new bins

Question

Hellow everyone 
 We would like to splash out on a new pair of bins but not really sure what sort to get. Can anyone give advice as to what would be the best type for birding i.e. magnification size etc. Looking at not more than a &pound;100 or should we be paying more?

Norfolk Dipper · Answer

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seymouraves · Answer

BINOCULAR Specs. 
 for Birding the best sizes are - 
 8x30 - small lightweight , porro prism normally-- General birding, bird tables etc 
 8x 32 - small lightweight , normally roof prism- General birding 
 8x 40 - general use bins- porro or roof prism - at home in woodland, rain forest etc 
 8x 42 - probably the birder bins of choice atm- roof prism - at home in woodland, rain forest etc 
 7x 42 - bright image, big field of view and deep depth of field, roof prism- excellent in rain forest and on dull winter days etc. 
 10 x32 - small and powerful but not great in rain forests, leafy woodland or at dusk. Narrow field of view. 
 10 x42 - Popular size , big image , normally roof prism- great for open country birding, not so good in rain forest and woodland. 
 10 x50. - Big and heavy - bright image,bulky but optically excellent roof prism, also available as porro. 
 As a guide, divide the second number by the first- the higher the figure, the better the light gathering power of the bins. Anything below 4 is probably not bright enough for birding in all conditions. 
 
 Remember- 
 Always test bins before you buy. 
 Decide how much you want to spend, then try the bins in your budget range. 
 The top makes- Nikon, Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, etc are superb but mid range manufacturers like Opticron, Delta, RSPB range are optically great for the money. Secondhand equipment from reliable companies can get you a bargain :) 
 S

seymouraves · Answer

The main thing about getting older that effects Binocular use is elasticity of eye muscles - 
 
Bins with lower mag- 8x42 instead of 10x42 ( or a REALLY top end pair of 8x32s) can help as the depth of field requires less focussing by eyes or finger: 
More light also helps - so top end coatings will help: 
Less weight or a better bungee strap is a good idea: 
 
My main bins for everyday coastal and open country birding are now Swaro 10x42 but for chasing migrants in coastal sycamores and scrub I use Zeiss 8x32s. 
 
S