brocknroller
porromaniac
First, let me link to Jerry’s original thread on these binoculars to catch up anyone who missed it. It’s too old for me to reply to, so I had to start another thread to continue the story.
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=332112
Jerry generously sent me the Cabela 8x32 Guide a few years ago, and it’s been my go-to birding bin ever since. I didn’t know the price until I recently read his thread on BF, but for $199 (or better yet $149 discounted price), it is certainly worthy of mention on Frank’s never-ending Bargain Bin thread. It’s sharp, bright, color neutral, and it has a wide FOV and wide sweet spot. Overall, it gives one of the best views I’ve seen through non-alpha roof-prism binoculars. I also like the ergonomics, which is not something I can say about most roof binoculars I’ve tried. This is due to the narrow, high bridge, which gives me plenty of barrel to wrap my fingers around, and the shallow thumb indents for support underneath.
The main reason I sold my Nikon 8x32 LX was that I couldn’t hold it steady or comfortably. It was heavy for its size, and with no barrels to wrap my fingers around or thumb indents, I felt like I was holding a brick. The other issue was the fast focuser (though it wasn’t as fast as the Terra ED, which wins the Quick Draw McGraw Prize). For me, the Guide’s focuser speed is like Baby Bear’s porridge--just right. The focuser recently developed a squeak, which could probably be remedied with lube, but since the focuser is internal, that’s not something I can do myself.
Someone on the original thread mentioned about the eyecups feeling “plasticy.” They don’t feel that way to me. The eyecup frames, which might be metal, are covered in rubber. They remind me of the Nikon 8x32 LX’s twist-up eyecups in diameter and thickness, and like the LX, they have one intermediate stop.
Even though I remain a diehard porro fan, when it comes to 8x birding bins, I have come to appreciate the advantages of roofs. You can focus closer without barrel shadow overlap and without having to adjust the IPD. Even though I don’t go birding in the rain (or singing in the rain, though I sometimes sing in the shower), it’s convenient to have a sealed bin in the winter, so you can just walk right inside without fear of fogging (or fear of flogging if it's someone else’s porro). For using my porros in the winter, I would let them acclimate slowly to house temperature by putting them in the basement for an hour before taking them upstairs.
It’s also comforting to know I can use them with impunity when it “rains” pollen in the spring because the sticky yellow goo is not going to be drawn inside the binoculars by external focuser tubes. I once got a cat hair in one of my porros, which stuck to the bottom of the EP on some lube. I had to screw off the EP and remove the hair, which would never be a concern with the Guide.
Last month, I saw an 8x32 Cabela’s Guide in “excellent condition” for sale on eBay for $199, so I bought as a backup for when I send my original sample in for servicing. I don’t know if it’s sample variation or my imagination, but the view through the second sample appears even more “crisp” (as the Brits say) than the original.
I saw a 10x42 Cabela’s Guide for sale recently but passed on it based on the comment on the original thread that it was not the standout in its configuration as the 8x32 was. But I wanted a 10x bin for extra “social distancing,” so I bought a 10x35 E2 (black body version) on eBay for a good price (not as good after eBay added $50 shipping from Japan and PA sales tax), but still lower than others listed because it was used but in near mint condition, according to the seller. I'll find out next week. The price of E2s has gone up about $200 since I bought my first BB 10x35 E2.
Thanks to Jerry for the 8x32 Cabela’s Guide and for showing me that the “best bang for your buck” is no longer limited to porros.
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=332112
Jerry generously sent me the Cabela 8x32 Guide a few years ago, and it’s been my go-to birding bin ever since. I didn’t know the price until I recently read his thread on BF, but for $199 (or better yet $149 discounted price), it is certainly worthy of mention on Frank’s never-ending Bargain Bin thread. It’s sharp, bright, color neutral, and it has a wide FOV and wide sweet spot. Overall, it gives one of the best views I’ve seen through non-alpha roof-prism binoculars. I also like the ergonomics, which is not something I can say about most roof binoculars I’ve tried. This is due to the narrow, high bridge, which gives me plenty of barrel to wrap my fingers around, and the shallow thumb indents for support underneath.
The main reason I sold my Nikon 8x32 LX was that I couldn’t hold it steady or comfortably. It was heavy for its size, and with no barrels to wrap my fingers around or thumb indents, I felt like I was holding a brick. The other issue was the fast focuser (though it wasn’t as fast as the Terra ED, which wins the Quick Draw McGraw Prize). For me, the Guide’s focuser speed is like Baby Bear’s porridge--just right. The focuser recently developed a squeak, which could probably be remedied with lube, but since the focuser is internal, that’s not something I can do myself.
Someone on the original thread mentioned about the eyecups feeling “plasticy.” They don’t feel that way to me. The eyecup frames, which might be metal, are covered in rubber. They remind me of the Nikon 8x32 LX’s twist-up eyecups in diameter and thickness, and like the LX, they have one intermediate stop.
Even though I remain a diehard porro fan, when it comes to 8x birding bins, I have come to appreciate the advantages of roofs. You can focus closer without barrel shadow overlap and without having to adjust the IPD. Even though I don’t go birding in the rain (or singing in the rain, though I sometimes sing in the shower), it’s convenient to have a sealed bin in the winter, so you can just walk right inside without fear of fogging (or fear of flogging if it's someone else’s porro). For using my porros in the winter, I would let them acclimate slowly to house temperature by putting them in the basement for an hour before taking them upstairs.
It’s also comforting to know I can use them with impunity when it “rains” pollen in the spring because the sticky yellow goo is not going to be drawn inside the binoculars by external focuser tubes. I once got a cat hair in one of my porros, which stuck to the bottom of the EP on some lube. I had to screw off the EP and remove the hair, which would never be a concern with the Guide.
Last month, I saw an 8x32 Cabela’s Guide in “excellent condition” for sale on eBay for $199, so I bought as a backup for when I send my original sample in for servicing. I don’t know if it’s sample variation or my imagination, but the view through the second sample appears even more “crisp” (as the Brits say) than the original.
I saw a 10x42 Cabela’s Guide for sale recently but passed on it based on the comment on the original thread that it was not the standout in its configuration as the 8x32 was. But I wanted a 10x bin for extra “social distancing,” so I bought a 10x35 E2 (black body version) on eBay for a good price (not as good after eBay added $50 shipping from Japan and PA sales tax), but still lower than others listed because it was used but in near mint condition, according to the seller. I'll find out next week. The price of E2s has gone up about $200 since I bought my first BB 10x35 E2.
Thanks to Jerry for the 8x32 Cabela’s Guide and for showing me that the “best bang for your buck” is no longer limited to porros.
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