Opticron Binoculars 7 x 50

[john1]

Wanted a cheap set of bins for stalking ( i know buy right buy once but its been a hard couple of years) Went for big lens and low power just to get the light.

Rang these guys for advice

http://www.telescopes-binoculars.co.uk/

(no affiliation)

They steered me towards some opticron imagic 7 x 50s for £135

ordered in the afternoon, arrived the next morning ......outstanding

As far as brightness and clarity goes they wee all over my mate minox 10x42s at £200 reduced from £400 at sportsman.

They are however a lot larger and heavier.

I am very very happy with them

Hope this helps
John

[john1]

Obviously there is a difference in overall size, objective size and mag, but i compared these against my mate minox 10 x 42 s the other night at dusk. these cost him £200 from sportsman allegedly reduced from £400. As far as light gathering went (which is whats important to me) the minox lost big time. Objects completely indistinguishable by the minox were clear and bright in the opticrons.

I'm still not claimimg they are the best bins in the world but i think you are hard presses to find brighter cheaper


hope this helps

John

[baz]

I have a set of Opticron 10x50s which I bought a few years ago, amazing value and optics and the site owner JSR was selling them off at £25 I kid you not

Yours must be good as they are several grades above mine

[Tedward]

Hey John,
if you want smaller and lighter, see if you can have a look through a pair of Opticron's BGA 7x36 Classics (or their up to date equivalent). I bought mine second hand from the London Camera Exchange web site, they're now my go everywhere pair. - If they're with you, they get used ! Also adequate for woodland stalking.
cheers, Ted.

[Nemesis]

I'm a big fan of Opticron and regularly use for work a pair of 8x30 shiny folding jobs bought 20 years ago. They're no longer made but I bought a spare pair at the time and will use those when the original pair fall apart. I also still have a pair of the small 7x20 Opticron and these have been all over the world with me. For bird watching, I'm using the 8x32 Verrano which I much prefer to my Leica Trinovids of the same size. At the budget end, the 8x30 Oregons are excellent, if a bit plasticy, and a big seller in the Essex Wildlife Trust shops. Almost forgot, I also own a pair of the 8x32 Traveller - nice optics but the hard metal ergonomics leave a bit to be desired.

D.

[baz]

I'm a big fan of Opticron and regularly use for work a pair of 8x30 shiny folding jobs bought 20 years ago. They're no longer made but I bought a spare pair at the time and will use those when the original pair fall apart. I also still have a pair of the small 7x20 Opticron and these have been all over the world with me. For bird watching, I'm using the 8x32 Verrano which I much prefer to my Leica Trinovids of the same size. At the budget end, the 8x30 Oregons are excellent, if a bit plasticy, and a big seller in the Essex Wildlife Trust shops. Almost forgot, I also own a pair of the 8x32 Traveller - nice optics but the hard metal ergonomics leave a bit to be desired.

D.

Oh gawd now I want some more Opticrons

[Nemesis]

Of course, not everything from Opticron is good - my spotting scope is poor but came with an excellent tripod. There's a new version of the Verrano out at present, which is a bit of a temptation......

With a few exceptions, the ergonomics of the Opticrons are well thought out. Whereas my Trinovid focus wheel seems to have been fashioned from the cap of a bleach bottle and rotates against harsh resistance, the corresponding Verrano wheel feels pleasant to the touch and rotates very smoothly indeed.

Anyone thinking of buying binoculars could do worse than take themselves off to one of those Optics Fayres they hold at country parks and handle everything on display, as well as peering through the lenses.

D.

[baz]

What I need is some Binoculars with nice optics that are a sensible price, PLUS long eye relief as I wear glasses, I have a pair of old Zeiss which are ok but not good with glasses as lose too much field of view due to short eye relief

Also does anyone know of a really nice compact Monocular for general use?

[Lightyear]

I have a old pair of Opticron 8x42 BGA Oasis that I picked up cheap on a certain auction site.

Cosmetically not perfect, reasonable size and not too heavy, but they really do gather light nicely and are very sharp and clear, focusing from really close to right out there.

My only gripe is that for me the eye relief is a little too long, being lucky enough not to need glasses, and would like to push them up closer to my eyes.

Cheers + ATVB

Philip

[baz]

I have a old pair of Opticron 8x42 BGA Oasis that I picked up cheap on a certain auction site.

Cosmetically not perfect, reasonable size and not too heavy, but they really do gather light nicely and are very sharp and clear, focusing from really close to right out there.

My only gripe is that for me the eye relief is a little too long, being lucky enough not to need glasses, and would like to push them up closer to my eyes.

Cheers + ATVB

Philip

Do you want to sell them? I really would like a pair with long eye relief

[Lightyear]

Trouble is Sir, I can't really afford to replace them at the moment as I couldn't really ask much for them.

Apologies.

Cheers + ATVB

Philip

[Lakey]

I have used a pair of Opticron 10 X 50 BGA (same as the 'classic' range, but I bought mine before they became 'classic'). At the time I bought them they were the top of the range model by Opticron, and the 10 x 50's are quite rare as most people bought the 10 x 42's in the same range.

I may be a bit biased but I think these bino's are awesome, and regularly out spot guys using Zeiss, Leica etc etc

I feel some of the cheapest Opticron ranges are a bit cheap and plasticy.As long as you go for the better end of the Opticron range, they offer the best optic's you can buy at reasonable money. I wouldn't hesitate to offer Opticron to ANYONE, and their top of the range £700 glass, as easily as good as the top german glass.

Lakey

[DEAN C.]

Just reading through this thread with interest as I have a pair of 8x42 countryman Opticrons that I bought 18months ago for £220 new.
They are very very bright, and clear with the central focussing, which I find very good once you are used to it. The only thing is that I could do with a smaller pair as well for keeping in my pocket. I would not say that they are perfect up to the edge of the glass but they are the best that I looked at for the money, and I thought that they beat the equivalent price Minox just.
I did look through some Bushnell Legend 8x26 ( I think)at a gamefair that were the older style not sold now, and they were brilliant and pocket sized. When I went back for them they were sold! The new same size Legend were nowhere near as good.