Kevin Purcell
Well-known member
Had an hour with a pair of EII 8X30 today and compared them with 8x32fl. Is it just me or does the EII seem to have a little less magnification?? I am sure you binocular buffs out there will explain this away but there does seem to be a difference to my eyes. As if the EII were perhaps 7x magnification. The field of view is a tad wider with the EII, does this appear to make the magnifcation lower??
It comes from the wider spacing of the objectives (that gives the exaggerated 3D effect) but also seems to have a smaller magnification.
That's often called the "roof illusion" but perhaps should be called the "porro illusion" as roof have the normal eye spacing but the porros are the oddball.
Search for it on the forum to find some other comments.
Along with waterproofing, compactness, reduced weight, and fashion the "roof illusion" probably accounts for the rise of the roof over the porro.
Wider FOV generally gives the subjective feeling of more magnification than a narrower FOV (in my experience at least). I guess it just feels "bigger".