Focusing direction (1 Viewer)

iporali · Jan 21, 2004

I was wondering if anybody has paid attention on the direction of focusing when choosing binoculars (or a scope)? I am very right handed and when I want to focus rapidly (usually to follow an escaping bird) to me it is more natural to pull the focus ring with right hand fingers (clockwise: close -> infinity).

I know you can get used to it, but I have had for 10+ years a pair of pocket bins (Minolta 10x25), which focus "left-handedly" and I still don't feel comfortable with them. For this reason alone I "had to" exclude some otherwise fine brands, when I was buying high-end binos (ended up buying Nikon HG's).

What direction do your binoculars focus - and could you change that easily? Or does all this just sound silly?

Ilkka

SimonC · Jan 21, 2004

Hi Illka,

Not silly at all - at least not to me anyway!

I've only got my bins with me at the moment (I'm at work) but they focus clockwise for further away (does that make sense?) & I'm pretty sure my 'scope is the same. My old 'scope was Anti-clockwise for further away and my old bins were the opposite, so I had to come up with a way of remembering which was which (I won't tell you what that was cos that definately is silly

)

Cheers

Helwith · Jan 21, 2004

iporali said:
I was wondering if anybody has paid attention on the direction of focusing when choosing binoculars (or a scope)? I am very right handed and when I want to focus rapidly (usually to follow an escaping bird) to me it is more natural to pull the focus ring with right hand fingers (clockwise: close -> eternity).

I know you can get used to it, but I have had for 10+ years a pair of pocket bins (Minolta 10x25), which focus "left-handedly" and I still don't feel comfortable with them. For this reason alone I "had to" exclude some otherwise fine brands, when I was buying high-end binos (ended up buying Nikon HG's).

What direction do your binoculars focus - and could you change that easily? Or does all this just sound silly?

Hi,

Just checked 4 pairs I possess and 2 telescopes, all focus too infinity clock-wise. I'd have thought all binoculars would focus the same way! Using a right-handed thread, as these are easier to manufacture.

It could also depend on the focusing design i.e. Porro etc. I suppose.

I therefore don't have a problem with focusing as they're all in the same direction.

CB

digi-birder · Jan 21, 2004

I think my new Nikon binoculars focus the same way as my old Opticrons, but I can't remember now without trying them.

I do know that my Opticron scope focused to infinity in the opposite direction to the Opticron bins! Most confusing, and I could never remember which was which. If it went out of focus, I was going the wrong way!!

Gerry Hooper · Jan 21, 2004

My Mintolas focus anticlockwise to infinity, all my other bins go the other way.
Very confusing to begin with but alright once you get used to it.
My Bushnells are now so old focusing is achieved by manually pushing the eyepieces in and out!!

Art Thorn · Jan 21, 2004

Interesting. I just tried and my B&L Custom Compacts focus the opposite way. My Nikons (HGs and SEs) are 'normal' as described. Maybe that is why I have found the compacts 'difficult' to focus - I am always starting out going the wrong way. And now that I look at them I notice that focusing on the compacts moves the objectives in and out, while the SEs move the eyepieces in and out.

Swissboy · Jan 21, 2004

iporali said:
I was wondering if anybody has paid attention on the direction of focusing when choosing binoculars (or a scope)?
What direction do your binoculars focus - and could you change that easily? Or does all this just sound silly?Ilkka

When I bought a pair of Zeiss Victory binoculars for my wife, I did not notice the difference to the Leica binoculars I use in general. As those Zeiss' are 10x whereas my Leicas are 8x, I tend to use both binoculars regularly, and it sure keeps confusing me even after more than two years. But the Leicas are more comfortable to me; they go clockwise to infinity. At any rate, giving this problem some thoughts is far from silly. I have lost flying birds repeatedly because I "instinctively" turned the wrong way.

iporali · Jan 23, 2004

Thanks everyone! Glad to hear that this was not a "non-issue". At least I would be happy to see focus direction listed in technical information of binoculars.

Swissboy: I almost bought Zeiss Victories without trying them first, but fortunately back then my "agent" had to delay his trip to Germany... When I eventually had a chance to try Victories and could not feel comfortable with focusing, I was no longer interested in Zeiss - although they were lightweight and optically brilliant.

Aatos: A good observation. My compact Minoltas also seem to focus by moving a lens-element close to the objective.

Ilkka

Swissboy · Jan 23, 2004

iporali said:
Swissboy: I almost bought Zeiss Victories without trying them first, but fortunately back then my "agent" had to delay his trip to Germany... When I eventually had a chance to try Victories and could not feel comfortable with focusing, I was no longer interested in Zeiss - although they were lightweight and optically brilliant.
Ilkka

I must admit that I like those Zeiss Victories, anyway. In fact, the rubbery feel of them bothers me usually more. But that brilliance, coupled wth truly light weight are what had us hooked. Meanwhile, I think I'd go for the Leica Ultravids. That would solve the focussing direction as well.

Focusing direction (1 Viewer)

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iporali

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SimonC

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Helwith

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Gerry Hooper

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Art Thorn

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