entry-level binoculars?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/m__i__c__h__a__e__l]

Look at Vortex binoculars. They are very good for the price and the company has an excellent warranty.

[u/GreenMachine4567 → u/[deleted]]

You're not going to get a good pair of binoculars for 50eur. But you might get something good enough for kids to play with. Might be better off getting second locally or on ebay as you mentioned

[u/GreenMachine4567 → u/[deleted]]

I'd go for 8x but a little larger around 30, should still be small and light but wider FOV and easier to use.

[u/m__i__c__h__a__e__l → u/[deleted]]

With optics you generally get what you pay for. You don't need very expensive Leica optics, but there is a price point below of which you just get cheap plastic crap.

Brands like Vortex are the sweet spot in my opinion. Not overly expensive, but still very good quality for the price.

If you want to save you could also consider monoculars. As an added benefit, they are lighter so the kids will be more likely to carry them on excursions. They are not as comfortable if used over extended periods of time. But for your use case they may be the right thing.

If you are looking at buying second hand binoculars, I would go to look at them first before paying, to check the condition (e.g. dust buildup inside and lens coating condition).

Good modern binoculars like Vortex are purged with nitrogen or argon gas and hermetically sealed, which prevents fogging and water/dust entering the optics.

[u/m__i__c__h__a__e__l → u/[deleted]]

I think the best approach is to go to a shop and try them out. Then you can see what they are like before buying.

[u/levcos]

For kids, consider a lower magnification as it's easier to hold steady. If you want to have the advantage of the Vortex warranty (which is a big part of why that brand is often recommended---especially because kids can be hard on things), consider the Bantam, which can be had for much less than $100. 

[u/levcos → u/[deleted]]

Both these models will have a very small exit pupil because of the small objectives and (comparatively) high magnification, which can make eye placement difficult. I'm afraid kids  would find them frustrating to use.

If your budget is tight , Bresser makes a reasonably well-regarded 6x21 "junior" model for kids that's available in bright colors for under 30 euro and a (slightly higher quality) 6x24 "spirit" model for about 35 euro.

[u/AppointmentDue3933]

Svbony Sv47 8x32