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I'm looking to buy a decent pair of binoculars, but have no clue where to start -- google searches are information overload. Hoping to find something compact, relatively powerful, and hopefully under $100.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Peeping Brett?

You gonna help or just sit there and judge?

Yes sir; I'll help take pictures sir.

Anyway...

I'm going to Costa Rica in January, and I want a decent set of binoculars.

Thanks for the advice!

Space will really be an issue, so I'm hoping for some good compact options as well. I don't particularly know what makes one pair better than another, so even that is a start. I used to have a cheapo small pair of binoculars, and want to replace those. I also really just had to ditch them -- I could NEVER adjust the size so the eye pieces matched my face (even at its smallest, they were still too wide for my face.)

Again, thanks. Any thoughts on the mid-size models? Maybe something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-10-Natur ... B000YQ4DIU" target="_blank

Haha, great! And regarding the price, I agree. Especially in the next few weeks before Christmas, I'd expect to find some sort of deal!

Thanks again!

hrender wrote:Nikon makes good binoculars at reasonable prices. My wife got me a set that have been very good.

Same binocular is also available as a zoom.

I prefer B&H as a vendor because their free shipping is much faster than Amazon's. You can also get the unzoomed version there.

I have used an earlier version of the 7-15x35 Nikon zoom for many years at sporting events, most recently from the 89th row (there are only 90 rows) in the SE corner of Michigan's 'Big House' where they worked very well. Very little chromatic aberration, but some focus shift when zooming. Interpupillary distance needs to be set appropriately for best results.

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone.

I ordered a few different pairs, and thanks to the magic of free shipping (and free return shipping), I'll get to "play test" them before making any real decisions.

And yes, B&H is a good option. Their prices are not always better than Amazon, but are always very competitive. I will usually buy through Amazon though to avoid paying NY taxes on the local purchase.

bort wrote:Thanks for the recommendations, everyone.

I ordered a few different pairs, and thanks to the magic of free shipping (and free return shipping), I'll get to "play test" them before making any real decisions.

Sounds like a plan. Be sure to let us know the results of your side-by-side comparison testing.

bort wrote:And yes, B&H is a good option. Their prices are not always better than Amazon, but are always very competitive. I will usually buy through Amazon though to avoid paying NY taxes on the local purchase.

Ahh...good point! I forgot to look at your location

Also, I'd always prefer to shop from B&H online than to go into the store -- the place is HUGE, and it's always crowded. It's kind of old-school too, and feels like a complete maze compared to something like Best Buy. But, they've got the best stuff, good prices, and people who know their stuff working there. It's just not enjoyable to me though, so I'll stick with buying from them online. Besides, at least I can still shop online with them Friday evenings and Saturdays (it's run by observant Jewish folks, who close the store for the sabbath).