Help with binoculars plz (1 Viewer)

hi i have just been bought some expensive 10x42 binoculars as a present and want to get into birdwathing but after some research i have found that 8x42 binoculars would be best.
so would it be ok to use my new 10x42 binoculars or do i need a new pair i hope not as these were a present any help would be appreciated thanks

Hi latic

Although 8x binoculars are considered by many people to be the best all-round magnification, many others use 10x very successfully. I have both 10x and 8x and use both very happily. Whilst 8x will give you more depth of field and a wider field of view 10x will give you a bigger image (which some prefer). If you find that you can hold them steadily (an issue for many who prefer the lower magnification) you are likely to find that your 10x binos will do the job for you. You really need to give them a good trial and make your own assessment IMHO.

Regards
Graham

Agree with Graham. Check it out. It all depends on whether you can hold the 10x steady. I personally prefer a 10x. As Graham explained, the image is larger and I like it better that way. Feel I can see the bird closer/better with a 10x rather than a 8x. The key word is "feel".

If you have been given an expensive binocular, you may be on to a winner. Have a good time.

As the other posters have said it's your choice as to which to use, there's no hard and fast rule. If there were then the binocular manufacturers wouldn't make so many combinations of magnification and objective size.
I used 10 x 42 bins for a number of years and only changed to 8 x 42 this year following an injury which made keeping the 10 x pair steady quite difficult.

you have 10x binoculars.

this means they will have a smaller field of view and due to the higher magnification will be slightly darker than if you had 8x magnification.

so when you are walking round in a woodland it will be slightly more difficult to find the birds in the trees, it will also be slightly more difficult to get a good look at the birds you find as holding them steady is slightly more difficult.

on the other hand when you do find a bird it will appear slightly larger and so be easier to identify. until the light drops i.e. round dusk, then it will be slightly more difficult to identify the birds as the image will be slightly darker than with an 8x.

if of course you are sat in a hide looking out over a large expanse of water on a lovely sunny summers day, then you won't notice the darker image, you can stick your elbows on the shelf to hold them steady and you will identify birds which were slightly further away because they are slightly more magnified than if you were using an 8x.


did you see what i did there i wrote slightly loads of time.
don't worry you will adapt go out and see some birds

I would say there's no right or wrong. I use 8x as I can't hold 10x still enough but you might be different. I think it's true that most people would recommend 8x in the first instant, but that doesn't mean you have "the wrong ones". Try them, and if they are a good make as you say, you'll move them on pretty quickly in the classifieds to fund some new ones should that be necessary.

thanks everyone for your replys. will be going out giving them a try at the first oppurtunity