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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gulf1263" data-source="post: 3320702" data-attributes="member: 99783">Most people buy from large outdoor stores here in the USA and the buyers order 10x and even above, in addition being Americans we all want the most so 10x or larger it is in magnification.As technology has improved it is easier to make glasses with more power and decent eye relief (hear that Leica, for your 8x32's).Technology limited binocular powers to 7x35, 7x42 and 7x50 for many years (the 9x63 military glass was an exception because the US military needed them during WWII and was willing to pay the price which the civilian market could not do).Twenty years ago 10x32 wouldn't have worked very well but now it is a accepted format along with 10x42's, 10x50's and 12x50's and bigger magnification.I have found for myself that I can't hold anything much over 8x steady for long periods of time and like the wider field of view and depth of field that the lower powers provide.As a whole our population is also larger in body size, this makes holding a heavier higher power glass easier.So technology that has made higher power possible along with a desire to have the highest power available has caused the lower powers to wither away.To paraphrase a famous Hollywood type, "If I am not selling, you won't be buying" meaning if the public wants more power in a binocular then that is what you should be producing.Remember, optical companies are businesses and are required by their stockholders and directors to make the most profit.The 7x42 format is just barely hanging on, Zeiss has dropped it altogether because it simply did not sell and many other medium priced brands have dropped it for the same reason.Call up any optical company and offer to buy 25,000 7x35 binoculars and I am sure they would make them.Selling them however would be a problem, make that 25,000 10x35's and they would probably sell very well.Art</blockquote>

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