cost and sold them for 1/2 price. They were't as clear as the Pentax.

Mine never fog and I've had zero problems, and they get used pretty hard. Would they work glassing for hours out west?? No, but for checking out the brush or a corn field they're fine

 

[LAK]

Nikon and Pentax both put together some good optical gear with good glass. For $100 I would stick with a full-size porro prism binocular, and go with 8x40s over the 10x; greater field of view and less sensitive to unsteady hold.
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http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

 

[itgoesboom]

Thanks everyone!

I decided to go with the Nikons, and picked up a pair of the 8x40s tonight. I know they aren't ideal, but hopefully they will last a season or two so I can save some money for a better pair.

I.G.B.