I'm relatively new at birding. I wanted a new pair of bino's that would be a little bit of an upgrade(without paying 1000+ dollars) and ended up getting a $300 pair of swift929G 8x42 roof prisms. They give a real nice view if you are looking for birds hiding in bushes(6.6 close focus) and a pretty good view if you are looking at a bird just sitting up in a tree at a distance. The problem i have however is when i am scanning a line of trees in the distance there is a real wavy/curvy effect that i don't like. Are there other binoculars that don't do this? Why is this happening? I would appreciate some input-Thanks-Larry from CT. U.S.A.
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Do all binoculars give a wavy view when scanning? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter lvn600
- Start date
Andrew Rowlands
Well-known member
Hi Larry,
The problem optics manufacturers have is that they can't correct every defect in each piece of glass in their product. Design one effect out and another rears its' ugly head!
You'll find a similar thing with the Nikon SE and they are very highly thought of because they correct other defects so well.
There are many that don't display this effect but they usually have other effects that you may not like.
Try scanning a little slower and just use the centre field without moving your eyes too much, it might help to minimise it.
The effect is, I think, pincushion or barrel distortion. The experts will, I'm sure, drop by later to give us the lowdown on this!
Cheers,
Andy.
The problem optics manufacturers have is that they can't correct every defect in each piece of glass in their product. Design one effect out and another rears its' ugly head!
You'll find a similar thing with the Nikon SE and they are very highly thought of because they correct other defects so well.
There are many that don't display this effect but they usually have other effects that you may not like.
Try scanning a little slower and just use the centre field without moving your eyes too much, it might help to minimise it.
The effect is, I think, pincushion or barrel distortion. The experts will, I'm sure, drop by later to give us the lowdown on this!
Cheers,
Andy.
Regardless of wavy effects, you don't want to scan like a TV or film smooth pan over the countryside. You want to scan by looking through the field of your binoculars while they are held steady, then quickly moving the binoculars so that you can see an area that only just overlaps with the previous view, and so on - rather like the changing view you can see with a TV screen displaying shots from security cameras.
The reason for this is that your eyes are quite good at picking up motion in the field of view. If you have a series of different views, then moving things stand a good chance of being birds. If you try to give yourself a smoothly panning view, then everything is moving and you are much less likely to pick up birds.
The reason for this is that your eyes are quite good at picking up motion in the field of view. If you have a series of different views, then moving things stand a good chance of being birds. If you try to give yourself a smoothly panning view, then everything is moving and you are much less likely to pick up birds.
javva
Caffeine fiend.
colin mm
Well-known member
hi larry
i have a pair of bushnell 8x42 natureviews roof prisms which sell for £180,and they give the same effect when scanning with them,my friend has swift 8.5 x 42 £170 ,and he gets the same thing,i think its a trade off at the price we pay,iv never had the chance to look through a pair of lieca or a top of the range pair but im willing to bet the same effect is very slight or non existant,as long as the view is bright and crisp,which is what mine are , theres is nothin wrong with the binos its just a minor trade off for the price,im still chuffed to bits with mine as is my friend with his.
i have a pair of bushnell 8x42 natureviews roof prisms which sell for £180,and they give the same effect when scanning with them,my friend has swift 8.5 x 42 £170 ,and he gets the same thing,i think its a trade off at the price we pay,iv never had the chance to look through a pair of lieca or a top of the range pair but im willing to bet the same effect is very slight or non existant,as long as the view is bright and crisp,which is what mine are , theres is nothin wrong with the binos its just a minor trade off for the price,im still chuffed to bits with mine as is my friend with his.
wizard
Well-known member
get a pair of Lieca's and you wont have any trouble with optics, the old saying you get what you pay for applies here i am sorry to say. For years i had a pair of Pentax bins that were stunning compaired to others i looked through, that was before i got into real birding & early mornings & dusk visits. soon as i got the Leica's I was shocked, at dusk when i could just about pick out a bird looking through the leica's i had an image brighter than my Pentax gave in the day. You will only know when you try for yourself, it's a lot to spend but money very well worth it & I know mine will last me my life time so will not be looking for an upgrade just to keep up with the jones so to speak. new models will come out & probably with some unheard of coating but my Duovids are just fine for the next 25-30 years after that I will be up there with the birds (on knowing my luck, down in the warm having more fun)
all i can advise is to do pleanty of research into what bins are the best, non should give a wave image as your getting.
good luck with your birding
all i can advise is to do pleanty of research into what bins are the best, non should give a wave image as your getting.
good luck with your birding
Your Swifts are a good choice as you increase your birding skills. The advice on "snapshot" scanning rather than panning is spot on. With your now "better than adequate" optics, you can really work on honing skills and spend many pleasurable hour in the field.
The agony comes when you decide you want a scope and that your skills have improved enough to "justify" yet more expensive binoculars. Decisions, decisions...
Eventually you may decide to go for Leicas or Swarovskis, or other. To make that eventual purchase (scope and/or binocs) a little easier, you might try a plan I've used in recent years: Every time I return from a birding outing I put a quarter in a jar. It adds up fast and when I'm ready for an upgrade I'm a long way toward paying for it. A twist is, if you find a lifer, make it a dollar.
Enjoy your Swifts and the birds they bring to you.
Phalarope
The agony comes when you decide you want a scope and that your skills have improved enough to "justify" yet more expensive binoculars. Decisions, decisions...
Eventually you may decide to go for Leicas or Swarovskis, or other. To make that eventual purchase (scope and/or binocs) a little easier, you might try a plan I've used in recent years: Every time I return from a birding outing I put a quarter in a jar. It adds up fast and when I'm ready for an upgrade I'm a long way toward paying for it. A twist is, if you find a lifer, make it a dollar.
Enjoy your Swifts and the birds they bring to you.
Phalarope
I'm already anxious to look into a high end binocular and I would like a nice scope as well. I just bought a canon S2 IS camera. I'm not in a position to get everything at once so I will borrow my brother-in-law's scope for winter birding and upgrade my binoculars at the end of next year if I can find some that I'm really impressed with. The new scope will come last.
