Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 14:41:13 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Laura Kammermeier Subject: Re: Binoculars critique In-Reply-To: <002501c1ecbe$b6a9b080$49885b41@carmen> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT In case this hasn't been mentioned already, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology does a periodic review of binoculars. All the birding hot shots there (and even some new birders) test and test and test the binos and compare a variety of features. The most recent review was published in the Living Bird quarterly, a members-only magazine. You can find the article on the web at http://birds.cornell.edu/publications/livingbird/spring99/binos.html Last fall the same group did a scope review. I haven't seen it published yet, but I did find an older review from 1998. Here it is: http://birds.cornell.edu/publications/livingbird/winter98/ScopesWI98.htm I used the bino review before I bought my first "real" pair of binos and it was real helpful in discussing the technical and even non-technical stuff I needed to know. In the end, I went with Nikon Superior E's and I love them. THey were "only" about $500-$600 and you get great clarity and brightness and a very comfortable fit ( I can "only" say "only $500" because I used to work at the Lab and most of the hard-core birders around me were spending $1,200!). Another advantage to the Superior E's is that it has a short close focus range--- making feeder-watching at the window real nice. The close focus came in handy last weekend at the Great Falls National HIstoric Park where I went to see the Bald Eagles. One eagle was seen at a great distance but me and my kids nearly stepped on a 5 ft black rat snake right on the path. It slithered up a tree where we watched it for a while. Today I observed a Red-headed Woodpecker in the private waters surrounding the east side of Black Hills Regional Park (the location of these woodpeckers is published in the Mont. County birding guide..so nothing new but I sure did enjoy seeing one again). Laura Kammermeier fairly new resident of Germantown, MD, next to Black HIlls REgional park. Montgomery County >Hello Everyone, One of the better articles I have seen on comparing >binoculars appears in the May 2002 issue of Consumers Report. >Thought it maybe of some interest if anyone is considering buying a >1st pair or new pair. I thought the comments about mail >order/computer ordering were interesting and helpful. Good Birding, >Marty Cribb, Point Lookout, St Mary's Co, Md > >======================================================================= >To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com >with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey >======================================================================= -- Laura Kammermeier Germantown, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================