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What configurations would you like to see made? (1 Viewer)

Atomic Chicken

Atomic Chicken

Registered with the D.O.E.
Greetings!

Looking over the various options available for binoculars, it's apparent that manufacturers are focusing on certain "safe" and marketable configurations - like 10x25, 8x32, 10x42, 10x50, etc. as standard offerings. Very few manufacturers are willing to take "chances" by offering things like 9x25, 8x28, etc.

If you owned a major binocular manufacturer and could go to the R&D department and ask for any non-standard configurations to be prototyped or manufacturered, what would you ask for?

My requests would be:

7x25
7x32
9x42
7-11 x 36 Duovids

Best wishes,
Bawko
 
10x or greater image stabilized bins that...

weigh 30oz or less
brightness comparable to the big 4 TOL bins
sharpness comparable to the big 4 TOL bins
FOV comparable to the big 4 TOL bins

Oh yeah...they retail for $49.99
 
8.5x44 porros with ED objectives, 70 deg. AFOV, titanium housing, and waterproof. Call it an Audubon of course.

ED
 
I would suggest a 6x25 waterproof roof prism model, with LER and 50 deg AFOV.
This would according to my opinion be the optimal configuration of a portable and compact binocular with stable image and adequate brightness even for dusk and dawn.

Patric
 
I would have an interest in that 7x32 configuration. The generally wider field of view and greater depth of field in a fairly compact design would be ideal for tight, close up situations.
 
If any of the big four would come out with a 9*36 with a 125m-130m field of view and a mass of 650g or less, they would get my money.
 
elkcub said:
8.5x44 porros with ED objectives, 70 deg. AFOV, titanium housing, and waterproof. Call it an Audubon of course.

ED
Click to expand...

with internal focusing of course!,like those new minox porros :t:

i'll have a pair in forest green thank you very much sir

matt
 
Bawko,

good question! I would say 8x42 or 8x32 :)

An 8x42 binocular with the contrast and straylight prevention of a Leica Ultravid, the ergonomics and ease of view of the Swarovski EL, the flat field, ER and randsome sharpness of a Nikon SE and the CA prevention and close focus capability of a Zeiss FL could be nice if this all would come together in one piece of kit.

BTW, a 6x30 as well as a 7x35 of high quality and a wide FOV would be welcome and useful at all times of the day because of its exit pupil of 5mm.

Steve
 
I would love to have a 7x32 or 7x35 version of my 7x42 Swarovski SLCs. They should have the same field of view, same eye relief, and a better close focus.

Clear skies, Alan
 
In the days when 10x50s were still popular but 8/10x40s were growing in popularity I hankered after a pair of 9x45s. I still don't quite see why there aren't more x9 bins around,

John
 
John Cantelo said:
In the days when 10x50s were still popular but 8/10x40s were growing in popularity I hankered after a pair of 9x45s. I still don't quite see why there aren't more x9 bins around,

John
Click to expand...

Hi John

Interesting this one
I just purchased a beautifully made Opticron 9 x 35 Minerva Porro from a retired Optics dealer
The bins were used but by himself and are near mint
Lovely mono bloc body and either multi coated or fully multi coated (not sure as they are not marked)
In essence they remind me somewhat of my Nikon E11's
The eyepieces have the greener colouring coatings whilst the objectives have the purpler/green hues combination
Neither lenses show much refelection at all when shone into
Fov is 7.3 so fairly wide for 9 x giving just over 65 apparent field
In use they are nice and bright with a good sweet spot in fact there is not a huge drop off to the edges
Eye relief i havent actually measured but would guess at similar to the E11 8 x 30 around 13-14mm (maybe a tad less)
The bins are very light (so light i had to check the package when they were delivered which was packed with styrene chips itself)
Size wise they are compact, nice and small but solid to hold
I guess these may have been Opticron's go at the Nikon E area
A feature i like a lot is a very rapid short run large focus wheel with no backlash
There is also just something very retro around them which i find endearing
I find the 9 x mag very good and they do provide a lovely image which offers a touch less shake than at 10x and a decent fov but seems to show smaller details very well
I have compared them to my Nikon SE and E11 10 x and Swift 8.5 Porro's
They stand up pretty well overall possibly just losing out in sheer definition to the SE's and Swift FMC Audubon
I agree wholeheartedly about why so few 9 x's it seems an ideal compromise for some
I think Steiner do a 9 x somewhere

Meanwhile these Opticrons picked up for under £50 continue to give great views and were worth it for the delightful construction element alone
A definite keeper for my collection

Seasons greetings
Regards
RichT
 
In the old days, 7 x 35 was standard for birding and I'd buy a Swaro/Leica/Zeiss glass of this specification (wide field, of course, with close focusing) in a heartbeat if one were availably today. Roof by preference, but I'd also consider porro (in fact, I'd probably get one of each).
 
Interesting that you should mention Opticron Minerva 9x35s as these were instruments that I nearly got myself years back. Very handy, solidly made and with good optics. Certainly given the widespread options of 8x32 and 10x40, it's surprising 35/36mm bins seem to have no place. Odd that 7x35s, widely used in the USA never really caught on in the UK,
John
 
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