Binoculars .... any experts?

[IHateMyJob2004]

I just had a thought for the person that is impossible to buy for. My father in law. He seems to love using binoculars for boat watching but all of his are kinda crummy. They magnify well but the hand shakes cause viewing issues. The goal in buying something would be to watch boats that are a good 100 yards away. Maybe even 150 yards.

Then I thought about how Canon might make them and they do! And they even come with image stableization! But they are a bit pricy. $250+.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/binoculars/image_stabilizer/10_x_30_is

B&H:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2%7C0&ci=1010&N=4294541827+4294956487

I'd like to keep this under $200. But as can be seen via the B&H link, this is more like a $250-$400 product.

Any thoughts on this matter?

EDIT: This place had a search engine:
http://www.optics4birding.com/binoculars.aspx
Very few sub $500 binoculars with image stablization.

 

[corkyg]

Image stabilization is good for smoothing out shakes. Another possibility is to mount them on a tripod or monopod.

Basic binocular terms to understand are the two numbers, YxZ. The first number is the magnification power. The second number is thelight gathering rating of the objective lens. FYI, the standard military binocs are 7x50. IOW, if you are looking at 10X glasses, the bigger second number indicates light gathering capability, which may be important in low light or night use.

The B&H ad lists many choices. ANother option for the use described is a spotting scope on a tripod.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

I would suggest a spotting scope on a tripod, I got one for my Dad who lives on a lake a few years back and he loves it and spends hours looking through it.

http://www.shopbarska.com/Spotting_..._Tripod.html?gclid=CM3C4uOrlaUCFQ9a7AodQHhBpw

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

The spotters scope is a reasoanbly good idea. The thing is, I think he wouldn't like it and would want binoculars. The situation is that there isa deck he'd have to walk aout to when he wants to look at a boat.

Also, if he were statioanry and a boat was at 200 feet, wouldn't you have to move the scope as the boat moved throguh the water anyways? And without a smooth mvoing mount on the tripod, wouldn't that just introduce shakes?

Also, how big is the opening where the eye looks through? I usually can not stand how I have to squint to see things properly. Are spotting scopes any better in this regard? What measurement would I have to look at to get something better in this regard?


GuitarDaddy,

Wouldn't 30-90X maginification be overkill for a 30 foot long object that is 200 feet away?

 

[GuitarDaddy]

30x is not a much as it sounds although more than most binocs which are normally 7-12x. I think the one I got my dad is 20x-50x.

The newer spotting scopes are easier to look through than older ones, the wider the objective lens the better, and of course the better the more expensive they are.

As far as following a moving object with a scope on a tripod it really not that bad. You can lock all the movements down except for rotation, and just slowly rotate the scope on top of the tripod to follow the object.

Best bet is go to a sporting goods store like Academy or the like, and test out a few of them

 

[joesouthern]

Hi, there are many factors to consider.
The 7x50 will have a larger exit pupil meaning the cicle of light(image) will be big enough for so hand shake ie: movement without losing the image.

The eye relief is also a consideration as the larger the eye relief the farther the eye can be from the eyepiece and still see the entire FOV field of view. This is important for eyeglass wearers. The smaller the magnification the larger the FOV. The 7x50 wide field 366ft at 1000 yds is a good choice. The boats are fairly close. The weight may be a factor if they are fast moving boats. I hope this helps.

 

[elitejp]

This is a pretty interesting thread, I just want to throw out a reminder to check into the return policy of whatever store you are buying from. If you decide to go with a scope you could tell your dad to try it out and see if he likes it, but if he doesnt then tell him you will change it out for binoculars.

 

[glen]

IS is worth EVERY penny it adds to the cost.

 

[yhelothar]

10x is about the max you'd wanna go to minimize shakes. 7x is ideal for smooth motion.

There are two types of binoculars to consider, one is porro prism and the other is roof prism. Porro prisms are higher quality but also big and bulky. Roof prism are most typically used on the really compact binocs. They are characterized by a smooth body without the right angles to where the eyepieces come out. These are much more expensive.

Most likely you'd probably buy a porro prism binoc unless portability and compactness is important. When shopping for these, there are two types of prisms that denotes the quality. The highest quality one is the BAK-4 prism. The second in quality is the BK7 prism. Anything lower than BK7 is not worth considering.

Telescope.com has a nice selection of binocs to consider. I'd probably go for the widest angle 10x50 that fits your budget.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Havn't been to the thread in a while. Some good info. Thanks everyone. I mentioned spotters scope to my wife and she had no idea what I was talking about. My father in law is one of those people that has everything they want and buys what they want. So finding something he doesn't know that he wants is hard to do.

Anyways, size is not an issue. Just cost (max of probably $150) and utility in seeing boats at about 200-300 feet.

It sounds like I would want a Porro prism for binoculars. A spotters scope is still an option.

astroidea,
If you know of a specific pair of binaoculars for $100-$150 that fits the bill, please let me know.

 

[yhelothar]

Here's a good solid wide angle 10x50 binocular
http://www.adorama.com/NK1050AE.html

If his hands are extra shaky, I'd get the 8x40 one
http://www.adorama.com/NK840AE.html#ProductReviews

This one has amazing specs, 7.6deg for a 10x50! but I don't know about the brand and it's price makes it look suspicious. If you had a chance to try it out in the store, that'd be ideal.
http://www.adorama.com/BAAB10598.html