I'm after an 8x40+ with at least 16mm eye relief, a medium field curvature (for the depth of field illusion) and high quality coatings for good contrast. Based on quite a bit of testing, it's probably going to be a porro.
My wife and I are not strictly birders. We are mostly mostly fair weather walkers who enjoy watching whatever wildlife is about. Our priority is that our main pairs of bins are light and compact. After quite a bit of testing we have settled on a Bushnell 7x26 Elite, and a Pentax 9x28 LV (yes I selected a good one) which suit perfectly for about 90 % of our needs. However there are still few outings each year, particularly in the winter months, where a more exit pupil is needed, or a more relaxed view is wanted for extended viewing. I can't justify the expenditure on the big boys for their limited use.
Sorry, it might be heresy, but I don't like the current darlings of the affordables available here, the Hawke Frontier HD, or the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD. I can admire their performance for the price, and would heartily recommend them to others to try, but they don't work for me. The field of view is too flat for my ageing eyes, the contrast a little muted for my tastes, and I'm not keen on the ergonomics. In fact I've not found an affordable roof that fits the bill. (Though those ex-demo MIG Minox HGs on offer really did tempt me.)
The best candidate I've found so far is the Opticron HRWP 8x42. Pretty good optics, good eye relief, smooth focus, (unaffected by the cold), usefully brighter than my compacts, and being a porro it also has that 3D appeal. The most relaxed view I've seen so far. It's shortcomings are a narrowish field of view, 7*, and perhaps surprisingly, the centre field was not quite as crisp as the little Bushnells. Is there anything that is going to better it without spending a fortune?
Good porros are very difficult to find here. Even if I could justify the cost, would the Nikon SE 8x32, for all it's virtues, be significantly brighter than my Bushnells (4 vs 3.7mm EP)? Would a Swift 820 Audubon 8.5x44 have the contrast I'm expecting? I've visited half a dozen specialist shops without seeing either on offer. In fact the only other 'decent' porro I've tried was the Pentax XCF which was rather disappointing.
Is there anything out there that is going to meet my expectations? I would appreciate some help with suggestions for alternatives and particularly where to find them to try.
David
My wife and I are not strictly birders. We are mostly mostly fair weather walkers who enjoy watching whatever wildlife is about. Our priority is that our main pairs of bins are light and compact. After quite a bit of testing we have settled on a Bushnell 7x26 Elite, and a Pentax 9x28 LV (yes I selected a good one) which suit perfectly for about 90 % of our needs. However there are still few outings each year, particularly in the winter months, where a more exit pupil is needed, or a more relaxed view is wanted for extended viewing. I can't justify the expenditure on the big boys for their limited use.
Sorry, it might be heresy, but I don't like the current darlings of the affordables available here, the Hawke Frontier HD, or the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD. I can admire their performance for the price, and would heartily recommend them to others to try, but they don't work for me. The field of view is too flat for my ageing eyes, the contrast a little muted for my tastes, and I'm not keen on the ergonomics. In fact I've not found an affordable roof that fits the bill. (Though those ex-demo MIG Minox HGs on offer really did tempt me.)
The best candidate I've found so far is the Opticron HRWP 8x42. Pretty good optics, good eye relief, smooth focus, (unaffected by the cold), usefully brighter than my compacts, and being a porro it also has that 3D appeal. The most relaxed view I've seen so far. It's shortcomings are a narrowish field of view, 7*, and perhaps surprisingly, the centre field was not quite as crisp as the little Bushnells. Is there anything that is going to better it without spending a fortune?
Good porros are very difficult to find here. Even if I could justify the cost, would the Nikon SE 8x32, for all it's virtues, be significantly brighter than my Bushnells (4 vs 3.7mm EP)? Would a Swift 820 Audubon 8.5x44 have the contrast I'm expecting? I've visited half a dozen specialist shops without seeing either on offer. In fact the only other 'decent' porro I've tried was the Pentax XCF which was rather disappointing.
Is there anything out there that is going to meet my expectations? I would appreciate some help with suggestions for alternatives and particularly where to find them to try.
David