• 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.

Who got the largest diopter adjustment? (1 Viewer)

etc

etc

Well-known member
Greetings,

Question, who makes binoculars with the most generous diopter adjustment? At least 5 diopters or possibly more, as I would like to use them without wearing glasses.

Leica Trinovid is an awesome unit but it only goes up to 4 diopters.

Leica or Swarovski would be my first choice, but do they make any models, especially in a 8x42 or 10x50?
 
My Zeiss 8x32 FL has ten gradations on the diopter setting. I presume that they are five diopters in half increments but I do not know for sure.

Happy bird watchinh,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
 
etc,

I wouldn't depend on the manufacturers' specifications for diopter adjustment, which are often conservative, and the markings on the binocular don't always correspond to diopter increments.

Using various strength reading glasses and a 6 diopter magnifier for calibration, I estimate that the range of the 8x42 FL is actually a bit more than +/- 6 dpt, perhaps close to 7 dpt. The long marks on the diopter adjustment represent about 1.5 dpt increments. The Swarovski 8.5x42 EL really does have a narrow range of less than +/- 4 dpt. I think you will just have to try the binoculars that interest you to be sure.

Henry
 
Last edited:
I should look into 8x42FL.

I have a Leica Trinovid which is great but the only issue I have is the diopter adjustment is about 4, maybe a bit more, but in any case, not enough for me. Cannot really fault them, but need something else.

Or use the Trinovid forever with glasses, which is really not that bad, but without them, it's easier to hold it for extended periods of time.
 
Do you mean diopter adjustment as in left eye/right eye difference, or focus accommodation as in being usable by someone short sighted in both eyes?

My prescription is -6 in both eyes. As both eyes are the same, I have the diopter set to 0. What I need is to be able to focus well past what would be infinity to a person with good eyes

Without my glasses, I can't get anywhere near infinity focus with any Leica bins (-4 limit sounds about right).
With ELs and HG compacts, I was hard against the end stops at an approximate infinity (3/4 mile), so I'd guess a -6 limit.
With the FLs I bought (8x42) I had a useful amount of focus adjustment left at infinity, approximately agreeing with Zeiss's quoted -7 limit for most models.

Diopter adjustment range should be approximately the same as focus adjustment, for those who have only one bad eye. (**)

I prefer not to use glasses as mine are photochromic, which does nothing for the view through them and bins.

(**) edit:
It seems I was wrong about this.
According to the Zeiss info tables at WarehouseExpress, the 8x42FL has a centre drive limit of -7, and a diopter adjustment of only +/- 4.
If you've got really bad eyes, the Conquest 10x30 had a centre drive adjustability of -11, and a diopter adjustment of +/- 7
 
Last edited:
My prescription is -6 in both eyes. As both eyes are the same, I have the diopter set to 0. What I need is to be able to focus well past what would be infinity to a person with good eyes

That's my situation. I think I was confusing these two things, diopter adjustment and being able to focus well past infinity. My prescription is the same for both eyes. I just need something to accomodate about -5.5.

Are you saying that Zeiss 8x42 or 10x42 FL can do it? Can any Swarovski 8x or 10x do it?
 
Last edited:
etc said:
My prescription is -6 in both eyes. As both eyes are the same, I have the diopter set to 0. What I need is to be able to focus well past what would be infinity to a person with good eyes

That's my situation. I think I was confusing these two things, diopter adjustment and being able to focus well past infinity. My prescription is the same for both eyes. I just need something to accomodate about -5.5.

Are you saying that Zeiss 8x42 or 10x42 FL can do it? Can any Swarovski 8x or 10x do it?
Click to expand...

I don´t think that Swaro bins are suitable for your needs. Zeiss perhaps but you should try them. Some of the Nikon Premier LX/HG-L binoculars I tried gave even more diopter range than Zeiss FLs.

Steve
 
etc said:
My prescription is the same for both eyes. I just need something to accomodate about -5.5.

Are you saying that Zeiss 8x42 or 10x42 FL can do it? Can any Swarovski 8x or 10x do it?
Click to expand...

Judging by the Zeiss 8x42 FL I have, you should be OK with them. The 10x42 are meant to be the same but I didn't try any.

The Swaro 8x42 EL I tried may have been just OK for you, but there would have been no allowance for prescription drift. I wouldn't recommend them. I'd guess that 10x are the same, but if you want to be sure you'd have to find some to try.

I didn't get to try full size Nikon LX (HG-L). The only ones to try handy to me were in a city centre store with no lines of sight of more than 100m or so.

Leica are a complete non-starter. It was just the same when I got my previous 10x40 Dialyt 23 years ago (prescription approx -5 at the time).
 
Zeiss 10x42 FL sounds interesting then.
Question, how is it adjusted? Is each half adjusted individually or is it like Leica style, where they lock in place in the middle?
 
The focus knob pulls forwards towards the face, and then turns for adjustment.
I have heard of people complaining about accidentally changing it, which I'd guess is due to taking hold of the focus knob when removing the bins from their case.
 
etc said:
My prescription is -6 in both eyes. As both eyes are the same, I have the diopter set to 0. What I need is to be able to focus well past what would be infinity to a person with good eyes

That's my situation. I think I was confusing these two things, diopter adjustment and being able to focus well past infinity. My prescription is the same for both eyes. I just need something to accomodate about -5.5.

Are you saying that Zeiss 8x42 or 10x42 FL can do it? Can any Swarovski 8x or 10x do it?
Click to expand...

Are you planning to use the binoculars with or without glasses?
 
customized adaptation

BTW I know that Leica service in Germany offer a customized adaptation of the diopter needed. This adaptation works, however, at the expense of the close focus distance of that binoculars. I could easily imagine that Swarovski and Zeiss would do the same. Just ask them for more information.

Steve
 
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

T
Zeiss SF 8x30 vs SFL 8x40
2
Replies
21
Views
1K
tian1227
T
G
Leica, Zeiss & Swarovski binoculars compared: A personal report
2 3
Replies
42
Views
4K
Paultricounty
P
P
How much variation is there in the production line.
2 3
Replies
52
Views
3K
John A Roberts
John A Roberts
A
Leica Trinovid BN diopter problem
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
Binastro
B
R
Analysing Binoculars
Replies
6
Views
655
beacon hill
beacon hill

Users who are viewing this thread

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