Modern and stabilized vs traditional binoculars

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WATERPROOF: Urberg 10x50WP is waterproof and costs only NOK 1039 at Outnorth.no

A lot has happened in the world of optics in recent years, and this summer we got to test whether this gives results in practice. The binoculars we had from before, an older, Russian 8×30, i.e. binoculars with 8x magnification and 30 millimeter light opening, were compared to the last scream: A Breitler Stabino 16×42 with electronic stabilization. With a price tag of NOK 14,800, we knew that the new binoculars would impress, but the goal was not to evaluate the model in isolation, but rather to look more holistically at how having good binoculars on board changes the boat trip.

The binoculars were compared on a number of trips this summer, both by sailing and motor boat, in sun and rain, in high and low wind. Along the way, the crew, which varied from trip to trip, got to try both binoculars and share their views as supplements to my own observations.

COMPARED: This summer we went on a trip with a stabilized 16×42 binocular from Stabino, and tested it against an older 8×30 we had in the boat from before.

Brother Sonne

MODERN: The Breitler Stabino 16x42 is undoubtedly a raw binocular, but with a price tag of almost 15 thousand it should be. — MODERN: The Breitler Stabino 16×42 is undoubtedly a raw pair of binoculars, but with a price tag of almost 15 thousand, it almost should be. The binoculars are stabilized electronically, but will also function as normal binoculars if the batteries run out.

TRADITIONAL: The old binoculars are a Russian copy of the Swarovski Habicht 8x30, which has been in continuous production since 1949. Despite their traditional exterior, the newer Habicht binoculars have a completely different interior than the one pictured. Among other things, they are filled with nitrogen. — TRADITIONAL: The old binoculars are a Russian copy of the Swarovski Habicht 8×30, which has been in continuous production since 1949. Despite their traditional exterior, the newer Habicht binoculars have a completely different interior than the one pictured. Among other things, they are filled with nitrogen.

The bird watcher’s verdict

The most important contributor was Øyvind Brådalen, who from childhood has been interested in wildlife and photography, two activities in which optics play a central role. He has followed the development, and through the test it became clear that the optics we have at our disposal today are something completely different from what Brådalen has been used to over the years. The binoculars have become lighter, but are still more robust, they have more magnification, but are also brighter. Contradictions that testify to technological progress:

– It is very light, especially for being 16x. And the fact that it is also so bright is astonishing. As a bird watcher, you often have to get up early in the morning, when there is little light. Before, it required you to lug around a huge chunk of glass to be able to see anything at all. That one, he says and points to the old binoculars, – it’s useless as soon as it gets a little dark. While this new one is almost starting to compete with telescopes.

GOOD ERGONOMICS: The old-fashioned binoculars sit much better in the hand, which makes them easier to use at sea.

WORSE ERGONOMICS: Breitler's design makes it compact, but it comes at the expense of ergonomics. However, electronic stabilization makes up for this. The classic binoculars are better in the hand. — WORSE ERGONOMICS: Breitler’s design makes it compact, but it comes at the expense of ergonomics. However, electronic stabilization makes up for this. The classic binoculars are better in the hand.

Works without electricity

Nevertheless, Brådalen sees some uncertainties related to the new binoculars:

– I wonder how close it is to dust and condensation. Furthermore, I thought eyecups should have been attached to the binoculars. The battery should also last a long time – and then there’s the price…

A good stabilized binocular

ALMOST SIMILAR: APEX Steady 14X42 Nocolour has a similar design and many of the same functions we tested. The price is NOK 12,749.

COMPARABLE: APEX Steady 14X42 Nocolour has a fairly similar design and many of the same functions as the one we tested. The price is NOK 12,749 at Outnorth.no

For boat use, where you should have extra batteries on board anyway, the battery life seems to be adequate. The binoculars use one AA battery, and retailer Teno Astro writes on their website that the binoculars have a “maximum usage time – battery” of 30 hours. The batteries are only used to power the stabilization, which happens via a two-axis wobble bar, also called a “gimbal”. With a flat battery, it will work fine as binoculars without stabilization.

When you are used to old-fashioned “stabilisation”, where arms and legs do the work, it was at first a bit unusual to use binoculars with stabilisation. I had to change the technique, but after doing so a new world of possibilities opened up.

Changed usage pattern

The old binoculars were more or less considered a piece of safety equipment, ready for use in special situations, but usually well hidden in the bottom of the boat. The new binoculars, on the other hand, were tempting to use, and they therefore became an integral part of the trip. An example is when we were going into the tiny harbor on Rambergholmen outside Tofte. From a distance and against the sun, it looked like the wharf was packed, and in light wind and with a somewhat poor engine, we didn’t want to enter dirty waters without being sure of getting a place. With the old binoculars the wharf looked like a green blob, but with the new one we could clearly see that there was room. It gave us the security we needed to call at port.

16x42: The field of vision with the Breitler Stabino 16x42. Binoculars with this much magnification almost require stabilization to function, at least on a boat. — 16×42: The field of vision with the Breitler Stabino 16×42. Binoculars with this much magnification almost require stabilization to function, at least on a boat.

8x30: The field of vision with the old binoculars. Besides having half the magnification of the Breitler, the sharpness, brightness and color reproduction were markedly worse. — 8×30: The field of vision with the old binoculars. Besides having half the magnification of the Breitler, the sharpness, brightness and color reproduction were markedly worse.

The binoculars also added a new dimension to the trip in terms of entertainment. It was fun to study the landscape and the boats we glided past. What would normally have been a transport leg into the Oslo Fjord was suddenly turned into a trip filled with discoveries in an otherwise familiar landscape.

Affordable and waterproof binoculars

GOOD, BUT NOT TOO EXPENSIVE: H2O 10x 42 Roof is waterproof binoculars from Bushnell with a secure grip. The price is NOK 2998 and it is available at Outnorth.no

GOOD, BUT NOT TOO EXPENSIVE:H₂The O 10x 42 Roof is waterproof binoculars from Bushnell with a secure grip. The price is NOK 2998 and it is available at Outnorth.no

Good experience, but it costs

Having such good binoculars can thus be said to be a joy apart from the utility factor, but with that we return to the starting point: Is the experience worth the price? The answer is of course yes, but it seems to us that it is not necessary to spend almost NOK 15,000. Also a slightly more affordable, but still modern model, will be a good investment. After testing the two binoculars against each other and researching the market online, it seems that a handful of thousand will get you a bright and light, stabilized binocular that you can have for many years. Binoculars you actually want to use, and which make every trip a little safer, and a little more fun.

In any case, upgrading to a newer pair of binoculars makes sense. Today, you can get really good binoculars at prices that would have been unheard of a few decades ago.

*Båtmagasinet points out that Øyvind Brådalen is the journalist’s father.

The article is in Norwegian

Tags: Modern stabilized traditional binoculars