[saranfia]

I know very little about binoculars but am needing to get some hardcore decent ones for field trips and expeditions, around £200ish. any recommendations? currently i am using bresser ones but they are too heavy, i need something more lightweight.

thanks

[cabbage]

I use a pair of Bushnell Excursion 8x42 binoculars that I bought a couple of years ago.
They were my first 'good' pair of binoculars and I have to say I've been really pleased with them. I think I paid about £120 and rather bizarrely they came with a free tent - presumably so you could go on an excursion with them!

They're a decent size and feel nice and chunky in your hand but not too heavy (for me anyway, my girlfriend struggles if she has to hold them up for too long). They're pretty rugged with a rubberised outer so they should (and have) survive(d) a few bashes and they're fully waterproof and nitrogen purged so they won't fog up. They have fully multicoated, bak-4, pc3 optics as well apparently which I presume is a good thing though I've no idea what it means!
They've got a really good clear field of view and though there can be a teeny bit of colour fringing at times its not really noticeable. one of the coolest things about them is actually their close focussing, they'll focus on stuff only 2 metres away which is great when you manage to sneak up on something!

As I said my girlfriend wasn't so keen on the weight so she got herself a pair of Nikon 10x25 Travelite EX last year for about £110. They're pretty tough wee things as well, rubberised, waterproof, nitrogen purged and multicoated optics again. Much, much lighter and more handy to carry about in your pocket.
They're 10x rather than 8x and you do notice the difference, they're also exceptionally clear with no colour fringing at all that I've noticed.
Against that the much smaller field of view (25 rather than 42) means it can be harder to get things in your sights. I was watching Golden Eagles last year while she was still trying to find them! She got there eventually
They're also not quite as good in low light conditions as they obviously collect much less light through their lenses than the bigger pair.

A bit under your budget I know, I don't know what extra stuff you'd get for another £80? It could be that another £80 would make a big difference A good idea might be to find a local shop and go in and try them. You can always buy online cheaper once you know what pair you want!

[saranfia]

Thanks muchly for your advice! Both your binoculars sound good, i think i need something inbetween, something close to an 8x42 but as light as possible!!! i think the ones i have at the moment are 10x50 but are too heavy for me to hold for too long, and although are pretty clear, they havent really survived being dropped onto sand by my mother!! I also need to find some decent but not too expensive ones for my daughter, although only two and a half i think she has outgrown her early learning centre ones..... (she WILL be a birdwatcher!!)

[cabbage]

10x50? Ouch, I know what you mean! I have an old pair of 10x50 ones that I got cheaply at a car bootsale years ago but they're never used because they're just far too heavy. Even when I do find something to look at through them my arms are shaking too much after a couple of minutes to see anything

My 8x42 pair are 780grams without their case if that helps, I guess most 8x42s will be around that weight. I don't find them at all bad to carry but then they're quite compact so I tend to stick them in my camera shoulder bag if I'm out for long periods.

I remember my first pair of binoculars, its a great moment as a child

[Hawk_Eye]

10x50? Ouch,

Just tie them to your hand for a day. That should get you used to them or do some bicep curls with them

[kimbers]

Today there are quite a few inexpensive bins on the market . If I am allowed to mention another magazine I suggest you get a copy of ' Bird Watching ' . In it you will found several makes at the prices you are looking for , such as Hawke , Viking and Avon . I have some Hawke bins and I found them excellent . It is always best by trying them before buying and get the best ones you can afford . Some firms have second hand which are very good value for money . Remember with bins you get what you pay for .