fixed power bino recomendation

[GEARHEAD]

wondering if anyone has had success with a fixed focus bino.

[Bean Counter]

Fixed power or fixed focus??? 

[Bob33]

They are not a very good solution to an optical problem.  If the binocular does not focus, that means your eyes need to. That equals eye strain.  Friends don't let friends buy fixed focus binoculars

[SkookumHntr]

I have a pair of Steiner Military marine 8x30's and Love them!

[mazama]

Individual focus you focus once and leave alone,most variable power binos are basically cheap throw aways.

[halflife65]

I had a really old pair of Leupolds (probably early 80s but not really sure - my dad gave them to me when he bought new ones) that were fixed.  Focus the eye piece and leave them alone.  I loved the things but someone broke out the window of my truck and stole them.

The great thing is that they also stole a Sage rod.  Probably went down and hawked them for $15 so they could buy some more crank.  Piece of $h!t that pretends it's a person.

Anyway, back on subject.  They worked pretty well for me but, with today's great binos that focus, I wouldn't buy a pair. 

If you meant variable power I don't have any experience with them.  Except for special application (like hunting Coues deer or something with magnum binos like 15 x 50s) an 8x or 10x40 work just fine - don't really know why you'd need the variable power.  If I hunted mostly timber I'd get the 8x or mostly wide open (or open timber) I'd get the 10x.  However, each will work in most situations.  There are probably a lot of (valid) opinions on this but that's mine.

[GEARHEAD]

pretty sure i said fixed focus.  there is a few on the market, and a friend showed me his fixed bino, and i was impressed. tired of altering my focus. i hunt with binos in the timber. only got one hand to operate with. rifle scopes are fixed, why not binos.  i'm no rookie, just looking for first hand knowledge, want some new glass. thanks for the tips.

[Bob33]

Does Swarovski, Leica, Zeiss, or any other top end optics company offer a fixed focus binocular?  If not, why not?

[sakoshooter]

They are not a very good solution to an optical problem.  If the binocular does not focus, that means your eyes need to. That equals eye strain.  Friends don't let friends buy fixed focus binoculars

Rifle scopes use one(1)eye, not two(2). Bino's use two(2)eyes. Most people do not have two eyes exactly the same so as Bob stated earlier, if your bino's can't focus, your eyes will try to adjust even though they won't be able to completely. You'll end up with headaches etc from the eye strain. Buy good bino's that are adjustable. Even in the timber, you won't be focusing all that often.

[BLUEBULLS]

fixed focus are great if you're not the glassing type of hunter. They're great for not so long distance when you want to verify something.

Bring an extra bottle of Ibuprofen if you're going to glass for long periods.

they do shine in certain instances

[Bob33]

http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/self_focusing_binoculars.php

"Fixed focus binoculars rely on the flexibility of your eye to keep the image clear and in focus. This is not a problem for children and young adults, but as you get older the eye slowly loses its ability to focus and so for anyone about 40 or over, these binoculars could produce a lot of eye strain."

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/optics/focusing.aspx
"First, there are the so-called "no-focus" or "focus-free" binoculars, to list just two. These binoculars have no center wheel or movable eyepieces--there is nothing to adjust or focus at all. You simply look through the binoculars, and everything is supposedly in focus all the time, no matter how far away. It's a miracle! What will they think of next?

There is really nothing new here at all. Focus-free binoculars are nothing more than a cheap version of the old individual eyepiece focus design, with the focusing feature removed to keep the price down. Essentially, these binoculars have been permanently focused at the factory.

Read the fine print. These "miracles" are limited to people who have perfect 20/20 vision and eyes of equal strength, since there is no way to adjust them at all. Worst of all, "no-focus" are really "can't-focus" binoculars for distances much under 30 yards.

Last, these are exclusively bargain instruments--prolonged use is sure to put you on an eye doctor's Christmas list. "

[GEARHEAD]

Appreciate the input. however i am more than aware of whats been said. i'm asking for i guess i would say mission specific application. i overtime have got pretty good picking thru the thick timber and brush and glassing anywhere from 25 to 75 yrds ahead of me. be amazed what ya can see. its kinda cool to catch a deer napping, rather than on alert or running away. it gets tiresome constantly adjusting my focus over and over, trying to pick out the tip of an ear or black glassy eyes and noses, as i look at things from 25 to 75 yards thru the sticks. no intent to use these for glassing purposes in the open. maybe my current glass is just too sensitive, forcing me to focus too much. 

[Bean Counter]

pretty sure i said fixed focus. 

I'm pretty sure you did, too. Did you review your topic line, though? 

[sooperfly]

[quote author=GEARHEAD  it gets tiresome constantly adjusting my focus over and over, trying to pick out the tip of an ear or black glassy eyes and noses, as i look at things from 25 to 75 yards thru the sticks.
[/quote]

 

Evidently I am in the minority, but I am extremely happy with my fixed focus Steiners.  I also got tired of turning the focus wheel constantly while using gloves in the late archery season. Now I just pull them up, look, let them down.  I have also used them glassing more open country for hours with zero eye strain. I am very nearsighted and wear contacts - no problem with setting the initial focus.  If your eyes are slightly different you can set the focus for each eyepiece separately. 

A good way of setting the focus is after you get where you are going to hunt, after you get about 50 yds or so look back to your rig and get a really good focus on your license plate.  Now you are good to go from close to long range.  Your mileage might vary, so I would suggest trying out a pair!  I have both the 8x30 MM and 10x50 MM - the 10x50's are head and shoulders above the 8x30s. Tell you what, you pay the shipping and I'll send you one of my pairs to try out.

[mazama]

Are you confusing IF binoculars with no focus, IF Binos-individual focus where you focus each eyepiece,that sounds like what you are talhing about.Looking at your licence plate and setting, is not a no focus bino.I several pair that i set and leave alone.