Binoculars ?

[Dusty Rhoads]

Someone has borrowed my Fujinon 7X50's from the boat, and I don't think they have any intentions of returning them. Since I have to go buy another pair, I was wondering if to step up another notch to Polaris,or Steiner or step down to something that may be borrowed again?
Anyone have an opinion on center focus or not ? I have a pair of stabilized, but don't use them unless out and rough. I'm sure this has been hashed over before, but was curious for any new brands out there. Anybody have a pair from Boatfix?
Thanks for any replies.

 

[Good Grief]

I don't have 'em, Honest!!!

Seriously, the Late, Great, Boating Reports evaluated binoc's a year or so ago, and gave several 'near name brands' high marks. I went with the waterproof, single focus Tahiti's from West M..... great price and awsome performance.

$0.02.

 

[Francodoesboat2]

Cannon's cheapest stabilized binoc's are the crew's choice on my boat. I have some decent Nikons, but the boys always reach for the Cannon's. Might be the novelty.

KKKKFL

 

[yzer]

Steiner Commander XP 7x50 is the current best milspec marine bino for handheld day and night use.

Oberwerk Mariner Series binoculars. Available in three useful marine configurations: 8x40, 7x50 and 10x70. These are the highest quality milspec binos currently available from China.

The Oberwerk line is fairly extensive and includes a lot big binos for astronomical viewing. I use the 15x70's which have a field of view that is too narrow (4.3 degrees) for many boating purposes. But, they are fantastic night glasses that suit me well for astronomy and boating use here on the rivers and sloughs.

Center focus is the way to go unless you have twice as much time to fiddle with the binos. The Oberwerks have a "slow focus" feature that is immune to focus drift found on poorly designed center focus binos.

Oberwerk Ultra Series 10.5x70 and the Fujinon Polaris 10x70 are both no-holds-barred super binos weighing in at about 5 lbs. each. 10x70 is about as high powered as you want to go for general boating, or you may not want to go there at all. The field of view is around 5 degrees, so they are not nearly as useful on a pitching boat as a 8x30 or 8x40 bino with a wider field of view of 8 degrees and more.

I'm looking at the Oberwerk 8x40s for this summer because I'm already using the 15x70s a lot of the time and would like something that's better in the chop.

 

[Ghost]

You need a good pair 7x50's before adding stabilized to the collection. I guess I won't be very popular for suggesting that the Fujinon 7x50's are hard to beat for your "core" pair when balancing cost and performance.

 

[rbmitchell]

I have a pair of Fujinon 7x50s and a pair of Canon 10x30IS. Over the years I have found the Canon Image Stabilized pair so much more useful that I took the Fujinons off the boat for other use.

The Fujinons were about $500 at the store and the Canons about $300 on line.

The Fujinon image is brighter and clearer but the convenience of the light weight and size wins out.

 

[yzer]

The Fujinon 7x50 FMT-SX is a famous bino. Plenty of good competition and better buys out there than the other Fujinon 7x50 models, though.

 

[caltexfla]

I dearly love my Fujinon FMTRC-SX (with compass). They are superb optically and in low light. Incredibly rugged. But you do have to pump some iron in preparation if you are going to use them for long periods of time. I hold a pair of dumbells up (no, not the guys I work with) while on the treadmill before any major cruise. I tested a whole slew of alternatives. I admit stabilized are great in broad daylight when trying to pick up a distant channel marker number in the chop.

George

 

[thataway4]

I keep a "cheap" pair of binocs for guests. The skipper and admiral are the only ones to use the Fujinon 7 x 50, the Techno stabale Fujinon 14 x 40. I picked up "on sale" some West Marine center focus, nitrogen filled for about $60 last fall. They are decent. Also the 8 x 30 Steiner are a very good glass for daytime, and the 8 x can be hand held for most occasions. Most non boating guests are not that discerning about high quality optics.

 

[Big Bliss]

Steiner, hands down. I have the 7X50 with compass for almost 15 years. Nothing comes even close to the clarity especially in low light situations. They are extremely rugged, will not fog and you do not need to adjust them once set for you. Meaning you can keep a hand on the boat and grab them to check the marker or whatever. Any other pair you need two hands to focus or press the stabilize button. I also have a pair of Canon IS , they are nice but not even close.

 

[jturbo]

Hey guys, great post!

I'd really like to get a good pair of binoculars for the boat, and I this is good info! I've been trying to find what the differences are in the Fujinon models, but I can't figure it out. This looks like a good one, but its not what you guys recomended . . . Would anyone mind giving me their opintion? I'm not sure I want to put down 600 plus for these. I could swing 200-300 though.

 

[yzer]

jturbo,

Check with bizrate to compare prices on that Fujinon 7x50 WPC-CF. I see one online place selling them for $209, but I didn't check shipping cost. The individual focus version goes for as little as $159.

Comparing these Fujis with the Oberwerk 7x50 Mariner at $149 (linked above): The general 7x50 formula specs are identical, with the Obie having slightly longer eye relief (the more the better for eyeglass wearers.)

Both are fully multicoated, but I'd give the Obie the edge for low light transmission from the broadband multicoatings that built this company's reputation in the astronomy market.

The Fuji is nitrogen filled. This is a plus if you move the binos from a warm cabin into cold weather: it can prevent binos from fogging from the inside. (where I boat, I've never needed nitrogen filling.)

The Fuji has a well designed built-in compass and lens reticle markings. These are nice features if you want them and a pain if you don't.

Both binos are waterproof.

The Obie is 2.8 lbs and the Fuji is 1.9 lbs. The Obie features milspec construction, slow rate center focus and a rugged build, including shock-absorbed and oversized prisms.

The Obie comes with a hard case.

Fuji is a big company and has a lifetime limited warranty compared to a 1 year defect warranty on the Obies. Oberwerk does repairs in-house. (my 15x70 Oberwerks are perfectly fine after four years of use.)