Stephen B's excellent photograph demonstrates the aesthetic differences between porro and roof prisms. I think it also demonstrates the smooth and silky styling of the roof prism giving them overall advantage in the beauty competition. .......................
I can't agree here. Certainly both are "made up" well and have achieved a "look" that woman with less than classic beauty work at to achieve. And who better to understand this than Swarovski AG which specializes in Fashion Accessories among many other things!
Basically the porro prism binocular has always been, since it's inception, a "contraption" limited in design by the laws of Optics.
The one porro prism binocular that pushed the boundaries of the design is the Nikon EII which with it's oversize prisms enrobed in curvacious prism housings gave the porro's usual squat utilitarian looks a kind of sensuous, Rubenesque beauty, which while adding to it's visual appeal, actually improved it's optical performance!
The open bridge redesign of the roof prism binocular did nothing like this. If anything it became more than a look; it became a statement! A demand: "Look at me, I am different!" It catches ones eye in a Tammy Faye Bakker sort of way.
The newly redesigned Zeiss Victory is different and good looking. Less than beautiful but nevertheless handsome in a Bauhaus utilitarian sort of way!:t:
Bob