Which binoculars for safari?
 

I plan to buy a new pair of binoculars for our safari in Kenya next month. Does anyone have a suggestion for a good, but reasonably priced pair? Thanks!

Bushnell is reasonably priced.

&quot;<b>I</b> plan to buy binocs for <b>our</b> safari.&quot; You will each want your own pair. Sharing is a bother. You can share the toothpaste, suntan lotion, toenail clippers, first aid kit, etc. But don't share binocs.

This topic has been discussed at great length with many helpful tips. Here are the links.


http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34662770
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34660178

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34819029
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34817047

Whatever you don't be tempted to go for massive magnification or the ultra portable pocket binoculars.

Old fashioned 7x50's (7 times magnification, 50mm lens) are a good all purpose combination or go for the modern equivalent of 8x42

my Canon 10X30 binoculars with image stabilization are awesome. It is amazing to see the shake from my hand disappear when I hit the little button on top.

My humble opinion,

Kevin from California

A good reason not to share a single pair is that binocs can be a very 'personal' item, even though they're adjustable. I have Nikon 7 x 50 (excellent glass but I wouldn't mind some IS) but my wife finds them too big; and I can't stand the tiny things she uses. You'll probably find a happy medium which you both like but you should try out different ones to make sure...and think about two pair, though if you're happy sharing a camera, you'll probably be OK sharing binocs.

John

Let me explain,if it not obvious, why atravelynn says to not share binocs.

We all have different eyes, and it takes some time to get binocs properly adjusted. Swapping back and forth when there is something really exciting can be a big pain.

For my family of four, we had three pair (my wife insisted on not having her own pair). 10x42, 10x50 and 8x35. All seemed to do the job.

Just got back from a 7 day safari in Tanzania with my wife and two friends. We had 4 different types of binoculars ranging from 7x to 10x. We all agreed that the best was the Nikon 10x42 Monarch ATB that I bought for $300 from binoculars dot com. We really needed the 10x to get a good look at several animals. Our second choice was the Nikon 8x40 Action Ultra Wide View that I bought for $68. It's a lot bigger than the 10x42. I was usually taking photos and my wife was shooting video, so it was fine that we only had one 10x42.

I agree with the comment about personal preference. Mark has the Nikon Monarch 10x42 and I have the Nikon Travelite 8x25. I find his harder to hold steady and prefer the smaller Travelites.

I also loved the Nikon Monarch 10x42. You really should go to a shop and try them out yourself. They all fit differently and what works for one doesn't always work for another. I also agree that each person needs his or her own binocs. Good luck!

I've been a huge fan of the Pentax binoculars, and these are amazing -- and waterproof!

Pentax DCF WP II 10x42

Field of View at 1000 yds: 330 feet
Eye relief: 22 mm
Close focus: 8.2 feet
Weight: 28.2 oz.
Size: 5.0 wide x 5.7 in. long
Waterproof.
The binocular has twist-up eyecups. Includes Cordura case, strap, rainguard and lens covers. Cost: $399