Re: [MDOsprey] fwd: assistance with new bins

Anthony G. Futcher (tfutcher@cuc.edu)
Mon, 07 Jun 1999 17:06:35 -0400


Hi Andy,

I have used a pair of Swift 8.5X 44 Audubons since 1966. They have been
excellent. They are a little heavy, but well balanced. The newer ones have a
plastic-like body and are much lighter. My wife has a pair of those.

So what is the negative - Ah! It is creeping up on me! Now that I really can
not see well without my spectacles, I find they do very poorly while wearing
spectacles. They have a very short eye relief distance - I think it's
something like 12 mm, and 19 mm is needed for satisfactory use with glasses.
I was just to my ophthalmologist, and he confirms that contacts with my
combination of astigmatism and need for bifocals just aren't likely to be
satisfactory. Possible, expensive, and hard to get used to is the way he
describes it. Thus it is likely cheaper and easier to buy a new pair of
binoculars with the necessity eye relief. So I'm looking too.

BUT, if eyeglasses are not your concern, then I wholeheartedly recommend the
Swift Audubon 8.5X 44 binoculars. They have served me well here and on
foreign trips.

If I can shed any more light, just send me a message.

Best wishes for good clear-sighted birding,

Tony Futcher

--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anthony G. (Tony) Futcher, Ph.D.              e-mail: tfutcher@cuc.edu
Director of Records, Columbia Union College   fax     : 301-891-4121
Takoma Park, MD 20912                         office  : 301-891-4119
-----------------------------------------------------------------------