Best Binoculars for Wildlife viewing/Photography

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The needs of birders and hunters is quite different from those of a photographer and for field use with camera gear what is important is to get binos that you will actually not think twice about putting in your backpack.

Long ago I decided to put some Nikon Monarch binos in each car as I will get some place and never have them at the house where they do me no good. With less expensive binos in the trunk there are no worries if they get stolen.
 
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DaveR said:
Does anyone have any experience with Image stabilized binoculars? I was looking at the Canon range at the weekend. They have a 18x50 set which look pretty awesome but you pay a price in weight.
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I have the Canon 18x50 stabilized binocs and while they provide excellent image, they are frankly just too heavy to use as daily binocs. If you need 18x magnification, you’ll love them and the IS definitely works, but when I bought mine years ago (my first “quality” binocs, I thought 18x had to be ideal. Come on, the point of binocs is to see far off stuff, right? have learned that my wife’s Swarovski 8x30 CL’s are WAY more practical.

Canon weighs 2.6 lbs. Sw’s weigh 17 oz.
Canon - min focus dist is 20 ft. Sw min focus is 9 ft.

8x binocs don’t need IS. Easy to hand hold. 18x canon - IS is mandatory. Finding a bird at 8x is easy. Finding a bird at 18x is a b*tch. Carrying the big honking Canon around my neck with camera gear hurts. Carrying the much smaller SW with camera, while not necessarily fun, is doable. These days, I seldom grab the Canon unless I know I need the high magnification. And frankly, that is not often doing wildlife photography since seeing a far off subject through binocs is nice, but no one has a long enough camera lens to get that pic.

definitely a case where bigger is not better. Leave 18x binocs to military, search and rescue or DEA . Pretty useless for photogs (at least photogs like me.)
 
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When out walking, to see distant critters I use my camera lens rather than hassle with binoculars too. I believe a 400mm lens is about equivalent to 10 power. A zoom lens works best to find the critter and then zoom into to see it better.
 
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As I took Wildlife photography more seriously than my birding I found my 8x42 Nikon’s too bulky as they got in my way too much, especially when doing macro.
I decided I needed a much smaller pair of bins but still wanted good performance etc.
Eventually I bought the Swarovski pocket 8x25, for such a small binocular they are ‘superb’ for birding , Wildlife etc and are not obtrusive when photographing.
They over time have been knocked and scraped but Swarovski have made them as good as new FOC . I just cannot fault Swarovski service .
However for close focus viewing on Macro subjects I purchased at a very reasonable price a pair of Pentax Papilio11 8.5x21. They close focus down to.5 of a metre. For macro, the viewing is a different world, they are AMAZING and at a pinch can be used as a regular pair of bins.
 
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I didn't read through this whole thread, but only saw Maven mentioned once. Worth a look and since they are direct to buyer the price is much more attractive for the quality. I got the Maven B3 in 10x30 for archery and hiking. These things are great. Weatherproof, lifetime warranty and by all accounts on a quality level of binocs costing twice as much. I compared to Nikon, Vortex, Leopold, Leica. If you are looking for a compact, high quality binocular to carry along without the weight penalty, the B3 is awesome.

mavenbuilt.com

B.3 - 6x30 / 8x30 / 10x30

Introducing the B Series Binoculars from Maven Outdoor Equipment Company. Our B.3 Binoculars in black and silver are elite optics, designed for your needs.
mavenbuilt.com mavenbuilt.com
 
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I got a pair of Leitz Trinovid 10x40b when I was a graduate student (behavioral ecology/animal behavior) in 1983. Still have them! But, my current go-to is a pair of Nikon Monarch 7 10x42, and I use them exclusively because the minimum focus distance is so much better than the Leitz. I got the Monarchs used from Adorama for around $400, which is an excellent value. I will likely pull the trigger on the Monarch HG at some point in the future. Because I don't like to make a bird-watching / photography trip without a backup, I have a very compact pair of Vortex 10x32 Diamondback HD that I throw in the bag. For the price and size, this is a very good backup (or as a travel pair of binocs when it is not practical to carry more or bigger glass).
 
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DRwyoming said:
A lot of excellent recommendations on this thread, but in the Nikon lineup I've been very happy with a pair of Nikon Monarch 10x42 binoculars. I've definitely read a lot of complaints about the mid priced Monarchs getting bumped out of optical alignment but I've had these for almost a decade and after a lot of field use they're still fine. I carry them when I'm scouting for wildlife and sometimes my wife carries them when I'm carrying camera gear. Though I really like the 10x42s for the bright and easy to view images I'd probably recommend either 8x42 or even 8x30 binoculars for general scouting around where the larger field of view is nice for initially spotting wildlife and of course the 8x30 version would be a lot lighter if you're already carrying camera gear.
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You wouldn't go wrong with a pair of Monarchs (I have the 7s 10X42). They are a good value. Check Adorama....

www.adorama.com

Nikon Monarch M7

10x42 Monarch M7 Waterproof Roof Prism Binocular with 6.9 Degree Angle of View, Black
www.adorama.com www.adorama.com
 
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In my opinion, the X-vision XANB35 3-6x Night Vision binocular is the best option for wildlife viewing and photography. I am using the X-Vision XANB35 3-6x Night Vision Binocular, Which is good for camping, sports, wildlife observation, sightseeing, farm monitoring, hunting, etc. Due to its IR LED, It is a great way to experience seeing things at night, for a cheap price. The unit uses infrared light(works like an invisible flashlight) that is built into the unit as an “illuminator”. The light source is invisible to our eyes, but the unit sees it and displays the view through the viewer or eyepiece. I can also zoom in at several levels like 3X, 4.5X, and 6X. X-Vision XANB35 3-6x Night Vision Binoculars are designed from high-quality materials that are dust and water-resistant. You’ll find a nice neck strap and a protection case where you can place your bino when it’s not in use. This equipment also boasts of long battery life. I can use this bino for up to 10 hours during the day and 6 hours for nighttime hours. The best part is the sleep mood, it will automatically shut off if you leave it unused for more than 5 minutes to save on battery. I think that both beginners and experts will be able to use the X-Vision XANB35 3-6x Night Vision Binoculars. It instantly transitions from day to night vision. I can also find six easy-to-use buttons. I love most? But My only complaint is that it doesn't zoom out to x1.00. It's only got 3x, 4.5x, and 6x which can be a bit disorienting if you're trying to walk with them on, but if it works it works. I can see in total darkness( using an illuminator) and it’s fun and easy to use. Play with all the settings, backlight, and infrared settings and get your best view, overall it’s really decent and a good value for the dollar. To make sure you are able to take photos and record videos and upload them to your laptop, you should also get a good 4GB to 32GB microSD card that can store up to 4GB of data.
 
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My favorite is a Swarovski 10x25 Pocket Mountain that weighs only 12 ounces and with its case it is only 6 x 3 x 2.5 inches in size and small enough to wear on my belt or in a water bottle pocket or a jacket pocket or inside my backpack. Most of the time they are in my backpack and take about as much room as a 105mm lens but with half the weight. The 10x binos provide more light transmission as well as more image magnification than the standard 8x ones.
 
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In my opinion, Steiner makes the best quality binoculars for the money. I have used these Steiner Military/Marine 8x30's for about 10 years and I absolutely love them!

MM830 Military-Marine 8x30

The traits that earn Steiner binoculars such respect in combat – incredible toughness, exceptional clarity and reliable optical performance – are found in the civilian STEINER Military-Marine® Series. And, they feature Steiner’s Sports-Auto-Focus™ system for crisp, sharp images near and far...
www.steiner-optics.com www.steiner-optics.com
 
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I have (25yrs or so) what were considered the quintessential birder's binos, the Swarovski SLC WB 8x30. Originally bought for hunting. I wanted the best glass money could buy and they needed to be small, light with great light transmission and wide fov for ID/observation at latter stages of Civil Twilight. They are essential to me and have been great. They are alway with me and part of my camera backpack kit (Atlas). So you know, just like exotic camera glass, you get what you pay for.
 
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M R Opp said:
I got a pair of Leitz Trinovid 10x40b when I was a graduate student (behavioral ecology/animal behavior) in 1983. Still have them! But, my current go-to is a pair of Nikon Monarch 7 10x42, and I use them exclusively because the minimum focus distance is so much better than the Leitz. I got the Monarchs used from Adorama for around $400, which is an excellent value. I will likely pull the trigger on the Monarch HG at some point in the future. Because I don't like to make a bird-watching / photography trip without a backup, I have a very compact pair of Vortex 10x32 Diamondback HD that I throw in the bag. For the price and size, this is a very good backup (or as a travel pair of binocs when it is not practical to carry more or bigger glass).
Click to expand...

I bought my Leitz 10x40b in 1977 and they were great when I was a guide in the Everglades. They're semi-retired now, more often I'm using much lighter and closer-focussing Zeiss 10x25 Terra ED. When the goal is photography I prefer the smaller, lighter-weight binoculars because I'm carrying so much other Stuff.
 
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Apart from good quality, the thing to watch if you wear spectacles is having a decent eye relief.....unless you like viewing just part of the image
 
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Steve said:
Interesting - the Swarovski CLs we have are similar in price to the Monarch HGs (we don't have any of the $3000 Swarovskis - even I have limits LOL). I'd love to compare the two - I need another small set for Africa (my wife has had it with me confiscating hers).

Also, I was just looking at prices for Swarovski - is it me or have they increased in price quite a bit the last few years?
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The other main difference apart from optical quality that @Steve mentioned of the top 3 (Swarovski, Leica, & Zeiss) offer is their ability to "see" in dawn/dusk low light.
With 40 years photographing in Africa under my belt I used to lug around a pair of heavy Zeiss Victory 8 x 42's, but now love my lightweight (smallest in class) Leica 8 x 32 Ultravid
HD's.


IMG_7907.jpg
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Coming from the perspective of birder I'm using my bins pretty much every day, and I'm using Vortex Viper 10x42s. Certainly not the cheapest pair you can get, but in my opinion they're the best bang for your buck. While I'd love to have the swaros or zeiss bins that cost $2,000 that's simply not in the budget for me, and even at a good distance I'm still able to ID individuals in a mixed shorebird flock with ease. For a more budge option the Vortex Diamondbacks are another great option, but there is a noticeable step up in quality between the Diamondback and Vipers.

My job the past summer was doing shorebird nesting surveys and the bins provided by the corps were diamondbacks, and they performed admirably, but I eventually resorted to bringing my own vipers on the job because of the IQ between the two was noticeable.

Probably the thing I like most about Vortex products is the incredible warranty. I knocked my scope over and scratched the element, sent it to them and they replaced it no questions asked. They stand by their stuff!
 
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A couple of points worth mentioning for some of us:
1. heavier isn't all bad... bins are more stable with more weight (I'm sure there's a limit to this)
2. IS is AMAZING!
I have almost 3 grand Zeiss bins (10X42 Victory SF) and I prefer my half-the-price Canon 10X42 IS. The Zeiss are lighter and slightly brighter (not enough to matter, IMO) than the Canon but the weight and IS both make the Canon so much clearer (when the bins are moving the image appears less clear). I use the Canon for times when I need to ID smaller / more distant birds and the Zeiss when I'm mainly photographing birds.
 
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I have a pair of 8x42 Vipers as my main bins and find them excellent, no complaints. Excellent image quality. Recently also grabbed a pair of Steiner Safari 10x26 as a 'shove in the pocket'/lightweight option and so far so good. As an infrequent user then this setup suits me very well.
 
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DaveR said:
Does anyone have any experience with Image stabilized binoculars? I was looking at the Canon range at the weekend. They have a 18x50 set which look pretty awesome but you pay a price in weight.
Click to expand...
Dave, I’ve owned a pair of the Canon 10x42 IS binoculars for about 10 years. I have hand tremors so they are essential. Steve compared seeing a yellow bird to telling what species it is. The Canons take me from seeing a Goldfinch to being able to see individual feathers.
They aren’t light and they go through AA batteries fast. I seldom take them on photo trips, just us my 500pf for reach.
 
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I have Swarovski 8x25 pocket binos, 10x32, and 8.5x42‘S as well. I love the 10x32‘s the most, perfect size, let in plenty of light and are a little stronger power. I use the pocket binos when I‘m walking with big glass, they are light weight, come a nice little soft case that can easily attach around a belt with Velcro to stay out of the way, and they let in more light then you think. I use the 8.5x42 when just out birding without my camera, or stationary shooting on the Tripod. I would use them more but I prefer the smaller binos when out walking about.
 
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It is important that it is actually convenient to have camera and lens and also the binos and get around without difficulty. If the tenedency is to take the photo bag and leave the binos at home or in the car then they are not the best choice in this situation.
 
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