Free: Contests & Raffles.
Another thing to look at is the exit pupil in the choice of binos you decide on, it will make a HUGE difference in how much light makes it through those with a large exit pupil, you calculate it by dividing the objective lens MM by the power (i.e. 10x50 would be 5mm, 8x43 would be 5.3mm etc...) so as the light fades your eye dialates and if you have a large exit pupil binos that will let you see much better in low light conditions !! If your exit pupil is say 4.2mm like from a 10x42 binoculars then there will be much less light let through the objective lens to your eye !!Quality glass is also a great help but there are some inexpensive binos that allow for low light viewing, like a 7x50 for instance with a 7.1mm EP you can see very well in low light and some of the cheaper brands are good for that, but then you worry about fogging and water resistance and clarity and durability etc... so save some money and get a nice pair with a large EP and you'll be happy !!!
Sorry I couldn't resist putting in my... Seth I know where you're coming from and you DONT have to spend thousands !!! I've gone through the full gamut of binoculars everything from $10 Big 5 stuff to mortgage payment Swarovski and while it IS true that the more you spend the better you get. You can still get very good stuff for less than $200. Someone posted that only junk lies below $200 and I MUST disagree. In fact one of my favorite backup bino's is the Steiner Military Marine 8x30 and it list (full price new) $199 and you can certainly find them one sale. That's less than the tax on my Swarovski HD80 spotter!While not "cheap" at even $199 these are fantastic bino's for the money. Check out ebay or craigslist... pretty much any Steiner glass will get you spotting animals dawn to dusk!
When you do get the request chit approved by the Leutenant, buy yourself a nice binocular harness like this one so you don't leave your new optic somewhere out in the woods. In fact... Buy an expensive pair of bino's so you'll keep that in mind and not leave them on a stump. http://crookedhorn.com/cms_ver_03/shop/optics-a-accessories.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.pbv.v5.tpl&product_id=31&category_id=12I need someone to leave a pair of Swaro's on a stump for me to find. -Steve
Well, I took Seth out yesterday and went up in them hills. I think he had more time on my Swaro's then I did. He didn't try to leave them on a stump, but he was definately thinking about shoving them in his pocket when he got out of the truck at the end of the day.
One word, Swarovski.
