• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Opticron Verano 8x32 versus 8x42 (1 Viewer)

B

bestboat

Active member
Last year, I bought my wife a pair of 8x32 Opticron Veranos.
We were very much impressed, and found them perfect for our needs, so much so, that I am now going to buy another pair for myself.
However, I am considering getting the 8x42's to get an even better performance. Is this possible/likely?
I am 71 years of age, and have been reading an article on the birdwatching.com website, entitled "Why you may see just as bright an image through an 8x32 binocular as you do through an 8x42".
In this, the authors claim that since maximum pupil size decreases with age, there is no point in getting a larger objective lens, since the eye's pupil cannot open sufficiently to accomodate the light coming in anyway.
However, I am somewhat confused by this, since I can certainly read and see better in a brighter light.
I cannot compare these binoculars myself, since I live in France, and Opticrons are not sold here. Weight and size are important, since I hike and climb, and carry both camera and binoculars. I use them in mountains, forest, and in open country, from dawn to dusk.
I apologise fo this long question, and would much appreciate it if someone, more knowledgeable than I, could suggest an answer to my dilemma.
 
Brighter light makes it easier to see things, but there are two ways to get more light into the eye. One way is by opening the pupil (opening the eye's aperture), but as the article pointed out, the maximum amount our pupils open declines with age. What the article doesn't point out is that the recommendations it makes are based on average maximum pupil size at each age, but that there is MUCH variation around this average. In fact, there is SO much individual variation it doesn't make sense to make personal buying decisions based on the population average. If you are interested in owning the brightest binos that YOU can use, you will need to measure YOUR OWN maximum pupil diameter.

The other way to get more light into the eye is by turning on more lights (increasing the amount of light that enters through the eye's aperture), but this isn't something that we can do outdoors, except by picking a bino with excellent light transmission (that is, efficient lens and prism coatings), but most mid-priced modern binos are excellent in this regard.

All in all, the brightness of good quality 8x32 binos is so good that many birders choose to use them in place of full sized binos. The potential (depending on your eyes' max pupil diameter) advantage of an 8x42 over an 8x32 (with respect to brightness) will only occur at very low light levels (e.g. predawn, at dusk, in very dark forest). I personally prefer full sized binos for their longer eye-relief and better handling properties (e.g. their greater weight allows me to hold them more streadily), but when I'm travelling, hiking, or juggling binos with other equipment (camera gear) I always choose an 8x32.
--AP
 
The little 8x32's may well be a better choice than the larger 8x42 model.
Although I've never handled the 8x32 myself I have taken a close look at three 8x42 models,I've been impressed by all of them.
The main advantage with the 8x32 is field of view,on the 8x32 model this is
130 at 1000 yds (same as a leica trinovid 8x42) while the larger model has
a field of view of only 109.You may find this particularly limiting in close forest/shrub etc.The smaller models are also innevitably lighter while still providing plenty of eyerelief.Close focus for the two are the same at 1.8.
The only advantage I can think of that the 8x42 will have over the 8x32 is depth of focus?,this determines how much of your view is in near or perfect focus.

Best of luck!

Matt
 
Verona choice

Alexis Powell said:
Brighter light makes it easier to see things, but there are two ways to get more light into the eye. One way is by opening the pupil (opening the eye's aperture), but as the article pointed out, the maximum amount our pupils open declines with age. What the article doesn't point out is that the recommendations it makes are based on average maximum pupil size at each age, but that there is MUCH variation around this average. In fact, there is SO much individual variation it doesn't make sense to make personal buying decisions based on the population average. If you are interested in owning the brightest binos that YOU can use, you will need to measure YOUR OWN maximum pupil diameter.

The other way to get more light into the eye is by turning on more lights (increasing the amount of light that enters through the eye's aperture), but this isn't something that we can do outdoors, except by picking a bino with excellent light transmission (that is, efficient lens and prism coatings), but most mid-priced modern binos are excellent in this regard.

All in all, the brightness of good quality 8x32 binos is so good that many birders choose to use them in place of full sized binos. The potential (depending on your eyes' max pupil diameter) advantage of an 8x42 over an 8x32 (with respect to brightness) will only occur at very low light levels (e.g. predawn, at dusk, in very dark forest). I personally prefer full sized binos for their longer eye-relief and better handling properties (e.g. their greater weight allows me to hold them more streadily), but when I'm travelling, hiking, or juggling binos with other equipment (camera gear) I always choose an 8x32.
--AP
Click to expand...

Thank you Alexis, for your most helpful and informative reply.
This was my first ever query on this Forum, and I am so pleased that I took the plunge. :flowers:
 
Verano choice

matt green said:
The little 8x32's may well be a better choice than the larger 8x42 model.
Although I've never handled the 8x32 myself I have taken a close look at three 8x42 models,I've been impressed by all of them.
The main advantage with the 8x32 is field of view,on the 8x32 model this is
130 at 1000 yds (same as a leica trinovid 8x42) while the larger model has
a field of view of only 109.You may find this particularly limiting in close forest/shrub etc.The smaller models are also innevitably lighter while still providing plenty of eyerelief.Close focus for the two are the same at 1.8.
The only advantage I can think of that the 8x42 will have over the 8x32 is depth of focus?,this determines how much of your view is in near or perfect focus.

Best of luck!

Matt
Click to expand...

Thank you for your very helpful reply, Matt. Good point about use in the forest.
B :)
 
Warning! This thread is more than 17 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

lmans66
8x32 Verano
Replies
13
Views
3K
lmans66
lmans66
hopster
Opticron Aurora 8x42 vs alpha(ish) 8x42s - anything given away in optical quality?
2 3
Replies
57
Views
6K
Patudo
P
A
8x42 vs. 10x42 Binoculars
2 3 4
Replies
66
Views
8K
ArchStanton
A
R
New but probably wrong insight about lowlight
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
Swedpat
S
yarrellii
Just how good is the 8x32 Opticron Verano BGA VHD? (Comparisons)
2
Replies
24
Views
3K
Upland
U

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top