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Benefits of 10x binos ? (1 Viewer)

Alexis Powell said:
Your shoulder issues are likely not the same as mine, but I thought I'd just mention another item that I _always_ use with my Nikon 50ED scope and tripod outfit--my lumbar pack. When I need a day pack, I almost always use a lumbar pack (I have several) instead of a back pack. No weight is borne on the shoulders.

With my ED50, I use an older version of this pack
http://mountainsmith.com/products/all-lumbar-packs/day.html
The scope goes into the pack, which has room for lots of other gear if needed, while my tripod drops head first into one of the water bottle pockets (which I pad by inserting a neoprene lens pocket) on the outside.

Another model that I really like for being especially lightweight, though it doesn't work quite as well for scope plus tripod carry because the water bottle pocket is smaller, is the Mountainsmith Daylite. It has been replaced with a very different version but the old type is still available
https://www.amazon.com/Mountainsmit...4485255&sr=8-1&keywords=mountainsmith+daylite

--AP
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I actually switched to a small waist pack last winter. I was always using a shoulder bag and was ruining my shoulders. The waist pack is helpful.
 
andyadcock said:
I think you'll be in a very small group here Etudiant!

Unless you have a glaringly obvious point of reference and your target is still, the narrower field of view is a fairly major hinderence to most.

Compare to using a scope, most who have a zoom will use the lowest mag to find the bird before zooming in.


Andy
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Agree entirely, the bird cues where to point the binoculars. If the bird moves before the glass gets on it, it's back to the Mk 1 eyeball to update the cue.
I don't think it matters much whether the FoV is 6* as in my 10x or 8* as in most 8x glasses, if the bird moves it is out of the field.
The IS feature of the Canon 10x42 is very helpful in this regard, because one has a steady view of the bird, it is easier to follow or at least to discern in which direction it scooted off to. Sometimes that is enough to stay with it.
 
Gilmore Girl said:
I had a little time right before work today and quickly looked through a couple of 10x and I could see the shake right away. I've been using lower power bins for quite a while now and I think I just got so used to the calmer image. They still show some shake, but with the 10x it's def. enhanced.

I've decided I will continue to use my lower power bins with 8x being the highest and someday I'd like to get one of these super compact scopes that have become popular lately. I'm not ready for the scope at this point and with my shoulder issues I don't need any extra gear like that. When I am ready down the road I'll take a look at some of these very small scopes instead of a higher power binocular.

Thanks for all of the advice and comments and sorry if I didn't reply to any specific comments...I had no idea this thread would become so popular. But, please continue the conversation - it certainly is an interesting one.
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The small scopes do add dramatically to the magnification available, but that just accentuates the shake problem.
I've carried an ED50 for some years and have wrestled with several tripods and monopods to try to make it effective. My $0.02 is that a tripod defeats the purpose, you triple the weight and inconvenience, so the times you actually use the scope shrinks. Unfortunately, hand held is beyond me as well, it is just too hard to get a reliable sighting when the bird is bouncing around in the FoV. There is no small stabilized scope either, afaik, so the only option left is a monopod. That helps get a decent view, not as good as with a tripod but way better than hand held. Velbon sells a very compact model, their Super 8:
https://www.amazon.com/Velbon-porta...ie=UTF8&qid=1474506035&sr=1-1&keywords=velbon
It packs very small for travel, has good length and is robust enough to serve as a walking stick in between serving as a scope support.

That said, imho you might still be better off with a stabilized glass, at 18x you're well into scope territory, no tripod is needed and you can use both eyes. They are heavy though, no fun for anyone with shoulder issues....
 
Gilmore Girl said:
Thanks for all of the advice and comments and sorry if I didn't reply to any specific comments...I had no idea this thread would become so popular. But, please continue the conversation - it certainly is an interesting one.
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GG, If you googled "bird forum 8x vs 10x" you'll find that this has been a recurring and popular discussion over many years. Chosun probably had reams to write in everyone of them :gh:

I also found a discussion on another site http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/optics/271418-stirring-pot-8x-vs-10x.html and the commenter "vichris" provided this interesting tidbit.

The US military has studied the human body as it relates to optics. The average maximum that the human pupil will open up to is 7mm. So designing an optic with an exit pupil of 7mm would meet ANY viewing condition thus the military standard 7 X 50. They also found that 97% of the test group could HANDHOLD a 7 X bino well enough to CORRECTLY count the lines on a 7X resolution chart.............but only 8% could CORRECTLY count the lines with a handheld 10X bino on a 10X resolution chart. All of the binos had at least a 5mm exit pupil. The test group were required to use both hands, could sit, stand, or kneel, steady themselves in any way against any part of their own body but were not allowed to lay prone or use any foreign object to help steady themselves or the bino. The test group were between the age of 18-27. "
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Does anyone know if the US military really performed this test and came to the same conclusion?
 
I was always told to stay with 8x42 because 10X is too hard to hold steady. I have several 8x so I decided to try a 10X42 because I wanted that little extra magnification. I bought the Nikon Monarch 7 10X42 and I was VERY surprised at how I was so misled by salesmen telling me to stay away from the 10X.
It has now become my favorite size. I love my M7 10X42. Yes it is ever so slightly more shaky but not bad at all.
If you naturally have shaky hands then Id so don't get them, but if you have fairly normal steady hands then go for it!
 
timmay said:
I was always told to stay with 8x42 because 10X is too hard to hold steady. I have several 8x so I decided to try a 10X42 because I wanted that little extra magnification. I bought the Nikon Monarch 7 10X42 and I was VERY surprised at how I was so misled by salesmen telling me to stay away from the 10X.
It has now become my favorite size. I love my M7 10X42. Yes it is ever so slightly more shaky but not bad at all.
If you naturally have shaky hands then Id so don't get them, but if you have fairly normal steady hands then go for it!
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Exactly and don't drink the night before you go birding. The fact is you see MORE with 10x. Right?
 
I think I`v found the perfect compromise, (and I`m standing by for a good pillorying), I can take it, I found myself in Truro today and tried the 8.5x42SV Fieldpro, well, my jaw hit the floor with a major wallop, surely Swaro have baffled these better than the previous SV, no flare or glare to be seen, the best 3D effect I`v seen in a roof, I knew deep down I had to have one of these, will I ever use another binocular ?, not sure I will, my wallet may be poorer but my Birding life feels so much richer.

8.5x, who knew !
 
Torview said:
I think I`v found the perfect compromise, (and I`m standing by for a good pillorying), I can take it, I found myself in Truro today and tried the 8.5x42SV Fieldpro, well, my jaw hit the floor with a major wallop, surely Swaro have baffled these better than the previous SV, no flare or glare to be seen, the best 3D effect I`v seen in a roof, I knew deep down I had to have one of these, will I ever use another binocular ?, not sure I will, my wallet may be poorer but my Birding life feels so much richer.

8.5x, who knew !
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John have you seen Dennis's warning about not drinking before you go birding? It also applies to 'before you go shopping'.
Have fun.

Lee
 
Torview said:
I think I`v found the perfect compromise, (and I`m standing by for a good pillorying), I can take it, I found myself in Truro today and tried the 8.5x42SV Fieldpro, well, my jaw hit the floor with a major wallop, surely Swaro have baffled these better than the previous SV, no flare or glare to be seen, the best 3D effect I`v seen in a roof, I knew deep down I had to have one of these, will I ever use another binocular ?, not sure I will, my wallet may be poorer but my Birding life feels so much richer.

8.5x, who knew !
Click to expand...
Never thought I would hear that! You liked a SWAROVSKI! Have a couple of ales and go buy them my man.B :)
 
Actually Dennis they are my second SV, I loved everything about the 32mm except the glare problem. There`s more changed on the Fieldpro than I had appreciated, what was painted metal on the bridge now appears to be a high grade plastic, which I`m sure will prove warmer to the touch come Winter and immune to paint chips.
 
Torview said:
Actually Dennis they are my second SV, I loved everything about the 32mm except the glare problem. There`s more changed on the Fieldpro than I had appreciated, what was painted metal on the bridge now appears to be a high grade plastic, which I`m sure will prove warmer to the touch come Winter and immune to paint chips.
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So you think they have improved the baffling in them for glare? That is one reason I sold my SV 8x32 also and replaced it with the Trac Toric 8x42.
 
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I was out at sunset last evening looking towards a low Sun about 10 mins before it went down, there was some veiling glare, maybe a little more than the Leica, but it was perfectly usable and in a different league to my 32mm.

Quite simply the finest view I`v ever seen in a roof prism, I may be having a binocular sale soon.

Sorry for going off on a tangent, I`v been enjoying peoples views on magnification.
 
Torview said:
I think I`v found the perfect compromise, (and I`m standing by for a good pillorying), I can take it, I found myself in Truro today and tried the 8.5x42SV Fieldpro, well, my jaw hit the floor with a major wallop, surely Swaro have baffled these better than the previous SV, no flare or glare to be seen, the best 3D effect I`v seen in a roof, I knew deep down I had to have one of these, will I ever use another binocular ?, not sure I will, my wallet may be poorer but my Birding life feels so much richer.

8.5x, who knew !
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TV,

I agree, this design is a great solution between 8X vs 10X. Their 399' FOV, the 4.9 EP, 20mm of ER and great control of glare and CA brings a lot of workable quality features to birding activity. At 835g, their balanced heft helped me maintain a steady view. IMO, I found their stereopsis, ease-of-view and low light capability are very close to the big 50mm SV's.

Too bad I passed up Robert's extra 8.5 x 42 SV pair a while back, hadn't tried them so didn't know better. Well, need to practice my Sig more often! ;)

Ted
 
Swarovski says the glass is the same in the SV and FP, I'm not sure about baffling, but it shouldn't be hard to find out. After owning a 2010 and 2015 8.5X SV, anyone saying it's the best available won't get any argument from me.

[email protected] said:
So you think they have improved the baffling in them for glare? That is one reason I sold my SV 8x32 also and replaced it with the Trac Toric 8x42.
Click to expand...
 
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