BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kevin Purcell" data-source="post: 1742577" data-attributes="member: 68323">Note that Lawrence Kilham's main interest (aside form being a virologist!) was bird behavior rather than distant bird ID. Though I'd recommend his books to anyone. And as a product of the depression/WW2 era he was a equipment minimalist I suspect those were surplus Navy bins with a 7.3mm exit pupil. Not light!That said I suspect higher mag larger aperture bins on a support are not well thought of in the birding which I suspect is a mistake.I was recently trying out even a 10x40 porro on a monopole (simple, lightweight) and the shake reduction is quite impressive. Very useful for distant scanning. Plus the bins don't have the left-right "pan shake" rotational mode on a monopole that spotting scopes (or long camera lens) do because the two handed grip and alignment with the face much reduces that mode. Holding a monopole mounted scope with two hands with one close to the objective lens) helps but is a bit tiring.The monopole/bin combo is worth considering for 10x and up bins (a bit like the Finnstick but a bit more solid). Sort of a poor man's IS or perhaps even if you do have IS and a heavy bin but a bit more flexible especially if you don't need the higher magnifications.And carbon fiber monopoles are getting cheaper all the time if you want to save a few ounces.</blockquote>