So I'm fairly new to serious birdwatching, I have a pair of 10x25 binoculars and I have a few issues with them:
I am naturally a little bit shaky with my hands and the x10 doesn't help
I find them too small in terms of range, anything over 100 foot is hard to depict colours, which slows down species recognition
The scope is poor I feel like I'm looking through a tube of smarties....
So I am hoping for suggestions, not on individual products but lenses I should be looking at......
I need good range clear sight up to 200m
Lenses that absorb a lot of light - my job entails me straining myeyes a lot, so I need compensating lenses
Weight of the binoculars is not an issue
On my very quick search I come to the conclusion of 7 x 42/50
what do we think?
There's a fair bit to it, but you should be able to get a useful improvement over your 10x25's.
Before delving into formats (power x objective size) I think it's worth mentioning a couple of points (some of which have been touched on already in posts answering your question).
First up is that 'fit' to your face /hands will have quite a bearing on how steady and satisfactory the view is. In general, the higher the magnification power, the less steady the view. 7, or 8x is generally the limit for handheld viewing, though with the right fit, 10x is entirely doable, sometimes more. Depending on the 'fit' to you, you may even find that a particular 10x bin is steadier to hold than another 7, or 8x.
Secondly as has already been mentioned, the more demanding conditions (such as low light, back lighting, dull skies etc) is where the higher quality bins will earn their keep.
Thirdly, your age will generally determine how much exit pupil (objective size divided by magnification) you can use. Young people can use 5 or 6mm or more, whilst someone in their 70's say is mostly maxed out at about 4mm in daylight and can even get away with 3mm. If the exit pupil of your binoculars is less than what your eye can readily use then the binoculars will appear to lose brightness (as your 10x25's might). Generally about 5mm is pretty good.
Fourthly, you need to have the correct eye relief (distance from your eye to the ocular lens). If you wear glasses, this may limit your choice though most bins these days are pretty good. If you don't wear glasses, then the eye cups need to extend far enough to suit you.
It's all about the 'fit' for you. You really need to try the bins in person. One format/brand will 'speak to you'. Certainly they'll all have something to say to your wallet at any rate!
As has been said 8x42 is a pretty good all rounder. I don't think you need to go to 50mm unless you are young and looking at a 10x50. Some people love a 7x42, and if most of your viewing is close-in amongst dense vegetation on fast moving subjects in low light then you might too. The extra wide field 8x42 Zeiss SF and Nikon MHG pretty much negate 7x bins to a large extent these days.
If a bit older, or looking at more open environments, then a 10x42 might be your cup of tea, or even a 10x32.
Whichever format you choose, generally quality counts and there aren't too many substitutes for it.
I would suggest a 8x42, or 8.5x42 would be a good start. Bins such as the Zeiss SF, or HT, or Swarovski SV, or SLC, or Nikon EDG or MHG have lots to recommend them. You might also like a Leica UVHD+ if you don't wear glasses, or an NV if you do. In an 8x32 I like the Swarovski 8x32 SV.
In a 10x, the Swarovski 10x50 SV is king. In a 10x42 the Zeiss SF, or Nikon MHG are good. The only 10x32 I like is the Swarovski SV. The wider fields of these particular 10x's make them useful in general in my view. The other thing to remember with 10x is that depth of field (dof - the range of distance in focus at any one time) is pretty thin. This may be a disadvantage (or advantageous) depending on your requirements.
As has been said previously, you might also like a stabilized bin - Canon's 10x42 springs to mind .....
If your hands are a bit shaky as you say, then ergonomics /fit will be the most important of the factors I mentioned.
Chosun :gh: