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Nikon SE 8x32 or 10x42 (1 Viewer)

A

AlbertoJ

Well-known member
Hello, I am a new user of this forum, although I have been reading in it on last year.

I would like to know if anyone has compared binoculars Nikon SE 8x32 and 10x42.
These are the same binocular with 8X and 10X, but: Has 42mm diameter one better contrast, sharpness, or resolution than 32mm one?
Has diameter aperture influence on contrast, sharpness, or resolution? (in a sunny day, in a cloudy day, and in the sunset and twilight).

In conclusion, has Nikon 10x42 a general better vision than 8x32 one?

Excuse me for spelling mistakes.
Greetings
 
AlbertoJ said:
Hello, I am a new user of this forum, although I have been reading in it on last year.

I would like to know if anyone has compared binoculars Nikon SE 8x32 and 10x42.
These are the same binocular with 8X and 10X, but: Has 42mm diameter one better contrast, sharpness, or resolution than 32mm one?
Has diameter aperture influence on contrast, sharpness, or resolution? (in a sunny day, in a cloudy day, and in the sunset and twilight).

In conclusion, has Nikon 10x42 a general better vision than 8x32 one?

Excuse me for spelling mistakes.
Greetings
Click to expand...
The 10X42 is marginally brighter in dim light.
 
Both are very bright. As John Traynor says the 10 x 42 is marginally brighter in dim light. Other than that specific instance, both the 8 x 32 and 10 x 42 are unexcelled in contrast, sharpness, resolution, depth of field, flatness of field and they both have remarkably large "sweet spots." I prefer the 8 x 32 for general all around use. It is relatively small, lightweight and plenty bright enough for use in the woods and it has a wide FOV. I like the 10 x 42 for raptor watching and for other long distance views.

Pick the one best suited for the type of birding you do. Get it quick though! They have been discontinued. They will soon be history. They are probably the best birding Porro Prism binoculars ever made.

Cordiallly,
Bob
 
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Having enjoying for a long time both models, as owner in the 8X32, I consider they are among the tops in optics. Perhaps a comercial fiasco for Nikon. Although not cheap they don't look expensive.
I suposse you already have a bunch of information about the SEs. Under a hedonist point of view they'll give you the tastiest bird image. Don't be obsesed about brightness. The 8X is surprising for its size. The advantage of the bigger 42 mm objetive glass, apart from the extra 2X, only are evident when looking at long distance. If this situation is the usual for you, remember that there isn't any 42mm binocular wich can win in level of detail to the 10X42SE. Extensively tested in the Gibraltar Strait.
About the blackouts, although more vulnerable than my other 8.5X42 EL is a minor problem. Simply the area the sun does unsuitable for the binoculars is a bit bigger for both SEs.
 
I have a pair of 10x42 SEs on the way! After someone mentioned seeing SEs on Amazon for $499.00 a while back, I've been googleing Nikon SE bins everyday trying to find the best deal. They are typically around $799.00 but I found a pair for $630.00 the other day on Buy.com, they were through Adorama so I called them directly. They were listed on Adorama's website @ $799.00 but the guy honored the buy.com price. I would have posted this great deal sooner but when I went back to buy.com they were back up to the higher price.

I guess my point is that with the SEs being discontinued you may find an even better deal if you keep looking, but at some point they are going to sell out. I thought I'd jump at the $630.00.
 
My new 10x42 SEs showed up today and I am ecstatic! Based on all of the reviews I knew the view was going to be good and I wasn't dissapointed in that respect. I had heard some people have issues with black outs, I was happy to see that I have absolutely no issue, they are an easier view black out wise than my 8x42 Ultravids. I compared them to some Leicas and Swaros at my local optics shop today and they were right up there with them. They are very bright, sharp and natural in color. The Swaros beat them by a little but they were tied with the Ultravids. The shopkeeper noted that this was a so-so pair of Ultravids and a super pair of SLCs, individual variation, the Ultravids were sharper right to the edge than either of the other two.

What I was really pleased with was the ergonomics, the SEs were very comfortable in my hands, they are light, yet easy to hold steady. I like the feel of the pebbly black rubber. If I wore glasses and had to fold down the eye cups that could be an issue as they are old fashioned compared to the better twist out eye cups on the Alfa roof bins, but the cheap rubber works perfectly with my eyes. I think you birders might find the focus a little slow for your use, but it doesn't bother me as I usually don't need to focus that close.

I sent my 8x42 Ultravids back to leica to get that focus wheel fixed and won't get them back until mid June, so these will be my main bins until then. I honestly don't know if the Leicas are going to earn their starting position back when they return from the factory.
 
AlbertoJ,

Have you made a decision yet, as to which you might try to obtain? I own the 10x42 and am absolutely thrilled with it. I believe that I would be equally thrilled with the 8x32.

John M Robinson,

Congrats on your new 10x42. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I enjoy mine. I have always preferred Porros over roofs, and the SE bins are second to none.

Ron
 
The 10x42 SE has 17mm of usable eye relief and sometimes blacks out
the 8x32SE has only 14mm of usable eye relief and should not pose any blackout problems for anyone.

the 8x32 has greater degree of pincushion than the 10x42

in the distance range from 30m to 100m, the 10x42SE is faster focus than the 8x32. In the range from 30m to 3m, both are slow focus.

the 8x32 has a 7.6° fov, the 10x42 has a 6.2° fov

the 8x32 has apparent sharpness of 600 arcseconds out to 95% of fov, the 10x42 only out to 85% of fov. Therefore the 8x32 has greater than 7° sharp fov, the 10x42 just more than 5°

The 8x32SE has the least, almost immeasurable, field curvature.

They have near equal lack of internal prism vignette and near equal illumination of the exit pupil.

Both show about equal off-axis false color, very minor.

the 10x42 has somewhat better (line pairs) resolution by every measure, normal power, 6x boosted power, and normal power handheld.

edz
 
Ed,

I haven't tested a 10x42SE, but my 8x32SE has been tested to death over the last 11 years. Some of my results are unaccountably different from yours. Starting with eye relief; I measure 17mm (usable from the folded eyecup rim), same as the 10x42 which seems probable since the eyepieces are identical. Search this forum a little and you will find many complaints about blackouts with the 8x32. I see almost no pincushion distortion in the 8x32. Once again it seems likely that the 8x32 and 10x42 would have about the same amount of distortion from identical eyepieces. If I measure field curvature by focusing on an object about 2 degrees of apparent field from the bottom edge of the field in the right barrel, then move the object to the center and refocus using the diopter adjustment (marks have accurate 1 diopter spacings) I measure about 2.5-3 diopters of field curvature.

Henry
 
FWIW I would like to back up some of Henry's comments about the 8x32SEs: The ER is definitely more than 14mm and it *does* pose blackout problems for me and some others. I also can't see almost any pincushion distortion in the 8x32SEs. Somehow 14mm ER and pincushioning sound more like the 8x30EII.

To the original poster I would say that both sizes of the Nikon SEs are so good that the choice really is a matter of size and power rather than optical quality.

Best regards,

Ilkka
 
Regarding black out issues; are you more likely to have problems with too much or too little eye relief, or do you get get black outs in both directions? I am a little far sighted, a +1.25 correction, I use my bins without glasses and some Leicas including my 8x42 Ultravids require care in the way I hold them to get a no blackout view. I have a very narrow IPD, the barrels touch with the obj. covers on and I think my eyes are deep set. I really didn't expect a problem if I wasn't wearing glasses.

My new 10x42 Nikon SEs fit me perfectly with the eyecups extended. Good thing because I wouldn't want to fold those cheap rubber cups too many times. In the 30-32mm size the Swarovski are consistantly easier to view through without black outs than the Trinovid or Ultravid. I preferred the Leica view in all other respects though so I went with the 42 size Ultravid which is much better than the 32 size regarding blackout, but I still have use care. Actually the mid setting on the eyecup works best.
 
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I've measured ~17mm of eye relief above the eyecup on my SE 8X32. Once you learn how to use the SE, you won't experience blackouts. My wife has never seen a blackout in her SE 8X32.

John
 
Henry, you are absolutely right about the er. I went back to my source notes and there it is lsted as measured 17-18. I don't know where along the way I mistyped 14 into my tables, but I've carried that incorrect measure into quite a few places.

edz
 
iporali said:
FWIW I would like to back up some of Henry's comments about the 8x32SEs: The ER is definitely more than 14mm and it *does* pose blackout problems for me and some others. I also can't see almost any pincushion distortion in the 8x32SEs...


Best regards,

Ilkka
Click to expand...

Ilkka,

Those blackouts posed problems for me, too. I never learned to accommodate myself to the 8x32 SE.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood
 
Neither the SE nor the EII bother me. The SE is better; it's overall view is superlative! Better than the EII or the LX L. The EII is easier to use. You have to tilt the SE's ever so slightly upward to get the best view. You can point the EII, for some reason or other, almost instinctively, and get it on your target faster than you can with the SE or the LX L.
Bob
 
Bob and Ilkka,

Some people, a minority, find the 8x32 SE to be very unfriendly, while the view from the EII is "relaxed," easy to use and accomodating. Like all binoculars, user preferences trump everything: printed advice, others' recommendations, and specifications, all of which make trying before buying, very advisable.
My EII binocular is now being used by a science teacher in Vermont, while I rely on the Zeiss 8x32 FL, which suits me for its color and for its reliability.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
 
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I own both the 8.5 EL's and the 10 SE's. My original thoughts on the purchases was to use the SE's at the hawk watch or shorebird spot and use the EL's for all else. But, over the last few months I've noticed the Nikons around my neck more and more often for just general birding. The view through the SE’s is in IMHO just that good and to me they feel good in my hands. Hate the eye cups though, if only Nikon saw fit to install twist-up adjustables instead of the cheap rubber roll downs! The SE’s do loose something in heavy cover and overcast conditions, but that were the EL's take over.
 
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