Dat Recorder Product htm > Click here to view ALL "Dat Recorder Product htm" products
For kids, compact binoculars are usually the best choice. They're not only lighter and easier to hold steady, but the distance between the lenses can be adjusted to fit a child's face. Michael and Diane Porter recommend two models for kids: the Eagle Optics Triumph 8x25 Porro Prism (*est. $70) and the Eagle Optics Energy 8x21 (*est. $40) . They praise both of these binoculars for durability, light weight and image quality. (Note that the Eagle Optics Energy binoculars do not work well for people who wear glasses.) The Porters' recommendation for the Eagle Optics Triumph 8x25 is contradicted by the Cornell Lab review, which rates the image quality as only 1.9 out of five, almost as low as the lowest-ranked economy binoculars reviewed (the Celestron Traveler 8x26 -- *est. $25 ).
We found few reviews for inexpensive compact binoculars, but users at Amazon.com and Epinions.com recommend the Nikon Travelite 9x25 binoculars (*est. $80) , which weigh just under 9 ounces. The Travelite 8x25 binoculars (*est. $75) have better eye relief than the 9x25 Nikon Travelite. Both Travelite binoculars focus closer than ten feet, use multicoated Bak-4 glass and carry the excellent Nikon warranty (25 years plus $10 "no-fault" service), but have a narrow 294-foot field of view.
Budget binoculars (under $200)
When it comes to full-size budget binoculars, the porro-prism Nikon Action series is most often recommended in reviews. There are actually two separate (and easily confused) series of Nikon Action binoculars. The Nikon Action EX Extreme ATB series, which uses Nikon's eco-friendly glass without lead or arsenic, and the less expensive Nikon Action series. While the binoculars in both series are rubber-armored and use multicoated lenses and Bak-4 prism glass, only the Nikon Action EX Extreme ATB binoculars are waterproof and fogproof. Though slightly heavier, the Nikon Action EX Extreme ATB binoculars are better for eyeglass wearers, though not as eyeglass-friendly as the Nikon Monarch binoculars discussed above (which cost over twice as much).
For beginning bird watchers, reviews especially recommend the Nikon Action EX Extreme ATB 7x35 binoculars (*est. $110) , which are the top-ranked budget binoculars in the tests at the Cornell Lab. The less expensive Nikon Action 7x35 binoculars (*est. $60) aren't waterproof and fogproof, and they are not tested at the Cornell Lab -- but they are recommended in other reviews. Pete Dunn, reviewing binoculars for Birder's World, says of the Nikon Action 7x35, "The field of view (451 feet) is panoramic. The tradeoff is considerable edge distortion, but this is a good beginner's glass. The biggest problem beginners face is not identifying the bird but finding it. This glass won't hold them back." Both Nikon Action binoculars have a tripod socket, and share the same 25-year warranty (with $10 no-fault protection). Unfortunately, neither can focus closer than 16.4 feet, a big handicap for watching birds at a bird feeder.
Reviews & Comments:
Write a Review or Comment
