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Message: <blockquote data-quote="OPTIC_NUT" data-source="post: 3172047" data-attributes="member: 121951">I can easily tell the difference(S) between 7x and 8x.  People must vary on this.The US Army standard is now 7x28 in the field.The needed something small but bright, and anything over 7x is a blur when your shaking from gunfire.Back in the Korean War, 6x30 was issued by the millions, and to sailors in WW-2.Right...and 7x50 is 99% of sales for boaters.  I think the appeal of 8x is that it 'puts you on target' quicker, when you knowexactly where you're looking.  10x even moreso....people are looking at a perched critterfor fine details, or at predicatable soaring.I think of 7x as good for 'exploring':  brighter per size, deeper field, less shake, wider fields, scanning with less dizzy.8x is great when you know pretty much what you're looking at...I prefer 7x but I'm spying on the critters across a wide azimuth...   420 ft fov is about best .... you can make it almost all sharp and can see a lot.</blockquote>