Binoculars

[Peter13]

Hello all new to group. can anyone recommend. Binoculars for sailing coastal and blue water
Thanks in advance Pete

[El Pinguino]

Greetings.
7x50 binoculars are the norm at sea.
The pick of the bunch are Fujinon Polaris https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...inoculars.html

My next choice would be Nikon . Something like this https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...Binocular.html but they do cheaper ones.

I carry a pair of the Fujinon 7x50s and also a pair of Nikon Monarch M7 10x42's. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...inoculars.html

They are excellent for use in anchorages or slight seas, also very good for doing rig inspections without leaving the cockpit.

[Sam Woodbridge]

I really enjoy using Canon 18x50 IS All Weather Image Stabilized Binoculars.

The stabilization feature is so worth the extra money to me.

Hope it helps!

[mcarthur]

Maven C1. There are many excellent (better) smaller brands now, not just the usual old ones. Glass machining and coatings have come quite a way in 10-20 years, so I'd recommend looking wider at least to look

[ChrisJHC]

Also have a think about whether you want a compass built in as well.
I find it very useful, but does make them heavier and more expensive.

[mlydon]

I had a pair of the fujinons, thought I lost them, and ordered a pair of Steiner commanders. Then I found the fuginons…..always the way it goes!

So in independent taste tests, I find they have similar image quality overall. the Steiners catch a little more light (details in low light) , and are much smaller and lighter physically. Had numerous people compare, all preferred the steiners.

Matt

[AKA-None]

Whatever you get don’t spend more than you are willing to watch sink to the depths

[Sailbaum]

Take a look at the Sig Sauer Zulu6 - 10x30 image stabilized. Relatively inexpensive for image stabilized binos. Less light gathering than the 50's but the IS is very useful. They make a 16x42 - haven't tried those.

[paul.devalier]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Whatever you get don’t spend more than you are willing to watch sink to the depths

Exactly.

There are cheap 7x50s everywhere these days which coated optics beat anything from a decade ago. I paid $40 for my Breaker Optical BAK4 prism 7x50s and they work fine. Fog resistant and sturdy and very good optics for the money.

I love high quality optics, but they get salt water damage, go overboard, or go missing. These are tools. What do we use them for? (in my order of priority)

• At night, trying to figure out what that ship is and in which direction it is headed.
• Assessing the rigging and mast to figure out if I have to go up there.
• Reading the cardinal marks which are always faded, missing, moss or salt stained, and critical to read while still some ways off.
• Finding the entrance to the harbour.
• Checking out the neighbours' boats while at anchor.
• Providing entertainment to non-sailor guests.

7x50 is a standard because more than 7 is too shaky on deck and 50 is the minimum aperture for getting light in at dusk, dawn or midnight. Here is what I would see with my 10x42 at night before I sold them: NOTHING.

A compass is very useful. I don't have one anymore but as soon as my cheapo Breaker Optical goes missing my next cheapo 7x50 will be compass-armed.

But I have multiple optics onboard, partly so that others onboard, if any can help me. It is very helpful to have two people looking at the same thing at the same time, to assess together and out loud what we are seeing.

Onboard, I have a cheap bushnell 8x21, very small very light, they fit in the pocket. A cheap 40x60 monocular, a cheap 10-30x50 monocular, a cheap and pocketsized 30x25 monocular, and an old beaten 7x50 spare.

I pick them up at garage sales, flea markets, and chinese import stores and they cost from 10 to 50 bucks no more, so the total investment is less than one good pair of top quality glass - which I have had, lost, and don't miss.

I know this bucks the trend of having good glass on board, but I really have never seen the need - I may be wrong but that's my two cents.

[Tupaia]

The most reliable bino's we have on board are Bushnell 10x50 fixed focus. Cheap, light, easy to use and virtually and indestructible, no moving parts.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

The most reliable bino's we have on board are Bushnell 10x50 fixed focus. Cheap, light, easy to use and virtually and indestructible, no moving parts.

^^^^^Agree in general. We have the 7x50 Bushnell fixed focus and compared them to many others (before we returned the others). Good value compared to others and you won't cry as much if they go over.

[Jammer]

I have a pair of Fujinon Polaris 7x50. Optically, they are absolutely fantastic. The difference is most noticeable at night. And they have a compass. But they're big, heavy, and expensive, and I don't usually keep them aboard.

For daily use I have a pair of Fujinon KF 8x42. They are small, light, relatively inexpensive, and practical. I think I paid $100 but I got a good deal. Unfortunately I believe they have been discontinued. You may be able to find a used or open box pair.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...binocular.html


There are many makes and models of 8x42 roof prisim binocs. To be sure, none of them are optically as good as 7x50 porro prisms but most of the time they are good enough, and they are far more convenient. I would suggest looking at major makers but not top-dollar ones. Nikon, Pentax, Olympus.

[Jammer]

Another alternative to consider is that there are a few high-quality porro prism binocs that are small, light, and inexpensive, e.g.:


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ....html/overview


They are a little bulkier than roof prisms, but the porro prism design is inherently better optically and much cheaper to make. I would strongly consider something like this if I were buying binocs today.

[El Pinguino]

Another consideration if you wear glasses - even sunglasses - is the eye relief.
Some such as these https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...X_Extreme.html have what Nikon call 'Twist-up/click-stop rubber eyecups' which I rather like.
Others, such as these https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...Binocular.html and my Fujinons have 'fold down rubber eye caps' which do much the same job.

If you opt for the latter do not leave them folded down when not in use - they will fail prematurely due to the strain put on the rubber 'in the fold'. Hope that makes sense.

I had a pair of Nikon Aculon ( one of their budget lines ) 8x42's with rubber fold downs -- failed in about 3 years.

Action Extremes are a nice binocular - I have the 12 x 50s that I use ashore but if choosing from their 7x50s I would go for the Ocean Pro for the slightly wider field of view.

[Bruce K]

Once you have used any image stabilized binos, you won't even look at normal binos! They are expensive but worth every extra cent.