CruiseCoot Posted August 8, 2010 #251 Share Posted August 8, 2010 I was also trying to decide what to get and I ended up buying the Nikon Trailblazer 8220 from Amazon. Everybody seems to love the Zen-Rays. My concern is if Zen-Ray is a one-man operation, then what happens to your warranty (and fixability) when that one man gets hit by a bus? Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knorrisb07 Posted August 8, 2010 #252 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Hmmm...do you think the Nikon Monarch 8x36 would be better with FOV of 367ft? It's also smaller and more compact. don't have much experience with compact binoculars since all my binoculars are either 42 or 50mm. But 367ft field of view is definitely better than 340ft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whale-watcher Posted August 9, 2010 #253 Share Posted August 9, 2010 don't have much experience with compact binoculars since all my binoculars are either 42 or 50mm. But 367ft field of view is definitely better than 340ft. 32mm bins are gaining in popularity among serious birders and wildlife enthusiasts. Especially in the higher priced models, you give up almost nothing in terms of image quality but gain much in terms of comfort and ergonomics (easy to hold steady and so nice on the neck :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knorrisb07 Posted August 9, 2010 #254 Share Posted August 9, 2010 32mm bins are gaining in popularity among serious birders and wildlife enthusiasts. Especially in the higher priced models, you give up almost nothing in terms of image quality but gain much in terms of comfort and ergonomics (easy to hold steady and so nice on the neck :-) I know....I regret for looking through a pair of Zeiss 8x32 FL. It is so nice in such a palm size package. Even though I am telling myself that I don't need another pair, I compulsively plug it in the ebay search every now and then hoping for find a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanfun77 Posted August 9, 2010 #255 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Do you think a brightness of 20 would be appropriate for alaska? How about for broadway shows in a dark room but with stage lights? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whale-watcher Posted August 9, 2010 #256 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I know....I regret for looking through a pair of Zeiss 8x32 FL. It is so nice in such a palm size package. Even though I am telling myself that I don't need another pair, I compulsively plug it in the ebay search every now and then hoping for find a good deal. keep checking ebay...I picked up a pair of these for less than half retail price about two years ago. They are the older coating, without LotoTec, but are really amazing. Do you think a brightness of 20 would be appropriate for alaska? How about for broadway shows in a dark room but with stage lights? Thanks. High quality (ie expensive) 8x20 binoculars are surprisingly bright, but inexpensive pairs can be dark and (with the narrow field of view) difficult to use if you are not a regular binocular user. This is usually an adequate size for the theater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanfun77 Posted August 9, 2010 #257 Share Posted August 9, 2010 High quality (ie expensive) 8x20 binoculars are surprisingly bright, but inexpensive pairs can be dark and (with the narrow field of view) difficult to use if you are not a regular binocular user. This is usually an adequate size for the theater I don't mean 8x20. I meant an 8x36 binocular with a brightness rating of 20 vs. the standard 8x42 with brightness rating of 28. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knorrisb07 Posted August 10, 2010 #258 Share Posted August 10, 2010 I don't mean 8x20. I meant an 8x36 binocular with a brightness rating of 20 vs. the standard 8x42 with brightness rating of 28. I think whale-watcher's point is the brightness rating is really useless because it does not tell you the optical coating at all. An uncoated 8x36 can have the same rating of 20 as those high end 8x36 with expensive coatings. For broadway show, I don't think you need 8x power. a small 3-5x opera glass with wide FOV will be better so you can cover the whole stage without having to move your binoculars with your Soprano.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseCoot Posted August 12, 2010 #259 Share Posted August 12, 2010 After reading the comments about the field of view, I changed my order to the Nikon Action 7x35 EX. Not as much magnification as an 8x, but the field of view is 488 feet at 1000 yards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edhopper Posted August 15, 2010 #260 Share Posted August 15, 2010 We have a small lightweight set of Busnell 8x23. We are thinking getting a larger pair for this trip, Vancouver to Anchorage in Sept. Should we go with a 10x50 or 20x50 (Does the 20x just get to close, making it hard to hold and focus on the what you're looking at, like an animal?) If we got the 10x50 would it be that much of an improvement over the 8x23 we have to be worth the expense? What do you all think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytime53 Posted August 15, 2010 #261 Share Posted August 15, 2010 We have a small lightweight set of Busnell 8x23.We are thinking getting a larger pair for this trip, Vancouver to Anchorage in Sept. Should we go with a 10x50 or 20x50 (Does the 20x just get to close, making it hard to hold and focus on the what you're looking at, like an animal?) If we got the 10x50 would it be that much of an improvement over the 8x23 we have to be worth the expense? What do you all think? I would suggest you take your binoculars to an outdoor store and compare them against binoculars available there. As for the 20x50, my recommendation is no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whale-watcher Posted August 16, 2010 #262 Share Posted August 16, 2010 We have a small lightweight set of Busnell 8x23.We are thinking getting a larger pair for this trip, Vancouver to Anchorage in Sept. Should we go with a 10x50 or 20x50 (Does the 20x just get to close, making it hard to hold and focus on the what you're looking at, like an animal?) If we got the 10x50 would it be that much of an improvement over the 8x23 we have to be worth the expense? What do you all think? the 10x50 size will be heavy and bulky, but the 20x50 will be nearly impossible to use without a tripod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjroadster Posted August 16, 2010 #263 Share Posted August 16, 2010 I have tried some 20x40 binoculars in Brook's store. Oh boy, it's really hard to use the 20x power. From what I learnt so far, the 8x or 10x is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanfun77 Posted August 16, 2010 #264 Share Posted August 16, 2010 I'm on the fence between 2 binoculars right now: Nikon Monarch 8x36, 367 ft FOV Leupold Yosemite 6x30, 420 ft FOV Which do you recommend to get? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whale-watcher Posted August 17, 2010 #265 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I personally would opt for the Nikon Monarchs. The 6x leupolds are a great choice for a child as they are small and easy to use, but the magnification is quite low, and they don't focus close enough for birding. Although the field of view is important, especially if you are not used to using binoculars, it is just one of many factors to consider. As you get used to finding and tracking wildlife though the binoculars the wider field of view becomes less important. Other factors, such as magification, close focus, and most important of all, optical quality (which actually determines the percentage of image that is crisp and clear, as opposed to poor quality binoculars with a wide field of view but a blurry and dim image away from the center of the field) are perhaps more important in the long run. (I have learned to use binoculars with a very narrow field of view with no problems, but cannot use binoculars with insufficient eye relief). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Alphen Posted January 22, 2012 #266 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I have been catching up on reading lots of information on which binoculars to take on a cruise and have found many good things about the ZenRay Summit model 10x42. Does anybody have any experience using this model wearing glasses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG_Steve Posted January 22, 2012 #267 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I have been catching up on reading lots of information on which binoculars to take on a cruise and have found many good things about the ZenRay Summit model 10x42. Does anybody have any experience using this model wearing glasses? This is a very old thread. If you don't get any answers, you might want to open a new thread with this question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeysgal Posted January 22, 2012 #268 Share Posted January 22, 2012 This is a very old thread. If you don't get any answers, you might want to open a new thread with this question. It is an old thread. I've been reading it all morning and it has got me wondering if recommendations have changed since most of the posts are a year or two old already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KruisinKath Posted January 22, 2012 #269 Share Posted January 22, 2012 There are tons of threads on this subject. Even though many are useful, I'm still confused as to what to buy! However, I bookmarked a few and this one was particularly helpful if you don't know much about binoculars...hope it helps... http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1418717 This one is older but again, good comparisons of the pros and cons of what might be best for wildlife viewing: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1138140 This one has a last post in October about Zen Rays if you're interested in that brand...(obviously the coupon mentioned is probably not valid anymore...): http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1283907 Happy reading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskanb Posted January 22, 2012 #270 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Somewhere on CC is a wonderful thread that goes into the details of binocular features. We have purchased 8 x 42 Zhummel and Bushnell binoculars--both accommodate glasses well and cost less than $100. The best advice I read is to only look at what you can afford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted January 22, 2012 #271 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I've been thinking about this today. Around here (Clearwater area), there are very few physical binocular stores. This is unfortunately because for me, the feel of the unit is important. I'm replacing my 35-year old Bushnell 7x35's, which I love, but I'm aware that technology has moved on (plus then we can both have a pair on our cruise!) So, barring handling the thing, I think I've settled on the Zen-Ray ZRS-HD 8x42. It's $205. The cheaper model, the Vista, is only $130, but the more expensive model has these additional features: Dielectric prism coating, magnesium alloy chassis (a bit lighter), and VividBrite Prism Coating. Since I do a lot of wildlife watching anyways, I think the additional features make this worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhmom99 Posted January 23, 2012 #272 Share Posted January 23, 2012 we have a ZRS summit binoculars for a couple of years. They are much better than the the Bushnell binoculars that my husband and I had for many years. The waterproof feature is very important to us since we use them quite often when it was downpouring outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted January 23, 2012 #273 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Well good, thanks for the recommendation. I just ordered them! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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