Highest quality 10x50 central focus porro? (2 Viewers)

[William Lewis]

I have 3 10x50 Porro's, a terrible tasco (god it's awful!) a Carton and a Zeiss.

I like the format for its stability given the magnification. The width and length of 10x50's mean my hands are quit far apart and far away, add in a bit of weight and in some cases the end of the focuser bridge resting on my forehead and i don't find stability much worse than an 8 which was a bit of a revelation as I do love the detail's 10's reveal, particularly birds on the wing.

The exit pupil size is a mm shorter than I'd prefer but works most of the time although with the shallow depth of field i do find it one of the tougher binoculars formats to use when it gets dim.

It seems to be a dead breed though, I believe Fujinon's fmtr range being the only "state of the art" 10x50 porro and that's got independent focusing so I wouldn't think would be much cop for generally birdwatching.

So my question to erstwhile members is - what do you think is the best 10x50 porro that's been made?

Will

 

[Elpha8888]

Why not an Habicht? Surely would give you everything you need.
Docter Nobilem has 10x50 central focus, maybe one of those.

 

[[email protected]]

There are really not many high quality porro's in the 10x50 format. If you want the best 10x50 for birding, I would look at the Swarovski SV 10x50. It is a roof prism, but it is probably the best center focus 10x50 around.

 

[jring]

Hi,

the Zeiss West 10x50 "Jahrhundertglas" would be a contender but single coating only, even the very expensive early 80s re-edition of 1000 pieces - why, oh why...
What about the SE 10x42 - too dark?

Joachim

 

[Richard D]

10x50 Porros have largely disappeared, but Holger has reviewed most of the classics e.g. : Review: Fujinon 10x50 FMTR-SX vs. Docter Nobilem 10x50 B/GA vs. Zeiss Jenoptem 10x50W

 

[William Lewis]

Why not an Habicht? Surely would give you everything you need.
Docter Nobilem has 10x50 central focus, maybe one of those.

There are really not many high quality porro's in the 10x50 format. If you want the best 10x50 for birding, I would look at the Swarovski SV 10x50. It is a roof prism, but it is probably the best center focus 10x50 around.

I have the pre curser to the nobilem, my zeiss is a decarem q1 , fully multi coated so I'm not sure if the nobilem would be all that different. The habicht is a little small on exit pupil as well as field of view- the decarem has 128m the habicht more like 110.

I'm not a huge fan of sp roofs and the cost of the Swarovski is major, also I think the wide spacing of the barrels of a porro helps with stability when compared to the close barrels of a roof.


I love the look of the zeiss easts, mechanical quality must be right up there but as you say single coatings... my cartons have the same and there is a notable difference between those and the multi coated zeiss.

What about the swifts, obviously their audobon is very well regarded but what about the 10x50's? I'd assume the coatings would be updated in line with the audobons up till 2000 odd? They get very little mention but I can only assume give there Japanese build and more recent design they would be one of the better options - is there a particular model to look out for?

 

[normjackson]

The Nobilem is quite a different beast to your model as indicated in the review Richard D posted a link to and later versions would have had more modern coatings.

Here's another of Holger's comparison reviews including a Swift model :

Review: 10x50 Swift Kestrel vs. Zeiss Jenoptem vs. Hensoldt Diagon

www.holgermerlitz.de

 

[Binocollector]

I'm not a huge fan of sp roofs and the cost of the Swarovski is major, also I think the wide spacing of the barrels of a porro helps with stability when compared to the close barrels of a roof.

How about an AK-prism model?
I do love my DDoptics 10x45 "Pirschler". Does have some off-axis chromatic abberation though and a bit of false pupils. I don't see those when using it without glasses but it doesn't work with glasses for me.
The handling is excellent though. Very bright, very tight stars when using them for astronomy, fast focuser, great build quality. I think they are made in the Chinese Kamakura plant. Similar to the GPOs if I am not mistaken. But it's quite the detective work to find out who makes them. So I might be wrong.
If it has to be a porro, I think the Opticron Adventurers T WP are great value for money. Better coatings than a Nikon Action EX. Brighter and more color neutral. Frame is metal but the cover plates of the prism assembly are plastic.
Or how about an Oberwerk "Deluxe" series 10x50?

Oberwerk Deluxe CF 10x50 Green

Oberwerk Deluxe CF 10x50 Green

www.oberwerk.eu

However, I have the 10x60 "Mariner" and it's not as bright as my 10x56 DDoptics "Nighteagle Ergo DX". So I can't tell how good the Oberwerk "Deluxe" is, assuming it is a KUO product, too.
The Opticron Adventurer seems to be a KUO BW22:

BW22 Series

 

[William Lewis]

I'd prefer a classic porro, I like ak but the barrel spacing on a porro i find helps more with stability.

The nobilem seems to be the one to have from holgers writing- I didn't realise they were a completely new model from the Decarems. Tried finding one though and it seems like a hens teeth job, none for sale from what I've found! A real shame the format seems largely gone..

 

[William Lewis]

I can see some 10x56 of the same model (nobilem) for sale, same design?

 

[Thotmosis]

I have the pre curser to the nobilem, my zeiss is a decarem q1 , fully multi coated so I'm not sure if the nobilem would be all that different. The habicht is a little small on exit pupil as well as field of view- the decarem has 128m the habicht more like 110.

I'm not a huge fan of sp roofs and the cost of the Swarovski is major, also I think the wide spacing of the barrels of a porro helps with stability when compared to the close barrels of a roof.


I love the look of the zeiss easts, mechanical quality must be right up there but as you say single coatings... my cartons have the same and there is a notable difference between those and the multi coated zeiss.

What about the swifts, obviously their audobon is very well regarded but what about the 10x50's? I'd assume the coatings would be updated in line with the audobons up till 2000 odd? They get very little mention but I can only assume give there Japanese build and more recent design they would be one of the better options - is there a particular model to look out for?

I have both Habicht 10x40 GA and Swift Audubon FMC (1999). Both very good glass, the Habicht is brighter and waterproof but the Swift still holds it’s ground. My first and only binoculars for more than 20 years. Difficult to find nowadays though. Bought a second pair last year -MC version- but it had fungus and gave it to my brother in order not to infect my other binoculars. He is very happy with them.

 

[tenex]

the Zeiss West 10x50 "Jahrhundertglas" would be a contender but single coating only, even the very expensive early 80s re-edition of 1000 pieces - why, oh why...

Did they really not give that special edition multi-coating... thinking that buyers would want it to be exactly like the original?
In any case what wouldn't have changed from the 1960s model is very low eye relief, and no real eyecups. I think it was only 9mm.

 

[dries1]

Highest quality 10x50 central focus porro?​

I would vote for the Docter Nobilem 10X50, a bit rare but if you check the German Market often, you can find one.
I have the Diagon and the IF Hensoldt in 10X50; single coating but stellar optics and a 7 degree FOV, the ER is limited as many from that era are.

 

[Patudo]

Did they really not give that special edition multi-coating... thinking that buyers would want it to be exactly like the original?
In any case what wouldn't have changed from the 1960s model is very low eye relief, and no real eyecups. I think it was only 9mm.

If various posts here are anything to go by, it may not have been as straightforward as slapping on their latest T* multicoating to the 1950s-designed optical train. (I've often wondered whether lenses/prisms of the old Dekarems/Deltrintems were interchangeable between the single and multi-coated versions - I guess not.) But just imagine how much fully multi-coated 10x50 Zeiss Wests would go for now, though - even without the "special edition" cachet...

Then again, maybe it's a Zeiss thing. The commemorative Gold Dialyts were single-coated, too, even though by then they could have used multi-coating and even phase-coating.

I think the 10x50 porro, which used to be quite popular (Dekarem etc) has largely been replaced by 10x40/42 for birding. I suppose the Habicht 10x40 and Nikon 10x42 SE are probably the closest modern (ish) porro equivalents.

If it has to be a 10x50, and has to be center focus, and has to have contemporary coatings, maybe the 10x50 Maven (roof) could be worth trying. Per Canip's review from 2021, which includes direct comparisons to some leading roofs and porros in the same format, I would definitely consider one if I needed a 10x50.

 

[dries1]

Did they really not give that special edition multi-coating... thinking that buyers would want it to be exactly like the original?
In any case what wouldn't have changed from the 1960s model is very low eye relief, and no real eyecups. I think it was only 9mm.

I thought the Zeiss West 10X50 was dim, low transmission, and yes the ER was a killer for many users.

 

[Scott98]

I wish somebody like Nikon made center-focus 50mm porros. When you start shopping them you find out that you can buy a 10x56 roof and get a lighter bino than most of the 50mm porros. That's why I have 10x56 roof instead of 10x50 porro.

 

[William Lewis]

Agree on the eye relief issues, the decarem were possibly the most fiddly binoculars i've ever used - they had to go!

It is a shame there are no really top notch central focus models still available, must not be great sellers. If you look at the 10x i.f models your practically spoilt for choice, especially if you consider the 70mm options - I would imagine the Nikon if sp wp 10x70 is a real joy to hold and use.

 

[dries1]

Agree on the eye relief issues, the decarem were possibly the most fiddly binoculars i've ever used - they had to go!

It is a shame there are no really top notch central focus models still available, must not be great sellers. If you look at the 10x i.f models your practically spoilt for choice, especially if you consider the 70mm options - I would imagine the Nikon if sp wp 10x70 is a real joy to hold and use.

I have both the 10X70 SP and the Fujinon FMTSX 10X50, I mainly use them for astro, the Fuji 10X50 gets used much more. The 10X70 is only really appreciated, (with the narrow though flat FOV) under very dark skies.

 

[Lewis]

At least a year ago I decided 10x50s were what I most needed in my bird watching life.

I did try Nikon HG 10x42s and they underwhelmed me greatly. (I own HG 8x42s and I bet 10x50s would be awesome.)

I tried out the Maven 9x45 AKs and I found them nauseating to pan with as well as heavy.

I tried Ultravid 10x50s and was not inspired by the view over my Monarchs 8x42s, but in retrospect don’t know that the looking-out-the-store-window test was an adequate test. Or maybe the eye relief was insufficient for my eyeglasses.

I ended up trying and really loving Maven b6 10x50s. Clear, precise, wide open view. At first I was OK 30oz weight but on longer hikes it wore on me, so I traded neck strap for harness and it’s back to complete love again. I’m always engaged by the detailed, bright view they offer.

There are so so many 10x50s I haven’t tried. I would love to try 10x42 Noctivids to see if there is a valuable difference (I’d love it more if they made 10x50 Noctivids, but…). Maybe 10x56s would rock my world.

But I no longer feel like I’m missing out or struggling with a blah view.

L

 

[dries1]

Both the Leica UV HD+ and SV 10X50s are all my eyes need. I just love the color of those Leicas.