Disappointing start - new bins arrived broken :(

[dannybgoode]

So, after sitting by the door like a rabid dog waiting for the butcher the postman dropped off my eagerly awaited binoculars to get me started.  A pair of Braun 10x50 WP's

Tried to focus - right eye closed etc.  Just a blurry mess.  Quick look inside the left barrel and something was clearly loose.  The right barrel focussed just fine and the image looked nice and sharp in the centre with some drop off toward the edge.

Build quality merely ok.

Bought from Amazon so they are going back.  The question is what to replace them with.

I was initially going to go the the Olympus DSPI 10x50's - cheaper than the Braun and I like Olympus camera gear or do I go for say the Celestron 15x70's?

Any suggestions up to c. £80 would be appreciated.

[PeterCPC]

The 15x70 Celestrons are good but you cannot use them without a tripod. I have some Meade 10X50s and they are good for general observations but you still need a steady hand or to lean against something. Both will go on a tripod with an adapter.

Peter

[dannybgoode]

Thanks for the reply.

Luckily as I am in to photography I have a couple of decent tripods and I bought an adapter to go with my Braun's so I am pretty much good to go on that front.

My go for the Oly's and use the rest of the price difference toward a copy of Turn Left at Orion but am also prepared to up the budget to say the Nikon Aculon 10x50's - again any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated

[hobsey]

I have the Olympus bins, nicely made and a lovely wide F.O.V.

[tyco]

Celestron 15 X 70 Skymaster Binoculars are very good, I use them with and without a tripod.

[Alfian]

Though I have no problem with buying stuff from Amazon - I would be inclined to get a refund and buy your binos from a reputable dealer like FLO who check over their products and are brilliant to deal with. 

Something like the Helios Naturesports come in at that budget:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/helios/helios-naturesport-plus.html

Also  Strathspey have a similarly good reputation and the 10x50 Marines are well thought of but are a bit more expensive when you add the VAT

http://www.strathspey.co.uk/

[BinocularSky]

Any suggestions up to c. £80 would be appreciated.

http://binocularsky.com/binoc_choosing.php#5

[dannybgoode]

Thanks all for your help.

@Steve - I read your site several times and foolishly ignored all the excellent advice on there!  I have found a good price on a some Nikon Aculon A211 10x50's so have packed up the Braun's and popped them in the post for a refund and ordered the Nikon's.

Lesson learned and luckily I am not out of pocket.

[RichM63]

Danny, hopefully this is a case of "All's well that ends Better"

Clear skies,

Rich

[Fahndar]

15x70 Celestron is my grab and go pair, FOV (4.4) will be less than 10x50 (probably 6.5). If I need wide views I use 7x50 (7 degrees FOV). I will not buy anything with less than 70 mm size since the price dropped so much in the recent years. I got mine for $59 from Amazon.

[1CM69]

I have just got a pair of Helios Naturesport 10x50s from FLO and could not be happier. Very nice build quality and far better optics than Celestron 25x70s that they replaced.

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