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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jaymoynihan" data-source="post: 1557567" data-attributes="member: 50493">I am not an optics expert or designer. But i do remember reading about the porro and roof designs. If i remember correctly, the roof has more optical surfaces and "bounces" in the light path. So, it is harder to control aberrations. The intro of phase coatings (1980's ?) for roof was to that end.It is a commonly held view (including by me) that you can do a porro for cheaper than a roof, at the same level of optical quality. I think the 8x32 SE, and the Swift Audubons are probably proof of that. Hypothetically, it is not that one is inherently better than the other, optically. It is a question re the roofs, of how much are you willing/able to pay?I think the advantage of the roof design is the ergonomics, and true weather sealing. I have been told by folks that do design and repair optics, that no central focusing porro is truly "waterproof", i.e. submersable for more than a couple minutes. This makes sense, given that a porro's focusing movement is not internal, like a roof's is.Actually, another example of the roof vs porro cost is the Bushnell 7x26 Elite Custom (formally the Bausch & Lomb 7x26 custom). The majority of reviewer's, and folk who have tried them vs the roof compacts, agree that this little reverse-porro is optically the best compact binocular, optically. The alpha brand compacts go for 2 to 2.5 times the cost of this one. I think they could match it, but the cost point probably not be attractive to consumers since it is a compact.I use both designs myself. But i baby my SE's. For the same mag/aperture, the Zeiss 8x30's go on the hike <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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