How many of y'all use fix focused bino's

Jeff in TX

Curious on how many of y'all use fixed focused binoculars? I have three pairs, two pairs of Zeiss and a pair of Minox. I prefer them over manually focused bino's. Don't see many folks using them.

Zee

I use it in the Steiner flavor.

jaywapti

Only kind I ever used are manual focus.

JAY

Sarge

I'm with Jay, only kind I use are manual.

Fisheadgib

I have a pair of Steiner 8x30's that are my most favorite bino's ever.

Six-Gun

I have only ever owned manual focus binos.

snake284

Six-Gun wrote: »

I have only ever owned manual focus binos.

OK, I'll bite... and say I didn't even know they made 'em Fixed focus.

Jeff in TX

snake284 wrote: »

OK, I'll bite... and say I didn't even know they made 'em Fixed focus.

Fixed focused binoculars are designed to have a fixed focus range usually around 20 yards to infinity. You focus each eye piece individually to where they're in focus and your done. I first saw them in the early 80's when my buddy picked up the Zeiss 8X30 BGA. Bar none the best bino's I'd had ever seen or owned. A few years later I picked up the same one for myself. After the Berlin wall came down, some of the east German Zeiss Jena bino's hit the market. I picked the Zeiss 7X40EDF fixed focused bino's. These were built and designed for the east German border guards. A bit on the bulky side with all the rubber armor but like any Zeiss bino's incredible optics and built to be run over by a tank.

I haven't used manual focus bino's in over 30+ years. When I got the bino straps that crossed in the back and allowed the bino's to rest on my chest, the bulky EDF's became a none issue.

Fisheadgib

I'm sure that the fixed focus system would only work with a higher quality optic as the lower end stuff usually has a shallow depth of field to begin with and probably couldn't stay focused from 20yds to infinity. Being able to scan through woods at varying distances and instantly being able to see things in focus without having to make any adjustments is absolutely worth a few extra bucks.

snake284

Fisheadgib wrote: »

I'm sure that the fixed focus system would only work with a higher quality optic as the lower end stuff usually has a shallow depth of field to begin with and probably couldn't stay focused from 20yds to infinity. Being able to scan through woods at varying distances and instantly being able to see things in focus without having to make any adjustments is absolutely worth a few extra bucks.

Oh yeah, I agree 100%. I only said I didn't know they made 'em. I wouldn't mind trying some. I like the idea of not having to focus. AND, I've been using Rifle Scopes that are always in focus all my life.

Jeff in TX

snake284 wrote: »

Oh yeah, I agree 100%. I only said I didn't know they made 'em. I wouldn't mind trying some. I like the idea of not having to focus. AND, I've been using Rifle Scopes that are always in focus all my life.

I've got a pair on Minox that hardly anyone used at the ranch. If your interested and want to try them out, send me an email!

Jeff in TX

Fisheadgib wrote: »

I'm sure that the fixed focus system would only work with a higher quality optic as the lower end stuff usually has a shallow depth of field to begin with and probably couldn't stay focused from 20yds to infinity. Being able to scan through woods at varying distances and instantly being able to see things in focus without having to make any adjustments is absolutely worth a few extra bucks.

You may be right in regards to the lower end optics. Having said that I have a pair of Minox fixed focused though I'm not sure which model or power. I think they're 8X40, I purchased these 10 years or so ago for the boys to use. For hunting and sports games these are great bino's and the price point was around $300 if I remember correctly, which was around a 1/3 the cost of the Zeiss

By the way the Steiner 8x30 auto focus as they call it are right at $300.00. I've heard a lot of positive things on the Steiner fix focus bino's!

However, when you put them next to my two pairs of Zeiss binos there's really no comparison. The Zeiss optics are night and day different. The Minox are bright and clear, but don't offer the near the same color/clarity and light transmission of the Zeiss. Also, as you look towards the edges you'll see some dispersion on the Minox. The Zeiss are crisp edge to edge. Interestingly enough the 7X40 EDF have a slight green tint by design when viewing through them. Hard to explain but it really helps to see into shadows better. I read many years back why they were designed that way but I've totally forgotten.

If you've never tried them and you get a chance, there's no going back to manual focus.