[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Birding Optics
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Birding Optics
- From: Joefisher@aol.com
- Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:31:02 EST
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
One of the least heralded, but most satisfactory, pair of binoculars
is the Bausch & Lomb 7x26 Custom Compact. Hold it, before you start laughing!
I have B&L Elite 8x42's - a very fine glass, but it costs $825 ! The Custom
Compact costs $255. (Current prices at American Birding Assoc. Sales) How do
they compare? The Elites have a 6 foot close focus, the Compacts a 10 foot;
the Elites a 368 ft field of view, the Compacts a 320 ft. field of view; the
Elites weigh 29 ounces, the Compacts 13 ounces! O.K., so how about 7x26 vs.
8x42? If one wants a small, light-weight, high quality glass at less than a
third of the price of an Elite, go to a good binocular store and try them
both, side by side. You will be amazed at how little difference can be told
in good light. Sure there is a slight degradation, but not by much.
I used the Compacts exclusively for many, many years in happy bliss.
I recorded over 650 species in the ABA area with these little glasses. Okay,
so I got another 55 species after I started using Elites. I suspect I would
have still gotten at least 53 of those with the Custom Compacts, maybe all
55. Iwould not hesitate to recommend the Compacts against any comparable LOW
priced glasses.
Joe Fisher
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Joefisher@aol.com