4wheelcycle
Member
I have been reading this older thread on the same topic because I was preparing to order the SV 8x32's and 8.5x42's to compare to my 2006 Nikon Premier LX-L 10x42's, which are my only full size binoculars.
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=328474
The two new SV's came yesterday and I have given them a good workout last evening, in growing darkness, and today, in bright early morning and mid-morning sun. I am not a birder, but I am an amateur astronomer, so I have some experience discerning detail through binoculars and telescopes.
We live on the edge of the woods. We have several feeders on our deck, with woods beyond. I have always been happy with my 10x42 Nikons. I generally view from indoors or on our deck, with my shoulder resting against a doorway or an outdoor wall of our house. I have 11 oz. 2004 Nikon 10x25 LX's for camping and hiking. They are excellent in full daylight and OK at dusk.
I have already put the 8x32 SV's back in their box to be returned. Even though I am approaching age 70, I guess my pupils must still open up to more than 4mm, since long before dusk the 8X32's showed a clearly dimmer image, with less discernible detail, than the 8.5x42's. Our deck faces west and, as others have noted, looking at images just below or above the setting sun revealed slightly more glare in the 8x32's than the 8.5x42's. However, I do not consider that to be a major concern since moving just 20 degrees or so further away from the sun gave a no-glare image in both Swaros.
I have friends who are birders and they only have 7x and 8x binoculars. I have always had 10x's since, as an amateur astronomer, I am gung-ho for magnification. However, looking at the 8.5x42 SV it was immediately clear that (a) it is easier to find your target in a wider field of view, and (b) jiggling from your hands and your heartbeat is still evident but less pronounced at 8.5x vs. 10x. Notably, as it grew darker last nite, the Swaros gave a noticeably brighter view than the 10x42 Nikons. In evening light, I assumed that was due to the larger exit pupil of the 8.5x42 SV's. There is a large glacial rock at the edge of our yard that has a good range of mosses and depressions that helped in comparing detail in the views of both binoculars. One of the depressions was clearly visible in both binos, but the view in the SV's definitely had a more three dimensional look than in the Nikon's, which I took as an indication of slightly better low-light definition in the SV's.
Surprisingly, in today's mid-morning sunlight, the SV's still provided a slightly brighter image than the Nikons. I'm sure my pupils were only open to 3mm or less in full sunlight, so the slightly brighter daylight image in the SV's may be due to advances in light transmission efficiency since 2006. Another difference worth noting is that the Nikons have a distinctly warmer cast. The Swaros have a view that some people have described as cool, but I would describe as bright and neutral. It is possible the warm cast of the Nikons makes images appear just a bit darker.
I have not decided whether to keep the 8.5x42 SV's. They cost more than twice as much now than I paid for the Nikon's in 2006. Based on my comparison so far, the SV's provide a wider view that makes it easier to find or follow a target. The SV's are also very slightly brighter and more neutral in color cast than the Nikons. I am going to keep comparing the views for another week or so and then decide if the slightly better view is worth the added cost. One perspective is that twelve years is a pretty good time period between binocular upgrades!
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=328474
The two new SV's came yesterday and I have given them a good workout last evening, in growing darkness, and today, in bright early morning and mid-morning sun. I am not a birder, but I am an amateur astronomer, so I have some experience discerning detail through binoculars and telescopes.
We live on the edge of the woods. We have several feeders on our deck, with woods beyond. I have always been happy with my 10x42 Nikons. I generally view from indoors or on our deck, with my shoulder resting against a doorway or an outdoor wall of our house. I have 11 oz. 2004 Nikon 10x25 LX's for camping and hiking. They are excellent in full daylight and OK at dusk.
I have already put the 8x32 SV's back in their box to be returned. Even though I am approaching age 70, I guess my pupils must still open up to more than 4mm, since long before dusk the 8X32's showed a clearly dimmer image, with less discernible detail, than the 8.5x42's. Our deck faces west and, as others have noted, looking at images just below or above the setting sun revealed slightly more glare in the 8x32's than the 8.5x42's. However, I do not consider that to be a major concern since moving just 20 degrees or so further away from the sun gave a no-glare image in both Swaros.
I have friends who are birders and they only have 7x and 8x binoculars. I have always had 10x's since, as an amateur astronomer, I am gung-ho for magnification. However, looking at the 8.5x42 SV it was immediately clear that (a) it is easier to find your target in a wider field of view, and (b) jiggling from your hands and your heartbeat is still evident but less pronounced at 8.5x vs. 10x. Notably, as it grew darker last nite, the Swaros gave a noticeably brighter view than the 10x42 Nikons. In evening light, I assumed that was due to the larger exit pupil of the 8.5x42 SV's. There is a large glacial rock at the edge of our yard that has a good range of mosses and depressions that helped in comparing detail in the views of both binoculars. One of the depressions was clearly visible in both binos, but the view in the SV's definitely had a more three dimensional look than in the Nikon's, which I took as an indication of slightly better low-light definition in the SV's.
Surprisingly, in today's mid-morning sunlight, the SV's still provided a slightly brighter image than the Nikons. I'm sure my pupils were only open to 3mm or less in full sunlight, so the slightly brighter daylight image in the SV's may be due to advances in light transmission efficiency since 2006. Another difference worth noting is that the Nikons have a distinctly warmer cast. The Swaros have a view that some people have described as cool, but I would describe as bright and neutral. It is possible the warm cast of the Nikons makes images appear just a bit darker.
I have not decided whether to keep the 8.5x42 SV's. They cost more than twice as much now than I paid for the Nikon's in 2006. Based on my comparison so far, the SV's provide a wider view that makes it easier to find or follow a target. The SV's are also very slightly brighter and more neutral in color cast than the Nikons. I am going to keep comparing the views for another week or so and then decide if the slightly better view is worth the added cost. One perspective is that twelve years is a pretty good time period between binocular upgrades!
