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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kevin Purcell" data-source="post: 1303762" data-attributes="member: 68323">And on another thread I added ...I mentioned on another thread a long list of reasons why < 8x magnification is a good idea:<a href="http://birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=1303666&postcount=32" target="_blank">http://birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=1303666&postcount=32</a>One thing to keep in mind is that pretty much every military out there uses 7x bins as the general purpose binocular. So I presume they know something we don't. The only counter argument, which I've made about IF versus CF bins before, is that soldiers, like hunters, are looking for other people (1m scale objects at greater than 100m range) whereas birders area liking for 5mm details at ranges less than 50m. The resolution of the handheld binocular/eye system is limited either by shaking (at about 10x for most people) or by the eye itself so the system resolution is the eyes resolution (typically 1 arc minute) divided by the magnification with most good binoculars not limiting the resolution (a binocular resolution of < 6 arc seconds or better). So with a magnification of less than 10x one throws away some potential resolution for a gain in other areas (bigger exit pupil for more relaxed view; wider FOV; less shake so a less tiring view; etc).In fact that's one of the things I like about the Promaster 7x32 (despite the stray light issues and the too deep eyecups ... ) is it's a nice balance of resolution/shake/exit pupil/FOV/AFOV. If it was more compact, lighter and didn't have stray light issues it would be excellent.I do like x8 especially at 40ish mm objectives. But for smaller objectives I'd love the option of lower magnification: 7x32 and 6x28.I know there are a few of us here that think this way but very few in the bin business. Even 7x is becoming more uncommon for full size bins though the Euro 3 still seem to understand giving their continuing sales to x7 users (even when they need a different design from the x8 and x10 in the same range like the Zeiss FLs). But elsewhere ti seems 7x makers get punished like Bushnell when they released the Discovery 7x and 10x that former didn't sell so well and then they released a 8x to try to make up for it. I don't think Bushnell make any 7x today (except the 7x26 compact).Like porros, 7x bins seems to be viewed as "old fashioned".</blockquote>

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