The Binocular Advisor
Page 6
by Michael and Diane Porter
  Answers to questions from real people with real questions about how to choose a binocular.
Situation: I'd really like to get a Swarovski EL, a Leica Ultravid HD, or a Zeiss Victory FL, but they just cost too much money. Are there any binoculars that are close to that kind of quality, but at a lower price?
Diane's Advice: Yes. There are several terrific binoculars — some of them for under $1000 — and some of them far under $1000! These are all wonderful binoculars. Every one of them is better than anything you could have bought 20 years ago. And they're quite close to the quality of the highest priced binoculars.
Kowa Genesis
 With its 44mm objective lenses and outstanding coatings and optics, the new Kowa Genesis gives a beautiful, bright, clear image. This is a new and exciting entrant into the field of top birding binoculars.
Minox HG Rangefinders
 Lovely binoculars, a new line recently introduced. They are unique in having a focus knob that goes from close to far in less than one turn. This fact allows Minox to print a distance scale on the focus knob, so you can tell how far away is the thing you're looking at. Outstanding brightness, clarity, and color fidelity.
Pentax DCF ED
 The latest top-of-the-line binocular from Pentax combines Extra-Low-Dispersion (ED) glass elements, full reflection and phase coated prisms, hybrid aspherical lens elements, and fully-multi-coated optics. A terrific binocular at a reasonable price.
Vortex Razor
 The Razor got the highest score of all the mid-priced binoculars in Michael and Diane's survey for Birdwatcher's Digest (November, 2007 issue). Look through a Vortex Razor, and you're immersed in big, bright, clear image. A great new binocular.
Zeiss Conquest
 If this binocular were not always being compared to the top-line Zeiss Victory FL, it might get the credit that is due it. The truth is that it's one of the best binoculars you can get, at half the price of the Victory FL.
Copyright 2007 by Michael and Diane Porter.
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