Binoculars for Pelagics (1 Viewer)

Hi I've been reading the various discussions on choice of binoculars with interest.
I would be particularly interested to hear any views on what are the best bins for pelagics particularly in terms of magnification. I once went on a pelagic off North island New Zealand with an expensive pair of 10X bins and was frustrated at how another birder with a cheap pair of lower magnification bins was picking up all sorts of stuff which I could hardly get let alone keep in my field of view. Any comments? - apart from the fact that he was probably a better / more experienced pelagic birder! I suppose it's a trade off because the long horizons you could potentially get out at sea would tend to veer me towards 10X whereas the lower magnifications would probably give a wider field of view and be less affected by handshake.

Also has anyone tried the image stabilised bins which I think Canon do - are they any good?.

Charlie R

Watcha Charlie

as you kind of allude to above the wider the field the easier it is to pick stuff up which is invaluable when out at sea. Most seawatching id is down to flight pattern, general impression etc and being familliar with common species rather than being able to spot a field mark at a mile range. 8x42 would suffice at a push but i'd really prefer to use 7 x 42 such as the old Zeiss dialyts due to the excellent field of view.

Hi Charlie,welcome to Birdforum from the Moderators and Staff.
Interesting question,I'll be reading the replies with interest.

When at sea use what the sailors use

Charlie Rowney said:

Hi I've been reading the various discussions on choice of binoculars with interest.
I once went on a pelagic off North island New Zealand with an expensive pair of 10X bins and was frustrated at how another birder with a cheap pair of lower magnification bins was picking up all sorts of stuff which I could hardly get let alone keep in my field of view.
Charlie R

Click to expand...

My dear Charles,

In the U.S. Navy, the highest power glass for hand held use was the seven power. If there is any kind of sea other than calm, ten power would be very difficult to use. The 7x50 provides stable viewing, and a large exit pupil, giving an effect like a picture window, which accomodates the moving deck. If you are over fifty, a 7x42 should suffice, because your own pupil may not open beyond 6 mm. Additionally, 7x50 glasses often have either narrow fields, individual focussing or both.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood

Greetings!

This may be quite a bit off topic, but it relates to the power issue. During Vietnam, marine corps snipers all carried 7 power binoculars. This was not because higher power glass wasn't available, but rather because 7 power was comfortable to use for long duration viewing - and those guys spent a LOT of time looking through their binoculars looking for enemy soldiers and performing surveillance on enemy encampments.

Best wishes,
Bawko

The following article might be useful to you:
http://www.insiders.com/outerbanks/main-wonders3.htm
Search for 7X or 8X

The bigger the exit pupil (8/42=5.25mm 7/42=6mm) the easier it is to keep your eyes aligned. On a ship, boat, etc., the higher the better.

IMHO, handshake destroys more views than anything else. Lower power often dramatically reduces handshake, though it's a very individual choice. I'd prefer the reach of a 10X, but I love the stable view an 8X or 7X offers.

The FOV is generally larger with lower power. This makes it easier to find and track moving birds. The tradeoff for that great FOV is...lower power.

Lower power generally leads to:
Larger exit pupil and wider FOV which means you can EASILY find and follow your bird with less handshake. That combination can, and often does, add up to more successful birding and less fumbling with your gear! It's a prime example of the "less is more" concept.

The Zeiss 7X42 Classic is a perfect example.

John

Many thanks for all your comments. I will have to try out 7-8x models and combat my bias towards higher magnification which comes from starting out with 10X from an early age.

Charlie