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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AnalogJ" data-source="post: 3984892" data-attributes="member: 152847">Differences In 3D Effect Between Various 8x42 BinsHi All -My very first post ever here. For the first time, my wife and I are considering a good pair of binoculars, primarily for birding.Many years ago, we picked up a couple of cheap, small Nikons (on sale for $25 each). I also picked up a pair of 1970s pirro Minolta 8x40 bins. They're, of course, FAR superior to the cheap Nikons, but they're relatively large and heavy.In any event, we thought it might be time to get some relatively good ones, and our budget has escalated a bit as we see the benefits of better ones.Given the current need to practice social distancing due to COVID-19, I have been ordering many different bins to try (with easy return privileges). Currently we have tried 8x42 Nikon Prostaff 3S and 7S, Wingspan SkyView, Celestron Nature ED and Granite models. (I have Athlon Midas UHD, Carson 3D ED, and Nikon Monarch 5 bins on the way). We also have a pair of Granite 7x33 bins in the house to try.So, back to this thread - today I noticed focusing on a statue in our yard next to a small, bare Japanese maple tree about 40 feet away, that the Granite bins render the statue and the thin branches of the tree quite 3-dimensionally, whereas both Prostaff models render the images rather flat. Through the Granites, I can see that there are branches both in front of the plane of the statue as well as behind the plane of the statue. The statue itself also has some 3-dimensionality to it through the Granite. But with the Prostaff models, the images are flat (reminding me more of the type of 3D you get through the Viewmasters, which provide layers, but very flat images.). The Granite bins make the image more vivid, not regarding the perceived layered 3-dimensionality of the image, but the colors pop more as well. The old Minolta porro prism bins, of course, have more of a pronounced 3D effect, but it's clear that the Granites provide some whereas the Prostaff provide none.Jeff</blockquote>

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