Happy owners of a pocket 10x25? (2 Viewers)

[ReinierB]

I wonder, who has a 10x25 and is happy with it? Why do you have it? Why not a 8x25 or 8x20 or 7x21 instead? No regrets having a 10 power?
It's lightweight and has only 2.5mm exit pupil. So not really stable/comfortable I suppose?
Just really wonder what the main purpose of 10x25 owners is.

 

[Richard D]

Not an owner as I tried a few and found them slightly too twitchy (I'm fine with 10x32s) keep getting tempted to give one another go though so will follow with interest.

 

[Pepitogrillo]

I tried a few, but all they are for me very twitchy...

 

[Mike Crawley]

I tried a few pairs of 10x25 and couldn’t get comfortable with any of them (regardless of price). Instantly comfortable with at least 4 pairs at 8x25 (different manufacturers) and settled on the most comfortable (cost approximately £120) and happy with them on the occasional days I take them out

 

[Bentley03]

I own, and regularly use, a pair of 10x25 CL Pocket's. I absolutely adore them! 😍

I sold my 10x32 Leica UVHD+ because the eye relief was just a fraction too marginal for me to get completely relaxed and comfortable with them. Already owning (and really enjoying) a pair of 8x25 CL Pocket's, I replaced the compact Ultravid with the 10x25 CL Pocket, because I already had familiarity with the model in 8x format, and assumed (correctly) that my experience with the 8x would help me to get comfortable with a 10x copy of the same model. I am now very well practiced with them, and because of the generous amount of eye relief, find them to be a very friendly optical companion on my walks, when I'm in open areas or want a little more reach for more detail.

I also tested the two Zeiss 10x25's and the Ultravid in that format, but found the Swarovski CL Pocket to be more comfortable for me by a considerable margin.

My only regret, I should have bought them with the Mountain Pack (orange case), because I keep picking up my 8x when I intend to take my 10x and vice versa, and I don't appear to be able to buy an orange case on it's own anywhere.

James

 

[ReinierB]

I own, and regularly use, a pair of 10x25 CL Pocket's. I absolutely adore them! 😍

I sold my 10x32 Leica UVHD+ because the eye relief was just a fraction too marginal for me to get completely relaxed and comfortable with them. Already owning (and really enjoying) a pair of 8x25 CL Pocket's, I replaced the compact Ultravid with the 10x25 CL Pocket, because I already had familiarity with the model in 8x format, and assumed (correctly) that my experience with the 8x would help me to get comfortable with a 10x copy of the same model. I am now very well practiced with them, and because of the generous amount of eye relief, find them to be a very friendly optical companion on my walks, when I'm in open areas or want a little more reach for more detail.

I also tested the two Zeiss 10x25's and the Ultravid in that format, but found the Swarovski CL Pocket to be more comfortable for me by a considerable margin.

My only regret, I should have bought them with the Mountain Pack (orange case), because I keep picking up my 8x when I intend to take my 10x and vice versa, and I don't appear to be able to buy an orange case on it's own anywhere.

James

I what cases do you prefer the CL 10x25 over the CL 8x25?
The AFOV of the CL 10x25 should be a bit larger. Is that noticable?

 

[albie...]

I've had a few compacts over the years from extremely cheap to alpha level . Olympus comes to mind in the ultra cheap category($50) and it was horrible , bad optics and fiddly (twitchy). I had a Bushnell Custom Compact Elite 7x26 that I didn't mind , great build quality and glass but it was still fiddly to use so I sold it . I also had a Leica Ultravid 8x20 .
The Leica had a wonderful build quality and excellent optics for a compact but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get along with it, too fiddly . Loved the dioptre adjust.
The Custom Compact was the easiest and most comfortable out of all the compacts I've tried or owned . I'm surprised Bushnell hasn't come out with a new version of the Custom Compact to replace the last version (Elite) .
Never got along with any bin that has more than one hinge .

 

[Hermann]

I got a Nikon 10x25 HG-L many years ago. Excellent optical quality (alpha level, even by today's standards), very good build quality (better than the great majority of compacts), excellent focuser (like all Nikon HG-L binoculars). Better handling than most compacts. It's fairly long for a compact and fits my hands better than most 8x20s.

It fullfills several roles in my setup:

• While I was still at work, the Nikon was always in my briefcase. Always. Just in case, you never know when you come across something interesting.
• I also used it at meetings and conferences during presentations. Too many people use print that's too small to be seen from the back of a large room.
• Nowadays it's always in my backpack, no matter what I do. Just in case, you never know when you come across something interesting ... 🙃
  For instance, a few years ago at a family gathering I heard (and subsequently saw) a Wryneck in the garden of the restaurant. Brightened up that day considerably. I guess I'm not into family gatherings.
  I also once had a migrating Osprey over the city in the city centre. Not bad.
• I also use the Nikon at the theater or the opera. Quite useful. I wouldn't really want to use a fullsize pair there.
• When travelling light on a birding trip I take the Nikon as my spare pair of binoculars. I never ever go on a long trip without a spare pair, and the Nikon is small and light enough to take anywhere. Of course, when I go by car I normally take a bigger pair.

Would I ever use it on a regular birding trip, other than in an emergency? Not really, for regular birding I've got (larger) binoculars that are better for serious use. But in an emergency the Nikon is fine.

BTW, if even the Nikon is too large, I switch to a 8x20 Monovid ... 😁

Hermann

 

[Thotmosis]

For all the reasons Herman mentioned i always carry my Leica 10x25 with me

For size comparison, it‘s a lot smaller than my already compact 8x32:

 

[ReinierB]

I got a Nikon 10x25 HG-L many years ago. Excellent optical quality (alpha level, even by today's standards), very good build quality (better than the great majority of compacts), excellent focuser (like all Nikon HG-L binoculars). Better handling than most compacts. It's fairly long for a compact and fits my hands better than most 8x20s.

It fullfills several roles in my setup:

• While I was still at work, the Nikon was always in my briefcase. Always. Just in case, you never know when you come across something interesting.
• I also used it at meetings and conferences during presentations. Too many people use print that's too small to be seen from the back of a large room.
• Nowadays it's always in my backpack, no matter what I do. Just in case, you never know when you come across something interesting ... 🙃
  For instance, a few years ago at a family gathering I heard (and subsequently saw) a Wryneck in the garden of the restaurant. Brightened up that day considerably. I guess I'm not into family gatherings.
  I also once had a migrating Osprey over the city in the city centre. Not bad.
• I also use the Nikon at the theater or the opera. Quite useful. I wouldn't really want to use a fullsize pair there.
• When travelling light on a birding trip I take the Nikon as my spare pair of binoculars. I never ever go on a long trip without a spare pair, and the Nikon is small and light enough to take anywhere. Of course, when I go by car I normally take a bigger pair.

Would I ever use it on a regular birding trip, other than in an emergency? Not really, for regular birding I've got (larger) binoculars that are better for serious use. But in an emergency the Nikon is fine.

BTW, if even the Nikon is too large, I switch to a 8x20 Monovid ... 😁

Hermann

Thanks!
Ever regretted that it was 10 power and not 8 power? Or was the 10 power usefull in those cases?

 

[Hermann]

Ever regretted that it was 10 power and not 8 power? Or was the 10 power usefull in those cases?

Not really. Like I said, the 10x25 fits my hands better. And in the situations I typically use the Nikon I can usually find something to lean on that keeps the shakes at bay. BTW, I find leaning the head on something, like e.g. a lamp post, help a lot to stabilize the view. A lot.

That said, a really small stabilized binocular would of course be better. By a mile. But there isn't one (yet?), even though I nowadays take the Canon 8x20 IS when I expect I'm going to use my binoculars more than just a bit. But that's of course bigger and heavier.

Hermann

 

[KeesJ]

For all the reasons Herman mentioned i always carry my Leica 10x25 with me

For size comparison, it‘s a lot smaller than my already compact 8x32:

View attachment 1502265

One eyecup on the little one is loose

 

[Thotmosis]

One eyecup on the little one is loose

It’s the lens cap Kees

EDIT: just checked it to be sure, see picture below

 

[KeesJ]

It’s the lens cap Kees

O, stupid me.

 

[Thotmosis]

O, stupid me.

I understand why you thought it was the eye cup, the picture was not perfect with lens cap not completely covering the eye cup.

 

[Binastro]

I have had many 10x25 binoculars and that is my standard pocket binocular.

The best by far is the Docter 10x25 double hinged.
It is old, the rubber armour is very loose from the thousands of times I have used it. I keep it in my pocket without a case.
It probably has no phase coating, but it is very good. It is also worn out externally.

I used a Minolta 10x25 double hinged for years.

Various Nikon 10x25s.

The Chinon 10x25 is very sharp, a reverse Porro but very little eye relief and an odd body shape that makes the eye relief worse.

Also several other reverse Porros, maybe Pentax and others.

An Olympus is terrible.

There are actually too many 10x25s to remember.

The ones I don't like are the Leica and Swarovski. Too much eye relief and they don't keep their IPD at all.
The ones that should be the best are nearly the worst.

I do not like 8x21 or 8x20s.

Also 12x25s are not for me.

The 6x20 Zeiss and 6x18 very cheap roof prism waterproof are very useful.

What seems obvious is that different users have different favourites with different specs.

Regards,
B.

 

[Bentley03]

I what cases do you prefer the CL 10x25 over the CL 8x25?
The AFOV of the CL 10x25 should be a bit larger. Is that noticable?

If the main purpose for me going out is to exercise, I carry pocket binoculars, they suffice, I'm unlikely to be using them in low light situations. And in general, I'm scanning an area up to 2.5 miles (4km) around me, and tend to use the binoculars only to identify targets I've spotted, whether that's a bird, an animal, a plane or something else. I find I can hold the CL Pocket very steady, they fit me perfectly, and that little bit of extra reach I get from the 10x over the 8x makes all the difference. If I'm walking mainly under the canopy (which I more regularly do in Summer), I take the 8x.

I have never compared the two formats side by side, but my perception is that the AFOV is in fact very similar, the 10x just gives me that extra bit of reach. I might check that though...🤔

 

[ReinierB]

tend to use the binoculars only to identify targets I've spotted

I think I get it. Since I have a 8x25 a couple of weeks now, I figured I only use it to determine the species, rather than really enjoying the view. So a 10x25 actually makes sence! More power means more details and also easier determination.
It also depends where you are, like always in the debate 8x vs. 10x.

 

[ReinierB]

but my perception is that the AFOV is in fact very similar, the 10x just gives me that extra bit of reach. I might check that though...🤔

Please share with us what you'll notice... I am curious.
I might upgrade the Terra 8x25 someday and like to have something different: 10x25 or 7x21 or 8x20. I am an fan of higher magnifications, but I also notice that the 8x25 is still pretty "heavy" in my pocket.

 

[[email protected]]

I have tried most of the 10x25's including the Zeiss Victory, Swarovski CLP and the Leica Trinovid and Ultravid but one of the best 10x25's I have ever used were the Nikon LX 10x25. The FOV is a little small, but they are surprisingly good optically, and they are waterproof. You can still get them new from Japan on eBay.

Nikon HG L 10x25 DCF Binoculars / Premier LX L 18208072095 | eBay

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