[wanderer55]

Well I've been looking thru and trying many binoculars now. I have some thoughts about what I will have to find. From what I can gather and figure out, I need to keep the FOV narrow. I am finding that anything past 6.0-6.2 degrees AFOV or more than 330' FOV causes me to see a rather semi-opaque outer ring. The wider the FOV, the larger the ring is. I believe it's my eyes, not the binoculars. I could use something with a wide FOV, but the semi-opaque ring tends to aggravate, since my eyes want to be distracted by it instead of just using the center of the field.

So, I need to find something with a 6.0 degree or 330' or less FOV. I have a budget of $175 and that's stretching it past the limit. I want to stick with 8x. I shake too much for 10x and in open field viewing, 6x is not enough magnification.

There are a couple so far that I found to be very good. The Bushnell Legend 8x42 roof was really what I would call excellent.......... Except the one I bought was used and I believe it had been banged up and the collimation was way off. I could center the left eye on an object and the right would be all the way off center and a little high, so I feel it had been banged up. I got rid of it. I also found the Vortex Diamondback 8.5x50 to be excellent, but my IPD is less then 59 and the minimum of the Vortex was 60.

I have not found anything else that does not give me the semi-opaque outer band in the FOV. I need to find something with a narrow FOV.

So far I feel that a new Bushnell Legend 8x42 roof would work. Also there's the Pentax WP II 8x40 porro that has a narrow FOV. Unfortunately it has the recessed eyepieces, so it might not work with my eyeglasses. I find that I need 16-18mm of eye relief to see the full FOV with my glasses.

I figure some of you might know of some other possibilities in the under 6.0 degree or 330' FOV, 8x power, over 16mm eye relief and under $175 Price range. I am not finding much and there may not be any recourse other than to just let well enough alone and stop birding, but I really hate to do that. After seeing how clear and sharp the Vortex was, I just will not go back to the old Sears porro.

[Steve C]

check your PM box.

edit- trhere may have been a snafu. PM me back if you don't have my PM in short order. I did send it.

[elkcub]

wanderer55,

Do you see the semi-opaque outer ring when looking with only one eye? Are both eyes the same?

[wanderer55]

Steve C - I got your PM and sent one back to you.

elkcub - I see the ring in both eyes and it looks the same in both eyes. It is hard to describe. It's like the FOV starts to get discolored and opaque after a certain point and the larger the FOV, the bigger the ring........

[Martin Fagg]

Hi Wanderer 55,

if you think it is your eyes causing this you should get them checked out by an optometrist.
They may be able to correct it. If it was me, I'd want to know what was causing it asap.

For narrow fov, have you tried Leupold Cascade internal focus 8x42 porros. I have tired the Opticron version over here in the UK and I like them a lot. The narrow fov is what put a lot of people off but they may be what you're looking for. Lovely 3D porro view as well and excellent optics at a bargain price.
I don't think they're available new any longer but a second hand pair would be even better value.

Spec is here http://www.opticsplanet.net/leupold-...ars-60992.html

Best wishes
Martin

[wanderer55]

Originally Posted by Martin Fagg

Hi Wanderer 55,

For narrow fov, have you tried Leupold Cascade internal focus 8x42 porros. I have tired the Opticron version over here in the UK and I like them a lot. The narrow fov is what put a lot of people off but they may be what you're looking for. Lovely 3D porro view as well and excellent optics at a bargain price.
I don't think they're available new any longer but a second hand pair would be even better value.

Spec is here http://www.opticsplanet.net/leupold-...ars-60992.html

Best wishes
Martin

Funny you should say that......... I purchased one of the Leupold 8x42 Cascade Porros binoculars on ebay....... For $138.50...... NIB..... From a 0 feedback seller.............. Ask me how that worked out? 2 weeks later, I just received confirmation from PayPal that I am being refunded, due to a deadbeat seller who was ripping people off. I was smart enough to file a complaint the day after buying and it stopped them from getting any money from me, but they managed to take a good Grand off others.

The Cascade Porro on the net, goes for about $275 - $375. A little too rich for me unfortunately.

Thanks for telling me about it though. I also thought it would be a great fix for my problem.

I had my eyes checked several months ago and they didn't see any problems at that time, but of course I didn't know about the binocular issue then.......

[elkcub]

Originally Posted by wanderer55

elkcub - I see the ring in both eyes and it looks the same in both eyes. It is hard to describe. It's like the FOV starts to get discolored and opaque after a certain point and the larger the FOV, the bigger the ring........

I agree with Martin about getting your eyes checked out, pronto, if your haven't already. It sounds like your peripheral vision is effected.

PS. It might be better to go to an opthalmologist rather than an optometrist, since they deal with abnormal processes rather than corrective devices.

Ed

[wanderer55]

So let me ask this crazy question........ What about a set of restrictors on a binocular, to narrow the field of view?? Most modern bins have threads for filters. What if I made a set of restrictors to screw into the filter threads, to narrow the FOV? I'm sure it could be done. I would think a set cut out of black cardboard, just to try would work for a test........

Think it's possible???

[elkcub]

You can restrict the FOV of any binocular simply by placing an annulus (i.e., a ring) over the eyelens of the ocular.

Putting a ring over the objective lens will simply make the aperture smaller and limit the amount of light entering the instrument, but it will not reduce the FOV.

Ed

[wanderer55]

Originally Posted by elkcub

I agree with Martin about getting your eyes checked out, pronto, if your haven't already. It sounds like your peripheral vision is effected.

Ed

That's the strange thing, it does not happen without binoculars. My vision with glasses is fine, no cloudiness, no restricted vision, no problems with peripheral vision......... My peripheral is very good according to the last check. It just happens with binoculars (also with "some" cheap scopes).

Maybe it has to do with the glasses. I find that without glasses, I don't have "near as much" of the problem with bins, but I'm not going to go without them. Been there, Done that, no way.

[wanderer55]

Originally Posted by elkcub

You can restrict the FOV of any binocular simply by placing an annulus (i.e., a ring) over the eyelens of the ocular.

Putting a ring over the objective lens will simply make the aperture smaller and limit the amount of light entering the instrument, but it will not reduce the FOV.

Ed

So I could just use a bin that has twist up eye cups and adjust the cups to close down the FOV?? Would something that simple work??

[Tero]

You would have to twist the cups out and wear glasses.

[wanderer55]

Originally Posted by Tero

You would have to twist the cups out and wear glasses.

Yes, that's what I meant

I never look for simple solutions..............

[ronh]

Wanderer,
Just a hunch, but I believe your pheriferal vision is better than most, and you are seeing an off axis vignetting effect that is common. To observe this in an objective way, hold the binocular out in front of your face, pointed up into a uniformly lit area, like the sky, and inspect the exit pupil in the eyepiece. It should be circular when the bino is oriented so that it is centered in the eyepiece. But when you tilt the binocular, moving the exit pupil closer to the edge of the eye lens, you will see it become cut off and football-shaped, meaning, it brings less light into the eye from near the edge of the field.

The effect has to do with the relationship between the size of the prisms and the field of view. Normal sized prisms do not fully illuminate the edges of a large field of view, but most folks hardly notice. It is one of those compromises that binoculars are so full of. I'm sorry I can't make a recommendation.
Ron

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by elkcub

It might be better to go to an opthalmologist rather than an optometrist, since they deal with abnormal processes rather than corrective devices. Ed

Oops! I had a feeling that was the wrong word but I couldn't think what the right one was. I stand corrected :)

[Fireform]

FWIW, I agree with the recommendation of the Leupold Cascade. I had a pair of the 10x Minox-branded version and apart from the narrow FOV (which I didn't like) they were nice.

[wanderer55]

Guys, what about the Pentax PCF WP II since it's also a narrow FOV?

Compared to the Bushnell Legend or Nikon Monarch? Is it better than those roof prism bins?



The Cascades Porro is out since it's discontinued and very expensive for the remaining ones out there.....

[Pileatus]

All you have to do to restrict the FOV is extend the eyecups.

[wanderer55]

Originally Posted by wanderer55

Guys, what about the Pentax PCF WP II since it's also a narrow FOV?

Compared to the Bushnell Legend 8x42 or Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42? Is it better than those roof prism bins?

Anyone owned both the Pentax Porro and the Bushnell Legend or Nikon Monarch want to give an opinion of how they stack up against each other?

Right now, I feel the Bushnell Legend is much sharper than the Nikon is, but the Nikon seems to be brighter. How does that stack up to the Pentax?