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I like slow focus (1 Viewer)
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black crow
Well-known member
I get that. My newest bin has a slow focuser but is optically wonderful. I feel like I can really fine tune it to a wonderful sharpness. I like both however so I have both.
james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
Focus speed needs to suit the owner and the owners pursuits. For me, I look at every living thing I see, near and far and slow focus is never going to suit.
For birds only, or hunting / general glassing, slow and precise focus is great - I love it on my HT - but the Conquest is more versatile and is reached for almost every time that things other than birds might be observed.
For birds only, or hunting / general glassing, slow and precise focus is great - I love it on my HT - but the Conquest is more versatile and is reached for almost every time that things other than birds might be observed.
etc
Well-known member
I don't mind the focus in my 2008 vintage Swaro EL. It could be just a bit slower however. I think they increased the speed several times between the original late 90's model and today.
Fast focus is nice at times but at the price of granularity loss. I like granularity and fine focus resolution.
Fast focus is nice at times but at the price of granularity loss. I like granularity and fine focus resolution.
WJC
Well-known member
I think it should be pointed out that there are two major kinds of slow focus.
1) Slow focus due to a greater number of revolutions (or fractions) to get the instrument to move from one image to another at a greater or lesser distance.
2) Slow focus due to the focus mechanism being lubricated with a grease of higher viscosity. :cat:
Bill
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black crow
Well-known member
WJC
Well-known member
Because you didn’t recognize it, it doesn’t follow that it wasn’t.
You will also find the binos with sloppy focus wheels may not offer you the QUALITY of focus you would like. From what you have said, it is plain your problem rests with the bird’s desire to move quickly—and NOT the binocular. You need a combination of experience and a firm grip on what is really important to you. Using a binocular is not “rocket science.” So, don’t over-think the operation. Take your bino, be glad it is a great one, and go enjoy the nature around you. When in water over your head, you don’t need to know how deep it is; you need to know how to swim. :cat:
Bill
jape
Well-known member
theres something to be said for these inexpensive camlink 8x25 then, and for owning just one binocular!
i dont know whether they are fast or slow but they adjust with just a slide of the finger over a good few metres, stop quickly and firmly then fine tune with just an easy wiggle back and forth. then they hold such that i can pick them up hours later, look at the previous focus point/distance for calibration and they are still spot on or never away more than my eye itself can adjust. what would you define as fast focus? do you have a ratio of percentage of wheel turn per distance or is it a different mechanical action?
i dont know whether they are fast or slow but they adjust with just a slide of the finger over a good few metres, stop quickly and firmly then fine tune with just an easy wiggle back and forth. then they hold such that i can pick them up hours later, look at the previous focus point/distance for calibration and they are still spot on or never away more than my eye itself can adjust. what would you define as fast focus? do you have a ratio of percentage of wheel turn per distance or is it a different mechanical action?
black crow
Well-known member
You bet there are advantages to that. You don't have to spend a lot of money you can use to live on. You don't have to drive yourself half crazy with indecision and dissatisfaction and you can focus on the scenery in contentment. You my friend are one of my idols here. You are a wiser man than I. At least in some ways.
WJC
Well-known member
black crow
Well-known member
That's exactly the place I was heading for.:t:
jape
Well-known member
except i dont understand half of what you americans think is plain talk!
mind you i only understand 2/3 of what normal people speak
and the locals round here speak 'urgle blurgle wibble cun?'
i have no idea why you call me wise either. i have one chair, a sidetable and live on porridge and bananas, but thanks, i like you both as well, not that i am a good judge ...
mind you i only understand 2/3 of what normal people speak
and the locals round here speak 'urgle blurgle wibble cun?'
i have no idea why you call me wise either. i have one chair, a sidetable and live on porridge and bananas, but thanks, i like you both as well, not that i am a good judge ...
Alexis Powell
Natural history enthusiast
I like efficient focus = fast _and_ precise
More binoculars need to be engineered with variable-ratio focus, which does away with the trade-off between speed and precision. So far, the only models I've encountered have been from Brunton, Pentax, and Minox. I'd sure like to see this in the next iteration of one of the optically premium bins. Swarovski, are you listening? Let's have variable ratio focus in the next EL so that its close focus ability is of practical use for birding+butterflying.
--AP
More binoculars need to be engineered with variable-ratio focus, which does away with the trade-off between speed and precision. So far, the only models I've encountered have been from Brunton, Pentax, and Minox. I'd sure like to see this in the next iteration of one of the optically premium bins. Swarovski, are you listening? Let's have variable ratio focus in the next EL so that its close focus ability is of practical use for birding+butterflying.
--AP
