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Should I go 7x (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Torview
- Start date
stereotruckdriver
Well-known member
idaho john
Well-known member
I am finding that a 10 power and 8 power combination works pretty well for me. Since my primary interest has been hawk watching, raptor birding, etc, etc, I blew some hard earned cash on a Zeiss 10x32 FL and love it. With a FOV of 360 ft @ 1000 yards, I don't often feel deprived when it comes to observing birds of prey. And the Zeiss FOV works well for almost all other species when I bird brushy areas that have some open spaces to work the edges.
What I am using the 8 power for is finding warblers, woodpeckers and other little birds in heavy brush along rivers and marshes. The wider FOV makes it quite a bit easier to pick up movement and get on to an LBJ when they appear. If I am out walking the 8 power works better with the shake (as I am out of shape).
For me as I grow as a birder, my preferences have changed and the profile of flying hawks is getting easier for me to identify. So the 8 and 10 combination is working right now. Regardless, I still feel a bit more confident with the extra increase in power.
I think if I was birding where there was more deciduous forest, a 7 power would make a lot more sense.
I can see that as I age, the day may come when an 8 power may be the better choice altogether. But at this point, the extra magnification is very hard to give up.
I'll see how I feel about all this in a year from now...and a bit more experience.
John
There are also a few Zeiss FL 7x42 on the 'bay (in the U.S.) at the moment.
newfie ghost
Well-known member
I saw a red tail in the sky today off in the distance. I grabbed my 7's but the image was small. Ran inside to grab an 8 but it was no better.
Do I have to buy a 10?
Do I have to buy a 10?
:-O No, you have to buy a Canon IS 12x36, or even 15x50. It never stops!
I remember looking into the under canopy of a Silver Maple about 50' off my deck at a Sharp-shinned Hawk with a 10 x 32. I had an 8 x 32 handy and tried it. It was better with it's longer DOF. I think a 7 x 42 would have been even better. It was in the evening and it would have been brighter.
Bob
Hi,
I'm currently wrestling with and dabbling in the 7x 8x choice...
I'm wondering what you all consider to be close, medium, and long distances for binocular viewing... and if this is somewhat the same for everyone??? Yes, maybe a bit arbitrary, but would like to try and ballpark it...
It is hard to pin down, but for me (I use binos to view wildlife and when hunting)... I'm thinking close range is a couple feet out to say 80 yds, medium range from there out to about 350 yds, and long range beyond that....????
OK... someone else take a stab at it....
Thanks in advance,
CG
I agree. 8x32 is where it's at for birding. You see alot more detail.
stereotruckdriver
Well-known member
Balony, prove it!!! I have both formats and to say you see alot more detail with an 8x32 over a good 7x42 just isn't true!? Unless my 7 is closer to 8 in magnification i don't see it! Bryce...
Hi again,
I would really like to be able to go to a store and do a side by side comparison of the EDG 7x42, Zeiss Victory 7x42, Leica Ultravid HD 7x42, and Meopta Meostar 7x42. Unfortunately, there is nowhere in town you can do this. What is even worse, there is nowhere in town where you can go to see one of these!!!! That is pretty sad considering I live in a major metropolitan area. The best you can find in a 7x at our local stores is $20 Tasco to $70 Nikon.... outdoorsman stores, sporting good stores, camera stores, and telescope/bino store... none of them have decent 7x on hand.
Is this a chicken & egg scenario: no sales/no product or no product/no sales?????
Whenever I mention I'm looking for a quality 7 power, seems the person behind the counter says "that's what I want"... or... "that's what I own"????????
From another perspective, many of the older folk I know appear to be moving away from 10x and 8x toward 7x and 6x... That large segment of our population referred to as the baby-boomers aren't getting any younger and many seem to have a decent cache of funds to spend on recreation. Are you bino companies picking up any trends here?????
I suspect 7x will cycle around again and be the new craze.... and a Dennis favorite!!!!! :t:
CG
I would really like to be able to go to a store and do a side by side comparison of the EDG 7x42, Zeiss Victory 7x42, Leica Ultravid HD 7x42, and Meopta Meostar 7x42. Unfortunately, there is nowhere in town you can do this. What is even worse, there is nowhere in town where you can go to see one of these!!!! That is pretty sad considering I live in a major metropolitan area. The best you can find in a 7x at our local stores is $20 Tasco to $70 Nikon.... outdoorsman stores, sporting good stores, camera stores, and telescope/bino store... none of them have decent 7x on hand.
Is this a chicken & egg scenario: no sales/no product or no product/no sales?????
Whenever I mention I'm looking for a quality 7 power, seems the person behind the counter says "that's what I want"... or... "that's what I own"????????
From another perspective, many of the older folk I know appear to be moving away from 10x and 8x toward 7x and 6x... That large segment of our population referred to as the baby-boomers aren't getting any younger and many seem to have a decent cache of funds to spend on recreation. Are you bino companies picking up any trends here?????
I suspect 7x will cycle around again and be the new craze.... and a Dennis favorite!!!!! :t:
CG
Yes 8x will get you more fine detail than 7x.
FrankD
Well-known member
Hmm, not sure if I agree with that statement or not. Theoretically it should, especially under a bench-rested position but does it really?
I am left "up in the air" with an answer to that question. Strictly speaking from a resolution perspective there is no doubt that an 8x outresolves a 7x binocular of equal quality and design. But resolution and apparent sharpness are not necessarily the same thing. The latter is influenced by such things as contrast, apparent brightness, etc...
My question would then be if issues such as increased depth of field, slightly less image shake and the generally larger exit pupil contribute to more "usable sharpness" over a slightly larger image size.
On another related note, didn't Zeiss do a study several years ago illustrating that most individuals were actually able to see more detail, handheld, with a 7x binocular?
I am left "up in the air" with an answer to that question. Strictly speaking from a resolution perspective there is no doubt that an 8x outresolves a 7x binocular of equal quality and design. But resolution and apparent sharpness are not necessarily the same thing. The latter is influenced by such things as contrast, apparent brightness, etc...
My question would then be if issues such as increased depth of field, slightly less image shake and the generally larger exit pupil contribute to more "usable sharpness" over a slightly larger image size.
On another related note, didn't Zeiss do a study several years ago illustrating that most individuals were actually able to see more detail, handheld, with a 7x binocular?
For me the easiest way to see the difference magnification makes is to look at relatively simple objects, like those found in the night sky. Increased magnification can provide more visual separation of close together objects . Additionally increasing the size can make small dim objects a bit easier to see. Admitedly the difference in going from 7 to 8x is not as great as going to 9.5 or 10x but in some instances I can see it. For birds one might see a bit more feather detail or be able to visually pluck a small bird from the foliage. The tradeoff is a smaller exit pupil which could darken certain objects.
The only solution to optical tradeoffs is to buy more binoculars! And speaking of 7x I've got a Swift 7x36 Sport King in the mail. Will see what a wide field at 7x really looks like.
The only solution to optical tradeoffs is to buy more binoculars! And speaking of 7x I've got a Swift 7x36 Sport King in the mail. Will see what a wide field at 7x really looks like.
dwatsonbirder
Well-known member
I've just joined the 7x (SLCneu) crowd and I must admit I prefer the view in comparison to both my previous 8x bins (HGL & Trinovid). The bins are very easy on the eye & picking up birds in flight & also in canopy cover is much easier. I have also used my bins for a couple of bat surveys & found the light gathering capabilities greater than on the 8x models I have owned.
lilcrazy2
Well-known member
Bats!! I sit on my front porch before dark and do the Herky Jerky trying to keep up with the bats flying in a tree lined open area between me and my neighbors with my 6.5x32 Meopros or 7x36 Eaglets. What an experience.
stereotruckdriver
Well-known member
They are my favorite glass! Congrats and enjoy!!! Bryce...
I enjoy using mine too. It's great for up close views into the canopy and in the evening. I like it better than my Leica 7 x 42 Trinovid BN although it is heavier. It has longer eye relief and thumb indentations on the bottom of the tubes. Mine was a Demo and the price was real good.
Swaro discontinued them recently which doesn't make sense unless they didn't want to make an HD version. It shouldn't have been difficult to do it. All it would have needed is a different eyepiece-( that might be oversimplifying it a bit). More likely at the HD price it would have had an affect on the 8 x 42 SLC HD sales.
I notice that Camera Land still has them available.
Bob
dwatsonbirder
Well-known member
Thanks all, they are great bins indeed. I doubt that I will replace them, just need to get out & use them now!
