Binoculars

sorry if this is in the wrong forum, all these sub forums, etc was just too much for me for such a simple question.......

Binoculars, we have an upcoming cruise to Alaska and I'm thinking on buying a 'cheapish' pair of mini binoculars. Looking through Amazon just don't know what I want, what to look for. My husband has binoculars, but it's so fancy and big, looks like he's got an oxygen tank hanging around his neck. I just want something to suffice this trip and maybe a few others, compact but lets me easily use them and see.

Thanks!

sorry if this is in the wrong forum, all these sub forums, etc was just too much for me for such a simple question.......

 

Binoculars, we have an upcoming cruise to Alaska and I'm thinking on buying a 'cheapish' pair of mini binoculars. Looking through Amazon just don't know what I want, what to look for. My husband has binoculars, but it's so fancy and big, looks like he's got an oxygen tank hanging around his neck. I just want something to suffice this trip and maybe a few others, compact but lets me easily use them and see.

Thanks!

I just went through this to buy appropriate sized binoculars for use in Alaska. I already have "minis", but I felt they would not have a wide enough angle of vision. Search the Alaska forum for "binoculars 8x42" to bring up a wide range of binocular discussions. -http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

You can always start a new thread asking about minis. I bit the bullet and bought a larger pair of 8x42's from Amazon. They came this week and I'm very happy with them. I might just resell them after I use them for the trip - they came with a case, straps, eyepiece covers, and are no fog and weigh 22 oz.

The Alaska and Photography boards have lots of info. There was an excellent thread about binoculars recently. Don't remember if it was on this board, the above mentioned boards. Might even have been on the Princess or Carnival boards. (Big help lol)

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If you don't have a truly steady hand, don't buy anything more than an 8x power. Nikons makes a really good glass for the price point. I own an 8x42 Monarch and a 10x Sporter that I travel with. Monarch cheaper than the other. I also carry a mini pair of 8x25 Nikon's in the car (better than nothing but not wide enough for all day glassing). I have had junk Tasco & Bushnell minis. Best to try them on for determining suitability as some brands bring in more light & have better optics than others. I need all the light I can get but don't want to spend the money for Leica, Swarovski etc. Go to a sports Store (Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc ) or find a local Audubon store and visually look out of various makes and models. You'll know quickly what your eyes like!

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sorry if this is in the wrong forum, all these sub forums, etc was just too much for me for such a simple question.......

 

 

 

Binoculars, we have an upcoming cruise to Alaska and I'm thinking on buying a 'cheapish' pair of mini binoculars. Looking through Amazon just don't know what I want, what to look for. My husband has binoculars, but it's so fancy and big, looks like he's got an oxygen tank hanging around his neck. I just want something to suffice this trip and maybe a few others, compact but lets me easily use them and see.

 

Thanks!

Two problems here: "cheap" and "mini."

Most sailors (both recreational and professional) use 7x50. As for cost, about the least expensive yet still useful ones can be had at West Marine.

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If you don't have a truly steady hand, don't buy anything more than an 8x power. Nikons makes a really good glass for the price point. I own an 8x42 Monarch and a 10x Sporter that I travel with. Monarch cheaper than the other. I also carry a mini pair of 8x25 Nikon's in the car (better than nothing but not wide enough for all day glassing). I have had junk Tasco & Bushnell minis. Best to try them on for determining suitability as some brands bring in more light & have better optics than others. I need all the light I can get but don't want to spend the money for Leica, Swarovski etc. Go to a sports Store (Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc ) or find a local Audubon store and visually look out of various makes and models. You'll know quickly what your eyes like!

 

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+1 to all of the above. I've been really happy with Nikon. I have a pair of Nikon 10x25 Travelite III that I've used for 20+ years and a pair of 10x50 Trailblazers? that I've had for 10. I will say that 10x magnification is pretty hard to hold steady for more than a moment and plan to get a pair of 7x or 8x for future trips. The Travellites are great for size but not so great for field of view. The Trailblazers have great field of view but are a bit bulky. A couple cruises ago I forgot to pack a pair of binocs. All they had on board for sale was Vivitar. They worked, but weren't as clear as my Nikons. You get what you pay for. I can't imagine going to Alaska without a good set of binocs. There's so much to see!

I'd recommend trying out several pairs at a local sporting goods store to find one that comfortable to you.

My Nikon 10x42 Prostaff come along on every cruise. For the price point, it's hard to beat Nikon. The optics are fantastic.

I initially bought my Nikons for a road trip to Yellowstone. They have now been on a cruise through the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, through Australia's Kimberly region, and through the Inside Passage.

I booked a cruise a few years ago with a TA .She gave me good quality binoculars for going with her,presumably as an incentive to book future cruises .

I brought my LL Bean mini binoculars on an Alaska cruise last year. The closest they have now is the $60 Discovery (8x25) ones. There was a wide range of what people had ... from very mini ones to very fancy ones. And a lot of people were swapping and offering to let others use them when we were out on decks looking at animals, glaciers,e tc.

Liking the comments about Nikon. Great fully coated optics and waterproof were the main reason I sprung for the

Nikon 16026 7X50 Oceanpro Binoculars with Global Compass (16026) via Amazon for $249. I got tired of cheap binoculars ($50 or less). Last time in Alaska at a B&B in Valdez the lady who owned it handed me her pair of Ziess binoculars ($900) and the clarity blew my socks off. With mine I could barely see crew on a Coast Guard boat across the harbor. With hers I could read their rank insignia. Can't wait until the Nikon binoculars arrive. :cool: