Another good method to steady the smaller binoculars is to just cup your hands over them and rest your hands on your forehead.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Is there a CL 7x21 Curio in my future? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter mfunnell
- Start date
mfunnell
Registered Confuser
Thanks for all the comments.
I've pretty much decided I'll get some Curios. I was really just checking there weren't any red flags (in view, usability etc.) that might stop me.
As I noted in my original post, what I'm looking for needs to be appreciably smaller than the Terra 8x25s I already have (which the Victory 8x25s aren't). Sometimes, small size and portability really do matter. There's always the temptation to say "oh, it's only a little larger; and has x, y, or z additional capabilities" (real or perceived) - the 25s gather more light, but the 28s are more comfortable, and the 30s give a better view .. and pretty soon you're imagining a 10x56 as a pocket binocular!!!!
No thanks
I'll report back on how I find the Curios...
...Mike
I've pretty much decided I'll get some Curios. I was really just checking there weren't any red flags (in view, usability etc.) that might stop me.
As I noted in my original post, what I'm looking for needs to be appreciably smaller than the Terra 8x25s I already have (which the Victory 8x25s aren't). Sometimes, small size and portability really do matter. There's always the temptation to say "oh, it's only a little larger; and has x, y, or z additional capabilities" (real or perceived) - the 25s gather more light, but the 28s are more comfortable, and the 30s give a better view .. and pretty soon you're imagining a 10x56 as a pocket binocular!!!!
No thanks
I'll report back on how I find the Curios...
...Mike
John M Robinson
Well-known member
Just today I did an impulse buy on these fine binos. My wife and I are visiting a cute little town, Mendocino CA and I remembered a cool little optics shop from last year. It’s a tiny place, but they have a complete inventory of Leica, Zeus’s, Swarovski and Nikon binoculars. I had my 7x35 Retrovids with me and I wanted to test them against the 8x32 Swarovski Pures which I did. I actually preferred the 7x35 Leicas over the Pures, they just work better for my eyes.
After that the shop keeper handed my a pair of 8x32 Cls which blew me away. They were every bit as good as my Retrovids, lighter and waterproof. I love the style of the Retrovids and am glad I bought them, but I could live happily ever after with the CLs.
Anyway, just as I was ready to leave, Dave handed me the tiny 7x21s. I told him I had ruled out the tiny pocket binos years ago when I tested little Trinovids, Ultravids and whatever Swarovski called their little 8x20something binos back in 2010. I hated them, very hard to line up my eyes, jerky, and the double hinge was awkward, so I was prepared to hate these 7x21s.
Boy was I wrong, these things are awesome! They are easy to line up, the hinges work well, love the twist up eyecups, optics are very good, all in a nice, small package. My wife reluctantly took a look, just humoring me and my binocular obsession. She took a three second glance and walked away, then came back a minute later and asked how much they cost. We discussed how perfect they are for mountain hikes in our beloved Glacier National Park. She gave me the go ahead, so stoked!
After that the shop keeper handed my a pair of 8x32 Cls which blew me away. They were every bit as good as my Retrovids, lighter and waterproof. I love the style of the Retrovids and am glad I bought them, but I could live happily ever after with the CLs.
Anyway, just as I was ready to leave, Dave handed me the tiny 7x21s. I told him I had ruled out the tiny pocket binos years ago when I tested little Trinovids, Ultravids and whatever Swarovski called their little 8x20something binos back in 2010. I hated them, very hard to line up my eyes, jerky, and the double hinge was awkward, so I was prepared to hate these 7x21s.
Boy was I wrong, these things are awesome! They are easy to line up, the hinges work well, love the twist up eyecups, optics are very good, all in a nice, small package. My wife reluctantly took a look, just humoring me and my binocular obsession. She took a three second glance and walked away, then came back a minute later and asked how much they cost. We discussed how perfect they are for mountain hikes in our beloved Glacier National Park. She gave me the go ahead, so stoked!
John M Robinson
Well-known member
I’ve always thought “pocket binoculars “ meant shirt pocket, though it was never actually defined as such. I used to keep my 7x35 Leitz Trinovids in my parka chest pocket, but I never considered them pocket binoculars.
Nah Dennis, I think not.
Length, (at least among these), is almost immaterial if one is thinking about fitting a bino within a pocket, especially the flat pocket of a shirt. We need to be focusing on girth, the stuff that fills the pocket. Using fancy words like aperture doesn't help the point. We're talking here about the outside diameter of each whole tube, (not just the glass), plus hinge and spacing for IPD, in whatever state of collapse one is trying to stuff it in their pocket. Yes the diff between 20 and 25 is 5, just like the diff between 25 and 30 is 5. Thats hardly the point. No doubt the 20mm objective bino will fit in smaller pockets than the 25 equipped models. So to will the 25s fit smaller pockets than 30s. At some point its the absolute outside bulk, NOT the difference. Using LxW to suggest "area" makes sense if one is dealing with the square area of a 2D rectangle on a flat piece of paper, but seems a reach as a descriptor in this instance.
Its about the girth baby!
Double hinges do make for a smaller girth. Yup when closed. And do complicate the issue when you have to get to IPD quickly to catch the bird. This another not yet discussed benefit of the VP, if for right handers only. I get it, but we digress
"Out of this World Optics" is a treasure I discovered last fall along with Mendocino. Lovely places. Great people.
John M Robinson
Well-known member
I love that store! Talk about a happy surprise, finding a really cool store and great people in tiny Mendocino.
Picture courtesy of Chuck Hill without permission is appropriate here I guess....
Length is important unless you want the binocular hanging out of your pocket! The The overall area of a binocular gives you a pretty good idea of how small a pocket the binocular will fit in. The aperture is really what determines the overall size and girth of the binocular. The Curio is without a doubt going to fit more pockets than a VP. That is why Swarovski designed a 7x21. They know people like to carry a binocular with them and the smaller, the better, but it still has to be optically good. Which one of these would most people want to carry in their pocket? That VP looks an elephant next to a mouse!
Last edited:
I look to you for pictures, Chuck. This was an excellent one showing the comparative sizes of the compact binoculars. Not many people have all those different binoculars to take a picture of. Very useful!Picture courtesy of Chuck Hill without permission is appropriate here I guess....
Phooey! Give it up Dennis. You like Curios. Baby Doc likes VPs. Everyone gets to choose based on their own preferences. End of convo. You're arguing for the sake or arguing. Why?
Think youre missing something here Dennis.
Here is a good summation of the advantages and disadvantages of each binocular and what they are best used for. From Scopeviews review on Curio.
"These are the two current leaders in folding binoculars and readers have asked me to compare them, so I will. But in a way they aren’t the natural competitors you would think. Before I delve into that, let’s do a point-by-point comparison:
- · The Curios are significantly smaller, especially when folded, and lighter too
- · The Curios are made in Europe like other Swarovski binoculars; the Victory's’ construction has been outsourced to Japan
- · The build quality of the Curios feels to me on a higher level, more recognizably artisanal and ‘high-end’
- · The Zeiss have a much wider apparent view, which just gives them an airier more expansive feel, but it falls off a little at the edge in a way the Curios’ does not
- · Otherwise, the quality of view – daytime brightness, vividness, resolution – is very similar
- · The Zeiss’ extra aperture gives them an edge in low light, making them a more practical all-weather, all-day mini birding bino’
- · The Zeiss’ unusual single bridge makes them faster to unfold and use, but makes them less compact when folded away
- · The Zeiss focus even closer
The Curios’ field lacks the apparent width and so wow factor of the Zeiss’ and the Curios’ smaller aperture means poorer performance in low light. But the Curios are better made and much more compact. Which you choose will depend on your use case.
As an ultra-compact birding bino’ you would choose the Zeiss. For travel, trekking and general-purpose nature viewing the Curios, due to their compactness, designer build and repairability."
Last edited:
It's not as simple as that though is it? Design makes a big difference.
For example these:
https://www.opticron.co.uk/our-products/compact-binoculars/taiga-compact-binoculars-/taiga-8x25
are never going to be as "pocketable" as a VP 8x25 or a 8x25 CL. The ability to fold up a binocular into a small size defines how easy it is to "pocket".
And of course, what is the size of a pocket??? How long is a piece of string??
Maybe we need an ISO defined international standard size "pocket"??
That optics store sounds wonderful, it's not the first time I've heard of it, will have to put in on my list if I ever make to Humbolt County. It feels good to support small, local merchants - that's how I ended up with my SF 8x42's. As we've all seen, if you don't support them, they go away, and you're left shopping in corporate warehouses like Home Depot and Best Buy.
We have a great local bird store here in Newburyport, Mass., the owner does a ton of things for the community, like writing a weekly column in the local newspaper and leading free owl/eagle tours. Not to mention keeping a big collection of all the new binos available to customers for testing anytime you want. If I decide to buy something they stock, there's no question where I'm going to make the purchase.
We have a great local bird store here in Newburyport, Mass., the owner does a ton of things for the community, like writing a weekly column in the local newspaper and leading free owl/eagle tours. Not to mention keeping a big collection of all the new binos available to customers for testing anytime you want. If I decide to buy something they stock, there's no question where I'm going to make the purchase.
Point IS.....when using/borrowing someones pictures OR words one should cite the source. I don't CARE but that's the correct and courteous thing to do.
John A Roberts
Well-known member
AND ALSO . . .
In post #10, a picture of Roger Vine's used without credit, or linking to the source.
In both posts #10 and 50, a picture of Mike Hogue's used without credit or indicating the source in post #6.
John
In post #10, a picture of Roger Vine's used without credit, or linking to the source.
In both posts #10 and 50, a picture of Mike Hogue's used without credit or indicating the source in post #6.
John
I wasn't aware you were supposed to link a picture to the source or credit it when you use one from Bird Forum. It makes sense, though. Moving forward, I will be sure to do that from now on!
Last edited:
