The same thing happened here as well 😂 At least am trying not to think about buying more binoculars. Perhaps.... I will stop thinking about it after buying one more 😁😁I have a wife to keep happy as well. That's why I have the 4th and the 5th.
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Having 2 pairs of binoculars. Which would you choose? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter ReinierB
- Start date
Excluding the Habicht I'm currently advertising, I'm firmly in the two pairs camp. One is the Swaro 8x25 CL, which I use when out for a stroll or when weight is an issue - eg walking in the mountains or travel. For their size they have a great view and they're the ones I'd choose if I had to go down to just one pair.
The other pair is a Pentax 8x42 DCF CS, which are entirely serviceable but don't have any wow factor. I've been auditioning many of the alpha / sub-alpha options in 8/10 x 32/42 as a possible replacement for these but have yet to find a pair I really bond with. The closest so far have been the Zeiss SFL 8x40 and the Leica 10x42 Ultravid. Sadly many bins are out as I find the eyecups just too big for my face shape. So the hunt continues!
PS In an ideal world Swaro will release something to compete with the SFL but sadly I can't see that happening any time soon.
The other pair is a Pentax 8x42 DCF CS, which are entirely serviceable but don't have any wow factor. I've been auditioning many of the alpha / sub-alpha options in 8/10 x 32/42 as a possible replacement for these but have yet to find a pair I really bond with. The closest so far have been the Zeiss SFL 8x40 and the Leica 10x42 Ultravid. Sadly many bins are out as I find the eyecups just too big for my face shape. So the hunt continues!
PS In an ideal world Swaro will release something to compete with the SFL but sadly I can't see that happening any time soon.
Have you ever considered the CL companion 8x30 or 10x30? They have quite narrow eyecups. If you like the CL 8x25 you might like the CL 8x30 or 10x30 too.
Thanks for the suggestion and yes I did indeed. You're absolutely right about the eyecup fitting really well. And I found them a decent bit of kit (albeit with a slightly narrow field of view. However I just couldn't get past the awful design of the dioptre! If they re-designed that feature and made it in a 40mm lens I'd have one in a heartbeat
Thotmosis
Well-known member
If my ever growing bino collection would be a car i would get non stop speed limit tickets….
So the Habicht 10x40 didn't work for you and I get that. Very nice binoculars, but it has its restrictions for being purely for bird watching. The SFL 10x40 would have been nice, but the eyecups are too wide for your liking?Thanks for the suggestion and yes I did indeed. You're absolutely right about the eyecup fitting really well. And I found them a decent bit of kit (albeit with a slightly narrow field of view. However I just couldn't get past the awful design of the dioptre! If they re-designed that feature and made it in a 40mm lens I'd have one in a heartbeat
I have the NL Pure 10x32 and really like it, althought it is a bit heavy for a 32mm. The eyecups are pretty wide, but has 6 or 7 positions (I always loose count) and I like that. I found a perfect position for my eyes.
I think eyecups are very important. They can make or break the comfort of a pair of binoculars. (I do not wear glasses, only for reading.)
A Swarovski CL 8x40 or 10x40 would be very nice (hey Swaro, do you hear us?). I think it is a gap in their assortiment.
I am a fan of the eyecups of the SLC 42's. I prefer them over the NL's and EL's. A bit narrower and I like this. They look a bit oldfashioned, but the optics are good and they are not too heavy for a 42mm. Unfortunately not produced under the name Swarovski anymore, so a CL 40 could fill that gap.
Sadly the SFL rubs the bridge of my nose just a bit too much. Didn't stop me trying them a few times trying to convince myself they're fine
The NL 32 is right on the borderline of what's ok for me.Totally agree with you re eyecups being absolutely critical. They are the interface between the optics and two very nerve-dense parts of the human body - the eye and the face. Which means that little issues with fit that wouldn't be noticed if they affected other parts of the body are immediately magnified and become problematic.
The Zeiss Conquest eye-cups are fine for me but mechanically they really aren't very impressive. I'm fully aware that's me being picky but in general I find Zeiss quite utilitarian without the engineering quality of Leica or the design skills of Swaro. Just my personal take of course...
jafritten
Well-known member
I try to keep a collection of not more than 5 pairs. Currently I own 6 pairs, shed bin and beach bin not included. My limits could be expressed in numbers but this is more practical for me: I rule out any binoculars that I would not take out into the hills, field or woods. That means that I wouldn't buy anything larger or heavier than a Swarovski EL x42. Neither would I buy anything that does not seem robust enough for my purposes.
I'd love a Leica 8x50, for example. But it's just too much of a beast for me to carry.
Which pairs do you have then?
Do you have experience with 50mm bins? I did a lot of birding on Helgoland last week and carried the EL 12x50 all the time, with an harness. EL and UHVD 50's are just 150 g heavier than the EL 42's and with an harness I found carrying them rather comfortable. I didn't even miss a scope because I had 12x.
However, If you really like the idea of the Leica 8x50, give them a try
.A collection of 5 pairs is my limit as well, so I have room for one more pair at the moment. I don't want to waste it, so I give myself 1 or 2 year to really sort out what I am "missing" at the moment, before I will pull the trigger.
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Elkhornsun
Well-known member
Even when I have the 12x50 binoculars in my truck I will often grab the Swarovski 10x25 Pocket Mountain ones instead. They are light enough to hang off my neck while driving or carrying a camera in the field. For me this is the perfect combination and I have been selling my other ones.
