Binoculars

On our Panama Canal cruise someone had self-adjusting binoculars, they
were really great. Unfortunatly I did not find out where they got them
and would love to know. They were expensive, but I think it would be
worth the price.
sue

I think the suggestion concerning e-bay is good. I bought two pair from
different vendors. You are taking a chance the lenses are scratched etc.
but just deal with a highly rated vendor.

I got Tasco's. I agree with getting a marine version because of the
weather.

Phil
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I have a pair of Bushnell 7X50 Marine Binoculars. The reason I got the
marine ones is that they hold up in bad weather. I have season tickets for
the New York Jets and November & December can foul up a pair of binoculars.
The maine ones can get wet in the rain and snow and they are made not to fog
up too. They are good at football games as well as cruises but with the 50
lenses they are a little larger. Hope this helps

Matthew

There a lots to choose from, so some more guidance would be helpful.
How big do you want them to be? Bigger ones tend to give you a larger
field of view and are usually brighter, but weigh and cost more.

How much do you want to spend? B&H Photo has standard-sized
binoculars ranging from $17 Bushnells to $3600 Leicas. Generally, you
get better optical quality, brightness, etc the more you spend, but
you might also be paying more for features you don't use (like
distance metering or an electronic compass).

How much magnification do you need? The more magnification, the
larger things will be, of course, but the harder it will be to keep
steady.

Do you want any special features? If you have shaky hands, you might
look for binoculars with a tripod mount or image stabilization. You
might want waterproof ones you can take kayaking.

I have Nikon 8x40 binoculars (purchased a few years back, don't
remember the model name) which I like a lot, but perhaps most
important would be for you to go to a few stores, and get a feel for
different models and see how each work in your hands. Comfort will be
an important factor in how you like your binoculars.

Here are a couple sites which look useful:

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--
Alan Shutko < You're not Dave. Who are you?

I haven't been to Alaska on a cruise yet, but I rarely go anywhere without a
pair of binoculars. Good 'general use' binoculars are availble from most
discount stores in a size 7x35. 7 is the magnification and 35 is the size of
the front end lenses. The higher the first number is, the more magnification
you have. The larger the optic number (35, 50) the more light gathereing
capability of the glasses and the better they are in times of low light like
dawn and dusk. I swear by a pair of 10x50's for general work, and they lived on
my boat during the season. My old eyes just don't see as well as they use to.
I also carry a pair of Taco 8x20 compact, roof prisim binoculars when space is
a problem as they pack up to about the size of a pack of cigarettes in the
case. Check at Walmart, Kmart or Target stores for glasses for general use in
the price range of $25.00-$75.00. In most cases, the cheaper glasses will work
just fine, but if you enjoy high ticket items, look for a more expensive pair
from Steiner or Zeiss in europe for excellent quality and nice additional
features.

Tom in Frankenmuth

There are some incredible deals on ebay from time to time, that's where I
got mine. Between now and then there are sure to find some.

I got Minolta zooms and love them.

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