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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steve C" data-source="post: 1487390" data-attributes="member: 56622">One thing that has come up in this thread, and I have seen in other threads is the sentiment that the hunting market is what drives the high end binocular market.  I have no idea of what the straight of the issue is, but when hunters read about advances in optics from knowledgeable sources that are seen in hunting oriented publications, the stance is that the high end binoculars are being driven by the birding market.The statements are usually in the vein of..."Hunters better be glad there is a strong birding hobby out there, because the real optics users of the world seek birds as their target.  To these people, the image is paramount.  They also are quite picky about things like ergonomics, the way the binoculars feel and such thing as to how the focus wheel works. So when you are out hunting with that Swarovski EL around your neck, give thanks to the next birder you see, because if it were not for them, you would not have that glass out there to buy in the first place." That is a general paraphrase of the point of several articles I have read, and not intended to be a definitive quote from anyone.  So I guess ones perspective dictates how things are seen.  One thing I have discovered over the years is that there is precious little difference in a good hunting or a good birding binocular.I certainly see loads of crap binoculars around the necks of hunters.  The best use of some of those is as a target.</blockquote>

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