Which magnification? (5 Viewers)

[etc]

I always use 8x for hand held binoculars. I have a very steady hand and often get sharp pictures at 1/4 sec with a camera but I wouldn't dream of setting off with 10x bins round my neck. Even when resting ones elbows in a hide the difference in the amount of shake between 8's and 10x is striking. My 12 year old son has 7x42's and when resting those in a hide I can get almost no shake from them. My advice to anyone thinking of spending Leica prices is walk around for a week with some 8x bins then swap for 10's and see those baby's shake. Your brain has to try much harder to hold them steadier plus your eyes have to work harder to keep up. With lower mag the brain and eyes can ease off a bit and viewing is less tiring. I would rather have a small, bright, sharp, steady bird than a slightly larger, very slightly dimmer, very jittery bird. ....

Old thread, but it is a great explanation of 8x vs. 10x difference..

On the weight difference between Swaro and Leica, I heard that Leica is heavier because it uses more lenses, and thus has a better image. You don't want it to be lighter compromising the view.

 

[Tero]

Another advantage, if you want 32mm, they all seem to work pretty well, good and slighly worse models. With 10x, you are stuck with expensive models to fins a 10x32 that works. And there are fewer such models.

I use 8x32 and 10x40.