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Birding Optics



        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