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14 December 2007 14:20
What are the best binoculars for wildlife walks?
By Anonymous
Binoculars are rated by two numbers – magnification x lens size. A magnification of 10 makes things look, um, 10 times bigger, or 10 metres away instead of 100. Go for between 7 and 10 – anything higher and it’ll just be a blur unless you take a tripod to steady things.
Lens size determines how much light enters the bins and how bright and clear the image is. So bigger is better, but before you go for a lens 13 metres across, you have got to carry the things. Around 25mm is fine, but go for something a bit bigger if you’re heading out in low light or at dusk. It’s good to see the Beast of Bodmin supersized....
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sloboy says
If I'm planning a day walk with the intention of searching out, or going specifically to observe wildlife solely, or scoping for specific photo opportunities I havn't found a better pair of bins than my Leica 10x42's At all other times I always carry a pair of their 8x20 BCA's in olive drab(to make me look hard)
17 December 2007 12:58
pete says
binoculars
Anything with a magnification about 8x certainly helps but the quality depends to a large extent on what you want to pay.For birding on open moors I have a pair of 12x50 alpin binoculars that I was given a number of years ago and as they are vey light they save carrying a telescope for the distances in hill country,very handy for watching raptors.For general bird watching I have a pair of Russian made 7x35 roof prism which are very compact,reasonably light and close focussing.If looking for a lightweight approach some of the folding mini-bins about 8x20 certainly help and are useful for path finding and spotting stiles at the other side of a large field
14 December 2007 20:38
chrisoates says
.
The ones Bill Oddie uses but not everyone can afford £1000 bins. The best ones are the ones that you are prepared to hump around all day and possible not use. I've got a pair of Swift Audubon 828 HHS's which are roof design 8.5 x 44. http://www.warehouseexpress.com/?/binsandscopes/binoculars/swift.html They are a joy to use and work well with glasses. A point to note with bins for wildlife is that regular high street bins do not focus close enough - I use my bins more like a microscope than a telescope.
The ones Bill Oddie uses but not everyone can afford £1000 bins.
The best ones are the ones that you are prepared to hump around all day and possible not use.
I've got a pair of Swift Audubon 828 HHS's which are roof design 8.5 x 44.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/?/binsandscopes/binoculars/swift.html
They are a joy to use and work well with glasses.
A point to note with bins for wildlife is that regular high street bins do not focus close enough - I use my bins more like a microscope than a telescope.
14 December 2007 20:01
andyyouart
31 December 2009
20:15
I''m looking for a decent flask. I've tried several but they're not keeping warm for long even after pre-warming. I'm going om MT winter skills course in 5 weeks so need to get something good for then.
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