Birding Optics

I have always been this way. I want to listen to music through a good sound system, and I want to look at birds through good binoculars. I just don’t understand people who don’t feel the same way. There is no getting around the fact that great binoculars make birding more satisfying.

Several weeks ago I posted a review of the mid-sized Vortex Fury 6.5x32 and am now pleased to add my impressions of the bigger brother in this line -- the Fury 8x42. The short of it is that  people at Vortex really got everything right with this new line of binoculars. I love the 8x42 and think they are a “best buy.” It is still hard for me to believe that it is possible to produce a binocular this good for $350.

OK, so I am a bit OCD. OK, so I love my binoculars a bit more than I should. In my defense I hasten to point out that compulsive behavior can sometimes be a good thing. Allowing a fastidious impulse to rule a small part of my life ensures that my binoculars will continue to provide the same brilliant image that inspired me to plunk down my hard earned money to buy them and that the silky smooth focus will stay that way until I pass my cherished bins on to their next owner.

Wayne’s List
Recommended Bird-worthy Binoculars

The Vortex 6.5x32 Fury: A Mid-Priced Binocular To Love

Bruce and Jean had a mixed marriage. Jean was a committed birder. Bruce wasn’t. After a few bird walks with my wife and me, Bruce let on that there really is something to this birding business. He told Jean that he was ready to take the plunge, and asked her how she would feel about buying him a pair of good binoculars for his birthday.

How much do you need to spend for bird-worthy optics?

I am really trying to be less judgmental, but I just can’t stand lousy optics!  Since you can find bird-worthy optics in just about every price range, there is really no excuse to handicap yourself with binoculars that don’t do the job.

Or do they?

Several years ago I bumped into M in Central Park. I was sporting a brand new pair of (what was then) state-of-the-art 8.5x42 binoculars which M was eager to test. She was in the market for a new pair and was in a quandry about what to buy. A week later I saw her in the Park again. She was proudly sporting a new pair of 10x42s. They were the same model I showed her the previous week, but they were 10s instead of 8.5s.