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Old 05-31-2017, 10:27 AM   #21
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For football, 8X is probably better. I don't find a tremendous difference.
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Old 05-31-2017, 10:29 AM   #22
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Staying in focus isn't too hard, but steadying the image can definitely be a challenge - with 8x or 10x, though 8x is easier. For a given size and weight the 8x binoculars will be both easier to use (steadier and wider field of view) and brighter (the exit pupil - a measure of the image brightness - is the the objective diameter divided by the magnification. So for example a 10x42 binocular will have a 4.2 mm exit pupil while an 8x42 will have a (brighter) 5.25 mm).

With all that said I bought my wife an 8x43 and myself a 10x43 of the same model of binoculars and prefer the 10x for my own use.
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Old 05-31-2017, 11:00 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by mystang52 View Post
OP, here. First, thanks to everyone for your replies. Now a follow-up question: I read that 10X can be difficult to stay in focus unless one has a steady hand, vs the 8X.
Is there that much of a difference in 1) the apparent magnification and 2) the stability of the image?
For handheld 8x is better for handheld IMO. That's what we use (8.5 x 42) instead of 10x.
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Old 05-31-2017, 12:13 PM   #24
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You can find excellent technical tutorials on the internet but here are some basics:

I agree with others that 8x is a good magnification. 10x is harder to hold and, particularly with small binoculars, harder to work with.

The second number, like 50 in 7x50 is the diameter of the objective lens which drives the size and cost of the binoculars. As @stepford mentions, dividing the numbers 50/7 gives you the exit pupil. Glasses with big exit pupils, like the 7x50, are sometimes referred to as "night glasses." But .... more is not necessarily better because once the exit pupil is larger than the pupil in your eye it's game over. No more benefit. This is important to us because as we age, our pupils lose ability to dilate. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:E...e_with_age.pdf) We see this as poorer night vision but it also means that we can no longer get any benefit from large bino exit pupils. OTOH, small exit pupils like from a 10x20 miniature bino make the bino very fussy to use. The tube spacing has to be very exact to get the best view.

Eye relief is another thing to be aware of, especially if you wear glasses. Related to this is adjustable eye cups which can be collapsed when the bino user is wearing glasses.

Finally, there are two flavors of binos: porroprism and roof prism. Porroprism binos have the familiar "crook" in the barrel; the eyepiece and objective lens are offset. Roof prism binos have the lenses apparently in line but there is some trickery going on inside those straight-looking barrels. Porro prisms, generally speaking, give higher quality images for the price because they are cheaper to make than roof prisms. Roof prism binos are more compact but more expensive for a given level if image quality.

Like many things, more money gets you higher quality images but the incremental returns diminish as the price rises.

Lens coatings are important but if you're buying new or near-new you'll be getting good coatings. It's only when you are looking at older binos like WWII military glasses that you're in the pre-modern era for coatings. Don't go there.

Make sure whatever you buy has center focus, not an adjustment ring on just one of the tubes. This latter option shows up on military glasses mostly.

What to buy? $150 doesn't really get very far towards bino quality. I would suggest lurking on your local CraigsList, comparing prices to eBay "Sold" prices for identical binos and checking bino test reports from the birder community. I would avoid the low-end manufacturers like Tasco, Bushnell, and Swift. Nikon makes a range of binos but again I'd avoid the low end. Many expensive brands have already been mentioned here. You will not find modern Zeiss or Swarovski glass in your price range and you don't need them anyway.

In our local CraigsList today there is a pair of Nikon Monarch 5-series binos at exactly your $150. That's about half of Nikon's new list price. Review here: Nikon Monarch Binoculars 2017 Comparison Review I suggest you lurk your local CraigsList waiting for something like this.

I have what is optimum for me, Leupold Katmai 8x32s. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001HN5GPI) Unfortunately they are out of production and hard to find. I had a pair stolen and lurked on eBay for most of a year before I found the pair that I have now. They are the most compact "real" binoculars that I know of.

My wife has a pair of miniature Zeiss 10x20s that I bought before I really understood binoculars. They provide a good image but are very fussy to use because of the small exit pupils and poor eye relief. Their only real claim to fame is their small size.

HTH
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Old 05-31-2017, 12:44 PM   #25
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Click on the interactive graphs to help determine what you want. I have Vortex Viper HD's and like them. You are better off in the long run getting something with a little better quality if you use binos frequently. Binos are always with me when out in the woods or traveling.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/best-b...b-review-2013/
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Old 05-31-2017, 01:01 PM   #26
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8 x 32 roof prisms are pretty compact and do fine for bright scenes.
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Old 05-31-2017, 06:58 PM   #27
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The friends we travel with have Leica Trinovids (a compact binocular). We were very impressed with the image quality, but these are currently $900 or so. Instead I bought Zeiss Victory for a few hundred less and am very happy with them. Good for travel, probably not good for birders or sports.
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Old 05-31-2017, 07:08 PM   #28
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Brief update. Not sure yet what final decision will be, but likely 8X42 and I've upped the budget allowance to $250. I doubt I'll go that high, but while I'm somewhat of a cheapskate I also am willing to pay for decent quality.
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Old 05-31-2017, 07:47 PM   #29
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Go to a store and look, don't buy online if you have no experience.

$250 to 500 is a good place to be. Really. I can't tell you how much the difference between OK and good binocs is. Go and look. Look for a long time too. Cheap binocs may look fine at first but then cause eye strain. Eye strain from not being parallel.

Good ones will be clear and sharp and bright with a wide field of view sharp to the outer perimeter. They will not cause eye strain and you won't want to stop viewing.
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Old 06-17-2017, 05:03 PM   #30
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Final update: $325 later, opted for the Nikon Monarch 5 10X42. I tried both the 8X and 10X and preferred the latter, and didn't have problems with focus, following a moving object, etc.
The dollars are smaller, but this experience was similar to my hunting for a new bicycle several years back. Naively, I thought $750 was a generous budget allowance for a new road bike, and ended up paying some $500 above that (and even that $1250 is relatively small potatoes in the cycling-purchase-world!). So, paying $165 over my planned amount is a bargain compared to my bicycle hunt.
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Old 06-17-2017, 05:13 PM   #31
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Final update: $325 later, opted for the Nikon Monarch 5 10X42............
I think you will like them. Good quality optics and waterproof, plus the close focusing option is neat for butterflies and other close up opportunities.
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Old 06-17-2017, 05:50 PM   #32
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Yes, Nikon Monarchs are a good choice. DW loves hers.

I'm a bit surprised at your bicycle comment, though.
I bought a new bike last year for nearly $800 and practically had a stroke paying for it. It was a closeout and I saved nearly $200 on the purchase, but still I had to tell myself it was worth it.

Of course, it really was worth it. Guess I don't know much about bicycles these days.
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Old 06-17-2017, 05:50 PM   #33
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Hahahaha, i remember going to the ballpark, Shea Stadium general admission was .80 cents. My friends father would take us, he had a transistor radio and binoculars. the players looked like ants. I on occasion heard the crack of the bat. Other than that , i thought the tv was a way better way to see the game. Fast forward maybe 45 years and we got some kind of VIP seats, food included, sort of private bathrooms that were immaculate, waitresses etc.. For me thats the way to go to a game. These seem like a great deal https://www.wholesalepartysupplies.c...FYmFswodw2sJPg
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