Hi, thanks for replying. I am kind of veering towards the 10x50s, although they are rather more than I really want to pay for fairly casual use. This is because of the combination of magnification and brightness, but then there is a reduced field of view.
I'm given to understand that anything where the exit pupil diameter / magnification is less than 5 is considered a bit too dim for birds. I have previously used 8 x something-less-than-40, and thought it was ok. I have a pair of 12x50 which have only a 5.5 degree fov, so finding things is quite difficult, and they are rather dim for me. I used some in Africa which were fantastically bright - Nikon, I think - and I really appreciated the brightness. I think the big difference between birding binoculars and others, such as hunting ones, is the close focus. Again, the pair I have do not focus at all closely, are very slow to focus, and are basically useless for looking at birds. They might be ok for looking at lions, but they are in short supply round the Thames Estuary. I expect the alligators eat them all. -- Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Jens Bladt > Sent: 31 December 2006 15:42 > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List > Subject: RE: Bins > > Hello Bob > I don't have these. But I do have two older pairs of Asahi > Pentax bins: > 9x30 and 8x40. Both quite old (1995, 1975). And both excellent. > I have bought both of them used and payed only 50-100 USD for > each pair. > I believe 8 times enlargement is perhaps often not quite > enough for bird > watching (usually they are 8-12 times). > I also believe that 9 -10 times is about the limit for what > you can hold > steady enough by hand alone. > I also belive 42mm binoculars are often too heavy/bulky for > walking or for > the camera bag. > I believ my 9x30 are just about perfect :-) > Perhaps you should go for something like 8x33 or 8x36. > > I guess dedicated birding bins are very expensive, but do > they have to be > dedicated? Mine arent.. > http://www.pentaxsportoptics.com/?utm_source=www.pentaximaging > .com&utm_mediu > m=web&utm_campaign=cross-link > > Regards > Jens Bladt > http://www.jensbladt.dk > +45 56 63 77 11 > +45 23 43 85 77 > Skype: jensbladt248 > > -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- > Fra: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > vegne af Bob W > Sendt: 30. december 2006 02:02 > Til: 'Pentax-Discuss Mail List' > Emne: Bins > > > This must be some kind of first for this millennium - an on-topic post > about Pentax equipment which is neither photographic nor endoscopic. > > I am thinking about buying some birding binoculars. I am not a > bird-watcher, but I do enjoy looking at them when I go on jaunts at > the weekends, particularly around the Thames Estuary, and I'd like to > be able to look at them a bit more closely. My understanding of > birding binoculars is that they should be about 8x42, focus quickly to > less than 2 metres, preferably be reasonably waterproof and bumpproof, > and lightweight. > > I already have an old pair of Pentax field glasses, but I think they > were designed for watching tanks attack Stalingrad, and they are not > suitable for my needs. > > The spec for birding binoculars seems to make them quite expensive in > general, but Pentax look as though they produce something which gives > relatively good bang:buck > http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pentax-8X42-DCF-WP-Binoculars/dp/B000070GS8 > > Do any of you have these, and would like to comment? Any others I > should consider? > > Thanks, > Bob > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.16.0/609 - Release > Date: 12/29/2006 > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.16.0/610 - Release > Date: 12/30/2006 > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
