8x or 10x? (1 Viewer)

[otosnomos]

I live in Romania, Banat region. Fields and hills are more dominant but forestry can be found. I use an old porro 8x42mm and really want to change to the roof binos.
I am interested more in areas with fields/hills and water and I go there often. But I also go in forestry. So I dont know what should I to choose between 8x42mm or 10x42mm.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

If you've found your 8x42's lacking for power than go 10x. If you've been happy with the power stay 8x

 

[has530]

In general 10x is better for open/wet areas and 8x for forest areas however both are fine in either and the difference is not as severe as some will have you believe. Since fields/hills/water is your primary environment I would lean towards 10x but my recommendation would be to find somewhere where you can try both and see what is more comfortable for you individually to use. Some people do not like 10x because the extra magnification also magnifies your hand shakes while others with steadier hands love the extra detail.

 

[otosnomos]

If you've found your 8x42's lacking for power than go 10x. If you've been happy with the power stay 8x

I am pretty unhappy with the magnification, but I have a porro bino, which is 8x and I am talking about 8x roof. How far would be the diff between a 8x porro and a 8x roof?

 

[otosnomos]

In general 10x is better for open/wet areas and 8x for forest areas however both are fine in either and the difference is not as severe as some will have you believe. Since fields/hills/water is your primary environment I would lean towards 10x but my recommendation would be to find somewhere where you can try both and see what is more comfortable for you individually to use. Some people do not like 10x because the extra magnification also magnifies your hand shakes while others with steadier hands love the extra detail.

I thought the same, I also have steady hands and I like to be stationary in open areas, so 10x would be a better option.

 

[dwatsonbirder]

I am pretty unhappy with the magnification, but I have a porro bino, which is 8x and I am talking about 8x roof. How far would be the diff between a 8x porro and a 8x roof?

They are both the same magnification - it is just a difference in the prism assembly. If you find them lacking, then you have already decided, go for 10x! 👍🏼

 

[otosnomos]

They are both the same magnification - it it just a difference in the prism assembly. If you find them lacking, then you have already decided, go for 10x! 👍🏼

So I can get a 10x porro?
Roofs are expensive here in Romania as porros are more popular. If they dont make a diff between magnification then I dont see a reason to go roof other than weight, which does not bother me as I am used to it.

 

[has530]

So I can get a 10x porro?
Roofs are expensive here in Romania as porros are more popular. If they dont make a diff between magnification then I dont see a reason to go roof other than weight, which does not bother me as I am used to it.

Weight is the big one but also look for waterproofing. Roof prism binoculars are easier to waterproof and as such most are waterproof and nitrogen purged which is nice for preventing fogging in cold/wet weather and also for the longevity of the optics (staying internally clean). There are waterproof porro binoculars out there so just keep that in mind when picking a model.

 

[tenex]

So I can get a 10x porro?

These days, good quality Porro models are made mainly for astronomy and lack central focusing, which you will need. So there aren't many choices anymore. You should be very happy with Nikon E II 10x35, or Nikon SE 10x42 (discontinued), or perhaps Swarovski Habicht 10x40.

 

[Richard D]

If you're looking at 10x porros they tend to have pretty limited eye-relief which can be a problem if you wear glasses. The Swarovski Habicht 10x40 are probably the best 10x porros currently made with their only real drawback the slow focuser - I don't generally find it an issue at all when I'm out birding on the local marshes, but if you are birding in mixed habitat where you need to quickly switch from close range to a more distant subject it may be frustrating.

 

[CharleyBird]

Maybe try a 10x32 roof to complement your 8x42? It would probably be smaller, lighter and more compact for easier carrying, as well as being waterproof, and hopefully have the extra magnification you want for more distant viewing.
Or perhaps try a 12x42 like the Nikon M5 and see if you find the view steady enough? You ought to notice the difference between 8x and 12x magnifications.

 

[exup]

@otosnomos what budget have you set yourself for these bins?

If that information is available, then what is available in your location for that price range can be suggested.
Also, do they need to be used in wet or damp/ high humidity conditions?

 

[William Lewis]

If you don't carry a scope and can hold them steady a 10x will be a good addition to your 8x porro, maybe use the 8x for woodland walks and the 10x when the views open up.

The performance of roof prism binoculars tends to be worth the upgrade from a cheaper porro when you reach around the €300/350 mark, i.e a well chosen porro for around €150 will perform the same as a well chosen €300 roof in terms of the view although the roof prism model with generally be waterproof where as the porro may not be. Choices are quite limited when it comes to really high quality porro's for birdwatching as mentioned above, Nikon's venerable Eii 8x30 can be had for around €400 new if you shop carefully (I've just ordered a set direct from Japan) or more for the 10x35 version - neither are waterproof. Swarovski habichts as mentioned above are also excellent, their new prices are currently between around €830 and €1100 depending on the model and whether it's rubber armoured or not - they are waterproof.

The greater detail you can see with 10x magnification can be useful, as an example I've tried a €200 10x magnification binocular against a €2000 8x binocular and if both are mounted the cheaper 10x will still show more detail in good light.

For me personally I still use 8x magnification in my binoculars as I carry a scope for longer ranges and find the increased wobble in the image of the 10x distracting, it's very much worth trying them out first for more than a moment.

Here's some tips.

Don't just check stability looking straight ahead, try looking up in a tree as if your looking at a small passerine up in the top branches- that's when I find the worst wobbles and can be some of the trickiest binocular i.d's.

Also do be aware that the actual amount of the world your seeing through your binoculars will almost always be less with a 10x magnification model than an 8x. The field of view with a 10x often looks wider but in reality your seeing a smaller area at closer range than an 8x model where your seeing a wider area from a slightly further perspective- this can made a difference to finding birds in flight or at close range when looking for a bird in a tree or shrub. It's also worth checking the edges of the view to see if they are sharp, it's not a big deal if the edges are blurred near the edge (last 20% or so) but if the view is only really sharp in a small area in the centre it may become frustrating over time.

Also do point whatever your testing at something dark against a lighter background (tree branches, edges of buildings etc) and look for any bright colour fringes, almost every binocular I've ever tested has those towards the edges of the view but better ones will have less of this in the middle, again this can spoil the view.

Last check if it's a nice sunny day is to point whatever your testing towards but not at the sun and see if this affects how clear the view is, some glare is not necessarily a bad thing but you may not like so much that you loose detail and contrast too much when looking in the general direction of the sun.

Will

 

[jring]

Hi,

the larger stereo base (distance between the objective lenses) of porro binoculars leads the brain to regard the images of closer targets as smaller than the same image through roof pairs (which usually have a stereo base close to the interpupillary distance of the user).
This is an illusion and fades away when the target is farther away.

Porro and roof object size

This is an effort to pick up an interesting thread which was lost when the site went down recently. Someone posted the observation that porro and roof binoculars of the same magnification deliver the rather puzzling effect of presenting the image (object really) different, i.e. in roof...

www.birdforum.net

Joachim

 

[Maljunulo]

How much are you willing to spend?

 

[Foss]

So I can get a 10x porro?
Roofs are expensive here in Romania as porros are more popular. If they dont make a diff between magnification then I dont see a reason to go roof other than weight, which does not bother me as I am used to it.

If you can find a good 10x center-focus Porro, that may be the solution. Keep your eyes open, though. You may find more roofs than Porros to chose from, depending upon the scope of your search. Good luck and please report back once you've found your new binoculars.
~ Foss

 

[[email protected]]

I live in Romania, Banat region. Fields and hills are more dominant but forestry can be found. I use an old porro 8x42mm and really want to change to the roof binos.
I am interested more in areas with fields/hills and water and I go there often. But I also go in forestry. So I dont know what should I to choose between 8x42mm or 10x42mm.

You will probably like the 8x better in general more than a 10x, especially if you have difficulty holding 10x steady like I do. 8x has better DOF, a bigger FOV, they are going to have more apparent brightness and any additional detail you might see with the 10x is going to be nullified because you will shake more. If you bird mostly in the daytime, try an 8x32. They are more compact, lighter, and 99% of the time the view and comfort will be just as good as an 8x42. Just ask Lee. If budget isn't a problem, try the SF 8x32 or NL 8x32. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

 

[Richard D]

You will like the 8x better in general more than a 10x. 8x has better DOF, a bigger FOV, they are going to have more apparent brightness and any additional detail you might see with the 10x is going to be nullified because you will shake more. If you bird mostly in the daytime, try an 8x32. They are more compact, lighter, and 99% of the time the view and comfort will be just as good as an 8x42. If budget isn't a problem, try the SF 8x32 or NL 8x32.

You may or may not prefer the 8x to 10x there's no will about it. Many birders prefer the extra magnification a 10x offers for open country.

 

[Rg548]

You can't go wrong with 8's.... great all rounder.
10's superb only if you can hold them steady.
I favour 8's, but do own a good set of 10's.

 

[cytherian]

I think a lot of it will depend upon your preference in what you view through the binoculars. Are you interested in getting a nice wide field of view with high brightness & contrast? Or are you more interested in concentrating on what's in the center of your direct line of sight?

For comparison, I have the following magnifications: 9x25, 12x25, 7x42, and 8x42. The first two are small porro prism binoculars (Nikon) that were my "duo" for all purpose viewing. The 12x25 is pinpoint focus on specific things of interest, while the 9x25 broadens the view a bit and a little brighter. The 7x42 had been my "broad view" binos, an old pair of Simmons. Technology of lens quality and orientation has improved over the years. My old 7x42 has a FOV of 336 ft. / 1000 yds, while my newer 8x42 (Svbony) has 394 ft. / 1000 yds.

My 8x42 Svbony triumphs the rest. This bino has ED glass and is amazingly clear & bright. If you will be viewing in low light conditions 25% of the time or more, I would go with an objective lens of 42 mm. You can find some binos with like 8x32 or 10x32 mm that can bring in decent brightness, but only if you're paying alpha level prices. For midrange, 42 mm is the way to go IMHO. So while my Nikon 12x25 is terrific for pinpoint magnification of objects, it can't hold a candle to the Svbony SV202 8x42 for sheer brightness and contrast, as well as color saturation.

I've come to realize that one binocular to do everything is folly. Get one for your desirable FOV performance and one for higher magnification, if you need both kinds of performance. I have my mid-size roof prism 8x42 as my primary and then when I really want to pick out more detail, I pull up my small porro prism 12x25.

TLDR;
But in general for now if what you're looking to do is improve your primary binoculars and you're happy with the magnification, I'd stick with 8x42mm. It's good you have steady hands... which means 10x42 mm can work for you too, but you'll lose some FOV (field of view). Also, it depends upon your budget, but in some cases you can select 10x42 mm and still get a FOV that's 400 ft / 1000 yds or higher (but that's going to be more costly, for also maintaining very good quality imaging). While there is the glamor of getting a FOV upwards of 500 ft. / 1000 yds, I don't see it as a priority because with an 8x42 having around 400 ft FOV, it's a slight turn of your hands to pan and see around your area of interest.