New AX Visio 10x32 binocular (2 Viewers)

[PW42]

This feels likes the arguments about maps and GPS. They are not mutually exclusive - they both have pluses and minuses but being prepared to use them together can bring great benefits.

 

[Richard D]

Or -de-accelerate the learning curve. Kind of like learning a foreign language. If you immerse yourself in it, it helps and don't speak your native tongue. But chances are most people find their native tongue to speak somewhere within that foreign country, thus de-accelerating the learning process.

If that analogy makes sense to you

I understand the analogy, but I don't think an extra tool would decelerate the learning process - for example if I open a moth trap I'll take a quick snap on my phone in case it flies off but then I'll first try and identify it, or at least narrow it down using memory/knowledge, if that fails turn to a field guide and only check the photo against ID software as a very last step - I would probably use the binoculars in the same way.

 

[kabsetz]

Per,

One more thing I'd like you to check as you have the Visio. How reliable is the compass in yours? The one I have been trying shows rather widely varying directions for the same target from my balcony. I'd like to know if this is an anomaly or representative of how these work.

- Kimmo

 

[dalat]

Or -de-accelerate the learning curve. Kind of like learning a foreign language. If you immerse yourself in it, it helps and don't speak your native tongue. But chances are most people find their native tongue to speak somewhere within that foreign country, thus de-accelerating the learning process.

If that analogy makes sense to you

Makes sense.
Of course both can happen: people may rely on a more powerful tool and learn less, or they use it to learn faster.

To stay with birding analogies: Birders used to document their sightings in notebooks with sketches and descriptions, but in the last 10-15 years this has almost completely been replaced by photos, as cameras have become much better and more available. I remember very similar discussions as the one here, with many fearing that use of cameras will lead to loss of good old skills. Hasn't really happens I think. Many, if not most, birders now use cameras as a tool in addition to binoculars, field guides, sound files, etc. and no one doubts that taking and studying photos is useful and can help learning.

 

[crinklystarfish]

Or -de-accelerate the learning curve. Kind of like learning a foreign language. If you immerse yourself in it, it helps and don't speak your native tongue. But chances are most people find their native tongue to speak somewhere within that foreign country, thus de-accelerating the learning process.

If that analogy makes sense to you

I think this analogy is too simplistic.

What it fails to acknowledge is that even people who are fully immersed will almost certainly rely on translation references and discussions in native tongue to increase understanding and speed of accurate acquisition.

Learning a foreign language without any external references would be like birding without binoculars or any kind of bird guide. The AX Visio is probably more accurately analogous to Google Translate: imperfect, but still ultimately an asset in terms of knowledge acquisition and depth.

 

[Canip]

Per, if you have an accurate scale, could weigh yours? I think the published weight it a bit optimistic.

Yes it is.

But perhaps air pressure is lower in Austria ?
In Switzerland, the thing weighs 1191 g naked, with battery (perhaps Swarovski‘s 1090 g are without battery??)
With neckstrap, eyecaps and objective cover you go up to 1337 g (the objective cover alone weighs 42 g).

Canip.

 

[Canip]

How reliable is the compass in yours? The one I have been trying shows rather widely varying directions for the same target from my balcony. I'd like to know if this is an anomaly or representative of how these work.

The compass in mine was roughly 20 degrees off when I first started it. Moving the Visio, as indicated somewhere in the documentation, around all three axes in „8-shaped“ movements helped dramatically. I find the compass still quite „delicate“, so I don‘t expect high precision. I will have to work with it to find out more.
I haven‘t reviewed the precision of the inclinometer; to be done.
By the way (in case you haven’t found out yourself): when the compass is on, pressing the arrow button briefly once turns off the compass (keeps inclinometer on), twice turns off the inclinometer (keeps compass on), three times reverts to displying both measurements.

 

[james holdsworth]

I review ebird records for my county and find Merlin mostly a curse. Many observers rely too heavily on it, disregarding my caveats, and continue to submit obvious errors, just because Merlin said so. Any decision that doesn’t jive with Merlin is met with scorn and disbelief.

Merlin is a great beginning but makes some obvious errors and has trouble with certain species over and over. If used with the understanding that Merlin isn’t infallible, it can be used selectively and can be helpful. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case, most of the time.

 

[PW42]

I review ebird records for my county and find Merlin mostly a curse. Many observers rely too heavily on it, disregarding my caveats, and continue to submit obvious errors, just because Merlin said so. Any decision that doesn’t jive with Merlin is met with scorn and disbelief.

Merlin is a great beginning but makes some obvious errors and has trouble with certain species over and over. If used with the understanding that Merlin isn’t infallible, it can be used selectively and can be helpful. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case, most of the time.

The equivalent, in my GPS analogy, of blindly following the route onto an impassable track.

 

[Maljunulo]

The line between a tool and a crutch is a slender and flexible one, and is highly dependent on the individual.

 

[Dyrlege]

This strikes me as analogous to the “amateur astronomers” who can’t find the first-quarter moon, an hour after sunset on a cloudless night, without a computer controlled telescope.

Agree. In the end even the 5000$ AI powered binocular is just a tool, and can only be used for reliable identification combined with experience and good judgment.

But it can makes things more fun and help accelerating the learning curve.

Not to mention that you can go to the photo file and re-live your trip.
I know, you can do that with a camera as well, and that is exactly what is in the third tube. And as the pictures earlier (edit: in one of the other ax threads) show (which are a first-and-a-half effort) it works quite well. And it did manage to differentiate whooper and mute swan consistently.
Per (having fun with his new tool)

 

[Dyrlege]

This feels likes the arguments about maps and GPS. They are not mutually exclusive - they both have pluses and minuses but being prepared to use them together can bring great benefits.

And more people are good at using a GPS than are able to use a map...

 

[Dyrlege]

The line between a tool and a crutch is a slender and flexible one, and is highly dependent on the individual.

A crutch is a tool that helps you walk. Binoculars are tools that help you see. Photography is using a tool (camera and screen/film/whatever) to show what you saw that didn't manage to slip away while you were fiddling with the 4,500 quid new Tele lens.

 

[MiddleRiver]

I review ebird records for my county and find Merlin mostly a curse. Many observers rely too heavily on it, disregarding my caveats, and continue to submit obvious errors, just because Merlin said so. Any decision that doesn’t jive with Merlin is met with scorn and disbelief.

Merlin is a great beginning but makes some obvious errors and has trouble with certain species over and over. If used with the understanding that Merlin isn’t infallible, it can be used selectively and can be helpful. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case, most of the time.

That's interesting... I wonder how other reviewers see it used. In my birding circle at least, it's a tool but never used exclusively for ID. I might be living in a bubble :-o

 

[Ruff-Leg]

I review ebird records for my county and find Merlin mostly a curse. Many observers rely too heavily on it, disregarding my caveats, and continue to submit obvious errors, just because Merlin said so. Any decision that doesn’t jive with Merlin is met with scorn and disbelief.

Merlin is a great beginning but makes some obvious errors and has trouble with certain species over and over. If used with the understanding that Merlin isn’t infallible, it can be used selectively and can be helpful. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case, most of the time.

James, I predict you will start having to review eBird reports that not only sat "Merlin confirms," but "Swaro sez!"

 

[Maljunulo]

Not to mention that you can go to the photo file and re-live your trip.
I know, you can do that with a camera as well, and that is exactly what is in the third tube. And as the pictures earlier (edit: in one of the other ax threads) show (which are a first-and-a-half effort) it works quite well. And it did manage to differentiate whooper and mute swan consistently.
Per (having fun with his new tool)

I’m sure that everyone reading this thread is delighted to hear that you are enjoying it.

Please keep us advised.

 

[james holdsworth]

That's interesting... I wonder how other reviewers see it used. In my birding circle at least, it's a tool but never used exclusively for ID. I might be living in a bubble :-o

Certainly not the majority, but I know some birders that turn Merlin on at the start of their walk and, when finished, that’s their list. Harder still, for reviewers, is that too often the observer doesn’t indicate that they were relying on Merlin for most everything.

 

[Maljunulo]

A crutch is a tool that helps you walk. Binoculars are tools that help you see. Photography is using a tool (camera and screen/film/whatever) to show what you saw that didn't manage to slip away while you were fiddling with the 4,500 quid new Tele lens.

That is absolutely correct for you, and might be for me, but I suspect not for all.

(See Post #448 and #457)

 

[kabsetz]

Thanks for the weight Canip. My scale gave 1340 for this sample, with battery, strap and both front and back covers, so just about the same. I just weighed the battery and got 59 g. So it does not quite go under 1100 even with battery removed.

I have tried the figure of eight dance, but Visio's compass still did not impress with its accuracy. Perhaps you can video your dance routine for all to see and learn from?

- Kimmo

 

[Dyrlege]

That is absolutely correct for you, and might be for me, but I suspect not for all.

(See Post #448 and #457)

I don't have the Tele lens...