Hi everyone I am just starting with bird and nature watching, etc. and I bought my first serious pair of binos. I got the Nikon Aculon 211 10x50 (a decent budget binocular) and I noticed the mention that it has aspherical lenses as a feature, something that's not mentioned at all in other more expensive models. I wonder now if it is such a basic feature that is needed in order to have edge to edge sharpness in high end models, something so obvious that is not even mentioned. Another doubt I have is whether the Aculon have some kind of chromatic aberration correction whatsoever. When I used cheap telescopes as a kid, I noticed that the chromatic effect was super annoying, and although these binos have some, it is nowhere near the level of the cheap telescopes. I know it doesn't use ED glass, but it might have a achromatic doublet or things like that, this might also it be a feature not worth mentioning since it is expected to have at this level of quality. I see the websites of these companies are a bit obscure about the specifications of the binoculars. They list the typical characteristics like magnification, size of objectives, etc. but say nothing about the objective amount of chromatic aberration, sharpness in the center and the edges, etc. Thank you in advance for your responses!
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Are aspherical lenses and other tech present in mid to high end binoculars? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter agus_m
- Start date
tenex
reality-based
Welcome to Birdforum. Try searching for "aspheric" etc. One example:
www.birdforum.net
You're right, manufacturers don't typically reveal details of optical design for binoculars, as many do for camera lenses, even giving cross-sections showing aspherical and ED or other special glasses. Perhaps that's because photographers are more demanding about the results. But you'll find good evaluations on this forum, and a few review websites like scopeviews.co.uk.
Where are the aspherics?
In another thread, Henry Link was just remarking again that to get a crisp view free from simple problems like spherical aberration, he lugs around a 56mm binocular in the daytime. (I've done it myself and see what he means.) Let's turn that into a question: it's 2020. Where are the...
www.birdforum.net
You're right, manufacturers don't typically reveal details of optical design for binoculars, as many do for camera lenses, even giving cross-sections showing aspherical and ED or other special glasses. Perhaps that's because photographers are more demanding about the results. But you'll find good evaluations on this forum, and a few review websites like scopeviews.co.uk.
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That thread was a very nice read, thanks!Welcome to Birdforum. Try searching for "aspheric" etc. One example:
Where are the aspherics?
In another thread, Henry Link was just remarking again that to get a crisp view free from simple problems like spherical aberration, he lugs around a 56mm binocular in the daytime. (I've done it myself and see what he means.) Let's turn that into a question: it's 2020. Where are the...
You're right, manufacturers don't typically reveal details of optical design for binoculars, as many do for camera lenses, even giving cross-sections showing aspherical and ED or other special glasses. Perhaps that's because photographers are more demanding about the results. But you'll find good evaluations on this forum, and a few review websites like scopeviews.co.uk.
I suppose it's because human vision differs so much from individual to individual. I didn't fully realize this until I read comments/observations from other folks here who quite simply saw things differently. Sensitivity to chromatic aberration differs, some of us have sharper eyesight than others, more ability to accommodate (which influences perception of edge sharpness), etc. My brother definitely can make out more distant targets in the sky than I can, but is also more affected by glare, and I can use binoculars in situations (like on a boat) where he can't.
I do wonder about that. Maybe photographers (or enough of them) are simply geekier than birders, such that offering up cross-sectional diagrams (which may or may not be accurate!) is effective advertising...
For what it's worth, I've never been too bothered about the optical train in any of my binoculars, or for that matter camera lenses - all I care about is what I see when I look through them (or in the case of a camera lens, how the images turn out).
Bingo!
You disappoint me - both of you!
This is much more interesting than discussions on rainguards and straps.
Regards,
John
I must admit that you do have a point.You disappoint me - both of you!
This is much more interesting than discussions on rainguards and straps.
Regards,
John
