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Binoculars

Daveanna

By Daveanna,
in Alaska

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cruiseguy1016

cruiseguy1016

Posted
Posted
You'll find a pair of Bushnell 8 x 42 in my glovebox and they are excellent! And for only $70 or so, won't break the bank...

 

 

 

Described as "the best 'pound for pound' wildlife viewing binoculars in the business.

They combine value, craftsmanship, technical performance, and a nearly perfect balance of "magnification (8) x field of view (42). They have these Special Features:

 

  • BaK-4 porro prisms for bright, clear, crisp viewing
  • Multi-coated optics for superior light transmission and brightness
  • Waterproof & Fogproof: O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged for 100% reliable, fog-free performance
  • Large center focus knob for easy, precise adjustments
  • Non-slip rubber armor absorbs shock while providing a firm grip
  • Twist-up eyecups
  • Large center focus knob for easy, precise adjustments
  • Longer eye relief
  • Weight - 27.2 oz / 770 grams

Enjoy!

 

I , too, keep a pair of small, pocket size binoculars in my glove box at all times. When we cruise, they come out of the glove box and go in my (carry-on) suitcase. I have a pair of Bushnell 10 X 50.

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engrdad

engrdad

Posted
Posted

Have narrowed down our binocular choices for upcoming Alaskan cruise to the following:

 

Plan to get two pair. First pair will be a Zen-Ray VISTA 8X42 (for my better half)

 

Can't decide on second pair. It is between the following:

 

Zen-Ray VISTA 10X42

2010 ZRS HD (SUMMIT) 10X42

 

The SUMMIT is about $75 more than the VISTA. I would like to get input on whether it is worth the extra $75.

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Excited to go crusing

Excited to go crusing

Posted
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to be honest, we bought a pair of binoculars for our first cruise ( to Alaska) & it was a waste of money, we hardly ever used them. We saw eagles in Juneau, with our bare eyes, (thanks to guides) & DH saw whales at sea ( they announce sighting on loudspeaker) But my eyesight is too damaged to see that far away, & I have a hard time lifting heavy binoculars. Ther is so much to see & do all the time, I did not want to be dragging around a heavy pair. Have fun

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tjroadster

tjroadster

Posted
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Have narrowed down our binocular choices for upcoming Alaskan cruise to the following:

 

Plan to get two pair. First pair will be a Zen-Ray VISTA 8X42 (for my better half)

 

Can't decide on second pair. It is between the following:

 

Zen-Ray VISTA 10X42

2010 ZRS HD (SUMMIT) 10X42

 

The SUMMIT is about $75 more than the VISTA. I would like to get input on whether it is worth the extra $75.

 

Having owned both, I think summit is better built of the two models. It's slightly more compact than VISTA. The rubber armor is smoother. My wife thinks the summit is slightly lighter. To my eyes, both VISTA and SUMMIT are very clear and bright. But more experienced people may be able to tell the subtle difference between these two.

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knorrisb07

knorrisb07

Posted
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I currently have Bushnell Elite2, ZRS HD, and ZEN ED. They are all 8x. The ZRS HD is optically superior to much more expensive Elite. It's noticeably brighter than Elite. I have hard time to figure out the difference between ZRS and ZEN. If I were you, I would get both and see which one works better since everyone sees things differently.

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larsont7010

larsont7010

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I currently have Bushnell Elite2, ZRS HD, and ZEN ED. They are all 8x. The ZRS HD is optically superior to much more expensive Elite. It's noticeably brighter than Elite. I have hard time to figure out the difference between ZRS and ZEN. If I were you, I would get both and see which one works better since everyone sees things differently.

 

I have been thinking about getting the 2010 VISTA. Is ZRS HD significantly better than VISTA to justify the extra $70? Thanks.

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knorrisb07

knorrisb07

Posted
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I have been thinking about getting the 2010 VISTA. Is ZRS HD significantly better than VISTA to justify the extra $70? Thanks.

 

I bought VISTA so my kids can use them during our trip. It's more than enough for them. I am very picky on binoculars that I don't mind spending $600 on a pair of Bushnell Elite binoculars. To my eyes, the ZRS HD is still a better binoculars, which is worthy that extra cost. But that's very subjective.

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dhmom99

dhmom99

Posted
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Having owned both, I think summit is better built of the two models. It's slightly more compact than VISTA. The rubber armor is smoother. My wife thinks the summit is slightly lighter. To my eyes, both VISTA and SUMMIT are very clear and bright. But more experienced people may be able to tell the subtle difference between these two.

 

I also think the summit is slightly better than the VISTA. It's lighter too.

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larsont7010

larsont7010

Posted
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I bought VISTA so my kids can use them during our trip. It's more than enough for them. I am very picky on binoculars that I don't mind spending $600 on a pair of Bushnell Elite binoculars. To my eyes, the ZRS HD is still a better binoculars, which is worthy that extra cost. But that's very subjective.

 

Thanks for the advice. I got a pair of ZRS HD and a pair of VISTA so we both can carry a pair during our cruise.

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FoghornLeghorn

FoghornLeghorn

Posted
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I'm not going to Alaska, but wanted some for some upcoming cruises.

 

I went to Brookstone's in the mall today and caught a sale on their brand.

Lightweight 10x25

 

Will these be okay for scanning the shoreline and looking at wildlife close to the ship?

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knorrisb07

knorrisb07

Posted
Posted
I'm not going to Alaska, but wanted some for some upcoming cruises.

 

I went to Brookstone's in the mall today and caught a sale on their brand.

Lightweight 10x25

 

Will these be okay for scanning the shoreline and looking at wildlife close to the ship?

 

10x25 is usable. But unless you spend up to $600 on those compact binoculars, most of them have dim and unstable image.

 

If on a budget, I would rather stick with an inexpensive 8x42/10x42 fullsize waterproof binoculars

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knorrisb07

knorrisb07

Posted
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Anyone have comments on the binoculars above? Thanks!

 

I had SUMMIT binoculars for several years. Prior to that, I bought Bushnell Elite for $560. In my opinion, it is better than the Elite, which I ended up selling it after the bushnell started fogging up.

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pdmlynek

pdmlynek

Posted
Posted
Bring pocket size ones

 

As usual' date=' we’re sailing away is correct.

 

This thread comes up every couple of weeks. While I have variety of binoculars to chose from at home, for my trip to AK I took 8×22 Steiners, which weigh 117 g (about 4 oz). Each of our kids will had similar type of binoculars.

 

To us, it is important that the binoculars are light weight and compact. Firstly, they are easier to hold for a long time: yes, a person can hold 2 pound binoculars for a long time, but the person wont be able to hold the heavier binoculars as steady as lighter ones. We spent a long time peering at a particular spot in the water to see a whale or a seal or some other creature. Secondly, when we were in an area where there is something to see, the binoculars were always with us around our necks, and were ubiquitous to us in wilderness as cell phones are most times; there was no reason not to have them readily accessible. Thirdly, they are light and easy to pack, taking up a small fraction of space in my carryon of large ones.

 

The disadvantage is that the small objective wont gather as much light as a larger objective. Such compact binoculars are designed for daylight use. No advanced coating in the world will magically gather more light to brighten the view. Luckily the days in AK are long during the summers, so there was no reason to drag binoculars with larger objectives.

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TanTien

TanTien

Posted
Posted
Anyone have comments on the binoculars above? Thanks!

I have a pair of their larger sister binoculars ZEN ED2 10x43 called by Eagle Optics the "Atlas Intrepid ED" and they are terrific for the price. So I would trust their smaller brethren by extension. But it still would be best to try them out before purchasing--problem is that I know few physical places that have them in stock for trying out.

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