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Opticron Discovery WP PC 10x42
by sparkymarky1973
When I decided to take up bird-watching recently, the one thing I was missing was a good, sturdy pair of Binoculars. Not knowing which brand or model to go for and being a bit of a novice in this field, I looked for advice and, almost unanimously, these came up as the best for the budget I was able to afford!
These Binoculars ... go for around £150 on Amazon which, I have been advised, is a good price to pay for a half-decent pair. Any cheaper and you begin getting inferior product but, in the same vein, you can pay a hell of a lot more and not get much more for your money. Delivery was quick and it was not long before I was putting these through their paces.
The first thing I noticed was that these were fairly compact and very light to carry. I think boxed they are not much over a kg in weight and this is an advantage because if you are going to be doing a lot of walking, such on a Nature Reserve, the last thing you want is to be weighed down. Even though I have The Fens right on my doorstep, I can find myself walking quite far some days so the last thing I want is anything that will slow me down more than nessecary. The other thing I noted is that the optics on this paticular model are bright and crisp and focusing these make everything stand out really well with no blurring around the edges that you can get with inferior models. You could easily be forgiven, using these, for forgetting you are even using binoculars and for thinking you are actually that close! This is because these are especially designed to be comfortable on your face and make your experience of using them as comfortable as possible. A pair that a close friend of mine has have always amazed me at how finely tuned they are but I didn't want the same model he had as they can often feel uncomfortable on your face after a while and can detract your attention from what you are supposed to be looking at!
The other thing I like about these is that they are good at focusing at under 2m too which is ideal for my young daughter who likes to look at insects without actually getting too close!
Overall, for the price, these binoculars are about as good as you can get and even my friend, who paid more for his pair and which are supposed to be superior to this brand and design, is ever so slightly jealous!
I don't know much about binoculars, and would be lying if I said I did, but I AM more than happy with my purchase of these and find them an ease to use and not too heavy to carry around! It is for that reason that these come highly recommended from me!
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Opticron Imagic BGA SE 10x42
by leetemplar
[Note, this review is for the 8x42 model of these binoculars].
When looking for a good pair of birdwatching binoculars, you can do a lot worse than look to Opticron. They won't break the bank to the degree of some of the top brands such as Nikon, Ziess and Swarovski, but provide great, mid-price bins that will do for most ... circumstances.
These binoculars are a marvel for the price, giving a clear, crisp image through good quality glass, and perform reasonably well even in low light. I wear glasses, and the twist-down eyecups work brilliantly, with long eye relief providing a great viewing experience without ever being tempted to remove my specs.
These are nitrogen-filled, meaning they're supposedly waterproof up to 3m. While I have yet to experiment with dunking them into water, it's great to not have to worry about getting them caught in a downpour, and to be be able to give them a good wash should they get dirty.
The binoculars also have a very good close focus of under 3m, meaning they're great for getting better views of such animals as dragonflies and butterflies.
The focus wheel took a bit of getting used to, as it's slightly on the stiff side, but now feels like second nature. The weight of 682g is fairly light and usually barely noticeable, although after a long day they do occasionally cause a bit of a pull on the neck, but this is unavoidable with binoculars of this size. The rubber coating gives a good, natural grip as you use the binoculars.
While you will undoubtedly get a better view through more expensive binoculars, these are fantastic for <£400. I've had mine for nearly two years now and never regretted it. If you're tempted to by a top pair of a Swarovskis or similar, at least try out a pair of Opticron BGA SEs first, to see if the top end bins are really worth the £500+ price difference!
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Opticron Savanna 8x23
by malishka13
I needed a pair of binoculars as part of my uni course (I am studying zoology and part of the course included bird watching) and so I started doing some research online for the best pair which wouldn't break the bank. I came across the Opticron Savanna binoculars on Amazon. They cost me £54.96 which is a very reasonable price for a pair ... of binoculars.
When they arrived they came in a compact cardboard box which prevented them moving around too much. The binoculars also came with a black case which the binoculars fit into nicely. The case offers extra protection as well as keeping them free of dust.
The weight of the binoculars is 295g so nice and lightweight for carrying around with you, ideal if you are watching wildlife like me. Some binoculars make your arms ache after holding them to your eyes for a while but as these don't weigh much they can be held up for quite a while.
These binoculars have a roof prism design which means they are more compact than the porro prism binoculars. They have a magnification of 8x and are easy to adjust by turning the knob on the side. It doesn't take too long to bring the image into focus and once done you get a good clear image. The outer rubber means they are easy to grip and there's little chance of dropping them.
These binoculars are also quite robust, although this doesn't mean you should throw them around all the time as they still have delicate lenses in. I have dropped mine a couple of times and they've been absolutely fine. I think the rubber coating probably provides a large amount of protection from shattering.
The eye parts consists of thick lenses with multiple layers and are surrounded by a soft rubber part which makes it more comfortable. There is a substantial gap between the lenses and the rubber end so that your eye is not pressed up close to the lenses.
The binoculars are not particularly attractive and are relatively plain to look at. They are completely black with an outer rubber coating and aren't as "stylish" as some types but they do their job well enough.
Overall I have found these are a great pair which I use all the time for wildlife watching. They are easy to transport and affordable even if you are a student such as myself. I would happily recommend these to anyone looking for a set of decent binoculars.
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