Selecting a new pair of binoculars - any thoughts?

[semillama]

So, I've finally come to the decision that my old pair of binoculars just aren't cutting it anymore. They're a pair of Nikon Action 8x40s I got a few years ago, and while they have served me fine, the seal is broken on the right tube, and I have been wanting better optical performance than what they offer me.

I've done some research, but haven't done any real world comparing yet.

My three choices are:

Nikon Monarch ATB (can get them on sale for $290)

Stokes Broadwing (can get them for $350)

Stokes Talon (Can get them for $200)

The Nikons get really good reviews and were a top pick in Cornell's 2005 round of reviews. The Stokes bins came out after that review, so it's hard to find any comparisons between the two.

I'll say right now that I am leaning to the Broadwing, from the Optics4Birding.com review (if you haven't checked them out, it's an AWESOME website). In terms of lens quality, ergonomics, and things like lens caps, plus a lifetime warranty, it seems to edge out the Monarchs. Plus in comparison to the Talons, it seems like you get quite a bit better optic performance for only $150 more.

So, I'm wondering. Does anyone bird with any of the above binoculars, or has tried them out? What do you think?

[XemaSab]

1. We had to get bins for work and I was in charge of selecting a pair

I went with the Monarchs, and they're good, high quality optics.

I am totally unfamiliar with the others.

Evil Optics has the Monarchs on sale for $299, and you can send them back if you don't like them. :)

[semillama]

2. I actually went with the Vortex Stokes Broadwings

I ordered them from this fantastic site, www.optics4birding.com

The best birding equipment reviews I've ever seen, and they even have a ratings tool to help you compare up to four binoculars, based on how important a range of factors are to you (weight, eye relief, close focus, range of field, coating, etc). And the Broadwings were rated above the Monarchs.

One of the things that made my decision were the reviews, which actually talk about the quality of image. The Broadwings had the least amount of field distortion at the edges of the field of view, and no chromatic separation when viewing high contrast objects in bright light (which might come in pretty handy when I hit FLORIDA FOR 7 DAYS next may ).


Being the geek that I am, I ordered them next day shipping so I would have them for my bird group's outing on Saturday. I'll post back on Monday and let you know what I think of them.

[XemaSab]

3. Please do let me know.

I went to Florida last May and had an epic trip, but I gotta tell you, you should spend two nights on the Tortugas, another couple nights on the Keys, and not plan on spending a lot of time in the Everglades.

And make boat reservations a few weeks beforehand. :)

[semillama]

4. So far, I think we're planning on a day trip to the Tortugas

simply because the purpose of an overnight is to hopefully get a fall out in the morning, but since all those migrants are going to pass through Ohio anyway, we don't need to do that. I'm just along for the ride - I could easily pick up 30 or more life birds on the trip.

Our hard core lister (745 ABA area birds and counting) wants to stay overnight, of course....

[XemaSab]

5. Trust me

It's totally worth it to spend the night. If I hadn't spent the night, I would have missed Antillean Nighthawk, Sedge Wren, Gray Cheeked Thrush, Shiny Cowbird, Caribbean Short-Eared Owl, and Bahama Mocker. Plus crippling looks at a YB Cuckoo and more.

Not only that, but the Tortugas are CHILL with only about 20 other people, as opposed to 200 day-trippers. :shrug:

Go, spend the night, go snorkeling (trust me on this) and have a really good time.

(FWIW, my trip would have been a disappointment without the Tortugas, and if I'd only gone for the day, I would have wanted to stay longer. SERIES.)

[semillama]

6. Ok, I'll bring that up to the group.

Antillean Nighthawk is a big reason for the Tortugas trip.

[semillama]

7. Stokes Broadwing = awesome

I broke in my new bins on Saturday. The first birds I used them on was a flock of 39 Common Redpolls in the dim morning light.

All I can say is WOW. Even though the light was crappy, colors and details just popped. It was breathtaking. Compared to my old bins, these really made a significant difference in my ability to distinguish details. Later in the day I got to test them in bright light on high contrast birds - gulls. And again, the performance was outstanding. No prismatic effects, details were crisp even on distant birds.

A very good investment for sure.

I'd also like to say that the optics4birding.com review was dead on about everything. I'd definitely use them again if for some reason I had to upgrade my scope (which barring malfunction or theft probably won't be for a couple decades).