I recently bought a pair of Zeiss Conquest HDs in the 8x32 format. For me, this is a near-perfect binocular. It has a large FOV at 420 ft and a large AFOV at 64 degrees which provides a very immersive image. It handles well, focuses quickly and smoothly, feels great in the hand, is built like a tank, accommodates my rather narrow IPD, eye relief is perfect for me (I do not wear glasses), it focuses nice and close for nearby feeder viewing... I can go on! It is a very well-balanced instrument. However, one evening I was out birding in a forested marshy area following a storm. I was tracking a nighthawk and a few other birds by sound. It was about 1 hour before sunset. Conditions were fairly dim under the forest canopy. I scanned up into the tree tops and could make out some detail, but not well enough to discern tree bark from a stationary bird. I am young and have good vision. I think I may have run into the low-light performance limitation of the 32mm lens + 4mm exit pupil, despite the high-transmission glass found in this bino. I go birding at all hours of the day, including after work and well into twilight. Given the great things I had read on the forum about the CHD 8x32, including some folks mentioning that it could be used in low-light situations better than one might expect, and all the positive things I mentioned above, I really wanted it to work out! I ended up returning it after a few days due to the less than desired low-light performance.
So now, I'd like to try out the CHD in the 8x42 format because the 42mm objectives and 5.25mm exit pupil should let in more light for the conditions I bird in. I haven't been able to test one locally, but I have been able to test it in a store in the 10x42 format. It is also an amazing bino for the same reasons the 8x32 is, and it has an even larger AFOV at 66 degrees. I am reasonably sure that ergonomically, the 8x42 format will work for me, though I may need to get the longer eye cups from Zeiss.
The reason I have not already bought them, however, is because of the model's stated FOV and AFOV. Where the 8x32 and 10x42 have quite large FOV and AFOV (near the top of their class at this price point), the 8x42 has a rather "normal" FOV of 384 ft and AFOV of 59 degrees. My worry is that after experiencing the 8x32, whose FOV is 40 ft wider and AFOV 5 degrees wider, am I going to feel like I'm staring through a tunnel in the 8x42 format? Do other folks on the forum have experience with these specific models who could comment on this? Can folks explain why the 8x32 and 10x42 CHD have such large and immersive AFOV while the 8x42 seems to be more narrow? Does it actually feel narrow? Do the views actually feel quite similar between the 8x32 and 8x42? I'm guessing the 8x42 might be my goldilocks bino but would love to hear about other people's experiences with them. I hope I've not ruined other binocular views after experiencing the 8x32! Thanks for any insights and happy birding!
So now, I'd like to try out the CHD in the 8x42 format because the 42mm objectives and 5.25mm exit pupil should let in more light for the conditions I bird in. I haven't been able to test one locally, but I have been able to test it in a store in the 10x42 format. It is also an amazing bino for the same reasons the 8x32 is, and it has an even larger AFOV at 66 degrees. I am reasonably sure that ergonomically, the 8x42 format will work for me, though I may need to get the longer eye cups from Zeiss.
The reason I have not already bought them, however, is because of the model's stated FOV and AFOV. Where the 8x32 and 10x42 have quite large FOV and AFOV (near the top of their class at this price point), the 8x42 has a rather "normal" FOV of 384 ft and AFOV of 59 degrees. My worry is that after experiencing the 8x32, whose FOV is 40 ft wider and AFOV 5 degrees wider, am I going to feel like I'm staring through a tunnel in the 8x42 format? Do other folks on the forum have experience with these specific models who could comment on this? Can folks explain why the 8x32 and 10x42 CHD have such large and immersive AFOV while the 8x42 seems to be more narrow? Does it actually feel narrow? Do the views actually feel quite similar between the 8x32 and 8x42? I'm guessing the 8x42 might be my goldilocks bino but would love to hear about other people's experiences with them. I hope I've not ruined other binocular views after experiencing the 8x32! Thanks for any insights and happy birding!