Too high powered compacts (2 Viewers)

[kmiernik]

I don't know do you remember that 6x30 binoculars were essential in almost every army during II World War. In every kind of military units: both navy and army. The 6x30 porro's were bright and compact and had enough magnification power. In the 50's and 60's 6x30 were still most classic binoculars. Guess what was first Swarovski binoculars? 6x30 of course. And next one? 7x42.

It was that because binoculars market was small and majority of users understood that binoculars are not only for magnification. They wanted to have big FOV and bright image not only during nice and sunny day.

The only reason why magnification 6x is not enough nowadays it is opening binoculars market for people that do not use binoculars. For them it is just a nice toy.

From the logical point of view when you have only one pair of binoculars you should have something most universal (vide 6x30 during IIWW). If you want to have this binoculars small they probably should be no more in diameter then 25mm and proper (most universal) power for this size is no more than 6x or 7x.

But if you want to have a toy it might also be 20x25 or 20x20. It doesn't matter when only way you use them it is showing them to you friends during hot day and barbecue party (to see girls sunbathing in the neighborhood with details). Yes, that's the only good reason to have big magnification.

 

[Swedpat]

kmiernik,

Yes, even in Sweden the 6x30 models are?/were used in the army, and some of these binoculars (Hensholdt) are now available at the used market at affordable prices.
I think they found that the 6x30 was an optimal configuration for the military purpose. 5mm exit pupil provides clear images even at low light conditions, and with 6x power the size and weight can be hold quite low. 6x also means a stable image even when you are tired.

Patric

 

[lucznik]

Of course, you must also consider that 6x worked because the goal of the military officer using one was simply to evaluate the size of the enemy force he was about to engage. He was not using them to try to see subtle color marks or plumage characteristics. He was counting planes, tanks, soldiers, etc. Military usage just doesn't amount to a good standard as their mission and purpose is quite different.

One also must consider that it was/is both easier and cheaper to manufacture optics of lower magnification and thus the military usage during WWII can be partly attributed to being a matter of basic logistical simplification.

Then again, if we are required to use the military as one of our examples, it must be noted that today's more advanced/modern militaries generally no longer use 6x binoculars. The US military uses a lot of Steiner binoculars in both their porro prism models as well as their compacts. My understanding has been that these are usually in 8x magnification. Interestingly, military contracts would be sufficiently lucrative to properly motivate any optics manufacturer to make 6x binoculars. Such optics could also then easily be marketed to civilians just by mentioning that they are "current military issue" and/or by placing the word "tactical" on them. Demand for such military styled "tactical" gear has never been higher. But so far, no military of significance seems to be asking for such a thing.