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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WriterCJ" data-source="post: 3496062" data-attributes="member: 91823">Indeed, binoculars sporting silver coated prisms can deliver a very bright image. The Meoptas I've tried -- the superb little Meostar B1 8x32, and the chunky but optically outstanding Meostar B1 10x42 HD -- both perform really well in low light, and both sport silver-coated prisms -- as I presume do bins like the classic Leica Trinovid 8x32s that a birding friend of mine swears by.All other things being equal I guess dielectric coatings on the prisms should result in a brighter image, but as we all know, other things are NEVER equal when it comes to optics <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />.There also seems to be quite a disparity between perceived brightness in the field (which, lets face it, is all most birders are interested in) and measured transmission levels under lab conditions. Things like colour, contrast and shifting ambient light conditions all impact our perception of brightness. It's one of the trickiest things to assess when you're writing a hands-on review -- and I spend ages switching between bins comparing and contrasting different subjects in different light trying to get a "feel" for how they perform over time.I'm sure my neighbours think I'm nuts when they see me standing in the front garden at twilight with four or five pairs of bins dangling from various appendages...... they may have a point!</blockquote>

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