Starter binos for close bush

Hey guys,

Looking for advice on some compact starter binos for some relatively short range bush hunting.
My boy and I just got some access through a friend to some private bush in north Auckland.. you can see just over 100m in patches. A little further along the track sometimes.
I have been looking around and from what I’ve seen, people seem to recommend things like the Leupold BX-1 Rogue 8x25 for this type of area.
These seem pretty cheap and readily available but want to know if you guys have any advice for us?
TIA.

8x Magnification will be ok. But I‘d rather look for a 8x32. They are still compact and not heavy but give you more light in the bush.
Or even better a 7x42.

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Originally Posted by littlemorepork

8x Magnification will be ok. But I‘d rather look for a 8x32. They are still compact and not heavy but give you more light in the bush.
Or even better a 7x42.

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Something more like this?
https://www.jacobsdigital.co.nz/prod...BoCtVIQAvD_BwE

I can’t recomend any binos in that price range because I have no experience with them. In doubt I would rather go second hand. you usually get more quality for the same sort of money. Cheap optics mostly fail in low light conditions and that‘s where you need them the most.

Would you recommend just taking the plunge into a higher price point then?

As per above, 7-8 power and bigger lenses the better. Hunting in bush you are trying to discern dark from dark so better quality is better. If you go too cheap, the binos are just extra weight.

I have a pair of Leica 10x25s and a pair of Leupold BX2 cascades 8x42.

The leupolds are nice to use and I would recommend them as one option if thats in your price range.

Close range a 6 power is sufficient. Need lots of field of view.

Leupold 6x30 BX-1 Yosemite Binoculars are light, good quality and fairly low price: wide field of view, comfortable to look through and light weight (also youth friendly in terms of face fit).

+1, Kowa do the same and would probably be my preference.

Whatever you get, look overseas, amazon ships to nz again and binos are waaay cheaper there than with the folk that rip us off here...

I’ve got an older pair of Zeiss Terra in 8x32 that are nice & compact for stumbling round in the bush. The optical performance is not too shabby either, but don’t expect it to perform like top end euro glass. I picked them up 2nd hand for $350.

I'd look for something under 8x for bush hunting.

I have a pair of Kowa 6.5x32 BDIIs and they are excellent binos. Super wide FOV and 6.5x is more than enough for spotting animals even at a few hundred meters.

They are great for bird watching, about 1000x better than 10x binos for close range hunting/spotting.

I spend most of my time bush shooting on a weekly basis. 8x25’s are plenty for this caper, compact and not a pain in the arse to carry. 6 power are even better with a wider field of view. You only need to be able to identify what you’re looking at, not whether the animal’s brushed it’s hair this morning or whatever.

Leupold 6x30 are great, used to be USD $100 off several US on line stores.

I'm using stiener safaris. Seem pretty good to me. Send me a pm If your near me and you can have a look at them If you want.

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Originally Posted by blip

I'm using stiener safaris. Seem pretty good to me. Send me a pm If your near me and you can have a look at them If you want.

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Same,only issue I have with them is the rubber eye cup things come off sometimes in the Bino bivvy.good glass and enough for most hunting situations.mine are 8x

Applying a restriction on weight will limit the overall size and so the objective diameter. Hunting the bush is different from glassing on the tops or the stationary viewing of slips in that the optics are raised to and then lowered from the eyes repeatedly between taking a few paces forward to open up new viewing avenues. It isn't just the raising and lifting. The rotational inertia of heavier binoculars also over time fatigues the wrists. 500grams seems a good upper limit and this unfortunately then excludes 42mm objectives.
FOV is the next priority with the ability to quickly sweep a 180° window out to say 40 metres. As long as the resolution provides a high confidence that a part of a deer that is in view will be identified as such, then that is sufficient. Personally I'd exclude products with an angular FOV much less than 8°. Only a few 8x 30-32mm are engineered in this way. 6.5x or 7x to get a wider FOV is not really a compromise unless a single pair must serve other functions during a hunt.

Like most topics, this has been covered before. Try here for example:
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....27/index3.html

To the OP: as a general rule the folk who have the most to offer on a particular topic will respond to requests maybe once or twice, and then not bother. If your preference is to set up a new request rather than trawling through past threads, then be aware that the overall quality of responses may well decline from what it might have been in the past.
As has been noted elsewhere, the Forum search function isn't the best. Try using Google instead with "nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz" in the search bar and then add additional key phrases — that should get you quickly to the threads you are looking for.

Google 'exit pupil' before you decide on a magnification. In low light a 6x36 would be brighter than it would be from a 10x50, glass being equal, due to the exit pupil being larger, and approaching the max the eye can use.

My 10x42 Vortex diamondbacks have been fine for bush hunting, but if i had to do it again I'd go for the 8x42 for better brightness.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Thanks guys! Loads of info, thanks Will look over all of this. @blip I appreciate that mate! We are on the shore, not too far. Will PM you soon. We go to north akl nzda whenever we are free, and the private land we get to go to isn’t far from you. Keen to catch up and learn from you any time.

no worries I work in albany so even after work a if you wanted to have a look