For the collective wisdom of the LR
I’m looking for a fairly (<$100) inexpensive pair of binoculars. I will use them to ID backyard birds, take them to high school football games, and outdoor concerts. Anyone have advice for what power to get, and brand? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Go to Cabela’s.com and you’ll find dozens that fit your needs. They don’t sell junk.
For football games and concerts you will want something light - which typically means lower power. For football, you will want something with a wide field of view. For bird watching you will want something with a little higher power. I would go with a 7x35.
I wouldn’t get compact binoculars as the won’t be good for football or bird watching. They typically have a narrow field of view, which makes watching a football game difficult - unless you’re looking at cheerleaders.
As for brands. I’ve had good luck with Pentax binoculars. You should be able to find a brand new pair on Ebay for under $100. Nikon has some 8x40s.
Of the cheaper priced brands that you can find in stores - I would consider Simmons or Bushnell as they do sell a lot. They won’t be great, but they’ll be better than the no-name binocs you find in magazines.
Optics is an area where you usually do get what you pay for (when it comes to retail price). You won’t find a pair of new $40 binocs that come close to a pair of $1000 binocs, so don’t be fooled by anyone claiming otherwise.