BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="chill6x6" data-source="post: 3661846" data-attributes="member: 130888">IMO it's like this....For ONE thing...I'm not sure optical designers use their product in the field.  As silly as this sounds I really believe it.  Too many issues get to the final product and to the market without even so much as a second thought.  OR....manufacturers tell the brands "Here's what we HAVE and here's the PRICE...think you can market them?"  Second issue is binocular brands want to make money.  Selling something a manufacturer can do with their eyes closed is a good way to do that.  A binocular doesn't HAVE to be innovative, the buyer just has to BELIEVE it is. OR....and a BIG or, it has to be CHEAP.  Too much eye relief...I think there is more than one issue here.  For ONE, there is no agreement on where eye relief is measured.  From brand to brand no consistency whatsoever.  Sometimes even WITHIN brands.  The only MEANINGFUL measurement is from the top of the eyecup, not the top of the glass in the eyecup.  Some still don't get that.  SECONDLY....  Sorry, but I don't feel sorry for anyone that doesn't wear glasses and uses binoculars!  Just kidding of course BUT, you can use practically every porro prism binocular on the planet with zero issues.  You think I wouldn't have a Docter Nobilem if I could use them?  So every porro is off the list for me, EVERY ONE.  So YES....generally, most modern roof prism binoculars are made so MOST everyone can use them.  Think about this....the "new" Leica Trinovid retro..I didn't pre-order as it would have probably been pointless.  Eye relief stats are the FIRST thing I consider before digging any deeper into purchasing a binocular, spotting scope, etc.  So what's the "correct" eye relief a binocular should have to accommodate a majority of users?  I'm pretty sure I'm pretty average where ER is concerned.  Maybe slightly below.  So I'M SURE there are eyeglass wearers that require MORE ER than I do.  I have several binouclars I really like where the eyecups are ALL THE WAY DOWN.  So I'm SURE some cannot use these binoculars because of not enough eye relief.  Remember, an eyeglasses wearer is SUNK if there is not enough eye relief.  The binocular would be USELESS.  So what figures does a binocular manufacturer pick?  Who do they exclude or include?  Some group is NOT going to be happy!Where do you place your binoculars?Before I basically HAD to wear eyeglasses I had a total of ZERO issues where ER is concerned.  YES...SOME binoculars I was able to throw up against my eye and it was a perfect fit.  MOST, however required me to pull them out a bit and rest the eyecup on the top ridge of my eye socket.  No issues.  WELL....  So I went and pulled out a couple of binoculars....Noctivid 8X42 AND SV 10X42....  The SV fit my eye socket like a glove.  The material the SV eyecup is made of is absolutely second to none.  It would be the PERFECT fit for me without eyeglasses.  Next, the Noctivid...  HONESTLY, I see no way I could use this binocular without eyeglasses for an extended session, i.e. BIRDING.  More than one reason...  In addition to have extra long eye relief, the eyecup is HUGE in diameter to accommodate the largest diameter eye-piece lens I have ever seen.  The material is also rather hard and slippery...it had to be held so far from my eye I really could not get it to rest on my eyecup bridge in a comfortable manner.  SO if I did NOT wear eyeglasses, I would give the SV a DEFINITE PASS and Noctivid and definite questionable.  In other words, I see your point!As Bruce mentioned...two different eyecups would be a step in the right direction.  Innovations in eyecup design would help too.  There seems to ALWAYS be a mm or two, usually MORE left on the table where eyecups are concerned.</blockquote>

Verification