# Binoculars, why so cheap? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 11, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015 "2007-11-11T13:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/1 "2007-11-11T13:54:28Z")
I just purchased a pair of German made precision binocs that magnify to x30. They cost me £9.99 and came complete with carry case with belt loop and neck strap, tripod,cleaning cloths and lens caps. Why were they so cheap? I just cannot fathom it because they are damn fine binocs ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/2 "2007-11-11T14:16:56Z")
Is that a legitimate question, or are you just wanting to brag a little? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/3 "2007-11-11T14:17:53Z")
Dude you’re in Manchester. Your supplier probably had a five fingered discount. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/4 "2007-11-11T16:25:44Z")
[QUOTE=Tully Mars] Is that a legitimate question, or are you just wanting to brag a little? 🙂 [/QUOTE] Not bragging at all, just amazed at how cheap they were…no they were not nicked. This is Manchester not Liverpool 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/5 "2007-11-11T16:52:19Z")
When was the last time you bought precision optics? Or are you noting exceptional low price in current purchase? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/6 "2007-11-11T16:57:15Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] I just purchased a pair of German made precision binocs that magnify to x30. [/quote] Something like this? [http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=20&ProdID=146](http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=20&ProdID=146) > [@](#): > > Why were they so cheap? I just cannot fathom it because they are damn fine binocs They’re cheap because a.) I’m assuming they’re porro prism glasses, which are always more bulky but cheaper than comparable roof prism glasses ( the long skinny ones ) and b.) because, well, they are made from cheaper materials ;). Less refined optical glass, less robust body, less fancy lens coatings, etc. Presumably they well perform less well than comparable models by Zeiss, Leica or Swarovski. More distortion, more optical color fringing, less refined controls, heavier, not “fog proof”, etc. But if they’re good enough for your uses, then you got a great deal :). Binoculars range from ~$20 to many thousands and the range is there for a reason - not everybody _needs_ a $2000 pair of glasses. I’ve got what you might call a semi-fancy pair of bird-watching binoculars - Swift Audobon EDs. They retail for around ~$350 American and at the time I bought them were considered sort of “entry-level elite” birdwatching glasses ( i.e. the cheapest “good” glasses, as opposed to a comparable $1500 pair of Swarovskis ). I’ve also got a pair of lower-rung Nikons that cost maybe ~$80 American. The difference between the two is real, especially in higher glare/contrast situations. But the difference usually isn’t _profound_. It’s more a matter of degree, like progressively fancier stereo speakers. You can often get by fine with the cheaper ones. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/7 "2007-11-11T17:21:19Z")
Exactly like them apart from the brand name. I also have a pair of bird watching binocs, much smaller and lighter. I just couldn’t resist buying the recent ones because of the price ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/8 "2007-11-11T17:43:11Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] I just purchased a pair of German made precision binocs that magnify to x30. They cost me £9.99 and came complete with carry case with belt loop and neck strap, tripod,cleaning cloths and lens caps. Why were they so cheap? I just cannot fathom it because they are damn fine binocs [/QUOTE] I would guess it’s because a. The components of a binocular lend themselves well to mass production. b. The materials for average quality optics are pretty cheap – glass, metal, and plastic. c. They were manufactured and assembled in a country where the daily wage wouldn’t buy you a Big Mac. What you get for more money with optics is better glass with more exotic materials, better anti-reflective coatings, and lots better quality control in the manufacturing and assembly. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/9 "2007-11-11T17:46:05Z")
They were made in Germany !! Dunno what the wages are in jolly old Deutschland but I’m guessing more than enough for a big mac AND fries. Forgot to mention they carry a 3 year guarantee ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/10 "2007-11-11T21:34:49Z")
Jeez, this reminds me, I haven’t had a look through binocs since I’ve had cataract surgery. My uncorrected vision, even before the cataracts appeared, was around 20/300, and I couln’t take my glasses off to use binocs. Now my uncorrected vision is about 20/30, so the world should look quite a bit better through them – and without glasses. I think. Whoo hoo. I have to go digging into a closet and get my old pair. ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/11 "2007-11-12T00:36:20Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] This is Manchester not Liverpool 😛 [/QUOTE] > [@Jimmy Carr](#): > > It’s a peculiarity of the United Kingdom that people from Manchester think that people from Liverpool are a bunch of cunts. > And conversely people from Liverpool think that people from Manchester are a bunch of cunts. > When will they realise… ? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/12 "2007-11-12T01:09:32Z")
[QUOTE=Tamerlane] They’re cheap because a.) I’m assuming they’re porro prism glasses… [/QUOTE] heh heh… hehehe You said “porro”; means “joint” (the smoking kind) in Spanish. I bet you can see some really funk stuff through your porro prisms. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/13 "2007-11-12T01:47:06Z")
What objective size? That counts for a lot more than the eyepiece magnification. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/14 "2007-11-12T01:48:06Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] heh heh… hehehe You said “porro”; means “joint” (the smoking kind) in Spanish. I bet you can see some really funk stuff through your porro prisms. 😃 [/QUOTE] 🙂 > **[Ignazio Porro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignazio_Porro)** > > Ignazio Porro (25 November 1801 – 8 October 1875) was an Italian inventor of optical instruments. Porro's name is most closely associated with the prism system which he invented around 1850 and which is used in the construction of Porro prism binoculars. He also developed a strip camera in 1853 for mapping, which was one of the earliest such. This article about an Italian engineer, inventor or industrial designer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/15 "2007-11-12T02:02:28Z")
[QUOTE=Lumpy] What objective size? That counts for a lot more than the eyepiece magnification. [/QUOTE] Absolutely true, magnification means very little in quality binocs. The ability to gather light is much more important, and most cheap models are pretty poor at that. [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/LivingBird/Winter2005/Age\_Binos.html](http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/LivingBird/Winter2005/Age_Binos.html) Also, 30x must be very difficult to hold steady when looking at anything distant. With that magnification you’d probably want a tripod or stand of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/16 "2007-11-12T02:23:01Z")
What brand name? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/17 "2007-11-12T08:12:45Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] What brand name? 😕 [/QUOTE] Sorry I meant makers name which is “Traveler” Objective size is 60mm As mentioned in my OP I did get a tripod with them ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/18 "2007-11-12T11:05:47Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Sorry I meant makers name which is “Traveler” Objective size is 60mm As mentioned in my OP I did get a tripod with them [/QUOTE] Hi Chowder Can’t find anything advertised at that price. Where you pick them up from? ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/19 "2007-11-12T12:12:20Z")
Aldi ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015/20 "2007-11-12T12:15:18Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Aldi [/QUOTE] Ah - thanks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/binoculars-why-so-cheap/426015.md?page=2)