r/Binoculars

Hi there,

So, first some context:

I'm a lifelong bird lover, and after years of saving, I finally bought my first proper pair of binoculars in 2020 – a pair of Zeiss Conquest HD 8 x 42s. To be clear, I love these binoculars dearly. They're my prized possession and I'm lost without them, but they haven't been without their issues – a few years ago, I had to get them repaired under warranty after the left eyecap broke, and I know I'm not the first to have this issue!

Last year, I was birding overseas when I noticed what looked like a small scratch on each lens. Within weeks, these marks spread across much of the lenses, blurring the view and rendering them unusable.

I took them back to the optics store I first ordered them from. They inspected the lenses under a microscope and found that the coating (LotuTec) was peeling. They sent them off to the Zeiss factory in Germany, and advised that it could take as long as 6 months for me to have them back (I live in Australia, but still – yikes).

Today, I finally heard back. Zeiss confirmed that the coating is "defective", but have blamed this on "improper cleaning" which isn't covered under the (10 year) warranty. The only option they've given me is to fork out almost $800AUD (which I don't have) plus shipping (which could also be $$$, given I live on the other side of the world) to swap them with a refurbished pair – and I have to let them know asap.

I've waited binocular-less for 4 months only to be blamed for damaging my own lenses, and I'm upset because I'm so careful with my binos (I blow on the lenses before cleaning, use only approved cloths and lens sprays, always use the lens caps etc etc). The staff at the optics store never mentioned anything about improper cleaning, either. I was birding in some pretty extreme climates at the time, so is it possible that something else could have caused this?

Has anyone else had a similar experience? I just want to know what my options are here, if any. There's been no mention of recoating/repairing the lenses and I have no idea how much that would cost, but I imagine they're planning on doing this and re-selling mine as a refurbished pair instead. So, what can I do? I'm so annoyed that this isn't covered under warranty and don't have the funds for a refurbished pair, but I really do want my binoculars back. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :(

Hello, I'm a brazilian ornithologist, even though my research is mainly done on a lab, I really love birdwatching. I'm on a tight budget and i found these used Tasco binocular on a local website we use for selling stuff. What can you guys tell me about this brand? Are these original? How can I make sure they are original with them in hands? Is it good for birdwatching

I have so many questions, if someone knows about this model please help me, they are on a very good price

• I want to buy my first binoculars but don't know which one to choose. ultimately i don't know what to choose between 8x and 10x because i don't have any experience ir knowledge.

Im looking at 8x32 the SVbony SV202 ("upgraded") and at 10x42 the Bushnell H2O.

• Main uses would be: to bring to the forest and to see landscapes. even more so when travelling (especially the sea and mountains). also curious about bird and sky watching but ive never done it. i know different uses call for different specs, but I’m not sure how significant the trade-offs are. for example how much of a drawback is 10x magnification in a forest and so on

• The SVbony seems highly recommended for it's price range and more polyvalent but I don't want to spend 100€ and feel like im missing out because i don't have 10x magnification.

• I wear glasses.

all roof prism and BaK-4 so it's my understanding that they have somewhat similar optics quality.

i don't need the waterproofing.

the SVbony and the h2o are both ~100€

the Bushnell is 907 Grams according to the company amazon page and 629,3g according to the company website.

these are just the models that i found in my price range (~90€) there is a lot out there its confusing.

• How do the older h2O (third picture) compare today and is it a good deal slightly cheaper? also just saw the Bushnell H2O 8x42m at 67€ good deal or pass? this may be the best deal for me if 8x is enough.

is shaking really a problem? i get the impression that some say it's not a big deal and mostly a skill issue.

is bird watching the strongest argument for 8x? it's not that important to me.

any advice and feedback appreciated thanks:)

Hi everyone,

I am looking for a pair of binoculars mainly to go hiking and ski Touring / mountaineering. I need to be compact and light (~400g max).

I’m searching for a light / robust / easy to manipulate and cristal clear images. Magnification x10 preferred but x8 would be ok.

A friend of mind told me Voigtlander are doing APO binocular similar and even better than the ZEISS one. I tried his [pair of Voigtländer (cosina) Vienna 10x25 APO](https://www.voigtlaender.de/binoculars/?lang=en) which is in a way “Zeiss manufacturing/design”.

I have to say it was amazing but without comparison… I cannot tell. They are APO and everything is so detailed and cleared. First time I appreciate so much looking in some binoculars.

Looking everywhere - I see everyone mentioning Swaro CL , Zeiss VICTORY and Leica (I don’t know which model) but nobody mentioned Voigtländer.

Does someone know about it or has recommendation for the purpose ?

My colleague is very peaky on lenses and told me it was even better than the Zeiss and Leica he tried next to next with the vendor.

Thank you very much !

Accumulated these guys over the last few months as I’ve gotten into birding / add additional layers of fun to hiking.

Soon after I got into binos, I got into cameras, bird photography etc, so binoculars took a back seat for a while.

Each morning, I had been taking pictures of

Birds to start my day in my backyard.

About 2 weeks ago, decided to use binoculars instead of the camera. What a different experience!!

Camera is cool getting shots and seeing the birds up close with all the detail.

But the binoculars are so fun. You are right there with the flying bird. Such an interesting contrast to bird photography. Totally fallen back in love with binoculars!

So these binos have been sitting for a few weeks besides the Swaros. Finally broke them all out the other morning to compare and contrast, and really made me appreciate each set.

Swaro NL Pure 10x32 - just a solid, Crystel clear set of bios. 10/10. Love em.

Image stabilizing Canon 15X50 and 18X50

- very cool for zooming in on perched birds far off or airplanes.

- I have a decent amount of bird perches I can see from my yard so these really come in handy.

- image quality is decent, not stellar.

- great for night time too.

- not a huge difference between the 2. Image quality might be a bit better on the 15X.

- might sell the 18’s, might not. We’ll see.

Canon 12x32 IS III

- man these are really killer glass.

Not as clear or as ergonomic as the Swaros of course but I really like these.

- Nice a lightweight and fun to use. Great image.

- not weather resistant so that is a downside for using these on the trail.

- perfect set to bring with a friend or my wife along with the Swaros on a hike on a dry day.

Swaro CL Curio, 7x21 - not pictured here

- great little binos but you have to hold them in front of your eyes a bit. Can’t push up against my eyes as easily as any of the other binos.

- crazy portable and great image quality. Going to try to remember to bring these around more with my day to day!

Hope this post inspires someone!

Hello, could I ask for help with valuing this binoculars? I would also like to know from which period it might come and what exact model and brand it is. The case does not look original, so I am wondering if it could belong to a different pair of binoculars (and if so, what model it might be).

How much could the binoculars and the case be worth approximately?

Hi!

Found these at a flea market. Anyone who knows anything about their origin/history/quality?