musty Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Can anybody recommend a decent set of binoculars which wont break the budget and do a decent job in and around state forests NSW? Looking to not spend more than $600 and anything cheaper will help so as much as I would love swarovski or leica gear its well and truly beyond my reach at the moment. When required, viewing is 100-200m I would guess. A mate at work recommended something by Redfield but appears it may be discontinued because I havn't seen them available anywhere. Any other ideas or positive feedback? Cheers, Musty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whistler Posted November 8, 2019 Report Share Posted November 8, 2019 Meopta Meopro’s app$500-$600, very good glass as well as excellent warranty, I dropped mine and they replaced them for nothing. They were 3-4 years old. Can not beat that for service. Whistler 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canguro Posted November 8, 2019 Report Share Posted November 8, 2019 I've got a pair of mavens in that price range. You're happy to have a go when we finally get around to heading out! Fantastic clarity and lifetime warranty (even if you drop, or break them or whatever they'll still fix them up for you under warranty) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave9.3x62 Posted November 8, 2019 Report Share Posted November 8, 2019 I roll with vortex diamondback HD, 10x50- around $400-$500. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musty Posted November 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2019 Thanks for the feedback guys. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for so I am guessing most bino’s in around that 5-600$ mark will be similar in quality. Lifetime warranties are great reassurance. Will get something soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumagutsa Posted November 25, 2019 Report Share Posted November 25, 2019 I got a pair of Bushnell 10x42 Prime for fathers day and they are awesome for a budget pair of binos. I think the misses got them for $200. Cheers Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balltearer Posted November 25, 2019 Report Share Posted November 25, 2019 A mate from the US came out and gave me a pair of these 12-13 years ago and I have to say that compared to the Swaros they are tiny,lightweight and for the money absolutely brilliant. I still have them and they sit on the table for instant use here. No one else does eyecups like Steiner as well,simply the best on the market. Focusing is awesome and they are always ready as. I used my own every day for years until the Swaros arrived. I kid you not they are recommended. Always Focused lets you focus each eyepiece to your vision once, then keeps images razor-sharp from 20 yards to infinity - no more chasing focus on moving objects. https://www.steiner-optics.com/binoculars/predator-af-8x30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cox416 Posted November 25, 2019 Report Share Posted November 25, 2019 Vortex Diamondback 10s, 400 odd. I used shitty glass for far too long. If someone said hunt barefoot or without good glass: I would be a slow arse hunter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncs Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 4 hours ago, balltearer said: Always Focused lets you focus each eyepiece to your vision once, then keeps images razor-sharp from 20 yards to infinity - no more chasing focus on moving objects. I had a pair of Steiner binos like this. At first I thought they were awesome - no more fiddling with the focus knob. I never got to compare them with Swaro's or anything up market but they were pretty good. One of the eyepieces fell off so I put them in to get fixed but ended up getting a free replacement pair (big tick for Steiner for that!!). The new pair have a focusing knob and I reckon they help see "through" the bush more-so than the "always focused" model. If you're after a set you can grab quickly and check something out, they'd be perfect. If you're doing slow scanning and trying to see through, I reckon the focus knob models are a better choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camoman Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 I have Steiners predators. Similar to bt above but 10x42. They are awesome for the price. https://www.steiner-optics.com/binoculars/hunting/predator-10x42 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camoman Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 Will add, as with scopes. Always try if you can. And make sure you look into darker spaces if possible. Good glass will reveal what is in the shadows whilst with cheaper glass those shadows will remain just as shadows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juan Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 I went with the Zeiss Terra ED's 10x42's. can pick them up for about $700-ish awesome quality for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balltearer Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 1 hour ago, Camoman said: Good glass will reveal what is in the shadows whilst with cheaper glass those shadows will remain just as shadows. A mate got the same as yours camoman in the 10X on the strength of my 8x30 recommendations. He used and used them for great results too. Great value for the price and a really good lower level bino and will do just about every job in front of them BUT thats where the extra big bucks come into play for the extended watch time. We sat one night and one dark I had my new at the time 10 x 42 Swaros.... "theres three deer there mate" Where? " in that ti-tree alcove" I cant see the cants! I unclipped my Swaros and handed them to him "ah #### yeah" I remember years ago when all I had was a 7x50 pair of Gerber`s (knives) obviously re branded binos but they were all I had at the time and were 100% better than my eye. Steiner make an expensive model that are every bit as good as the Swaros and every bit as priced too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camoman Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 Yes the most obvious for me was looking thru some scopes one day outside a shop. Looking thru the leupold vx3 and all I could see was the black shaded factory space thru the open roller door on a sunny day (a cpl hundred metres down street). Picked up the zeiss conquest and looking through the same door I could see all the workers milling around. I wouldn't have even known they were there with the cheaper glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balltearer Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 10 minutes ago, Camoman said: Picked up the zeiss conquest and looking through the same door I could see all the workers milling around. Thats a good comparo...I have a three or four Conquests and love em. I would have thought the VX3`s be better than that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawnb Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 Got a vx3i and it looks through shadows, very happy for the price, also have Leupold Tioga 10x42 hd my wife got cheap, can't say I can compare them to high end stuff but much better than my eyeballsSent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camoman Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 Not trying to rip on a particular product by the way. I was just surprised as hell at the difference and figured it a good example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawnb Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 Sometimes it's probably better to not know the difference, there's a lot of old tasco's still around.Had a play with some nightforce stuff at deadeye dicks in NZ, very impressive but heavy and expensive. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Frizell Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 I went with the Zeiss Terra ED's 10x42's. can pick them up for about $700-ish awesome quality for the money. My old man and I have a set of these each. Very happy with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSPhunter Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 There's very little difference between good and average glass in the middle of a clear day. What quality buys is better sight picture under unfavourable conditions e.g. first and last light, heavy overcast etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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