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Are really today's binoculars that much better? (1 Viewer)

N

Non_fuyades

Member
My question is about the development of new binoculars.

Today's binos, how much did they improve with the years? Are today's budget options match for the alphas of the past? Can we expect to have even better optical quality on the future? Or to have the same range of quality at lower prices?
 
If you buy a good brand, OPTICALLY, yes. If you buy a good brand, MECHANICALLY, it's hard to say. Each generation has its good and bad instruments.

Today, too many people (my opinion) get excited about new models that are just old models in new clothing. In addition, they also get excited about new companies entering the already over-crowded market. One new company to be spoken of on this forum could do no wrong; their products were compared to the legends of the industry. Then, all of a sudden, people started having problems with some of their binoculars and began talking about how no one at the company would answer the phones and what poor customer service they had.

Being an old dog, I’ve learned not to chase every car that passes. I stick with the known performers and let others do experimentation. They have time to put lessons hard-learned into action; I don’t. I need it right the first time. :cat:

Cheers,

Bill
 
WJC said:
If you buy a good brand, OPTICALLY, yes. If you buy a good brand, MECHANICALLY, it's hard to say. Each generation has its good and bad instruments.

Today, too many people (my opinion) get excited about new models that are just old models in new clothing. In addition, they also get excited about new companies entering the already over-crowded market. One new company to be spoken of on this forum could do no wrong; their products were compared to the legends of the industry. Then, all of a sudden, people started having problems with some of their binoculars and began talking about how no one at the company would answer the phones and what poor customer service they had.

Being an old dog, I’ve learned not to chase every car that passes. I stick with the known performers and let others do experimentation. They have time to put lessons hard-learned into action; I don’t. I need it right the first time. :cat:

Cheers,

Bill
Click to expand...

Amen.....o:D
 
Some older instruments were very physically robust since the primary market was often the military. Generally, I've found older bins that I've looked at (i.e. from 1950s & 60s or earlier) tend neither to focus very closely nor to have a wide field of view. I'm also of the opinion (not shared by all) that the gap between the best 'cheap' binoculars and the most expensive (in optical terms at least) is narrower now than it's ever been.
 
Sharp 11degree field of view 7x35, heavy, not huge eye relief, but wonderfully immersive 3D view, easy to find stuff, spot stuff going on nearby and they're probably older then I am. They aren't HD/ED/phase coated, but I don't like looking down a dark tunnel at things!

petwr
 
WJC said:
Today, too many people (my opinion) get excited about new models that are just old models in new clothing. In addition, they also get excited about new companies entering the already over-crowded market. One new company to be spoken of on this forum could do no wrong; their products were compared to the legends of the industry. Then, all of a sudden, people started having problems with some of their binoculars and began talking about how no one at the company would answer the phones and what poor customer service they had.

Being an old dog, I’ve learned not to chase every car that passes. I stick with the known performers and let others do experimentation. They have time to put lessons hard-learned into action; I don’t. I need it right the first time.
Click to expand...

Perfect summary.

Hermann
 
John Cantelo said:
Generally, I've found older bins that I've looked at (i.e. from 1950s & 60s or earlier) tend neither to focus very closely nor to have a wide field of view.
Click to expand...

Zeiss West 10x50 Porro. 130m/1000m, AFOV 70 degrees. More than *any* modern 10x roof. Mine is from 1963, and the only thing it lacks is modern multicoatings, so contrast and transmission aren't up to scratch by today's standards. Resolution in the middle is perfect, no CA. Excellent ergonomics for people with medium to large hands. Not suitable for people who need glasses, of course. And there are several other porros from the old days with large fields of view.

Close focus - well, I don't need that myself. I rarely look at my feet through my binoculars.

John Cantelo said:
I'm also of the opinion (not shared by all) that the gap between the best 'cheap' binoculars and the most expensive (in optical terms at least) is narrower now than it's ever been.
Click to expand...

The gap has become smaller over the years. It's still there though IMNSHO. Reliability and fieldworthiness are a different topic, that's where many of the newcomers tend to cut too many corners.

That said, a well-built medium-priced binocular is pretty good nowadays. And the stuff Meopta makes, to take one manufacturer that knows how to build good, tough binoculars, is very nice.

Now, if they only didn't stick to that narrow +/-3 diopters adjustment range. I just don't understand how a manufacturer like Meopta (or Canon) can be so stupid.

Hermann
 
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Nothing beats my Zeiss BGAT 7X50 in clarity, transparency contrast, 3D and color.

And i have Leica Noctivid, Swaro SV, Zeiss HT and i had SF 8X42 before among others.
 
There are so many marketing terms, some companies haven't a clue about what ED is, let alone why you'd want it... for instance! The explosion of decent optics is a good thing, but it does easily lead to confusion, especially when there are lots of terms and numbers attached.

Peter
 
To answer the OP's question, IMO today's $500 glass is equal to or superior to the very best glass available 15-20 years ago by any maker regardless of price. Mechanically speaking, not sure anything is superior nowadays to the Leica Trinovid BA/BN (toughest ever IMO), or maybe a Swaro SLC WB.
 
Hermann said:
Zeiss West 10x50 Porro. 130m/1000m, AFOV 70 degrees. More than *any* modern 10x roof. Mine is from 1963 ....
Close focus - well, I don't need that myself. I rarely look at my feet through my binoculars.
The gap has become smaller over the years. It's still there though IMNSHO. Reliability and fieldworthiness are a different topic, that's where many of the newcomers tend to cut too many corners.

Hermann
Click to expand...

I did say 'generally'! I still recall my first look at the Zeiss West 10x50 Porro (in about 1967/68) - absolutely superb. Although I do have 5 binoculars, I'm no collector these being an accumulation of 'retired' bins I'm reluctant to get rid of but I'd love to have one of those 10x50 porros. I don't look at my feet either but I sometimes like to watch butterflies. Final point is well made.
 
jgraider said:
To answer the OP's question, IMO today's $500 glass is equal to or superior to the very best glass available 15-20 years ago by any maker regardless of price. Mechanically speaking, not sure anything is superior nowadays to the Leica Trinovid BA/BN (toughest ever IMO), or maybe a Swaro SLC WB.
Click to expand...

Dead right JG. I loved my Zeiss 10x40 BGA T* (not P) to bits but the view through any number of mid-priced bins is better.

Mechanically it is a different story and almost all brands have issues with the focus mechanism from time to time, which is odd when you consider that shafts and gears are old well-understood tech whereas conjuring a wide, sharp, a realistically contrasted and coloured view with an acceptable balance of distortions would appear to be much more difficult or at least contentious.

Lee
 
The other question is

"How much quality optics does one need"?

I have used the argument that with my aging eyes I need the best I can get,
but the image depends on the weakest link-my eyes
so do I really benefit from the best?

edj
 
It is still hard to find binoculars that will beat the views seen through Nikon's SE Porro prism binoculars which came out just before the turn of the Millennium and of the ones that do are, nearly all of them, top of the line binoculars from the "Big Four."

Many will take issue with their basic non-waterproof construction though.

Bob
 
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edwincjones said:
The other question is

"How much quality optics does one need"?

I have used the argument that with my aging eyes I need the best I can get,
but the image depends on the weakest link-my eyes
so do I really benefit from the best?

edj
Click to expand...

There ya go with all that logic stuff, again. :t:

Bill
 
edwincjones said:
sorry-as I get older I cannot help it
maybe it has something with aging and wisdom
or is that just false wisdom?

edj
Click to expand...

EDJ

Providing your bins are always better than your eyes you can rest assured that any shortfall in the quality of the view is down to your eyes or even your eye-brain co-operation.

If your bins are not as good as this you would always have the uncertainty of not knowing whether the bins were making the image worse than it needs to be.

We have enough stress and uncertainty at our time of life edj, so if you can get rid of one cause, why not do it if you can afford it? Its probably cheaper than therapy!

Lee
 
edwincjones said:
sorry-as I get older I cannot help it
maybe it has something with aging and wisdom
or is that just false wisdom?

edj
Click to expand...

A TRUCKLOAD of intelligence without a SMIDGEN of wisdom is like a nuclear missile without a guidance system—dangerous at both ends of the flight. :cat:

Bill
 
Troubador said:
EDJ

Providing your bins are always better than your eyes you can rest assured that any shortfall in the quality of the view is down to your eyes or even your eye-brain co-operation.

If your bins are not as good as this you would always have the uncertainty of not knowing whether the bins were making the image worse than it needs to be.

We have enough stress and uncertainty at our time of life edj, so if you can get rid of one cause, why not do it if you can afford it? Its probably cheaper than therapy!

Lee
Click to expand...


cheaper than eye surgery also

and Bill- I have never be accused of having a truckload of intelligent

edj
 
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