Monday, June 24, 2013

Top of the range for less


Just some of our second hand binoculars
It is true for most people that once you have experienced top of the range optics in the field that afterwards nothing else will do. The price of the best equipment is not within the reach of everybody however, but it is possible to make your money go further by buying second hand equipment. Anyone who has been through the tiresome and stressful experience of purchasing a used car may not wish to consider anything else per-owned, but with binoculars and scopes it is a much easier choice. The nature of optics is such that it is easy to tell if they are working properly just by looking through them. There is no great science to assessing the condition of binoculars or scopes, as long as the lenses are in good condition (especially the eyepiece lenses) and you can see clearly through them, then they are all right. Some used kit we still be covered by the remainder of the manufacturers warranty. As an example a six-year-old used Opticron HR66 scope would still have the remaining 24 years of its 30 year warranty.


A few pre owned scopes in all shapes and sizes
Whatever your budget there is second hand equipment available, offering often better optical performance than new models at the same price. This is particularly true of the high end gear where even an older model can deliver a significantly better image than an equivalent priced new item. For example the Zeiss Victory FL was the best model offered by the legendary German firm until late summer 2012 when they brought out the Victory HT. The Victory FLs are now available second hand for hundreds of pounds less than the new equivalent.
Top of the range for less.  Used Zeiss binoculars



We always have a good range of used binocularstelescopes and tripods in our Glandford shop and on the website. The stock is constantly changing so keep an eye on the website and in the shop to grab a bargain.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Cley Spy, more than just binoculars.

Bee boxes and
wild flower seeds
Our Glandford shop is the best place to find the right optics for you.  With over 180 models of binoculars and over 40 scopes plus second hand equipment to choose from we can accommodate almost any requirements or budget.  But that's not all, we also have tripods, a range of outdoor clothing and hats, bird food and feeders, nest boxes, books, toys and much more.
Bird seed available in bag from 1kg
to 20kg.
Some of are latest lines include the really rather nice metal containers for bird food complete with a handy scoop for filling the feeders.  The same company also supplies us with the ingenious string tins and the contemporary style nest boxes and insect houses for bees, lacewings, ladybirds and other friendly invertebrates.

Nest boxes, insect boxes and
bird feeders


Just some of our books,
maps and cards
In our section for the younger nature enthusiast we have fluffy toys, a range of fun and informative books and a new selection of playing cards depicting birds, mammals, reptiles and insects.

As well as the Paramo, Jack Pyke and Tilley outdoor clothing we are soon going to be having some Stealth Gear jackets and their one and two-man collapsible hides.


Nature playing card packs
On top of all this we have a huge selection of accessories for birdwatchers and photographers including straps, tripods, monopods, heads, bags, cleaning equipment, magnifiers and torches.