Compact binoculairs and glasses (1 Viewer)

[Woen]

Are there compact binoculairs on the market that are suitable for use with glasses? I find the ones that I've tested to narrow, I don't know how to describe this best but I get a really small view with big black borders. Like a tunnel.

 

[mpeace]

You need to look for ones that offer a large field of view (fov). This will be shown in their specifications and for an 8x binocular a fov of 7 degrees or above in pocket binoculars is quite large, though in pocket bins 6.5 is still fine, but below this will start giving the narrow field of view you've been experiencing. Because you wear glasses look for a large 'eye relief' specification also. Ideally around 16mm or higher with glasses. Below that the binoculars may still work, but you'd need to try to be sure. Sometimes the specifications with field of view and eye relief don't tell the whole story, so it's always best to try before you buy.

Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 is a good pocket bin with relatively large fov and decent eye relief. If the cost is too much I hear good things about the Zeiss Terra 8x25. Swarovski and Leica have some good pocket bins as well. If you state your budget no doubt people can suggest appropriate models to try.

 

[Woen]

You need to look for ones that offer a large field of view (fov). This will be shown in their specifications and for an 8x binocular a fov of 7 degrees or above in pocket binoculars is quite large, though in pocket bins 6.5 is still fine, but below this will start giving the narrow field of view you've been experiencing. Because you wear glasses look for a large 'eye relief' specification also. Ideally around 16mm or higher with glasses. Below that the binoculars may still work, but you'd need to try to be sure. Sometimes the specifications with field of view and eye relief don't tell the whole story, so it's always best to try before you buy.

Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 is a good pocket bin with relatively large fov and decent eye relief. If the cost is too much I hear good things about the Zeiss Terra 8x25. Swarovski and Leica have some good pocket bins as well. If you state your budget no doubt people can suggest appropriate models to try.

Budget wise, no idea I just want to test those that can work with glasses

 

[Ratal]

Are there compact binoculairs on the market that are suitable for use with glasses? I find the ones that I've tested to narrow, I don't know how to describe this best but I get a really small view with big black borders. Like a tunnel.

Zeiss Victory FL 8x25

Best I've ever tested in a compact. With glasses actually aids the viewer, not hinders them.

 

[dwatsonbirder]

I recently purchased a pair of Opticron MCF 7x24 compacts. They are nowhere near in the league of my Zeiss FL's nor my partners Opticron Traveller's, but for under £40 they seem to work well with glasses, and in good light are plenty good enough for a quick look at anything of interest. Field of view is around 130m, and the exit pupil (3.4mm) with the lower mag and slightly larger objectives makes eye placement pretty easy. They weigh under 250 grams, so you don't even notice them in a coat pocket either!

 

[Mike Crawley]

I have just bought a pair of Hawke Endurance ED 8x25
I have no trouble looking through them.
I did test a pair of Opticron Aspheric 8x25 on the same morning and, although they are absolutely excellent, they just didn’t work out for me.

edited to add that I wear varifocal glasses

 

[jeffhosier]

I have a pair of Leica UV 8X20s, which I use with varifocal spectacles. They work fine, and are shirt pocket small. A bit more fiddly to use than full size bins, but live in my jacket pocket and accompany me wherever I go.

Love 'em.


Jeff

 

[WJC]

I have a pair of Leica UV 8X20s, which I use with varifocal spectacles. They work fine, and are shirt pocket small. A bit more fiddly to use than full size bins, but live in my jacket pocket and accompany me wherever I go.

Love 'em.


Jeff

Tunnel vision is caused by poor eye placement, not the binocular.

 

[Woen]

Tunnel vision is caused by poor eye placement, not the binocular.

Well yes, but it seems to me that with glasses I have no choice in the matter of distance with eye placement. And it seems that compact binoculars are more sensitive when it comes to eye placement?

 

[Woen]

Eye-relief seems to be key, I will keep this in mind, thank you.

 

[Talster]

Are there compact binoculairs on the market that are suitable for use with glasses? I find the ones that I've tested to narrow, I don't know how to describe this best but I get a really small view with big black borders. Like a tunnel.

My partner has a pair of Leica Ultravid 8x20 BR and she wears glasses. They work absolutely fine with her glasses. The only thing you need to do (but this is the same with most if not all binoculars) is to make sure the eyecups are pushed down. With her glasses and the eyecups pushed down, she tells me she has full vision.

If however she has the eyecups PULLED out (which is for use with a none glasses wearer) she has what you mention (black borders/like looking through a tunnel). Like has been mentioned, it's eye placement that causes what you have experienced.

We both have the Leica Ultravid 8x20 BR and they are so pocket friendly, and so compact that we have them in our pockets whenever we go out walking. Highly recommend them.

 

[WJC]

Well yes, but it seems to me that with glasses I have no choice in the matter of distance with eye placement. And it seems that compact binoculars are more sensitive when it comes to eye placement?

Smaller targets are harder to hit.

 

[wdc]

Tunnel vision is caused by poor eye placement, not the binocular.

That may be true in many
cases, but also a small apparent field of view can be described as a tunnel view as well, and that may be built into the design.

The Zeiss 8x25 Sf, and the Leica 8x 20 Trinovid, both work with eyeglasses. I found the Zeiss, having a physically larger eyepiece, and better eye relief, to be more immersive for me, but also it is a larger binocular.

-Bill

 

[Bill Atwood]

+1 on the Zeiss 8x25 Pocket Victory

 

[MiddleRiver]

I wear glasses and occasionally use a Trinovid 8x20. It does work, but of course it doesn't 'come up to the eyes' like a 7x42 or even an 8x32. It can be a little fiddly but the compromise has been worth it when really needing to travel light (backpacking or trekking at altitude, etc.) and every ounce counts.

 

[Patudo]

(to the original poster) - it could be worth sharing which compact binoculars you have tried.

I haven't tried very many compact binoculars myself, but quite recently looked through the Zeiss 8x25 Victory and Terra models to select a gift for my mother who is in her seventies and much prefers a small and lightweight binocular. I wear glasses and both worked well for me, as indeed did the Swarovski 8x25 and Kowa 8x22 I tried a couple of years ago. Any of these is worth a try, but you need to test them yourself, as your glasses and facial features are likely different to mine. Binoculars with a smaller "exit pupil" like most compacts tend to need to be positioned quite precisely: you'll probably need some careful experimentation with IPD (the spread of the barrels) and the eyecups to find the right setup for you.

If you're based in Holland as your profile indicates, it might be worth a visit to the shop owned/operated by a member here called jan van daalen.

 

[Woen]

(to the original poster) - it could be worth sharing which compact binoculars you have tried.

I haven't tried very many compact binoculars myself, but quite recently looked through the Zeiss 8x25 Victory and Terra models to select a gift for my mother who is in her seventies and much prefers a small and lightweight binocular. I wear glasses and both worked well for me, as indeed did the Swarovski 8x25 and Kowa 8x22 I tried a couple of years ago. Any of these is worth a try, but you need to test them yourself, as your glasses and facial features are likely different to mine. Binoculars with a smaller "exit pupil" like most compacts tend to need to be positioned quite precisely: you'll probably need some careful experimentation with IPD (the spread of the barrels) and the eyecups to find the right setup for you.

If you're based in Holland as your profile indicates, it might be worth a visit to the shop owned/operated by a member here called jan van daalen.

Haven't tried any yet but the shops here are open again. I will post my experiences as soon as I find the time to go and test some binoculars. The shop owned by Jan is a bit out of the way for me, and stopped selling Leica it seems.

Thanks for your experience on those models, now I will also have to try the Kowa.