Binoculars

[Ax-man]

I have always been meaning to buy some field glasses to check out trees, for defects and other things from the ground. This was my Christmas present this year, as I'm kinda hard to buy for so I felt this would be a good gift, so I wouldn't get another shirt or more tools.

I tried the binoculars out today, but they really don't have the clairity for detail I was hoping for. But for a start these will do just fine for now.

When I do move up to a better pair, can any one make some recommendations as to what to look for in binoculars and how much I can expect to spend on a good pair. When it comes to optics, I'm at a total loss on this.

 

[Sylvatica]

Ax-man,

I could go on an on with this. I collect optics. Crazy about them.

Your idea is great, because I have been using bino's for tree observation for years, and have been able to diagnose tree problems from the ground which I otherwise could not have seen as well, if at all.

I'll try to boil this down.

Forget the cheap stuff. Buy cheap, buy twice.

Best buy standard size- Pentax 8x42 DCF WP

Best buy compact - Pentax 8x32 DCF WP

Do not go 10 power, too much shake. A steady, clear 8 power image is far superior and more useful.

These go for $300-$400. They are worth it.

If you want me to advise on the really pricey ones, let me know. I don't want to give you sticker shock.

 

[treehugger01]

swarski makes great bino's but they are quiet pricey. As much as 1000 bucks. low end about 20 bucks and still do the same thing. It would be nice to have a range finder to determine the exact height of a tree. I seem to always be off 5 or 10 feet when guessing a tree height.

 

[Sylvatica]

Laser rangefinder w/ simple triangulation calculation will give fairly accurate tree heights, but if you are accurate to 5' already (on big trees), not too shabby.

If you have Swarovski optics which perform like $20 bino's, then send them in for warranty service, cause something is wrong.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Binocs invaluable for consulting; irregularities noted with the naked eye can be diagnosed from the ground instead of charging for an aerial inspection.

Jsut for estimates they're a great tool to use; think about threads where trees were deemed "hazards" becasue something looked bad up there--how nuch better to give good advice if you have better visual data!

I've passed mine to clients who then see the cavity I'm talking about, maybe even see the callus forming, then can better see where the reduction cuts will be made, etc. We who've been looking at trees for a while see stuff laypeople can't; a closeup view helps sell work. Amd a better-informed client is a better client.

 

[Koa Man]

I use a clinometer to determine tree heights and a Minolta 10 power binoculars for my general purpose use. For me, 10X is fine, I don't have a problem holding them steady. These are great binoculars for around $80. I know what high end binoculars are like. My father had a Habicht (not sure of spelling) which is not longer made. My brother had bought it in Germany in the 1950s while stationed there. It cost him about $50US back then. Cabelas were selling them up to a few years ago and the prices were about the same as the Swarovskis.

 

[geofore]

bionoculars

I have the monoculars and binooculars from the Marlboro miles that give me the same vision I had as a youth without them. For Xmas the mother-in-law got me a Leica 10x42 B/BA. You can see an ant in a 100' tree from 100 yards away, real nice. They go well with the Minolta 600 camera she gave me. I've used binoculars for years but have seen few others use them to look a tree over before they climb. They definitly are good for giving the customer a close-up veiw without the climb. Giving the customer a look see saves a lot of talk on a sales pitch.
Don't have a clue what they cost but they do offer training classes on how to use them. You don't see that when you buy a chainsaw. Why not???

 

[Sylvatica]

Koa Man, AFAIK, those Habicht bino's may be the forerunners of Swarovski, which now use the habicht (hawk) as their logo. I have Swarovski 7x42 SLC (around $1000) which are outstanding, the 10x50 SLC (heavy, but amazing for night observation) and the Swarovski AT80 spotting scope, with the 20x-60x eyepiece. If you think 42mm Swarovski objective lenses are bright, try 80mm! Of course you can't put the AT80 around your neck, or use it without the tripod.

The new Swarovski EL bino's (very pricey) are problematic, so stay with the proven SLC's.

I also have the Leica 8x42 BA. Amazing image brightness and clarity. Around $1100. the 8x42 BN are on the same chassis, but have even better coating, and possibly a slightly greater focal range.

About lens coatings - this is where they separate the good from the outstanding glass. If all aspects of construction and specifications were equal, the optics with the better quality, full multi-coatings will be clearly superior. This is a big expense and the consumer will pay, but will also get a superior bino. Todays high tech coatings are responsible for color accuracy (phase correction), brightness, reflection & flare control, and general image accuracy.

European bino's with the 'B' suffix are designed with longer eye relief so eyeglass wearers can get the full field of view. I don't wear glasses, but the B models are good for anyone.

My optic collecting colleagues are saying right now that the Zeiss 8x40 Victory II are spectacular, the brightest piece of glass ever in their size. They are next on my list, but please don't tell my wife. I think around $900.

geofore, your mother-in-law sounds like a gem! (Or at least one heck of a gift giver. )

 

[geofore]

Binos

I didn't mention what the B designation was for and should have. Thanks for the save Slyvatica. Left and right side are independantly ajustable for use with or without glasses. You can set them for your own eyes and they stay set until you change the settings. Yes, she is a gem. The telephoto, zoom she got for the Minolta was a nice touch.

 

[Hemlock]

I have been impressed with IOR binoculars. They're military spec and some have etched glass rangefinders. The glass in them is from the same factory that Leica, Swarovski, Steiner, Schmidt & Bender, and other European manufacturers use. They have the Ziess lens coating and individual eye adjustment. Snap on amber lens filters come in handy when looking into bright skies or fog. These things were built to take it with soldiers in mind and as a result are a little heavier than most. To me the depth perception, clarity, and light gathering make them invaluable as my eyes don't seem to work as well as they used to. My son is starting to do treework and having a pair of good binocs and a way to communicate with him sure helps alot when he starts getting up there. I Think they range in price from about $150 to $400 and compare to others costing $800+. You can find them on the web at IOR-VALDADA. Shop around for the best prices.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Binoculars w Digicam embedded!

Jsut saw these last night in a store. Anyone ever try any of these? I ordered the Celeron 10x25 w a 1.3 megapixel camera in it ($180). Now I see Bushnell and Zupera also make em, while Pentax is out.
Seems like a great tool for capturing images of defects/issues up high in trees, and a fun toy to boot.