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Your pick btw 8x32, 8x42, 8.5x42? (1 Viewer)

I think the 8.5 is great but my first priority is small in size and the 8.5 are not small but still a wonderful bino, so I headed back to the 8x32 EL, now just saving up and looking for a demo or used also
 
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My pick would be the SLC 8x56. Best binoculars I ever used (although still miss the 7x42 Habicht, with bigger glasses they are simply not the best choice).

If I have to pick one the three mentioned, I would pick the SLC 8x42, then the EL 8x32 and last the EL8,5x42.

I'm not very fond of the SV models due to the strange image when I'm following a moving object.

If there was an SLC 7x42 option, I might trade in my SLC 8x56 due to the weight.
 
lol, sorry, it's a birdforum thing - it means moore-or-less-ceasar-eyebrow-technique, which is when you rest the top of the ocular on or under your brow, usually to reduce the vignetting some get from too much / not enough eye relief.

Finally - an explanation. :) I've been doing searches off and on for an explanation of this. My quest is now at an end...
 
I think the 8.5 is great but my first priority is small in size and the 8.5 are not small but still a wonderful bino, so I headed back to the 8x32 EL, now just saving up and looking for a demo or used also

Good for you! I don't think you'll regret it. I mean I've ACTUALLY used the three you mentioned in the field(fancy that). I went from one to the other MANY times....MANY birding areas,,,,ALL times of the day. I've never had an issue with the optical quality of the SV 8X32. I believe those that do are the exception rather than the rule. This is a VERY popular binuclear in birding circles. I'll say I DO think the image quality IS a LITTLE better with the SV 8.5x42 then the SLC 8X42 BUT it comes at a price and that is FOV/handling/size and weight. These areas are important to me as they are to many if not most birders. I'm willing to accept this SLIGHT tradeoff gladly.

I'm headed to Las Vegas this weekend for a QUICK business trip. I'll be birding on Saturday though....with the SV 8X32 as my binocular. :t:
 
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I'm headed to Las Vegas this weekend for a QUICK business trip. I'll be birding on Saturday though....with the SV 8X32 as my binocular. :t:

In case you have not heard of this location in Henderson, just southeast of Las Vegas, you might want to look into it. I have not been their but it is on my list if I am ever in the area.

Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve ........

http://www.birdandhike.com/Bird/Urban_LV/Henderson/_Henderson.htm

Cool web site. Here are some more local areas mentioned on the site ......

http://www.birdandhike.com/Bird/Urban_LV/_Bird_Urban.htm

The lighter weight 8X32 Swaro looks to be a good choice as the WeatherBug forecast for Saturday is showing a high of 110 F (43.3 C). Don't forget the water and let us know how the 8X32 SV worked out!
 
In case you have not heard of this location in Henderson, just southeast of Las Vegas, you might want to look into it. I have not been their but it is on my list if I am ever in the area.

Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve ........

http://www.birdandhike.com/Bird/Urban_LV/Henderson/_Henderson.htm

Cool web site. Here are some more local areas mentioned on the site ......

http://www.birdandhike.com/Bird/Urban_LV/_Bird_Urban.htm

The lighter weight 8X32 Swaro looks to be a good choice as the WeatherBug forecast for Saturday is showing a high of 110 F (43.3 C). Don't forget the water and let us know how the 8X32 SV worked out!

Hey Bruce,

Yeah...that looks like a great place... Plans are to maybe hit the Henderson hotspot in the early AM then head to the surrounding mountains during the heat of the day. There are quite a few species I should be able to pick up as I've really never birded west of the Mississippi other than Texas.
 
Good for you! I don't think you'll regret it. I mean I've ACTUALLY used the three you mentioned in the field(fancy that). I went from one to the other MANY times....MANY birding areas,,,,ALL times of the day. I've never had an issue with the optical quality of the SV 8X32. I believe those that do are the exception rather than the rule. This is a VERY popular binuclear in birding circles. I'll say I DO think the image quality IS a LITTLE better with the SV 8.5x42 then the SLC 8X42 BUT it comes at a price and that is FOV/handling/size and weight. These areas are important to me as they are to many if not most birders. I'm willing to accept this SLIGHT tradeoff gladly.

I'm headed to Las Vegas this weekend for a QUICK business trip. I'll be birding on Saturday though....with the SV 8X32 as my binocular. :t:

Thanks for your advice on where to get one at a fair price, can't wait, meantime enjoying my Sw 10x50 and 15x56, just need small and wider and the 8x32EL will end my journey :t:
Dan
 
Hey Bruce,

Yeah...that looks like a great place... Plans are to maybe hit the Henderson hotspot in the early AM then head to the surrounding mountains during the heat of the day. There are quite a few species I should be able to pick up as I've really never birded west of the Mississippi other than Texas.
Corn Creek Springs...
https://www.desertusa.com/wild/du_corncreek.html

On the way back to Vegas we saw a road and found this...
http://mtcharlestonlodge.com/
Food and cooler altitude!
 
Yes, for me too!

I've found the 8x32 Conquest HD doesn't do a stellar job with glare - mostly crescent glare in strong light, but I have recently started to use the bin with the eye-cups all the way down. Result, almost all the glare is eliminated because it occurs far enough outside my FOV when my eyes are so close to the oculars that I simply don't see it.

Sure it's still there but it illustrates that user methods can affect results to a large degree as well. BTW - this super-close MOLCET-type view is fantastic - great sharpness and contrast and seemingly huge FOV as the fieldstop is reduced to a very narrow ring of black at the edge. I've done this with most of my bins in the past and going back to eye-cups out looks very narrow and seems to lack the great punch and sparkle of the close-in technique.

This seems to work best for me too, with the eye cups all the way down, or at least, just out a little, to avoid smudges from fingers or eyelashes, etc. I love the difference in wide open viewing it presents. Granted, I am not wearing glasses for viewing, probably the same as James. But the view is so different than with the eyecups out farther, as James has noted, that even if I am inconvenienced at having to adjust my viewing technique to make it work, it is worth it for me.

It seems James has found the glare is reduced at times doing this, so it is surely something worthwhile trying if you haven't yet. Thank you for passing that on James!
 
I've found the 8x32 Conquest HD doesn't do a stellar job with glare - mostly crescent glare in strong light, but I have recently started to use the bin with the eye-cups all the way down. Result, almost all the glare is eliminated because it occurs far enough outside my FOV when my eyes are so close to the oculars that I simply don't see it.

Sure it's still there but it illustrates that user methods can affect results to a large degree as well. BTW - this super-close MOLCET-type view is fantastic - great sharpness and contrast and seemingly huge FOV as the fieldstop is reduced to a very narrow ring of black at the edge. I've done this with most of my bins in the past and going back to eye-cups out looks very narrow and seems to lack the great punch and sparkle of the close-in technique.

This seems to work best for me too, with the eye cups all the way down, or at least, just out a little, to avoid smudges from fingers or eyelashes, etc. I love the difference in wide open viewing it presents. Granted, I am not wearing glasses for viewing, probably the same as James. But the view is so different than with the eyecups out farther, as James has noted, that even if I am inconvenienced at having to adjust my viewing technique to make it work, it is worth it for me.

It seems James has found the glare is reduced at times doing this, so it is surely something worthwhile trying if you haven't yet. Thank you for passing that on James!

I've got a few birder friends that do this all the time with their binoculars. No eyeglasses BUT eyecups all the day DOWN and just hold the binoculars away from their eye. WHY? Mostly because as their response is "I've always used binoculars this way" and they don't like the view with the eyecups extended.
 
So if you could only have one between the Swarovski Swarovski 8x32 EL32, Swarovski 8x42 SLC or the Swarovski 8.5x42 EL42 what one would you get?

Easy, the EL SV 8.5x42, and that is in fact the only Swarovski I have.

Second choice would be the 8x30 CL B new model
 
I own the SVs 8x32, 10x50 and 12x50. The 8.5x42 and 10x42 have the strongest RB effect in the SV line. Also, curiously, the bigger 50mm models felt better in my hands than the 8.5.
 
PM,

I hated when I did that...so I RETIRED!!! 3:)

Enjoy those wonderful EL 8X32 SV's!!! :t: B :)

Ted

I'm close to retirement too, stayed home to be there this time, too hot to work on a Friday the 13th anyway ;)
I use Op/tech camera neck straps, this one can hold three times it's weight :t:
Thanks for all the help, fits surprising well in my hands for it's size
 

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