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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

The Best Binoculars in the World (1 Viewer)

Hello,

More than twenty years ago, I was at work when I read of a boreal owl in Central Park, probably in late autumn, as the sunset was early. At work, I had a fifty year-old Leitz Binuxit 8x30, which I took to Central Park. It was good enough to make out the owl on its perch. Days later, I did manage to see it with a spotting scope and a modern glass but even the Binuxit provided a much better view than my naked eyes.

Stay safe,
Arthur
 
It was a Meopta MeoStar B1 7x42, supplied for a review and inadverdantly picked up for a days' outing on holiday in Scotland that taught me the special qualities that 7x magnification has.
I've never looked through a 7x. I guess they have extra stability and a wider field of view. Any other advantages?
 
I've never looked through a 7x. I guess they have extra stability and a wider field of view. Any other advantages?
Larger exit pupil and easier eye placement when comparing 7x42 and 8x42 or 7x32 and 8x32. Also slightly longer eye relief. The tiny Kowa BDII 6.5x32 is one of the very few binos where I can see almost the whole FoV with glasses on.
Also more DoF so less fiddling with the focuser.
 
The real advantages of a 7x cannot be properly expressed in most all modern roofs. Sorry, but a 7* fov in a 7x, while adequate, does not add the proper width to match the depth Lee mentions. The Zeiss 7x42 FL just about there, but still needed another half degree. You need to see 7x through the view of an 8 * eyepiece to really get the feel.
 
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The real advantages of a 7x cannot be properly expressed in most all modern roofs.
Except for the Kowa BDII with it's 10° FoV. And there are still a few wide angle porros with low magnification like the APM 6x30, Nikon Action EX 7x35, Opticron Adventurer T WP 6.5x32 -- I think all of these have a 9.3° FoV.
The problem with the Kowa is only the rolling ball effect. Doesn't bother me all that much but my vintage skeleton 6x25 with 11.5° FoV has a more balanced pincushion distortion and feels less "compressed" at the edge.
The 6x24 Komz (also 11.5° I think) has a similar distortion as the Kowa. Basically all of the Komz binos have very little pincushion and therefore a more or less pronounced rolling ball effect.
 
The Zeiss SF 8X32 has roughly an 8.75° field, depending on whose numbers you like.

Will that do?
That will do just fine for an 8x binocular. However I was talking about a 9* fov for a modern 7x roof binocular. I think pigs may sprout wings before we see Zeiss apply that 8.75* fov to a 7x32 SF. Since the 8.5* of the 7x42 FL works pretty well, I suppose that 8.75* would too. I have a discontinued 7x36 dielectric roof with a 9.3* fov that would is about ideal, but I doubt we'll ever see another one like it produced in today's market. I admit to forgetting about the Kowa 6.5x32.
 
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I wish there were still the super wide 7x35 porros of the "golden era" of Japanese binos. One of my favourites in my collection is my 7x35, J-B22, with 212m/1,000m and BaK4 prisms. Of course the field curvature is extreme but as long as I don't move my eyes too much inside the FoV and rather move the bino, it is perfectly fine. I especially enjoy that one at night. Feels like a spacewalk.
Too bad that 7x magnification seems to have gone out of fashion pretty much.
There is a new IF bino with 6.5x32 and 9.3° which everybody raves about on cloudy nights, the "Moon-Star". The first batch was already sold out however. I read that a center focus version is planned, too. That might be interesting.
 
They are the ones you have in your hands: use them and enjoy what they do.

Out immersed into the estate today was a delight. Last of the Black Throated Divers ready to head to sea, the Hen Harrier drifting across the hill, and I had with me my faithful Opticron Aurora.

A moment, nae, a day of blissful birding in the wilds.

A binocular that has me at a true level of contentment that I've missed.
 
Out immersed into the estate today was a delight. Last of the Black Throated Divers ready to head to sea, the Hen Harrier drifting across the hill, and I had with me my faithful Opticron Aurora.

A moment, nae, a day of blissful birding in the wilds.

A binocular that has me at a true level of contentment that I've missed.
Even without pictures that sounded calming. 😃
 
The real advantages of a 7x cannot be properly expressed in most all modern roofs. Sorry, but a 7* fov in a 7x, while adequate, does not add the proper width to match the depth Lee mentions. The Zeiss 7x42 FL just about there, but still needed another half degree. You need to see 7x through the view of an 8 * eyepiece to really get the feel.
You're describing the EDG and UVHD 7x42's, both have 8 degree FOV. I was just viewing the hummingbird/bee action on my porch with the 8x42 SF and 7x42 EDG. In the 7x, I can see 2 torenia container plants in focus while the hummingbird browses. In the 8x, only one plant is in focus at a time. The other one is blurry. The same thing happens with birds in trees, more of the tree is in focus at 7x, more of it's a blur at 8x. At 8x your finger is working more as the birds move around to keep them focused.

That's just the depth of field.....don't get me started on blackouts, eye placement, rectilinear distortion (RB) - all better in the 7x.
 
PS.......looks like the Zeiss FL 7x42 was 8.6 degrees so it was actually wider than the EDG/UVHD although maybe not in useable FOV/sweet spot
 

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