Hi, I'm new here, I will use new binoculars for birding mainly and some wildlife, wonder if to get 6x30 kowa or 8x30.....absolutely no idea, so desperately need help because I need to order fast. Thanks a lot, maybe you can explain why this or that bit into detail or at least some pros n cons. Nice day to everyone
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Should I buy Kowa YF II 6x30 or 8x30 - help needed (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tyrell90
- Start date
A2GG
Beth
Kowa SV II 8x32 is another good option:
www.birdforum.net
Product Review: Kowa SV II 8 x 32.
Evening All, Please find a link to my latest review of the Kowa SV II 8 x 32 https://neilenglish.net/product-review-kowa-sv-ii-8-x-32/ I hope you find it informative! Kind Regards, Neil.
www.birdforum.net
I personally think you can't go wrong with the Kowa YFII 6x30, especially for the price. My wife has one and is very pleased with it. Nice clear, wide view, and it's waterproof as well. Only thing you might miss is a bit of magnification, but that's about it.
I'd say that, unless you have very shaky hands, go for the 8x30. Field of view is almost identical (7,5 º the 8x vs 8 º the 6x, really small difference to matter a lot) hence the apparent field of view of the 8x is way bigger, and this makes the view more immmersive and natural, plus you will probably be able to resolve more detail.
The only scenario where I'd buy the 6x YF over the 8x is
Otherwise, for a general purpose birding device, a light and nimble 7,5 º 8x seems hard to fault.
That's my point of view owning both, but nothing beats trying for yourself, of course. I really enjoy low power binoculars, but if I was to have just one, it would probably be an 8x, I find it's more versatile, unless we are talking about a 6x with a massive field of view.
The only scenario where I'd buy the 6x YF over the 8x is
- If you have shaky hands or find it hard to use binoculars (one good reason 6x is recommended for elderly people, small children, etc.)
- You already have an 8x. In this case, the 6x would be a complement, where you will be able to enjoy the steadier view and increased depth of field of 6x
Otherwise, for a general purpose birding device, a light and nimble 7,5 º 8x seems hard to fault.
That's my point of view owning both, but nothing beats trying for yourself, of course. I really enjoy low power binoculars, but if I was to have just one, it would probably be an 8x, I find it's more versatile, unless we are talking about a 6x with a massive field of view.
edwincjones
Well-known member
Wondering what all the KY hype was about I got a pair,
and it is a very fun and enjoyable binocular
my now most used for a short woodland trail by my house.
edj
mauriciolacruz
Well-known member
The 6x30.
Why? Simply because of the super small exit pupil on the 8x30. Plus there's less brightness and FOV than on the 6x30.
Why? Simply because of the super small exit pupil on the 8x30. Plus there's less brightness and FOV than on the 6x30.
I don't think I'd call the exit pupil on a 8x30 "super small". As a matter of fact, 8x30 has been a standard of daytime binoculars for many decades, the Zeiss 8x30 are amongst the most respected and used binoculars of all time and (quoting Allbinos) "the most popular pair of binoculars in history". Furthermore, another 8x30, the Nikon EII is a really well respected device with a nearly cult status among binocular aficionados. Some very knowledgeable and respected optics fans such as Holger Merlitz count it among their very favourites. Merlitz says that the 8x30 EII has an " unusually relaxing view, this binocular is my personal overall favorite".
That is to say, that a 8x30 seems to be a very nice tool for daytime observation. In this case, comparing the 7,5º vs 8º field of view of the 8x and 6x respectively, it seems likely that the viewing experience of the 8x would be more engaging, with a much bigger AFOV. Yes, the FOV of the 6x is bigger, but just by 0,5º, which is more than made up for with the 8x magnification, that also allows a more detailed view and better resolution. Having both, and loving both, if I had to choose just one, it would be the 8x for the afore mentioned reasons.
mauriciolacruz
Well-known member
I understand your point of view, but I still prefer by far 6x30 and 8x42 binos rather than 8x30, mainly because of their bigger exit pupils and general brightness and, therefore, more comfortable / less demanding view.
Although some may prefer 8x30 of course. To each their own.
edwincjones
Well-known member
6 xs 8X?
As reported above I have the 6X and really enjoy them,
have never seen or used the Kowa 8X
but I do have other 8Xs
My thoughts are the 6Xs are better for terrestrial and general wildlife,
but the higher power 8X would be better for small things, like most birds
as long as they can be held steady
edj
As reported above I have the 6X and really enjoy them,
have never seen or used the Kowa 8X
but I do have other 8Xs
My thoughts are the 6Xs are better for terrestrial and general wildlife,
but the higher power 8X would be better for small things, like most birds
as long as they can be held steady
edj
mauriciolacruz
Well-known member
To clarify:
Please don't misunderstand my words. Any format (including 8x30) is perfectly valid, of course, and if I was given a good 8x30 I would use, pamper and keep it with love.
The only thing I want to say is that it is simply a matter of preferences: what for some people certain characteristics are an advantage over others, for other people it turns out to be the other way around.
I mean, having larger exit pupils + larger FOV + slightly more brightness (6x30) it happens to be no "better", but more adequate and convenient for me than getting a bit more power (8x30).
I do also prefer larger exit pupils + much more brightness (8x42) rather than more compactness (8x30). Should I want compactness, then I'd pick, like I said, a 7x30 or 6x30.
But that's me. Some of you may prefer the other way around.
Cheers! 🍻
Please don't misunderstand my words. Any format (including 8x30) is perfectly valid, of course, and if I was given a good 8x30 I would use, pamper and keep it with love.
The only thing I want to say is that it is simply a matter of preferences: what for some people certain characteristics are an advantage over others, for other people it turns out to be the other way around.
I mean, having larger exit pupils + larger FOV + slightly more brightness (6x30) it happens to be no "better", but more adequate and convenient for me than getting a bit more power (8x30).
I do also prefer larger exit pupils + much more brightness (8x42) rather than more compactness (8x30). Should I want compactness, then I'd pick, like I said, a 7x30 or 6x30.
But that's me. Some of you may prefer the other way around.
Cheers! 🍻
Paultricounty
Well-known member
That comfort factor is not always a combination of magnification and objective size. It also has to do with eyepiece design, eye relief , and optical quality. I’ve experienced 8 x 30/32 binoculars that were far superior to some 6x or 7x 30/32’s in eye box comfort.
I go along with Yarrellii and Beth on this one. You can never go wrong with an all around good for everything 8x30/32 or 42.
mauriciolacruz
Well-known member
That's pretty obvious.
It is assumed that we are talking about binoculars of the same quality level (for example, the same series of the same brand).
Again, choosing between one or another format it's a matter of personal tastes, nothing else.
No one format is purely "better" than the other. I just prefer this or these and you prefer that or those.
That's all about it.
Regards.
Paultricounty
Well-known member
My point was there really isn’t that much difference in eye box comfort between a 6x30 and an 8x30 even when from the same line, as long as were talking about quality products. Of course it all comes down to preference, I just feel the 8x has more reach , while still being stable for most people. If one doesn’t have an 8x or a 6x , I’d recommend go for the 8x , and the 6x can be something to ad later, if the desire is there. Most people who buy a 6x will probably be thinking about the 8x at some point. For me a 6x is kind of a novelty, 7’s are about the lowest I like to use for birding.
mauriciolacruz
Well-known member
Everybody want an 8x, but my point is that I do prefer an 8x42 rather than an 8x30.
Cheers.
Yes, but don't forget the original question was about the 6x30 and 8x30 YF
Unfortunately there's no 8x42 YF (let alone a 7x35 YF, that would be a dream come true). As you say, preferences are, well... personal.Back to the original question.
I happen to have both the 8x30 and 6x30 YF II by my side (it is one of my favourite binoculars for the combination of performance, price and form factor) and have just retested them side by side not to go by memory.
A couple of considerations I think are worth mentioning in the light of some of the comments above.
Field of view. Yes, the FOV of the 6x30 is (just slightly, half a degree) bigger... but remember it's just a 6x. Doing the "easy" AFOV calculation, the 6x30 ends up with a pretty humble 48º (too narrow for many people, by the comments here on BF), while the 8x30 goes to a respectable 60º AFOV, which is something that matters quite a lot while using the binos, to avoid having the feeling of looking through a keyhole. So, in my personal experience the 8x30 is more comfortable to use (especially if we are talking about using it for birding, as the OP says).
Brightness. There is a mantra held by many: bigger exit pupil and bigger objectives are brighter... but during daylight hours (actually, even during sunset) it is the performance of the coatings/glass that make a pair of binoculars brighter, not the diameter of the objective. For example, I have a pretty nice 7x50 Vixen Ultima Porro (with a huge 7,1 mm exit pupil), it is a nice astro glass made in Japan, but my 8x32 Swarovski EL SV (with a humble 4 mm) are noticeably brighter, way brighter. Only more than half an hour past sunset is the Ultima brighter (which is probably 1 % of my birding time. So an 8x32 gives me all that I want. Funny enough, in my case an 8x42 has no place. I use an 8x32/12x36 during daytime hours and should I want to venture in dark conditions, I use a dedicated 8.5x52 or an AK 8x56 which is brighter than a 8x42 should the conditions arrive).
Coming back to the YF, the above proves to be true once again. The 6x30 is not brighter than the 8x30. As a matter of fact, as was to be expected, the image of the 6x30 has way more depth of field (something I love, I'm a big fan of lower powers, my fav is 7x42 or 7x35), and the level of contrast is also superior, the image is really pleasing. However, surprisingly, the "lesser" contrast in the 8x30 combined with the much bigger AFOV and magnification makes for a superior "apparent brightness" (for lack of a better term). Images appear to have slightly more light on the 8x30, while they are more contrasty and "engaging" on the 6x30, as is typical of low-mag (and the reason I love them). So, brightness doesn't seem to play an important role in this case.
Viewing comfort: another repeated mantra is that bigger exit pupil will be "easier" (as in "more comfortable"), but this is not always the case. I've found that several binoculars with a nice and wide 6 mm exit pupil are less comfortable than binoculars with a smaller one. For example, the aforementioned 8.5x52 Minox HG (it was Minox top of the range back in the day) has a 6,1 mm exit pupil, but the combination of eye relief and eyecup design makes for a less than stellar viewing comfort in my experience. I also remember a 7x42 Optolyth Alpina NG which was a bit of a pain, even the 8x42 Zeiss Conquest HD (a terrific binocular otherwise) is prone to black outs despite having a 5,1 mm exit pupil as I experience during the couple of years I had it (and has been reported many times on many forums). On the other hand, a "humble" 8x30 (with a 3,75 mm exit pupil) like the Nikon EII is praised endlessly for its ease of view. As @Paultricounty said, there's more to comfort than exit pupil size and objective diameter. So there is a need to study each case, each binocular in this case.
Back to the YF, I personally find the 8x30 is easier to use than the 6x30. I get a more immersive view with less chances of blackouts (despite having a narrower exit pupil). Without having any technical knowledge about optics, my guess is that by altering the magnification and keeping many other things equal, the behaviour changes quite a lot.
As a wrap up, back to my original post. Both are amazing binoculars for the price and size, there is something really engaging about the form factor (although they might feel a bit toyish if you have big hands). If I could only afford little more than 100 €/$, I'd live happily with a pair of Kowa YF (or any of its siblings), and my personal choice as an all-rounder birding binocular would be the 8x30, going along with what @edwincjones says. I'd only choose the 6x30 over the 8x30 if I already had one (or several) 8x and needed a small and inexpensive waterproof porro, or if I had shaky hands or a limited experience using binoculars (where the stable view and lack of constant refocusing is a great plus). As a true testimonial: both my mother and my daughter have a 6x30 YF as their only binoculars (the first version for my mum, the II for my daughter), while the 8x30 YF II lives in my glovebox.
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mauriciolacruz
Well-known member
Good "review". But I did already mention that, assuming we're refering to the same (or equivalent) quality optics (e.g. binoculars of the same line/series from the same manufacturer), I do prefer 8x42 and/or 6x30 rather than 8x30. The latter may be nice, even great, but I do still prefer the other two. (Plus I forgot to mention the superior DOF on the 6x30, which is another additional advantage for me.)Yes, but don't forget the original question was about the 6x30 and 8x30 YF
Back to the original question.
I happen to have both the 8x30 and 6x30 YF II by my side (it is one of my favourite binoculars for the combination of performance, price and form factor) and have just retested them side by side not to go by memory.
View attachment 1507783
A couple of considerations I think are worth mentioning in the light of some of the comments above.
Field of view. Yes, the FOV of the 6x30 is (just slightly, half a degree) bigger... but remember it's just a 6x. Doing the "easy" AFOV calculation, the 6x30 ends up with a pretty humble 48º (too narrow for many people, by the comments here on BF), while the 8x30 goes to a respectable 60º AFOV, which is something that matters quite a lot while using the binos, to avoid having the feeling of looking through a keyhole. So, in my personal experience the 8x30 is more comfortable to use (especially if we are talking about using it for birding, as the OP says).
Brightness. There is a mantra held by many: bigger exit pupil and bigger objectives are brighter... but during daylight hours (actually, even during sunset) it is the performance of the coatings/glass that make a pair of binoculars brighter, not the diameter of the objective. For example, I have a pretty nice 7x50 Vixen Ultima Porro (with a huge 7,1 mm exit pupil), it is a nice astro glass made in Japan, but my 8x32 Swarovski EL SV (with a humble 4 mm) are noticeably brighter, way brighter. Only more than half an hour past sunset is the Ultima brighter (which is probably 1 % of my birding time. So an 8x32 gives me all that I want. Funny enough, in my case an 8x42 has no place. I use an 8x32/12x36 during daytime hours and should I want to venture in dark conditions, I use a dedicated 8.5x52 or an AK 8x56 which is brighter than a 8x42 should the conditions arrive).
Coming back to the YF, the above proves to be true once again. The 6x30 is not brighter than the 8x30. As a matter of fact, as was to be expected, the image of the 6x30 has way more depth of field (something I love, I'm a big fan of lower powers, my fav is 7x42 or 7x35), and the level of contrast is also superior, the image is really pleasing. However, surprisingly, the "lesser" contrast in the 8x30 combined with the much bigger AFOV and magnification makes for a superior "apparent brightness" (for lack of a better term). Images appear to have slightly more light on the 8x30, while they are more contrasty and "engaging" on the 6x30, as is typical of low-mag (and the reason I love them). So, brightness doesn't seem to play an important role in this case.
Viewing comfort: another repeated mantra is that bigger exit pupil will be "easier" (as in "more comfortable"), but this is not always the case. I've found that several binoculars with a nice and wide 6 mm exit pupil are less comfortable than binoculars with a smaller one. For example, the aforementioned 8.5x52 Minox HG (it was Minox top of the range back in the day) has a 6,1 mm exit pupil, but the combination of eye relief and eyecup design makes for a less than stellar viewing comfort in my experience. I also remember a 7x42 Optolyth Alpina NG which was a bit of a pain, even the 8x42 Zeiss Conquest HD (a terrific binocular otherwise) is prone to black outs despite having a 5,1 mm exit pupil as I experience during the couple of years I had it (and has been reported many times on many forums). On the other hand, a "humble" 8x30 (with a 3,75 mm exit pupil) like the Nikon EII is praised endlessly for its ease of view. As @Paultricounty said, there's more to comfort than exit pupil size and objective diameter. So there is a need to study each case, each binocular in this case.
Back to the YF, I personally find the 8x30 is easier to use than the 6x30. I get a more immersive view with less chances of blackouts (despite having a narrower exit pupil). Without having any technical knowledge about optics, my guess is that by altering the magnification and keeping many other things equal, the behaviour changes quite a lot.
As a wrap up, back to my original post. Both are amazing binoculars for the price and size, there is something really engaging about the form factor (although they might feel a bit toyish if you have big hands). If I could only afford little more than 100 €/$, I'd live happily with a pair of Kowa YF (or any of its siblings), and my personal choice as an all-rounder birding binocular would be the 8x30, going along with what @edwincjones says. I'd only choose the 6x30 over the 8x30 if I already had one (or several) 8x and needed a small and inexpensive waterproof porro, or if I had shaky hands or a limited experience using binoculars (where the stable view and lack of constant refocusing is a great plus). As a true testimonial: both my mother and my daughter have a 6x30 YF as their only binoculars (the first version for my mum, the II for my daughter), while the 8x30 YF II lives in my glovebox.
I'm not saying the 8x30 format is a bad format or a wrong choice by any means. It's just I prefer the other two formats over this one.
Again: to each their own. Your decission is up to you, as mine is up to me, and as others' is up to them.
Paultricounty
Well-known member
Excellently written , precise and to the point I couldn’t agree more. But darn you for stealing all my thoughts , there should be rules against that. 😜🙏🏼✌🏼.Yes, but don't forget the original question was about the 6x30 and 8x30 YF
Back to the original question.
I happen to have both the 8x30 and 6x30 YF II by my side (it is one of my favourite binoculars for the combination of performance, price and form factor) and have just retested them side by side not to go by memory.
View attachment 1507783
A couple of considerations I think are worth mentioning in the light of some of the comments above.
Field of view. Yes, the FOV of the 6x30 is (just slightly, half a degree) bigger... but remember it's just a 6x. Doing the "easy" AFOV calculation, the 6x30 ends up with a pretty humble 48º (too narrow for many people, by the comments here on BF), while the 8x30 goes to a respectable 60º AFOV, which is something that matters quite a lot while using the binos, to avoid having the feeling of looking through a keyhole. So, in my personal experience the 8x30 is more comfortable to use (especially if we are talking about using it for birding, as the OP says).
Brightness. There is a mantra held by many: bigger exit pupil and bigger objectives are brighter... but during daylight hours (actually, even during sunset) it is the performance of the coatings/glass that make a pair of binoculars brighter, not the diameter of the objective. For example, I have a pretty nice 7x50 Vixen Ultima Porro (with a huge 7,1 mm exit pupil), it is a nice astro glass made in Japan, but my 8x32 Swarovski EL SV (with a humble 4 mm) are noticeably brighter, way brighter. Only more than half an hour past sunset is the Ultima brighter (which is probably 1 % of my birding time. So an 8x32 gives me all that I want. Funny enough, in my case an 8x42 has no place. I use an 8x32/12x36 during daytime hours and should I want to venture in dark conditions, I use a dedicated 8.5x52 or an AK 8x56 which is brighter than a 8x42 should the conditions arrive).
Coming back to the YF, the above proves to be true once again. The 6x30 is not brighter than the 8x30. As a matter of fact, as was to be expected, the image of the 6x30 has way more depth of field (something I love, I'm a big fan of lower powers, my fav is 7x42 or 7x35), and the level of contrast is also superior, the image is really pleasing. However, surprisingly, the "lesser" contrast in the 8x30 combined with the much bigger AFOV and magnification makes for a superior "apparent brightness" (for lack of a better term). Images appear to have slightly more light on the 8x30, while they are more contrasty and "engaging" on the 6x30, as is typical of low-mag (and the reason I love them). So, brightness doesn't seem to play an important role in this case.
Viewing comfort: another repeated mantra is that bigger exit pupil will be "easier" (as in "more comfortable"), but this is not always the case. I've found that several binoculars with a nice and wide 6 mm exit pupil are less comfortable than binoculars with a smaller one. For example, the aforementioned 8.5x52 Minox HG (it was Minox top of the range back in the day) has a 6,1 mm exit pupil, but the combination of eye relief and eyecup design makes for a less than stellar viewing comfort in my experience. I also remember a 7x42 Optolyth Alpina NG which was a bit of a pain, even the 8x42 Zeiss Conquest HD (a terrific binocular otherwise) is prone to black outs despite having a 5,1 mm exit pupil as I experience during the couple of years I had it (and has been reported many times on many forums). On the other hand, a "humble" 8x30 (with a 3,75 mm exit pupil) like the Nikon EII is praised endlessly for its ease of view. As @Paultricounty said, there's more to comfort than exit pupil size and objective diameter. So there is a need to study each case, each binocular in this case.
Back to the YF, I personally find the 8x30 is easier to use than the 6x30. I get a more immersive view with less chances of blackouts (despite having a narrower exit pupil). Without having any technical knowledge about optics, my guess is that by altering the magnification and keeping many other things equal, the behaviour changes quite a lot.
As a wrap up, back to my original post. Both are amazing binoculars for the price and size, there is something really engaging about the form factor (although they might feel a bit toyish if you have big hands). If I could only afford little more than 100 €/$, I'd live happily with a pair of Kowa YF (or any of its siblings), and my personal choice as an all-rounder birding binocular would be the 8x30, going along with what @edwincjones says. I'd only choose the 6x30 over the 8x30 if I already had one (or several) 8x and needed a small and inexpensive waterproof porro, or if I had shaky hands or a limited experience using binoculars (where the stable view and lack of constant refocusing is a great plus). As a true testimonial: both my mother and my daughter have a 6x30 YF as their only binoculars (the first version for my mum, the II for my daughter), while the 8x30 YF II lives in my glovebox.
Paul
