The Binocular Site
The Best Binoculars for Under $100.00
While it has long been a popular subject for articles in the outdoor-related media, given the seemingly ever-worsening economic conditions around the world the discovery of solidly-performing binoculars retailing under $100.00 has recently been receiving increased attention.
However it is of paramount importance that any writer making such an assessment make it absolutely clear how such an article addressing this eternal quest for quality at minimal cost is to be interpreted by the reader; for when reading any article presenting “the best binoculars retailing under $100.00” it is too easy to make the intellectual leap from the relative assessments constrained by the important limit “retailing under $100.00” and simply think in terms of “the best binoculars.” In truth, and in almost every case, this leap in terms of quality and performance is wider than the Grand Canyon.
Not to be unduly negative, but far too often the difference between upper end binoculars, middle range models, and lower end models is not well understood, especially in terms of the process that leads from their being merely a product concept to a finished product on the shelf. Upper end binoculars – let’s say just for ease of reference those retailing over $1200.00 – are developed with quality and performance as their dominant considerations.
This is especially true of the highest performance level models such as are offered by Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, and most recently Kowa and Nikon. Middle range models - $200.00 to $1200.00 at retail – tend to be developed in respect to a delicate balance between cost of production and performance. Lower end models – generally below $200.00 at retail, are most commonly developed in regard to cost of production. When the retail price bracket drops below $100.00, the production costs are generally constrained so low as to make them virtually commodities.
Of course, there are exceptions to every sweeping assessment – and this one is no different. For example, the Pentax Papilio binocular, designed specifically for the needs of those observing butterflies in the field, sells in the mid-$100 dollar range at retail yet is quite a good binocular in most all respects and a superb one in regard to its own specialty application – ultra-close focus. Of course, had it been created for the bird watching or hunting market, it would have needed to have been made waterproof (generally a requirement of customers in these markets) and thus been perhaps double the price. As waterproofing is a considerable extra cost in the production of a binocular, the makers of the Papilio were able to eliminate it and thus offer an optically good product at a lower than expected price.
So what can the potential binocular customer seeking a binocular of good quality and performance do when he or she is limited to spending no more than $100.00? Sadly, the options are somewhat limited. While the past few years have seen a flood of inexpensive binoculars into the marketplace, especially by companies with little or no history of producing such products, many of these new products are less than satisfactory in terms of performance or reliability. This has made it increasingly difficult for the consumer to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff.
Thus my first recommendation is to stick to companies with established and respected names in the field. Not to unduly dismiss any worthy “start-ups,” but simple economies of scale often dictate that established optics firms generally have either the internal or contracted design and production capacity combined with the “organic” experience necessary to maximize the quality in a lower retail priced binocular model. Therefore looking to the models offered by firms such as Bushnell, Leupold, and Nikon could be considered both prudent and wise.
So what models of binocular should first be considered among the $100.00 or less retail price bracket? First and foremost, consider the Leupold Yosemite. Offered in 6x30mm and 8x30mm models, the Yosemite uses all glass lenses, is fully waterproof, exhibits no noticeable problems with optical alignment, and presents an image displaying good color and resolution with little visible aberration. While the Yosemite does exhibit a very minor back-reflection (a ghost image visible in the field of view) under certain conditions it is a classically designed Porro prism binocular which offers a close focus measurement just a little longer than the ten foot distance desired by many bird watchers. The Yosemite’s expansive field of view, universally compatible interpupillary distance, and impressive depth of image field make it an excellent choice for an all-around binocular. In fact, many reviewers have assessed the extremely user-friendly Yosemite against models retailing at prices hundreds of dollars higher – and it has often emerged the winner of the assessment.
The fact that the Yosemite performs so well is partly due to its creation around the classic Porro prism design rather than that of a roof prism. Porro prism binoculars, while older and a bit less “sexy” than the slimmer and more recent roof prism models, require less special handling and optical coatings in order to bring them up to respectable performance levels. Yet the competition for increasingly close focus distance, on the part of bird watchers, has largely sidelined the Porro prism design due to its traditional arrangement of the objective lenses being further apart than its ocular lenses. This limitation can be reversed by inverting the prisms, of course, but is only generally done in inexpensive compact models. This wide spacing shows a separation of the two optical fields at close distances due to the limits of alignment triangulation – the user simply begins to see two distinct images rather than the desired three-dimensional unified image.
There are a few more Porro prism binoculars, with a slightly longer than ten foot close focus distance, worthy of note in the $100.00 or less price range.
The first of these, the Nikon Action Extreme 7x35 ATB, a waterproof enhancement of Nikon’s mainstay Action Series binocular product family, can be found retailing just under $100.00. An astonishingly wide 9.3° field of view (due in part to the 7x magnification level) makes the Action Extreme Porro binoculars a superb choice for anyone wishing to observe objects or wildlife in motion. The generous eye relief also makes them very accommodating to users wearing eyeglasses – be they protective or corrective.
Another solid-performing Porro often found retailing below $100.00 is the Bushnell 8x42 Natureview Plus. Another mainstay product for its manufacturer, the Natureview Plus offers a generous eye relief, a wide field of view, and a close focus distance of 13 feet – quite respectable indeed for a traditional Porro design. In fact, the only potential negative to this Bushnell classic model is its lack of waterproof seals. This, however, should not be unduly weighted in a purchase decision unless the binocular is to be used primarily outdoors. Do you really need submersible waterproof seals if the primary use of the optic is to be watching basketball in an arena or the feeder-visiting birds from your living room?
Those who do indeed require submersible waterproof seals might then wish to consider the Bushnell 8x42 H2O Porro – physically similar in many ways and almost optically equivalent to the Natureview Plus but fully waterproof as well.
Of course, in these difficult economic times, many optics retailers are establishing or enlarging their already established sale annexes. A little time spent, either online or in a sporting goods store, perusing the binoculars offered at a heavily discounted price due to their being discontinued models, display units, or cosmetically blemished can yield substantial benefits in terms of cost savings at retail. It is not out of the question to be able to discover some very good binoculars at prices reduced at as much as 50% or more off their manufacturers’ suggested retail prices.
Thus the course of action is clear for those seeking to get the best value for their money and wishing to keep the price they pay to under $100.00: think major brand, think Porro, and remember to keep an eye on the sale annexes. Give serious consideration to the models mentioned above and you’ll very likely find a binocular that will serve you well for years to come and leave with the satisfying feeling that you’ve received your money’s worth and quite likely even a bit more.
This article was written for The Binocular Site by John E. Riutta. To learn more about John please see his full biography.
