I agree with Wayne. It is very important to actually hold and try binoculars.
Most modern binoculars now have close focus, but not all. A 10x binocular will
usually not focus as close as an 8x of the same brand and many compact
binoculars do not have close focus. Does the weight feel right and is the
binocular comfortable? Another consideration is how close do the two halves of
the binocular come together. Too often I have had customers who ordered
expensive binoculars online only to find that their eyes are more closely
spaced than the binocular will accommodate. They can usually put together the
two images but it caused great eye strain. I have found that some brands cause
me to have eye strain while other people have no trouble. We are each
different. Comfort varies from person to person and you must find what is best
for you or you will likely be unhappy in the end. I always insist customers try
two or three models to see what seems best. Many times I have had someone come
into the store to buy a very specific brand and model that they have heard
about, and then discover that an entirely different brand actually felt better.
And, yes, if you work with a dealer, please do support them. The profit margin
on binoculars is very small - less so than most other products, and your
dealers are freely giving their time and resources to help you make the right
choice. As a dealer, I listen to your responses and relay your concerns to the
manufacturer. I know this is of value, more so with some manufacturers than
others. Vortex changed the design of their Viper because of feedback from
dealers. Several dealers told them that the older model couldn’t be brought
together enough to be comfortable for users whose eyes were closer together
than average. They listened and the newer Vipers no longer have this problem.
Specs and recommendations are important, but for long term use and pleasure, it
is important to try them first.
Dan Gleason
Owner, Wild Birds Unlimited of Eugene
Ornithology Instructor, retired, University of Oregon
dan-gleason@xxxxxxxxxxx
On Jul 18, 2021, at 5:30 AM, Wayne Hoffman <whoffman@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi -
This query has elicited a lot of good information about quality of different
binocular models, and the OBOL community is to be commended.
HOWEVER It is important to remember that "fit" is extremely important in a
user's satisfaction with binoculars. The user needs to see which model fits
their hands the best, which has a managea ble weight for the individual, what
power (7x vs 8x vs 10x) works best for them, etc.
Also, how close do the binoculars focus? If you are mainly using them at the
beach or on pelagic trips this is pretty irrelevant, but I have use
binoculars for identifying salmon fry in creeks at close range, for observing
small lizards, butterflies, etc., so for me a minimum focus of 2m or less is
really important.
The best way to answer the "fit" questions is to try out the binocs before
you buy. If you are on a birding field trip, others will probably be happy
to let you get the feel of theirs. Or go to different retailers and see what
fits you the best. Of course it is very bad karma to go try out binocs in a
store, then order the same ones on line.
Wayne
From: "Tom Crabtree" <tc@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Craig Tumer" <craig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "obol" <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2021 6:12:25 PM
Subject: [obol] Re: RFI - Binoculars
Audubon did a test/review recently. Here are their recommendations for the
$150 - $300 range
https://www.audubon.org/news/category-good-value
A lot of these have been previously mentioned. I’ve been quite impressed
with the Vortex offerings, and they have great customer service.
Tom
