Couldn't agree more Carl, about being broad-brushed. I was almost going to
qualify my statement by saying exactly that :-) Instead I used term "my
opinion" which should read "please don't take this message seriously" or more
perhaps more appropriate"please ignore". (The last message I wrote to
birding-aus - prior to this one - someone wrote back to me and said "Not much
work on at work today Tim".) As you say (to totally contradict myself) there
are some super 10x50 binos around, some smallish and light.
Aside from that, heading to WA tomorrow morning (Dryandra and Two Peoples Bay),
so not too much to complain about.
Cheers,
Tim
________________________________________
From: Carl Clifford
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 5:48 PM
To: Tim Dolby
Cc: Michael Hunter;
Subject: Low light bins
Tim,
I think you are using a rather a broad brush here. I use a pair of
Pentax 10x50 DCF ED and manage to carry them all day with no problem,
despite an arthritic neck and back. I use a harness to carry them and
sometimes even use a double harness to carry a DSLR with a tele lens
no problem. My Pentax 10x50 are not much bigger than my old 8x42
Pentax. They weigh in at 855g which compared to say Swarovski's top
line 8x32 which is 832g or Leica Ultravid 8x40 at 790g, are not much
of a load. The Pentax are also within a few millimetres in size of the
Leicas and actually smaller than the Swaros
I also have a pair of Pentax 8x32 DCF EDs, which I thought were the
bee's knees, but I am not even sure where they are as it is so long
since I used them. The 10x50s have become my first choice.
Binocular technology is advancing fairly rapidly, with some
manufacturers greatly reducing size and weight of their bins, so one
can not dismiss all big bins out of hand. Prospective buyers need to
compare the various sizes to see which suits them the best, not just
rely on others opinions. I did, which is why I have the bins I have.
Cheers,
carl Clifford
On 08/03/2011, at 3:46 PM, Tim Dolby wrote:
Hi Michael,
In my opinion for decent 'birding' i.e. walking around with a pair of
binos birdwatching, there are only two - possibly three - real options
for binoculars, regardless of conditions:
. 10 x 40 (or 42) - good magnification, so requires a little precision
and practice i.e. to see birds in flight, so can sometimes be awkward
in forests / closed bush - but perfect for open environ and most
birding conditions. Any reasonable pair will work o.k. in gloomy light.
. 8 x 40 (or 42) - smaller in size than above and has less
magnification, but perfect for forest conditions i.e. to see birds in
flight through trees. Good for close range. Any reasonable pair will
work o.k. in gloomy light.
Any larger than this, such as x 50 etc, size becomes just too awkward
and cumbersome (even creating neck problems) for birding. There are of
course exceptions to the rule. Some people just like them, enjoying
the extra contrast and image brightness with the top-end binos (such
as Leica), or have a strong neck, such as rugby playing birders.
Larger binoculars can also be worthwhile if they are linked to a
specific task, such as birding from a wetland bird-hide.
Personally (apart from 10 x 40 or 8 x 40) I'm also quite partial to 8
x 32 - small, compact, easy to use, and they're great for casual
stroll in the bush, particularly your own patch, where you know most
of the birds, so exact feature identification is not that important.
However I'd only recommend a good pair.
In essence when buying a pair of binoculars, purchasing a pair of x 50
because they're slightly better when glooming ignores a dozen other
aspects of binoculars when birding, such as size, weight, focus, ease
of use, accessibility and even aesthetics (for example do you really
want to walk around with a large and silly looking pair of binos
around your neck).
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
-----Original Message-----
From:
] On Behalf Of Michael Hunter
Sent: Tuesday, 8 March 2011 1:02 PM
To:
Subject: Low light bins
Hi All,
While on the subject of binoculars, I am wondering whether
10 x 42 is the best magnification x lens diameter combination for
gloomy forest conditions or other low light situations where the
quarry is not more than about 30m away from the observer, and
magnification is not the major requirement.
Would optically equivalent (in quality) 7 x 50 give better
light sensitivity and colour discrimination than say 10 x 42 or 10 x
50 ?
Close focus distance and rapid focus also relevant, as
well as waterproofness in rainy humid conditions if not for scuba
diving.
Any suggestions?
Cheers
Michael
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