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Binoculars headache (1 Viewer)

M

Maarten90

Member
Hi!

I'm new to this forum and to birding in general. I bought a cheap pair of binoculars (Cresta Prestige PB311), but they give me a headache when I use them for a couple of minutes. I've been googeling and have read about collimation, but I do not understand it all. I read that when the two images do not align perfecly this can give you headaches and that this can be caused by collimation problems. However, I get the impression that the images are tilted, compared to eachother, rather than just not perfeclty overlapping. Is this possible? And if so, how could I remedy this? Or could it just be that I am not used to looking through binoculars? Thanks!
 
Hi Maarten90.
Welcome.
It sounds like the binocular is badly out of collimation.
There are several members in Holland who can advise you.

I would not use the binocular.
It may have been dropped.

Maybe buy a Nikon Aculon or better binocular for viewing.

There is a fine binocular shop in Holland.

P.S.
I looked up your binocular.
It looks really cheaply made.
Send it back for a refund.

An Aculon would be better. You can probably find one locally. Try the one you buy, if you choose to do this.
Or go more up market.
 
Last edited:
Thanks a lot for the advice.

I knew I was taking a risk buying such a cheap one, but my budget is really limited so I wanted to try it. I think I will probably 'invest' in an Nikon Aculon, it appears to be good value for money while still very affordable (though it is a lot of money to me).

So your guess is that my headache is caused by the poor quality/being out of collimation rather than my not being used to watching through binoculars in general?

Is the Aculon decently built? Is it durable?

Thanks again!
 
faulty alignment

Maarten90 said:
Thanks a lot for the advice.

I knew I was taking a risk buying such a cheap one, but my budget is really limited so I wanted to try it. I think I will probably 'invest' in an Nikon Aculon, it appears to be good value for money while still very affordable (though it is a lot of money to me).

So your guess is that my headache is caused by the poor quality/being out of collimation rather than my not being used to watching through binoculars in general?

Is the Aculon decently built? Is it durable?

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

When a binocular is bumped or dropped, it is often the prisms that move. If the plate on which they are fitted, is a bit too big for the size of the prism than the images can be mis-aligned and tilted. They can be reset but the cost in the UK is around £40. If your binocular arrived in this condition then contact the seller and ask for your money back including the cost of returning the binocular to him.
 
Maarten90 said:
Hi!

I'm new to this forum and to birding in general. I bought a cheap pair of binoculars (Cresta Prestige PB311), but they give me a headache when I use them for a couple of minutes. I've been googeling and have read about collimation, but I do not understand it all. I read that when the two images do not align perfecly this can give you headaches and that this can be caused by collimation problems. However, I get the impression that the images are tilted, compared to eachother, rather than just not perfeclty overlapping. Is this possible? And if so, how could I remedy this? Or could it just be that I am not used to looking through binoculars? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi Maarten and welcome to BF! :hi:

I had a similar experience last week with a new pair of Pentax 6.5x21 U-Series Papilio II Binoculars. After setting the IPD and diopter, my first full glance through the set eyepieces were "crossed eyed". It was close enough that my accommodation (brain interpretation of what I see) corrected this and the view was very good, but could only tolerate this view for less than a minute. I could feel the eye strain and a headache coming on. As soon as I pulled the eyepieces away, I had crossed-eye vision that took a couple of seconds and blinking eyes to restore my normal sight!

The next morning...Same Issues! :C Simply, I picked up the phone, called the vendor and immediately had a new exchange replacement coming as this pair was certainly out of collimation. Additionally, told the vendor to Make Sure the shipping box had sufficient padding so the OEM box doesn't bounce around inside (like the unit I had first received...:-@)!!

Ted
 
Thanks everyone!

It is clear to me I should return my current binocular, and I will. I didn't mention before but the box it came in was damaged a bit, so it probably was dropped. I don't think I will let them be replaced, I do not have much faith in this brand anymore. The images are not "crossed eyed", but I do get a headache. I cannot determine what exactly isn't right but some kind of collimation problem no doubt. Probably Richard is right.

Maybe I'll look for a decent second hand binocular. But probably I'll go for the Aculon. If they're not too flimsy (I tend to break stuff somehow).
 
Last edited:
Hi Maarten,

Nikon Aculons come in a number of shapes and sizes.

Just remember: Do not buy a Zoom Aculon or any other zoom binocular. All zoom binoculars will end up being problems for you.

The 7x35 Aculon and and 8x40 Aculon will serve you well as birding binoculars and they are very well constructed.

Stay with 7 or 8 power binoculars because they are easier to hold steady. All binoculars will show any "shakiness" you may have while using them and a 10 power will show it even more.

Here is a USA link showing Nikon Aculons with USA prices:

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/nikon-products/binoculars/aculon/index.page

Bob
 
Regrettably the 8x42 Aculons are about 20-25 euro's more expensive in the Netherlands than in the UK or USA. It is not possible to order them from abroad without a credit card (which I don't own). Also I'd have to wait longer and pay a (higher) delivery fee.

Why would they be so much more expensive here?

Edit: Germany was considerably cheaper too, and I was able to order it from there, so yay, they're on their way!
 
Last edited:
The older Nikon Action VII are also good.
Are they available to you?
Maybe 8x40 rather than 8x42.
Do you wear glasses?
The Pentax XCF? and Olympus DPS1? are other alternatives. Maybe not quite so good, but if you could try them in a shop they might suit.
 
Thanks everyone!

I've recieved my 8x42 Aculons from Germany. I don't seem to be getting headaches from looking through them, though it still feels a bit weird to my eyes. Their image is better and I'm happy with them. Tomorrow I will leave for a couple of days to Texel (Dutch island with lots of birds), so I'll get plenty of opportunity to test them out. Hopefully it won't rain too much.

Cheers!
 
Last edited:
Maarten90 said:
The images are not "crossed eyed", but I do get a headache.
Click to expand...


If the error in collimation is within your range of spatial accommodation, your brain will merge the images and send you a bill in the form of a headache. You may not be able to SEE it, but you can most certainly feel it. And since you’re new to the forum, you may want a definition or two.

— Range of Accommodation (clinically: Panum’s fusional area) refers to the limits of the ability, which differs from person to person, to merge misaligned binocular images via the eyes’ lateral and medial rectus muscles for images separated in the horizontal plane and, to a lesser degree, the superior and inferior rectus muscles to merge those separated in the vertical.

— Spatial Accommodation refers to the physiological correction of a spatial disparity that falls within the user’s range of accommodation. Recent research indicates some observers have the ability to fuse images separated by as much as 3 degrees, although undoubtedly not without inducing a large degree of eyestrain (clinically: asthenopia). This involuntary correction is what most observers are leaning on when indicating they have “collimated” their binocular.

Bill
 
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There is also the problem of ones eyes possibly needing a prism correction.
It was found that I needed this, but it has varied over the last ten years and last time, no prism correction was needed.
For me this was with reading glasses.
I don't know how this impacts when using a binocular.

My accommodation is normally about 0.5 dioptre, maybe almost 1 dioptre when fully rested in the morning.
When I was 40 it all went downhill. I didn't need glasses till then.
This affected my driving as I was never fully as confident after 40 as before.
Some people never need glasses into old age.

Many people have one dominant or very dominant eye, and maybe binoculars don't really affect them even misaligned.

I have a friend who much prefers a monocular.

We are all different.

I can only watch a movie for about an hour maximum without a rest.
 
"This affected my driving ..."

Obviously, nothing helped; you're still driving on the wrong side of the road. :eek!: ;)
 
A huge percentage of what people argue about on bino forums can be boiled down to the same.

Bill
 
Maarten90 said:
Thanks everyone!

I've recieved my 8x42 Aculons from Germany. I don't seem to be getting headaches from looking through them, though it still feels a bit weird to my eyes. Their image is better and I'm happy with them. Tomorrow I will leave for a couple of days to Texel (Dutch island with lots of birds), so I'll get plenty of opportunity to test them out. Hopefully it won't rain too much.
Cheers!
Click to expand...

Great Maarten, let us know how the glassing excusrion went! ;)

Loud Green Man said:
No disrespect intended but may I suggest the Op' has his eyes tested.
LGM
Click to expand...

If the Aculons worked well (no headaches), his eyes probably "good to go"! :t:

Ted
 
Check collimation on a star

Try your new binocular at night. Look at a star and move your eyes aware from the eyepieces slowly and not very far. The star should still look like one.



Maarten90 said:
Thanks everyone!

I've recieved my 8x42 Aculons from Germany. I don't seem to be getting headaches from looking through them, though it still feels a bit weird to my eyes. Their image is better and I'm happy with them. Tomorrow I will leave for a couple of days to Texel (Dutch island with lots of birds), so I'll get plenty of opportunity to test them out. Hopefully it won't rain too much.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
 
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