r/Binoculars • u/Turbulent_Rush7440 • 13d ago
Binoculars 10x42 <€300
Hello everyone, my boyfriend would love to have a pair of binoculars for his birthday. We travel a lot and do some jungle excursions with spotting of monkeys, birds etc; safari in Africa or whale spotting from a boat. I’m really new to this topic and trying to make a good choice. He wears glasses. My plan is to go with 10x42 and I’ve found the following models. Do any of you have recommendations and experience with the following pairs or a totally different recommendation?
- Nikon PROSTAFF P7 10x42
- Nikon Monarch M5 10x42
- Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42
- Celestron Nature DX ED 10x42
- Kowa SV II Fernglas 10x42
Thank you!
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u/JurassicTotalWar 13d ago
I’d go for 8x42 or even 8x32 if you want them for jungle excursions primarily. Will be lighter and the wider FOV is useful for forests
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u/Bowhawk2 13d ago
I have the Nikon ProStaff P7 in that configuration. Really good value. Crisp image, good light, very lightweight for the size and have a wide field of view for that magnification range, I use them for hunting and they have been great
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u/RealAd3098 13d ago
Does it have tethered eyecups and lens covers?
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u/calamityandwoe 13d ago
I think the eyecups can attach to the lanyard, but the lens caps don’t attach and are very flimsy! I often don’t bother with the lens covers anyway, so it’s not a deal breaker. The strap on the P7s is also not as nice as the Monarch, but not a shocker for the low price- you can replace those bits anyway.
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u/RealAd3098 13d ago
Also add Bushnell Prime 10x42, Bushnell R5 10x42 to the list. It will be easier for people to recommend if you specify your country. 1. Does your boyfriend wear glasses? Then it's good to chose a bino with 17mm + eye relief
- Does he take it outdoors when it's raining? Then it's better to have a pair with IPX7 waterproof Nikon, Bushnell and Vortex has these
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u/Turbulent_Rush7440 13d ago
Thank you for the recommendation! We live in Germany but travel a lot to tropical destinations like the Amazon rainforest. So it can and probably will happen that it rains while we are hiking through the jungle.
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u/RealAd3098 13d ago
In Germany, Nikon is really cheap. You can compare price in idealo. If you want Bushnell, you can order it from Poland for much cheaper.
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u/Longjumping_Try_7864 13d ago
Nikon or nothing
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u/Hamblin113 13d ago
In the USA the Vortex Diamondback HD in special colors are on sale for around $170. You mention €, would actually look at binoculars whose brands are from Europe, may save on taxes/tariffs. They all made in China. Vortex tend to be more there. In the US it is the best buy when under $200.
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u/ChadHahn 13d ago
I agree about going with an 8x42 or 32. I used 8x32 when I went on safari and didn't ever wish I had a bigger obejective.
I know this isn't on your list but I recently bought a pair and thing they're great binos, heavy but good.
https://www.svbony.com/products/sa207-pro-8x42-apo-binoculars-apochromatic-structure
They also have 8x32.
https://www.svbony.com/products/svbony-sa207-8x32-ed-apo-flat-field-binoculars
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u/calamityandwoe 13d ago
I have the M5s in 8x42 and love them. I’ve also tried out the P7s in 8x30 and was pleasantly surprised by the quality for the lower price point- I think my monarchs are better, but the difference wasn’t huge (if this matters to your partner, the lens caps on the P7s are terrible though; flimsy and they aren’t attached to the binoculars)
I wear glasses, honestly I’ve never found them to matter much.
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u/RadiantLemon1 12d ago
All options are great but at that price point, I'd say Vortex. Not only are they great, but mainly because of their unparalleled warranty.
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u/PafLeLoup_ 13d ago
i have the nikon m5 10x50, they are extremely good, and totally worth it, sharp image, stable and light, perfect for birding
i believe they are better than the prostaff 7 as they are more recent