Bring Back Premium Porros! Please respond only once (1 Viewer)

Ronald - I get carried away, too. The 10x30 IS is a highly portable and effective piece.
I've looked through them a number of times and may just get one. As you can tell from this thread, porro aficionados are like committed lovers. Only eyes for each other.
Take care. John

I've need some time for remembering the origen of "Built it and they will come". It's from the film "Field of dreams" Kevin Costner's character said that. Apart from a joke, that claim sounds as heresy in this topic.
The Fahion Award has gone to the roofs

Sorry, I've post whitout intention while in other window. So, I follow. As costumer, porro vs roof is irrelevant compared with performance, better price and so. A niche where porro has two advantages, lighter and brighter, would be in the upper limit of power and weight without tripod or IS. An alpha 15X60 porro might beat any 15X56 roof. A 60mm objective in roof binoculars would be too heavy for using without tripod.

I have the 820 Audubons and have compared them to my 10x43 Zen Ray EDs and I can't say that there is much in the way of difference between the two.

Chad

Optically, I don't think any of the SE's or the 820's can be improved on ('cept makin' the eye relief about 16mm on the Swift).

I know you only wanted each person to post only once but I went to look at the new 8.5x42 Swarovskis. The Swaros had an image that was larger, brighter and had more contrast than my Swifts. The color was also better than the Audubon 820s but all the improvements were only slight. I really couldn't see $2000 worth of difference between the two.

Chad

That's 'cause there isn't.....maybe $100, but the Swift Audubon is one of the true benchmarks in binos...and for under $300, nothing will touch it. If it only had the eye relief that's advertised.....

The oculars are huge on the new ELs. They are about twice the diameter than those on the Audubon. I don't have much trouble with the eye relief on the Swifts but I don't think that would be a problem with the Swarovisions.

Chad

ChadHahn said:

The oculars are huge on the new ELs. They are about twice the diameter than those on the Audubon. I don't have much trouble with the eye relief on the Swifts but I don't think that would be a problem with the Swarovisions.

Chad

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I know I´m only supposed to post once, but I couldn´t resist...I have the new Swaros, and the eye-relief is phenomenal. Too much, in fact, for my birding specs, so I took BFers´advice and put o-rings on the eyecups to get it "just so". As regards premium porros, I´m trying, really, really trying, to stay in love with my 8x and 10x EII´s, but I´m afraid it´s a relationship that´s doomed the more I use my Swaros.

opticoholic said:

Please respond below only if you would really like to see some new premium quality porro prism style binoculars on the market. Please reply only once and keep your remarks brief. I'm curious how many people might sign onto this thread. Who knows, maybe the binocular makers will consider it someday.

It seems all the binocular makers have decided that roof prisms are sexier, that only a roof prism can compete in a market flooded with roof prisms. But the pendulum has swung too far, to the point where almost no premium porro options exist, and many people do not know how good the view through a really good porro prism can be. I have heard it is more difficult to make porro prism binoculars waterproof, but it cannot be that hard. Acknowledging the disadvantages of the porro style, I have to believe there is a market for a water-resistant, optically superb and well-designed porro, with twist-up eyecups, priced well below the "alpha" roof prisms but with an image that really challenges them. "I have a DREAM! ...about a porro prism binocular just waiting to be built... IF YOU BUILD IT, PEOPLE WILL BUY IT."

Thanks everybody!
B

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I have no doubt that Nikon and the other major binocular manufacturers would bring back quality porro prism binoculars if there was a market for them. Most binoculars owners have cast a vote for roof prism bins with their pocketbook. If the demand isn't there there is no reason to produce something like an EII.

John S. said:

I have no doubt that Nikon and the other major binocular manufacturers would bring back quality porro prism binoculars if there was a market for them. Most binoculars owners have cast a vote for roof prism bins with their pocketbook. If the demand isn't there there is no reason to produce something like an EII.

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I would buy an EII and it would probably use it as my main binocular. If the eyepieces were suitable for my glasses and they were waterproof (not necessarily immersion proof but at least shower proof).

Like most people, I used to use only roof models because I blindly accepted that they are better overall (before I discovered BF that is). But I rediscovered porros and found that they give a much better view for me. I think the 3D effect improves the viewing experience no end. I also prefer the ergonomics of a porro. I find clutching the close together barrels of a roofer less comfortable than having my hands further apart on a porro. My shoulders and neck are more relaxed that way.

I still have Meopta 8x32 roofs but they only come out in bad weather. If my Opticron SRGA porros were weatherproof they would be out all the time.

I am awaiting delivery of Opticron HR WP 8x42 porros which are truly watertight like roofs and have good eyerelief and a fantastic view but narrow fov. If I like them, they will become my foul weather bin and I will be selling the Meoptas.

I think if there were more choice of porros available and they were models that had better eye-relief, waterproofing, etc, then more people would buy them. I certainly would. I would happily spend the same amount of money on them that I have spent on roofs in the past.

Given a pair of roofs and a pair of porros at the same price and optical quality, specs, etc, I would choose the porros.

It's a catch 22. Roofs are better because producers spend more on developing them because more people buy them. I think more people buy roofs because there aren't enough decent porros to compare them to.
Unfortunately porros have become poor relations to roofs and I don't think they should be seen that way.

In short- I rather like porros

Best wishes
Martin

Bring back the premium porro?
After reading the whole thread, are they not already here?
Quality of view is "premium", if not the price.

The Nikon 8x32 SE (available yet i think on limited order?)
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 ED.

I just kicked the horse... still dead.

jaymoynihan said:

Bring back the premium porro?
After reading the whole thread, are they not already here?
Quality of view is "premium", if not the price.

The Nikon 8x32 SE (available yet i think on limited order?)
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 ED.

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Both are EOLed and difficult to get hold of.

And neither are any where near good enough compared to a modern roof.

SE is not waterproof and doesn't have ED glass (but otherwise a fine bin ... I own three).

The 820 has poor ER, a plastic bridge prone to flex and bad eyecups but aside from that seems to be well liked.

What people (here!) want is a updated waterproof inexpensive ED porro!

But the horse may in fact be dead. But you never know.

stereotruckdriver said:

I would to but, until then I will just keep using my 8x32 SE! Bryce...

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It's interesting to imagine how much you would pay for your dream glass. A
6x SE is my dream. How much would I pay? About a grand.

I guess everyone started with the porro bins as kids. Surplus military porro bins got me started. For some reason when I was older and went to purchase bins, at the time for hunting, I never even considered porro bins since the fad was water proof roof bins. I would not mind re-visiting my early years and trying a porro pair but few sporting shops in my area even carry them.

Longer than normal response since only allowed one post.

All that said, I am very curious about the 3D effect. Especially given the recent Hollywood movie fad. I need a recommendation on what porro has the best 3D effect, so I locate a pair and take a look.

Kevin Purcell said:

Both are EOLed and difficult to get hold of.

(Agreed! Too bad!)

And neither are any where near good enough compared to a modern roof.

(Nonsense!)

SE is not waterproof and doesn't have ED glass (but otherwise a fine bin ... I own three).

(Agreed. I have 5.)

The 820 has poor ER, a plastic bridge prone to flex and bad eyecups but aside from that seems to be well liked.

(Agreed. I don't have one but I do have an HR5 804.)

What people (here!) want is a updated waterproof inexpensive ED porro!

(Not everybody by any means! A lot of money can be saved by avoiding water proofing and ED glass or low dispersion glass or what have you.)

But the horse may in fact be dead. But you never know.

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(Maybe?)

Bob