Binocular summary (long)
Jim Thompson
post a summary. Here are my personal notes from various websites and the
postings, together with some abstracts from a few online stores. This is not
intended to be a comprehensive review. Use at your own risk. Jim Thompson
ji...@jimthompson.net
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1. 7x50 is optimum for marine use (7 x 35 is the "standard" for land use, higher
is too jiggly on the water).
2. Best website for checking out brands: http://www.binoculars.com/ but the site
doesn't have any reviews. I didn't find any review information on the web for
marine binoculars.
3. The best optical systems in the world avoid the color correcting problems and
light loss associated with prisms. Folded optical systems are a compromise.
Robert.
4. Summary -- marine compass-equipped binoculars, ranked from top down based on
cost, quality and popularity in the newsgroups. The prices are real advertised
prices, not conversions from one country to the other:
Top quality:
Steiner Commander C$? US$800
Fujinon Polaris C$1,000 US$630
Good quality:
Tasco C$? US$300
Bushnell C$350 US$250
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http://www.Binnacle.com:
BUSHNELL NAVIGATOR COMPASS/RANGEFINDER BINOCULARS 7x50 CAD$ Price: $389.00
Hermetically sealed and nitrogen purged for reliable waterproof and fogproof
performance. Internal rangefinder reticle and illuminated directional compass.
Easy-grip rubber armoring, carrying case and strap. Individual focus system.
BAK-4 prism system. Field of view: 350ft @ 1000yds/ 112 ft @ 1000m. Exit pupil
7.1mm.
BUSHNELL WATERPROOF BINOCULARS 7X50 (YELLOW) CAD$ Price: $239.00 Individual
focusing eyepiece. Waterproof - Yellow Rubber covered. Fully-coated optics to
reduce light loss and glare. Includes Soft Carrying Case, Neck Strap and Lens
Cloth.
FUJINON POLARIS BINOCULARS 7 X 50 WITH COMPASS CAD$985. Featuring Fujinon's
exclusive electron beam coated (EBC) optics resulting in overall brightness
factor of 95% across the full visible spectrum and images some 15% brighter than
any other binocular. Outstanding in low-light and night conditions. 100%
waterproof housing of tough, lightweight aluminum alloys and filled with dry
nitrogen gas to prevent moisture or fungus damage. Rubber armored for added
shock protection and better grip. Integral lens caps eliminate need for carrying
case. Sports a built-in, liquid damped, through-the-lens compass with reticle.
Comes with carrying case, neck strap and lens caps. Lifetime limited warranty.
Field of view: 430ft @ 1000yds/ 131m @ 1000m. Exit pupil 7.1mm. SEE NOTE BELOW
FROM WEST MARINE SITE ABOUT PRACTICAL SAILOR RECOMMENDATION.
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BoatUS has the Bushnell Marine models on sale for $250 US.
TASCO http://www.binoculars.com/shop/brands/tascobino.asp OS54/s 7x50 366'
Centre Porro Range Finding Reticle and Compass Waterproof, Fully Multi Coated,
Wide angle, BAK-4 prisms Tripod Adapter Fitting, Rubber Armoured.
TASCO OS21 7x50 366' Centre Porro Waterproof, Fully Multi Coated, Wide angle,
BAK-4 prisms Tripod Adapter Fitting, Rubber Armoured.
TASCO Offshore 36 (OS36), the boater's choice! Dry nitrogen charged and sealed
with secure, internal O-rings against moisture and fogging, Tasco OffShore is
completely waterproof. This model also features a rangefinding reticle and an
illuminated compass for directional data day or night. Invaluable as a boating
binocular.Magnification/ Objective lens Field of View at (1000yds) 7x50 366 ft
Prism System Weight (oz.) Porro 36.3 oz
7x50 Nikon Sports and Marine Waterproof.
http://www.vitelectronics.com/NK-sport.html US$350. Fogproof, shockproof
construction Models available with and without built-in compass Tough rubber
armor provides firm grip and shock absorption Huge 7.1mm exit pupil for maximum
low light performance; 7x magnification provides large field of view Tripod
adaptable Long eye relief to accommodate eyeglass wearers Multicoated optics
for bright, clear images Rubber-armored, shockproof metal body construction
BaK4 high index prisms 7x50 Sports and Marine w/ Compass Field of View: 367' at
1,000 yds Size: 7.1" x 8.0" Weight: 42.7 ounces exit Pupil: 7.1mm Product
Number: NI7869
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West Marine:
Fuji Polaris 7X50 Binoculars W/Comp Practical Sailor rated these binoculars ”
Superior” among the 13 brands they tested. Try them in the most demanding
conditions, like entering an unlit harbor at night, and you’ll agree. Electron
Beam Coated lenses deliver fully 95% of the available light to your eyes. Zero
edge-to-edge distortion or astigmatism. Rubber-armored aluminum alloy housings
meet military specs for waterproofness and shock resistance. 23mm eye relief.
Field of View: 425'@ 1000yd. 53oz. Lifetime warranty. US$629.
Tasco OS54-1 7X50 Binoculars W/Comp Guaranteed waterproof and dry-nitrogen
filled to prevent fogging, Tasco Offshore binoculars are ocean-ready.
Multi-coated lenses and BAK-4 prisms provide excellent image resolution and
brightness. The Rubicon-coated model’s special coating blocks red light to
reduce glare and provide enhanced contrast. 36oz. Limited lifetime warranty.
US$300.
Our Sea Search 7 x 50’s are the best quality waterproof binoculars you’ll find
under $300! Made for us by a leading manufacturer of high quality marine optics,
our Sea Search binoculars rival glasses costing hundreds more. Fully magnesium
fluoride-coated optical elements and large, 50mm objective lenses deliver
remarkably crisp, bright, distortion-free images under tough low light
conditions. The rugged, yet lightweight, rubber armored aluminum body will
maintain perfect optical alignment and is nitrogen-charged to prevent fogging. A
large, stable bearing compass accurate to within 1° helps simplify your piloting
and navigation chores. So waterproof they’re submersible, Sea Search binoculars
carry a lifetime warranty. Field of View: 400'@1000yd. 48oz. US$270.
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Online Marine:
http://www.onlinemarine.com/online_superstore/navigation/steiner_382_binocular.h
tm
Steiner Commander US$799
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St. Brendan's Isle, Inc. Mail Service (Florida):
Although we sell both the Commanders and Swifts, the best value is in the Swifts
and they are the ones we recommend first to our clients. Swift's are widespread
in commercial/military usage, but less well known than the Commanders amoung
"Yachties". The Swift's are tested to more stringent standards as to
waterproofing than the Commanders, but to a somewhat lesser standard as regards
shockproofing (where the Commanders still have the toughest tests in the
business). Fair Winds, Tom O'Meara.
Swift marine binoculars: http://www.boatmail.net/page19.html
Steiner Commander III http://www.boatmail.net/page20.html US$769.99 7x50, 385
ft. field at 1000 yards. Steiner's top of the line binocular. Their best analog
compass model, with the largest compass available in any binocular. The
Commander III compass features a HD (Hard-Dampened) mechanism that settles on
bearing quickly and is illuminated by a red LED diode backlight that is turned
off or on with a touch. Built-in reticles for range and height finding ease
near-shore piloting chores. A whopping 22mm eye relief makes wearing glasses no
problem at all. Durable and comfortable rubber armor coating comes in either
blue (shown) or green. Tested not to fog or leak in -40 to + 180 degree
Fahrenheit conditions. A 30 year warranty means these are the last binoculars
you will ever buy.
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Bushnell:
Nobody mentioned Bushnell's marine binoculars. I found them in 3 Canadian
stores over the past couple of weeks. They're priced in the lower end for
"marine" compass binocs -- Can$350-$400 -- and they seem to be popular from what
I can tell, but I notice that the marina was sold out of the more expensive Fuji
Polaris. Bushnell Marine Model #13-7500 7x50 seems to be Bushnell's
top-of-the-line version at
http://www.bushnell.com/productinfo/binoculars/marine.html. These binoculars
are 7x50 and have a built-in compass, plus a vertical reticule to aid
range-estimation from land-based objects of known heights. No numbers on the
reticules. I tried a set in Toronto on the weekend. They were easy to grip,
but I didn't try them wet. The optics looked pretty darned good to me in
daylight. The compass was clear and easy to read. The compass was illuminated
through a small port on the top, but also has a red light for night use.
They're available online at www.binnacle.com (Can$399) but I found cheaper
pricing at a marina I visited in Toronto this weekend
(http://www.yachtsales.com/thestore/) (Can$380) and even cheaper pricing at a
camera store in the Oshawa Centre mall (Can$348). Jim Thompson
I had a set of Bushnell Navigator 7x50 binoculars (think they were higher priced
than the model you mention). Liked them, they handled nicely and were easy to
use for taking bearings. Kept them for several years until my boat was broken
into and among other things there went the Bushnells. I tried to replace them
with no success and finally got a set of Fujinon Polaris. These I much prefer,
the light gathering capacity far outstrips the Bushnells. The only thing I am
not keen on is the lens cover. These are
attached to the binoculars by a rubber piece which with frequent flexing breaks
off fairly quickly. Oliver Woolcock
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Fujinon:
I tried the Fujinon this weekend at the marina. I found the compass a little
hard to read. Haven't tried the bushnells yet, but I have a regular pair 12x50
and they're great.
Expensive binoculars offer very small advantages (as long as they are prism
type). I use an inexpensive pair of Fujinons and only a pair of 1200 Zeiss show
clear advantages due to fewer optical elements. The main consideration for low
light conditions is aperature. If you do a lot of night sailing, buy a pair of
10X60's to suplement the waterproof pair. You will spend less than Steiners and
have far better seeing. There are even bigger binocs out there, but they get too
heavy.
I have a pair of Fujinons, the good ones with the compass built in. Polaris
model, I think they are. I strongly recommend them. They gather enough light
at night that they serve as our "night vision" scope. They aren't really as
good as night vision scopes, of course, but they do let you see when you
couldn't otherwise. I particularly like the compass built in. I just find the
thing I'm looking for, then read the compass right in it. I have never used a
hand bearing compass, but I can't imagine trying to locate something with the
binoculars, then trying to take a bearing with the compass. At night, I'm not
sure you could. If you want to take bearings at night, though, you'll need the
light attachment for the compass to see it. (I don't have it.). Two places to
price them - Consumer Marine Electronics and Post marine (it used to be 1800
yachter). I haven't checked in a couple years, but they both used to be a
hundred dollars or so cheaper on them than west or the others. Oh, another
advantage. Mine were about 5 years old, I hadn't taken the best care of them.
The center was so salt clogged that it would hardly move and some of the rubber
had been torn up. I sent them back the Fuji non people here in the states. They
replaced the rubbers, serviced them to work like new and shipped them back. All
at no charge. Gene Grounder Rainbow Chaser
I really like Fujinon Polaris 7X50 with the compass. The light gathering is
very good. The compass is not as well damped as a good handbearing one but can
be easier to use when sighting on a distant small target like a buoy. Price is
not cheap but is not as steep as Steiner. Oliver Woolcock Gabriola Island B.C.
In 1989, I took the plunge and bought the Fujinon SMTXC ( or somesuch
alphanumeric gibberish) large 10x50 7.5 deg w/ compass for the sole purpose of
spotting turning marks when racing. Have never regretted the cost which, in
retrospect, is now coming into a reasonable level on a per year basis. Now I use
them for everything
except backpacking. Side benefits include having guests almost always say "Wow"
when first viewing thru them ( just as I did when I used a pair of Zeiss birders
binocs). The reproducability of bearings seem better than I can do with a
variety of handbearing compasses that I own. Cannot compare to Steiners as I
have no experience w/ them
but have been extremely happy w/ the Fujis......2 cents worth...jon
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Canon:
I really like the image stabilizing binoculars from Cannon. They allow you to
read the numbers of the buoys.....very handy some times....don't know how well
they work in low light conditions...I have a seperate hand held compass for
bearings...mj Sheena 2 38ft ferrow-cement trawler Smiths Falls, Ont., Canada
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Steiner:
So I go looking for new binocs. I liked the Fujinon Mariners, especially the
light weight and $180 price, but the plastic housings were slick as owl snot and
I saw them sliding around the cockpit and bouncing off the sole with every wave
encountered. Steiners were "wow" every time I tried them but I kept choking on
the price of $500 for the mag compass bearing 7 x 50's. Fully rubber coated they
did feel "right" in my grip. The Tasco OS line, while having rubber in several
contact spots, still felt slick and unhandy
in my grip. Then I made a trip out to the Gulf Stream. Heading out at sunset,
close reaching into a 3-5 foot sea, I passed or overheard ship traffic inbound
reciprocal to my outbound heading until 5 am and 50 miles off shore. In the hazy
moonless night I was peering with my old Pentax's with water drops dried on the
inside of the lenses trying to pick out ship lights. The $500 tag on the
Steiners didn't seem so bad about then, and I knew that they would stay put in a
jumpy sea, and they "felt" right in my grip. I went back and bought the
Steiners.
I use my Steiners http://www.binoculars.com/shop/brands/steiner.asp every day
and most of the day looking for whales and dolphins. I have busted three other
pairs of binos during the last four years. Tasco was one that didn't survive a
knock. These Steiners are robust and do the job really well especially in poor
light and at night they are pretty good too. Graeme Butler.
Even though more expensive, you can't go wrong with Steiners. I have a pair of
7x50 with built in compass and range finder. Excellent light gathering ability
and they take a beating. I have had the same pair for 10 years. A lesser
quality would have never lasted so long with my use. Craig.
Don't get hung on delicate details. If you have money, buy the Steiners. They
are good. If you don't and are looking for pair almost as good, buy the Fujinon
Mariners. You should have a backup aboard also. The price of the Mariners
allow the purchase of a second pair. Michael.
Well I'll admit to being the UK distributor for Steiner first.......... A recent
report on compass binoculars in Yachting Monthly reported an inaccuracy on Tasco
compass readings. It was reported they had made the same comment in their
previous Compass Bino tests and nothing had changed. It seems to me that whilst
I would obviously prefer you to have a Commander III, you could get by with
Fujinon or Sea Ranger, but surely accuracy in a Compass bino is essential?
Commander III received the "Certificate of Excellence", which presumably means,
in Yachting Monthlys' opinion, that it is the best Compass Binocular in the
world. JC
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Nikon:
You can buy 3 Nikon Sports and Marine for what you would pay for a pair of
Commanders. Love mine.
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Yashica:
We've used (7-14)x35 (251' at 7x) zoom Yashicas for a long time. The main
problem isn't the zoom, it's that each person who uses them resets the focus.
Everything I've read says 7x50 for marine use - stable magnification for motion
(7 times magnification) plus light gathering ability for low light situations
(50mm aperture size). Whatever you get, have a handy, dry place to store them.
We were lucky - our boat came with a locker right inside the companionway that
covers the instruments and has just the right space left for binoculars. --
Pat Drummond
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Leica:
Leica makes a very interesting binocular. Gives distance, heading and
inclination.
http://www.leica-geosystems.com/surveying/product/distancers/vect_gis.htm I've
been afraid to ask the price. Randy
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Tasco:
http://www.tascosales.com/products/sport/binoculars/offshore.html
Went to look at fujinon's 7x50 on sale for $179. I compared them to both the
tasco $200 and steiner $400(and even bushnell $250?). All 4 units were the built
in compass models. The Tasco blew them all away in the store looking out some
1000 yards or so. I was surprised. I was _ready_ (with money in pocket) to buy
the fujinons but they were nowhere near as clear and were slippery to hold. The
Tasco had a nice sticky rubber insert that made you feel like you had a really
good hold on uit, even with one hand. David.
10X50's might be good on land, but on a rolling boat it will be extremely hard
to find an object and keep it centered, due to the high power. TheNavy and
Coast Guard used 7X50's back in the dark ages when I was in the CG. I would
consider 8X's but would be reluctant to go higher. I have the Tasco OffShore
36's which are waterproof 7X50's with the built in compass and range finding.
Bought them at Boat US on sale and so far, I am very happy with them. Bill.
Steiners are really good but my old Tascos with a compass work great too. 200
vs 700 hmmmm which one should i buy? Forget the hand bearing compass, or buy a
really cheap one but get the binoculars with a compass. Scott. I believe that
the Steiners were a better product but for what I use them for I could not see
spending the extra money. For weekend cruising or small offshore stuff the
Tasco have held up very well. My biggest point is that compass bino will work
better than a hand bearing compass simply because of the magnification. Scott
Steiner and Fujinon are better quality, but the bigger higher quality Tasco's
represent a good value to me. (Don't buy the cheap ones, they are awful). Dave.
I've enjoyed mine so far (Tasco), but keep getting bubbles in the compass, which
sends them off the be serviced. This will be the third time now. Anthony.
The Tasco Offshore 54 optics are indeed very good, but the rubberized covering
will sometimes peel off when exposed to water. The offshores still have this
problem according to the people I spoke with at West Marine. Tasco will correct
it for free.
Tasco: They also pass a lot of light, and the eyepieces are comfortable. I like
the light weight enough to live with the chance of breakage, but I've had mine
for four years and they're still great. Dana.
Last week or so I had gone to a local boating store which had offered Fujinon
7x50's w/ compass for $179. They sucked, and I compared Steiner($400ish),
Bushnell($250ish), Tasco and some other models that don't deserve remembering. I
spent the better part of 45 minutes switching between some 7 instruments. I
would get each one perfectly
focused for me, then one in left hand and another in the right I would switch
back and fourth. I only used the one hand because the shakiness helped simulate
being on a boat. I also switched hands as my left shook more than my right. I
was looking both for detail clarity but also for seeing and comprehending the
whole view. The Tasco offshore 36 had the best image, numbers on the
rangefinder, and was equal to the steiner for ease of holding. The Tasco was
selling for $199, and I have seen it many times and places for $199 for the last
few years or so. This is the first time that I have seen it on sale. Anyway,
foolishly I saunter in to the outlet store near the airport and
lo and behold there is a pair of offshore 36's for $129, the sign says rock
bottom price. I look throught them and they are fine. Salesman comes over to
harass me, I ask about the 10% coupon, he says sure he will honor it. I walk out
for exactly $124.59 (w/ 6.5% sales tax), and I had to buy two hearing aide
batteries at the local drug store for $2.24 for the pair to power the litle red
light to light up the compass at night. They don't give quite the image as my
8x56's (then again no 7x50's do), but they are going to be much more apropriate
to use for boating. If I do break them I can still get two more before it costs
as much as the steiners. But oh, did I mention, they also have a lifetime
guarantee. One of the posters in the previous bino thread mentioned that his
tasco's w/ compass had gone back some three times due to bubbles in the compass.
His was a model 35, so I am foolishly hoping that this model (36) will not have
the same problems. Dave.
Besides the bubbles, the Tasco's rubber covering can also peel off. They'll fix
it, so watch for it. I also looked at the tasco's. There is virtually no
difference between them and any other good pair of 50mm binocs, unless you buy
non-prism types. Robert.
-- END --
Bobsprit
probably a great bet.
If you can spend $500, I'd still buy the Mariners AND a cheap pair of West
Marines (under $80) as backup AND a pair of Pentax pocket binocs for guests to
play with!
If your budget is $1000 and up, I'd buy a pair of image stablizing binocs as
they are a great aid aboard a boat. I'd also have a "regular pair of 7X50's.
I carry the following: Fujinon Mariners (in a Pelican case), Pentax 8X25's-Good
because I wear them if I like and a cheap Tasco telescope (25X30). The
telescope is only useful in calm conditions.
I plan to add a VERY cheap set of 7X50's for crew to mess with. I keep the
Fuji's packed most of the time as the little pentax unit is fine for most
coastal applications. The Fuji's come out mostly at night. I sail on the Long
Island Sound (NY) and this has served me very well. I've used $600+ Steiners
and they're good as well, but they nearly identical to to $200 Fuji's
optically. The Fuji's are also a lot lighter...a huge advantage.
Robert B
P30 NY
Jürgen Exner
news:10y54.250$Ni1....@sapphire.mtt.net...
> 4. Summary -- marine compass-equipped binoculars, ranked from top down
based on
> cost, quality and popularity in the newsgroups. The prices are real
advertised
> prices, not conversions from one country to the other:
>
> Top quality:
> Steiner Commander C$? US$800
> Fujinon Polaris C$1,000 US$630
It seems nobody mentioned the Zeiss binoculars from Zeiss Optik Jena. They
sell from 2500DM up (approx. 1300US $) and I'm sure regarding the optic they
are unsurpassed.
jue
hkr...@capuantispam.net
>
> Jim Thompson <ji...@jimthompson.net> wrote in message
> news:10y54.250$Ni1....@sapphire.mtt.net...
> based on
> > cost, quality and popularity in the newsgroups. The prices are real
> advertised
> > prices, not conversions from one country to the other:
> >
> > Top quality:
> > Steiner Commander C$? US$800
> > Fujinon Polaris C$1,000 US$630
>
> sell from 2500DM up (approx. 1300US $) and I'm sure regarding the optic they
> are unsurpassed.
>
> jue
I can't dispute that...I've seen a pair and they are terrific. But, as
local chair of the Klutzes of America, I'd feel nervous with a $1300
pair of binocs on a small boat. I've a decent camera and a junk camera
and I don't bring the former out on the boat, either.
--
Harry Krause
------------
Creditors have much better memories than debtors.
Gord Profit
of Bausch & Lome Legacy 7*35 which cost less the $200 when new. I can see
all the buoy's I need do with these. Sometimes girls on the beach!!!
<hkr...@capuantispam.net> wrote in message
news:3857E321...@capu.net...
> "Jürgen Exner" wrote:
> >
> > Jim Thompson <ji...@jimthompson.net> wrote in message
> > news:10y54.250$Ni1....@sapphire.mtt.net...
> > based on
> > > cost, quality and popularity in the newsgroups. The prices are real
> > advertised
> > > prices, not conversions from one country to the other:
> > >
> > > Top quality:
> > > Steiner Commander C$? US$800
> > > Fujinon Polaris C$1,000 US$630
> >