Binoculars recommendation for senior

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Very many thanks for all the suggestions and feedback.

I went into a local camera store today and tried out the Canon 10x30 IS II. They were heavier than I expected and, while the IS was great, the button to activate IS was extremely stiff and could be an issue for someone with weaker than average fingers. The binoculars were also bulkier and heavier than I imagined they would be.

I tried a pair Nikon Monarchs and their ProStaff P3 8x30 model. Ergonomically, these seemed like a better option for my mum than the pair with IS. I liked the large focus ring and the adjustable eye cups. The diopter seem very stiff but that's probably ok if my mum is the primary user. Both Monarch and Prostaff models seemed of comparable weight with price difference due to quality I imagine.
 
A couple of years ago, I tested 3 different levels of Monarchs. Chose the Monarch 5 ED not only because they are more affordable but the quality is excellent and challenging to tell apart from the 7. This article is largely correct in this case.

10x are better for shorelines, and marine habitats, while 8x are better in wooded habitats and suburbia, I think. I use 12x to scrutinize into and under vegetation and for their longer reach... My leopard-spotters 🐈

The HG are indeed best in the Monarch school, but they're hard to justify in my case. I suspect the higher cost reflects the coatings, prisms etc
 
My mum is 86 and accompanying a birder friend on a cruise along the UK coast https://www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/tour/2858/bird-islands/itinerary/

She has limited mobility, which means that when they go ashore and it's a scramble, she will have to stay onboard. So, I was thinking of getting her some binoculars that she could use from the ship, the zodiac excursions and whenever she can go ashore. Mostly, I want to help her make the most of this experience. She has lots of birds in her garden so the binos will be well used after the cruise.

Reading a couple of threads here and on the web, it seems that she would benefit from image-stabilized binos. The next most important factor is probably weight. I'm assuming that weight will limit the specs to 8x or 10x magnification and 20mm or 30mm objective lens diameter. Being around salt water, weather proofing would be good. I'm prepared to pay whatever it takes so assume cost is not a limiting factor.

I value the opinions of the members of these forums and would appreciate any recommendations on brand, specs, accessories etc.

Thanks!

The Audubon Guide to Binoculars: https://www.audubon.org/gear/binocular-guide

This is a great starting point
 
Can you take your mom to a bigger store (Cabalas/Bass Pro etc.) and let her try the various models and see what feels right? I hope my son is as thoughtful and kind as you are when I get where your mom is today. Gold star!
 
Very many thanks for all the suggestions and feedback.

I went into a local camera store today and tried out the Canon 10x30 IS II. They were heavier than I expected and, while the IS was great, the button to activate IS was extremely stiff and could be an issue for someone with weaker than average fingers. The binoculars were also bulkier and heavier than I imagined they would be.

I tried a pair Nikon Monarchs and their ProStaff P3 8x30 model. Ergonomically, these seemed like a better option for my mum than the pair with IS. I liked the large focus ring and the adjustable eye cups. The diopter seem very stiff but that's probably ok if my mum is the primary user. Both Monarch and Prostaff models seemed of comparable weight with price difference due to quality I imagine.

Maybe you need to take home two different pairs and let Mom decide. Or else take her to the store, as Kim suggests. The issue seems to be whether "holding the binoculars at all" vs. " holding binoculars steady, no matter how light they are" is the primary issue. These are two different kinds of steadiness/strength. The button for IS on the Canons needs a little getting used to, but I really doubt it would be an issue for your mother in the long run.
 
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For those suggesting I take my mum in to the store, I should have explained that she's in the UK and I'm in BC, Canada.

Still, I agree that she would be the best person to ultimately decide. So, I may have to arrange a visit to a local shop in her area.
 
I hope my intervention isn't too late. It is extremely thoughtful of you to make sure the Lady gets the best experience while on the trip. Given that she is aged, my suggestions are -
1. Lightweight
2. 6.5-7X tops magnification - nice wide field, less fiddling with focusing wheel and less shake.
3. The best possible eye-relief and exit pupil. Her eyes won't dilate/ constrict like those of a young person
4. Water proof (given that it is traveling in a salty laden air/ moist environment).

Take a look at the new Pentax 7X binoculars. the A series is actually very, very good. 136 mt/@1000 mts field, 18.2 mm eye-relief, 4.68mm exit pupil. I use a pair and they are quite nice.
Arijit
 
Some great bino info for future shoppers… I didn’t see this thread before I bought a pair of Monarch 7 10x42 in August for a trip to Namibia. The OP’s use case was for April 2023. :)
 
Many great recommendations above especially on the high end, hard to beat the German 3 - Zeiss, Swaro and Leica (okay Swaro is Austrian). However, given your moms age you have magnification and weight working against her. I would consider something with less magnification (will help with less shake). The Kowa BD II 6.5x32 offers an excellent image for the price with 5mm exit pupil which will help with being easier to get behind and its not too heavy. Something to consider.
 
After many years of using mediocre binoculars, I got a pair of Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42s. They are less than half of the price of the high-end Zeiss, Swaros, or Leicas. They got very high marks on Cornell lab of ornithology's binocular review a number of years ago. My wife got the Conquest 8x32s. She is about 5' tall and weighs about 95 lbs, and her eyes are close together (needs kid sunglasses) and the Zeiss fit her perfectly. The 8x32s were much smaller and lighter than my 10x42s. We both have been very happy with these.

Zeiss now makes a new excellent binocular that is 30% lighter that their high end models. It is a step up from our Conquest HDs in optics but only 2/3rds the cost of the high end ones. They are their SFL models: https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/us/nature-observation/binoculars/sfl/sfl-8x40.html
We tried them at a birding festival last year and loved them! My wife is wanting just a little more magnification and larger objective lens size, so we may get her a pair of the 10x40s. They make a 8x40 as well.

Zeiss reduced the diameter by 2mm and was able to engineer much lighter binoculars. They are very easy in the hands and fit her perfectly.
The only thing we need to do is to recover from my lens and photography purchases....🤣!
Good luck, Alan
 
I have a significant birthday coming up for my wife and I am wondering whether to upgrade her bins. She has some Nikon bins that weigh about 21 oz and although she has a harness as opposed to a neck strap, they do get a little heavy during our typical outings of around 3-4 hours. She also suffered a frozen shoulder this year that has aggravated the situation not only in weight but also in response to finding her target. While there are many lightweight suggestions here I was curious to know if it is worth the dollars to go for image stabilisation. In Australia we are typically looking at birds within 5-30m but flitting about. Often by the time my wife reacts and tries to find the bird it has gone to another branch. Maybe technique is an issue but I am hoping IS could give some advantage. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
I have a significant birthday coming up for my wife and I am wondering whether to upgrade her bins. She has some Nikon bins that weigh about 21 oz and although she has a harness as opposed to a neck strap, they do get a little heavy during our typical outings of around 3-4 hours. She also suffered a frozen shoulder this year that has aggravated the situation not only in weight but also in response to finding her target. While there are many lightweight suggestions here I was curious to know if it is worth the dollars to go for image stabilisation. In Australia we are typically looking at birds within 5-30m but flitting about. Often by the time my wife reacts and tries to find the bird it has gone to another branch. Maybe technique is an issue but I am hoping IS could give some advantage. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
Please consider the Swarovski CL Curion 7X21’s. Excellent optics, very light weight and the wide FOV 7X should help your wife‘s targeting and stability.
 
Another vote for the small Swarovskis.
I have the CL 8X25s, probably superseded by a newer model of the same type but they are the type of thing that will
do what you want for a long time to come.
They are not cheap but they are a delight to own.
 
Late to the party here but I have a comment regarding stabilized binoculars. I can hand-hold my non-stabilized EL 8x42 binoculars fairly effectively for short periods observing easy targets but get MUCH better results by supporting them on a monopod. Obviously this helps with comfort and vibration/wandering caused by me but would not be as helpful on a small boat. Still, I suspect that if I had the perfect pair of stabilized binoculars, I would still want them on a monopod most of the time just for comfort.

I've never had a purpose-built adapter for this but my binoculars balance surprisingly well on the Wimberly Monogimbal that is attached to my monopod anyway.
 
Late to the party here but I have a comment regarding stabilized binoculars. I can hand-hold my non-stabilized EL 8x42 binoculars fairly effectively for short periods observing easy targets but get MUCH better results by supporting them on a monopod. Obviously this helps with comfort and vibration/wandering caused by me but would not be as helpful on a small boat. Still, I suspect that if I had the perfect pair of stabilized binoculars, I would still want them on a monopod most of the time just for comfort.

I've never had a purpose-built adapter for this but my binoculars balance surprisingly well on the Wimberly Monogimbal that is attached to my monopod anyway.
Thanks for your thoughts. As walk around birdwatchers and one photographer the monopod is not an option.
 
The best binoculars I ever had were £20 Maginon from ALDI......and I had lots over the years
Aldi use to have some great specials in Australia. Not so much now. Our two major supermarkets have taken them on with specials. Amazon is also hard to beat. Maybe I’m sentimental but I want something nice for my wife. She would be happy looking through a couple of Coke bottles. 😂
 
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