looking for a good 8x42 binos.

[pluton]

Hello,

I am a casual birding,camper amateur and  good astronomy aficionado. and I like know your asvice on some 8x42 binocular model, with good quality of optical and mechanical , and good contrast, for birding-astro observational hobbies,

Thank you very much for your opinions.

Al.

[happy-kat]

We have just bought a pair of Celstron Granite 8x42.

These are on promotatonal offer in the UK from Celstron and First Light Optics have this great price for them (as other suppliers) which is much reduced to what the price was before.

So far briefly tested on night use but I admit that I have not have a chance (only had them a week) to do any really analysing to comment on the nitty gritty so my oberserations are first use rather than detailed review of both astro and looking at the bird feeders.

What is liked.

They fit in the hand lovely with gloves on chose these for the design of the open bridge, I can hold with one hand if needed for a bit.

The view is bright.

Comet Lovejoy was a pleasure through them (no tail but enjoyable to see)

The field of view is 8.1

They are fog and water proof (I expect there is a limit to this).

Not bulky and not too heavy.

The carry bag is nice.

What do we not like the lens caps front and back. Very likely we are not going to keep them on and just put the binnoculars back in the bag without them, the attached caps for the lens as you look up to the sky flops back over the aperature.

However the binooculars are liked enough that we would chose them again even though they have a poor cap design would have been much better to keep it simple and just have normal single caps for each end.

We did not try any other binnoculars but I did lots of user review reading.

Why did we not chose 10x42 because of the possible magnification shake and the reduced field of view at 6.5. Though they are in the same chassis and weigh.

[ronin]

Like everything cost is a factor, the sort of best budget ones I have are the Bushnell Natureview's, 8x42, the roof prism ones. Think present cost is around £160. Think that the objective covers are better now . Odd binocular everyone seemed to rate them highly for the cost and equally everyone said how poor the covers were - just the front ones. Consistant at least.

The Leica's were the best I have looked through but way out of my price bracket, £1400, but they will probably show the sun spots on betelguese.

At the middle of those I have tried the Minox just not 100% sure which model and they were very good indeed and about £400 if I recall. Feeling it was the 8x43 HG from looking at the Minox site.

[Crebles]

Check out Helios Nirvana 8x42's. ED glass.

like the Shackleton High Seat, "...it's lovely".

[spike95609]

A friend of mine has the Steiner Skyhawk 10x42s, they do an 8x too, and for about £350-400 I was very impressed with what these can do, and I've looked through some Swarovski ELs which are unlikely to be bettered by anyone. Very bright, a superb all rounder and no slouch on astronomy either. Take a look at http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/, you'll find all sorts of reviews and comparisons of these and others in the 8-10x range.

[Pondus]

Consider Vortex diamondback 8x42.

Bought them because of the good reviews (e.g birdwatching.com). 

I personally found them better than Nikon bins in the same price range.

Rune