Binoculars 23:03 - Sep 23 with 1926 views | TNT | Can't find the birdwatching thread, but recall a huge response. I'm looking to buy binoculars as a gift, smaller the better, but also more powerful the better. Wondered if any birdwatchers could recommend what and where to get binocs? | |
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Binoculars on 06:05 - Sep 24 with 1876 views | csf | Depends what you're planning to use them for, obviously. Most birdwatching ones are aroun 8x42 which will give a good range. I'm not sure how small you will get for that. I bought my wife some nice Olympic 8x40s from Argos this year for about £65. We've also got some small one which are around 6x25 or 8x25, which are great for the garden or walking around Morriston Park, but won't be all that great sitting in the hide at Kenfig etc. | | | |
Binoculars on 09:16 - Sep 24 with 1827 views | Highjack | Not sure what your budget is but if you’re willing to spend that little bit extra you should get ones with a night vision mode so you can see her through the curtains. | |
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Binoculars on 11:51 - Sep 24 with 1797 views | oldgrey | I bought some opticron oregon 10*42 bins from Carmarthenshire cameras. They cost me around £100 if I recollect. They do more expensive ranges. The ones I bought are nitrogen filled (if that means anything to you) which helps prevent them misting up in damp conditions. They are lightweight and ideal for birdwatching. | | | |
Binoculars on 15:28 - Sep 24 with 1749 views | swanforthemoney | Depends where e you are going birdwatching. If you are going on the coast, say Swansea Bay, it needs quite a powerful pair to see anything at a distance. For general use I have has a lovely little Nikon 9x25. Means they have nine times magnification and a 25mm object lens. The size of the object lens governs the amount of light gathered. these binoculars are lightweight and quite compact, so I take them most places I go. They are useless for long range birdwatching over dunes or marshes on the coast because of the distances involved. For a general pair, the 8 x 40 recommended by others would be a good choice. If slighlt less compact. And a bit heavier. the trick here is to try before you buy. Also no use getting a really cheap pair. always pay a bit more. You can try the camera/binocular shop in Swansea it is where the 'hole in the ground' roundabout used to be at the High Street end of the Kingsway, I bought an OK pair of helios zoom binoculars from there some time ago. Any criticism is that they tend to sell at the cheaper end of the scale might be a result if you are looking for a gift. (I think the shop is still there, someone else may be able to confirm) [Post edited 24 Sep 2018 15:30]
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Binoculars on 16:03 - Sep 24 with 1731 views | pikeypaul | Sat in Ripples on the promenade between west cross and norton at present enjoying a coffee and an ice cream. I’ve never seen so many birdwatchers in the area,it is stunningly bright,crisp day. Having spent the last 3 days in London it’s days like this that make you appreciate how lucky we are living down here. | |
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Binoculars on 17:47 - Sep 24 with 1692 views | swanforthemoney |
Binoculars on 16:03 - Sep 24 by pikeypaul | Sat in Ripples on the promenade between west cross and norton at present enjoying a coffee and an ice cream. I’ve never seen so many birdwatchers in the area,it is stunningly bright,crisp day. Having spent the last 3 days in London it’s days like this that make you appreciate how lucky we are living down here. |
Yes it was beautiful down there today. Some migrant waders starting to arrive I saw a few ring plover and dunlin today. Also there’s quite a few swallows gathering for the migration South. | |
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Binoculars on 21:23 - Sep 24 with 1649 views | TNT | Great info / advice. I was looking to spend between £50 and £100. Mainly for Mrs TNT to look at herons etc in lakes, and dolphins / seals off the West Wales coast etc. so, something powerful but not too much of a bind to carry around. I like the idea of trying a few. I've never heard the roundabout near 'My Father's Moustache' called the hole in the ground roundabout, fair play! I would, however, surpass my budget for a pair of Highjack's! | |
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Binoculars on 21:55 - Sep 24 with 1626 views | WxmJax | I always found that things seemed further away when I used a pair until someone mentioned that I should turn them around. | |
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Binoculars on 22:22 - Sep 24 with 1618 views | BrynCartwright | The absolute ultimate are German Zeiss and Leica at over £2k a pop. 8 x 42 seems to be the standard for bird-watching, but I'm still using my old 10 x 50 Miranda bins I bought when I was 17 in the Quadrant Dixons in 1987. Seen some great birds through them as well..e.g. Redstart in the valley just up from Graig Merthyr (Cory) Colliery. | |
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Binoculars on 06:48 - Sep 25 with 1565 views | csf |
Binoculars on 22:22 - Sep 24 by BrynCartwright | The absolute ultimate are German Zeiss and Leica at over £2k a pop. 8 x 42 seems to be the standard for bird-watching, but I'm still using my old 10 x 50 Miranda bins I bought when I was 17 in the Quadrant Dixons in 1987. Seen some great birds through them as well..e.g. Redstart in the valley just up from Graig Merthyr (Cory) Colliery. |
When it comes to trying them my wife and I went to an rspb binocular day at The Newport Wetlands. Gave us the opportunity to try different pairs. Was really good. If they still do them the details will be on the website. | | | |
Binoculars on 15:03 - Oct 18 with 1342 views | csf |
Binoculars on 06:48 - Sep 25 by csf | When it comes to trying them my wife and I went to an rspb binocular day at The Newport Wetlands. Gave us the opportunity to try different pairs. Was really good. If they still do them the details will be on the website. |
https://www.at-infocus.co.uk/ In case you're still interested, or haven't got them yet. Optics day at WWT Llanelli Sunday | | | |
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