What is a good price for top-notch binoculars?

[Skeeter]

I was looking at some online that were in the $400-500 range. Is this overkill at that point or is there major benefit to going this high on the quality scale.

These are ones I was looking at:


https://www.mightyscopes.com/produc...=32577308940&gclid=CNGv7NXwwNICFda4wAodt90AIg

 

[DrHenley]

Top Notch Binoculars and Top Notch Night Vision Optics are two entirely different things. Which are you asking about, because the link is to LOW end 1st generation night vision binoculars.

$400-$500 will get you fairly good quality binoculars (not quite top notch but close), but for top notch (4th generation) night vision binoculars, you are looking at 8-9 grand.

Also, you need to specify what power, prism arrangement and objective lens diameter you want. Do you want 8x40 compact roof prisms, or 10x50 full sized porro prism binoculars?

 

[Skeeter]

Top Notch Binoculars and Top Notch Night Vision Optics are two entirely different things. Which are you asking about, because the link is to LOW end 1st generation night vision binoculars.

$400-$500 will get you fairly good quality binoculars (not quite top notch but close), but for top notch (4th generation) night vision binoculars, you are looking at 8-9 grand.

Also, you need to specify what power, prism arrangement and objective lens diameter you want. Do you want 8x40 compact roof prisms, or 10x50 full sized porro prism binoculars?

Oh shit, $8,000 is definitely out of my price range. Ideally I would get night vision binoculars. But I'd just as soon get a pair of top notch binoculars instead of some lower end night-vision binoculars.

 

[DrHenley]

GOOD quality binoculars gather a good bit of light, and you can see things in them when it's way to dark to see with the naked eye. I have Leupold 8x40 binoculars that I use deer hunting, and I am able to see fairly well 30 minutes after sundown (end of legal shooting time). In fact, this past deer season, a big 10 point came out right at 30 minutes past sundown on an overcast day, and it was pretty dark. I couldn't count points but I could see the antlers well enough to know that it was a shooter. I had a quality scope too, and was able to make a good shot. The buck was only 30 yards away, but with the naked eye it was just a blur.

The best binoculars for gathering light at dusk and by starlight will be 7x50 porro prism (regular) binoculars, but they are fairly bulky.