Vanguard 8x42 ED binoculars?

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Box Brownie

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I have been looking into getting new binoculars and many links lead me to Nikon Monarch 7 but I have seen reference to the Vanguard Endeavour 8x42 ED model......it seems to be well regarded.
NB I briefly used another photographers Swarovski 8.5x42 and really appreciated the clarity and handling........but oh the price :(

Hence to more budget worthy choices...... personally I liked the design of the Swarovski with it's split hinge and the eye relief was excellent.
The Vanguard has the split hinge and it's eye relief of 20mm IIRC should be great for me as I wear glasses.

So, has anyone at TP got Vanguards and how have you gotten on with them???

TIA:)
 
Not tried the vanguard after being rather disappointed with the I.q of one of there expensive scopes , but I have a pair of opticron 8x 42 ones and there excellent I wear specs to
 
Dunno if these are in the same league as what you are looking at but, I have a pair of Celestron Trailseeker 8x42 phase coated, very bright and clear. Worth checking out the Celestron brand I think.
 
My wife and I both use the Vanguard Endeavour 8x42 ef bino's and, for the price, we (and others who have tried them) think they are excellent.

They seem robust as well, we've had them ~10 years and they have survived many trips to Africa and S. America unscathed.
 
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As with photography equipment I suggest you try before you buy. Dealers/manufacturers usually have several options to try. RSBP sites often have a good selection.
 
As suggested binoculars are a very personal choice as everyone's eyes and face shape are different and you really need to try a few pairs.
Where are you located in the country as there may be an optical dealer not that far from you

I currently have a pair of Opticron 10x32 which work for my needs as they are lighter but still give a decent view for when I take the camera as well. I've previously owned Hawke 8x42 which I thought were decent and tend to get good reviews.

I think the reviews from this dealer are reasonably balanced if you are looking for other brands to try https://www.feathersoptics.co.uk/blogs/reviews
 
the black fox said:
Not tried the vanguard after being rather disappointed with the I.q of one of there expensive scopes , but I have a pair of opticron 8x 42 ones and there excellent I wear specs to
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Currently I still have Pentax 8x24 UFC binos but I have always suffered in using them in getting the IPD right and that they have very low eye relief disance.

I bought my OH some Opticron and I could not get on them thought she manages OK. However & FWIW I recall we had an issue of the with the fitting with the right hand eyepiece.

So, maybe there are copy to copy variations with all makes and models???
ajophotog said:
Dunno if these are in the same league as what you are looking at but, I have a pair of Celestron Trailseeker 8x42 phase coated, very bright and clear. Worth checking out the Celestron brand I think.
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whyone said:
My wife and I both use the Vanguard Endeavour 8x42 ef bino's and, for the price, we (and others who have tried them) think they are excellent.

They seem robust as well, we've had them ~10 years and they have survived many trips to Africa and S. America unscathed.
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Thanks for the make & user insights.
Brentor said:
As with photography equipment I suggest you try before you buy. Dealers/manufacturers usually have several options to try. RSBP sites often have a good selection.
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Yes, in general agreed but not all reachable shops stock the makes & models one might wish to try :(
taxboy said:
As suggested binoculars are a very personal choice as everyone's eyes and face shape are different and you really need to try a few pairs.
Where are you located in the country as there may be an optical dealer not that far from you

I currently have a pair of Opticron 10x32 which work for my needs as they are lighter but still give a decent view for when I take the camera as well. I've previously owned Hawke 8x42 which I thought were decent and tend to get good reviews.

I think the reviews from this dealer are reasonably balanced if you are looking for other brands to try https://www.feathersoptics.co.uk/blogs/reviews
Click to expand...
Yes, and as mentioned in my OP the same design style of another brand showed me that the handling was good.

As for source, I ma inclined to but from Amazon as their returns policy is very good.
 
I'm a fan of Hawke bins. Waterproof and a long warranty (10 years IIRC). LCE (among others ) are stockists.
 
The Vanguard get good reviews, some of which suggest they compare well with Zeiss Conquest HD (upper-mid tier). Other reviews suggest they compete well with top-tier offering from Zeiss and Swarovski. So, definitely worthy of a try out.

For the last 15-years or so, I’ve had a pair of Swarovski 8.5x42 EL SV and my wife a pair of Swarovski 8x42 SLC HD and these are excellent. They have performed in a wide range of habitats, lighting conditions and have been a real joy to use. One feature not often considered, that was important for us was minimum focusing distance (less than 3-metres) for observing butterflies, lizards, frogs and so on.

A couple of years ago we wanted an inexpensive pair to keep in the car and settled on a pair of Opticron 8x42 Explorer WA ED-R. Very pleased with these, excellent value to performance ratio. Didn’t know about the Vanguard Endeavour series, but based in the reviews would have tried some for sure.
 
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Celestron granite are absolutely fantastic , Put them up to your eyes and WOW , The clarity
and brightness is amazing , Highly recommended.
 
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