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December 4, 2021
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Our Recommended Best Binoculars For Under £200 Is The Opticron 30458 Discovery WP PC Mg 8x42 Binocular!
Whether you need a pair of binoculars for birding or professional navigating, everyone needs a good quality pair of binoculars that can last them a long time and produce great optical performance.
However, excellent quality binocular models can often be sold at a high price, going up to even £1000, making it hard to find good quality budget binoculars with crisp images for a cheap price.
So to help make the search a little more simple, we have scouted some of the more affordable binoculars which still have sharp images and excellent performance and reviewed them below to find the top pair of binoculars for your use.
The Opticron Discovery binoculars feature an 8x level of magnification and a 42mm objective lens diameter.
Important specs of these roof prism binoculars are their glass lenses which are PC phase corrected prisms with full multi-coatings to help with light transmission and produce enhanced image quality, the binos also have a close focus range of 2m with a 393ft wider field of view.
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Additional features of the Opticron model is their 22mm eye relief and wide-angle eyepieces with twist-up eyecups for better comfort when viewing. The design has a wide wheel focus system with a click-stop right dioptre adjustment and is waterproof too with its rubber armour.
Total weight of the magnesium body binoculars is around 690g.
To conclude, these Opticron binoculars are super impressive for their price with excellent lens quality to produce brighter images. These binos are also one of the best when it comes to their close focus range, this can be useful for wildlife viewing too.
Downfalls of these binoculars are their eyepieces which do not stay set once adjusted, users have also said the neck strap to be poor quality and can snap easily damaging the binoculars.
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The Olympus 8x42 binocular is a mid-priced pair of binoculars that come in a Porro Prism design for great image quality.
Feature-wise, this mid-level binocular model has an 8x level of magnification and a 42mm objective lens diameter for light transmission, it's model uses multicoated lenses for a clear, brilliant and high-contrast image and has a Bak-4 prism too.
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In terms of the specs, the binoculars have a 114m field of view and an 18mm eye relief for people who wear glasses, it additionally has a close focus distance of 4m and adjustable eyepieces for comfort when viewing.
For design, the whole binocular is rubber armoured with a weight of around 780g, the central focus knob allows for easy focus adjustment too. Accessories included with the model are a neck strap, carry case and lens covers.
To conclude, this Porro Prism pair of binoculars by Olympus has an excellent retail price in comparison to other Porro Prism binoculars on the market and still maintains its good quality with its advanced lens coatings and durable rubber build.
We like these binoculars not only because of their competitive price but also they are simple to use, with a smooth focus system and comfortable grips.
Downfalls of the Olympus binos have to be the accessories included, with the carrying case reported to be of poor quality, some users have additionally said the binos to be a little too heavy which can lead to fatigue.
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The Gosky pair of binoculars features a 10x magnification level with a 42 objective lens diameter, making them suitable for sports or stargazing.
Top specs of the binos are their premium ED glass which reduces chromatic aberration and multi-coated optics with Bak-4 prism to further reduce reflection and improve image quality. The binoculars have a field of view up to 307ft and an eye relief of 13.7mm.
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In terms of design, the binos have twist-down eye cups for comfort and are waterproof as well as fog proof with rubber armour strength. They also can be paired with numerous smartphones for alignment are tripod compatible for extra stability during use too.
Accessories included with the binos are a neck strap, carry case, cleaning cloth and lens cap, the total weight of the binocular comes in around 680g.
If you are after a pair of Roof Prism binoculars that won't cost too much but give detailed images, then this Gosky model is a great choice.
For 10x maximum magnification plus phase correction coatings all for under £200 makes these binoculars great value for money, the set-up of the durable design makes focusing quick and easy too with a good grip.
Negatives of these binoculars by Gosky are the very heavy weight, the binos additionally do have some colour fringing too through the lenses.
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Gosky 10x42 Binoculars for Bird Watching Travelling Landscape Stargazing Hunting Concerts Sports and Outdoor Games (1042 ED binoculars)
These full-sized binoculars by Carson come with a 10x magnification and a 50mm objective lens size in a roof prism design.
Main specs of the binos are their BAK-4 prisms and fully multi-coated optics which produce a bright image, they have a field of vision up to 304 feet and an eye relief of 17mm with twist-down eyecups for comfort. The close focus distance is around 13ft.
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Design-wise, the Carson binos come in green colour and are tripod mountable, they have a nitrogen-purged body and O-ring seal to make them waterproof as well as fog proof. The total weight of the binoculars is around 1.8 pounds.
Extra features of the Carson binos are their accessories which include; a neck strap, hard case, lens cover and lens cloth.
Overall, these Carson 10x50mm binoculars are perfect for a binocular user who is looking to travel thanks to their durable hard design which is waterproof and fog proof, they have great specs with multicoated optics for exceptional performance and a good field of view considering their higher magnification.
Drawbacks of these binoculars by Carson have to be dioptre adjustment which was said to be a little stiff to use, some users have also said the eyecup does not hold well once set.
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Carson RD-050 10x50mm RD Series Full Sized Open-Bridge Waterproof High Definition Binoculars, green/black
If you are looking for a pair of affordable Porro Prism binoculars then these Steiner cheaper binoculars could be an excellent choice.
Feature-wise, the binos have a 10x level of magnification and a 26mm objective lens diameter, these cheap binoculars additionally use Autobright technology which adjusts the high-resolution images according to the brightness from the sun stopping reflection in the image you see.
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These binos have a 98m field of view and a close focus range of 3m, with an eye relief of 56mm making them great for glasses wearers. The model uses ergonomic fold-down eyecups for comfort when viewing and is waterproof too.
Additionally, the long-life rubber design of these binos keep a lightweight of just 310g and come with accessories including a neckstrap and carry case.
To conclude, we think these Steiner binoculars are a durable pair of binoculars to choose from with an excellent close focus range and eye relief thanks to their small objective lens, making them suitable for birding or viewing details for a far distance.
However, the binos do have their cons, for example, the lenses are said to work very badly in lowlight and users have also reported the binos to be hard to focus.
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Steiner BluHorizons 10x26 binoculars - sun protection for the eyes, compact, lightweight design - Perfect for the beach, at sea and for outdoor activities
To round up our best cheap binoculars reviews for under £200, the best pair of binoculars on our list in terms of quality and value for money is the Opticron 30458 Discovery WP PC Mg 8x42 Binocular.
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We rate these mid-priced binoculars as our top model thanks to their phase correction coatings on their lenses producing better image quality and excellent specs such as their close focus range and 22mm eye relief which allows them to be used by glasses wearers as well as people without.
As a second option, we would also suggest checking out some Porro Prisms binos, the Olympus 18793 8x42 EXPSI Binocular, this model is a high-quality affordable pair of Porro Prism binoculars that produces great high-quality optics and is durable too for long term use.
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We didn't place it as our number one because of its heavyweight which might be fatiguing to use for longer periods.
As well as finding the best cheap binoculars within your budget on your market, you also need to ensure that these binoculars have the right specs and features for your use so as they can be a good value for your money.
It's worth considering whether you want a budget Roof Prism or Porro Prism design too as each has its benefits.
We have composed a buying guide below which will cover everything from the types of binocular power you need to the specs you need to look out for in your mode, as well as some tips for using your budget binos once they arrive.
For under £200, you will likely find either cheap binoculars with a 10x magnification or an 8x magnification, binoculars with higher magnification need better quality lenses so will often be more expensive binoculars.
So what do you need? 8x magnification or 10x? Well, this all comes down to what you will be using your pair of binoculars for.
For example, if you plan to use your budget binos for hunting or birdwatching, then you might want to stick with 8x binoculars as they tend to have a wider field of view and are slightly lighter, this FOV for bird watching allows you to track animals while being zoomed in and also hold the binos for longer periods without fatigue.
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However, for 10x binos they give a better image quality and allow you to see subjects from a further distance, so are a great option for birdwatching but also the sport as well as basic star gazing.
We would suggest choosing 8x binos if you want a field of view as well as magnification and 10x models if you need more detail from objects which are further away.
Binoculars are full of different specs and features which can be a little overwhelming if you buying a budget pair of binos for the first time.
We have highlighted the most important feature to consider in your new binos below.
If it is your first time buying a pair of budget binoculars, then you might not know how to use them correctly, so we've composed a small guide below that will give you our top tips for using your binoculars for the first time.
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Should I get Roof Prism or Porro Prism binoculars?
It is hard to find Porro Prism binos on a budget, but if you can then they do often house higher quality lenses, but might weigh more as they are more traditional, roof prism models are best if you are on a budget and want a compact design.
Do I need to clean my binoculars?
Occasionally you will need to clean your binos when they get dirty, this should be done with a proper lens cleaning solution and a microfibre cloth.
Is eye relief important on binoculars?
Yes, longer eye relief is very important on binoculars if you want to use your binos comfortably with glasses, this should always be over 11mm.
What magnification should my binoculars be for bird watching?
For bird watching a magnification of either 8x or 10x is more than enough, anymore then you will have the difficulty of image steadiness.
Is close focus distance on binoculars important?
Close focus is very important when you want to look at images that are closer in high detail, it is essential in wildlife viewing as you never know if an animal will get close-up. Binos with a longer close focus range will not be able to view in focus when subjects get closer.
Can I see the stars with 10x binoculars?
With most 10x binos you will be able to see the stars, 10x50 binos tend to be the best for this as the larger objective lens helps with low light.
Our number one pair of binoculars for under £200 is the Opticron 30458 Discovery WP PC Mg 8x42 Binocular thanks to its excellent close focus range, generous eye relief and durable build, it also has a great FOV and magnification, making it a good all-rounder binocular.
We also suggested checking out the Olympus 18793 8x42 EXPSI Binocular due to its high-quality Porro Prism design and coated optics that produce a greater image quality, the binos have an excellent close focus and eye relief specs too.
Born and raised in the south coast of UK, a small town close to Cornwall, I have adventure in my blood. Ever since a young age, I have always been into the great outdoors and particularly love watching the natural wildlife. Birdwatching is what I enjoy the most, and thus my natural interest in binoculars began. I founded and run Best-Binoculars.UK a site where I talk about various aspects of and review binoculars. Hope you enjoy my ramblings :)
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