Binocular magnification: an immutable 2008 perspective (1 Viewer)

[Owlbarred]

How many 7’s do you own? In your signature i only see 8’s. Practice what you preach!

WTF? "Practice what you preach!" As stated in the original post (this time in bold letters below):
No, 7x is not a panacea, but the article's fundamental postulation remains germane and is sometimes ignored on BF posts.
Moreover, my comments solely referenced handheld use of 12x and 14x. Your malignant straw man statements are lamentably inaccurate.

But FWIW: I owned 7x35 B Leitz Trinovids for many years.

 

[adhoc]

Owlbarred: The word immutable is not quite correct (BTW, a first reaction on reading the title and OP as what I should write before reading the friendly ;-) comments from others on here).

What matters most is current data on configuration/s (axb) used by serious ornithologists, established bird tour giudes, and those crack at bird ID. Today very few indeed use 7x. 2008 is too far back. In 2014 just 6 years after that we find this (linked here): note, the same David Sibley.

. . .the blustery weather didn’t stop David Allen Sibley from spotting a rare gull.

After scanning the beach for a few minutes with his 10X Swarovski binoculars, the revered 52-year-old bird guide author focused on a large bird fighting to stay aloft.

. . .//“This gull’s bigger with a black back,” he said, tweaking the binoculars’ focus.

. . .//“It’s a lesser black-backed gull from Europe,” he announced.

Most such individuals today use 8 or 10x. (Possibly the Swaro. 12x42 and the trends it sets will add that mag here.) Many of us, including me, follow them. I too have read/heard of them long ago using 7x (contra Chandler Robbins). The reasons for the change too I have read/heard but cannot recall accurately right now: maybe only few well-corrected higher-mag configs. then, etc.

 

[Thotmosis]

WTF?

No swearing please, thank you.

Your malignant straw man statements are lamentably inaccurate.

I don’t quite understand what you mean by this but im not a native speaker of the beautiful language of Shakespeare and others. But things change I guess.

EDIT: interesting i looked the expression strawman up. I get what you mean. In general i think that the more magnifications you have the more fun it is. It’s also better for World Peace ☮️ ✌️

Straw man - Wikipedia​

en.wikipedia.org

But FWIW: I owned 7x35 B Leitz Trinovids for many years.

Maybe get another one again and be happy.

 

[Scott98]

What matters most is current data on configuration/s (axb) used by serious ornithologists, established bird tour giudes, and those crack at bird ID. Today very few indeed use 7x. 2008 is too far back. In 2014 just 6 years after that we find this (linked here): note, the same David Sibley.

Conformity is a rather specious argument, isn't it? Conformity by itself yields no benefit...unless one wants to conform for social feelings.

It can also lead to having to sell off optics at a loss when you realize you don't like to use what pro guides or pro scientists are using

 

[Maljunulo]

A strawman is a statement, which frequently has little to do with what is being discussed, or is irrelevant.

It is then demolished, with an argument that is equally so.

I hope this makes sense, but if it doesn’t, just disregard it.

 

[Thotmosis]

A strawman is a statement, which frequently has little to do with what is being discussed, or is irrelevant.

It is then demolished, with an argument that is equally so.

I hope this makes sense, but if it doesn’t, just disregard it.

Thanks for explaining. It get’s too weird for me if i start investigating strawman theory though.

Strawman theory - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Better to stick to binocular magnifications, the pro and cons of 7x vs 12x and so fort and so on.
Personally i think all magnifications have pro’s and con’s. I’m not a true believer in that i prefer one magnification over the other but i have more 7x binoculars than any other magnification. Maybe it means something, maybe it’s just coincidence?
Lately im wondering if i should get myself another higher magnification like the NL 14x52 and/or SLC 15x56. No need but just for fun. There is fun in owning and comparing binoculars i think.

 

[adhoc]

Scott98: Maybe I have not been clear. The conformity I meant is with the people described. In "...follow them" them refers to such individuals. Their priority is accurate ID and observation, and not pleasure or gear as a hobby.

I am fortunate to know half-a-dozen such, and to be able to also discuss mag with them. Several others I know do so, and also follow them. In my "many of us" many is an, I think reasonable, extrapolation.

This does not result in changing often at all! Such people used 7x long ago, those few above-mentioned were at 8x on average about 20 years ago, they are now at 10x-8x, and probably this will not change for a long time to come.

The purpose in the OP is as above and not pleasure, but I do appreciate the pleasure of lower mag. (It also has intrinsic value, in woodland, but this is a priority only to very few users.)

PS. In my last post the last sentence is very important and I am sorry if that is not brought out. The reason for the change to higher mag (8-10 vs 7x) I think is the emergence of good, usable binos of higher mag. Comments on this from those with relevant knowledge across the relevant period will be valuable.

 

[Thotmosis]

The 7x42 is The King of the Woods. There is no competition.

 

[Owlbarred]

EDIT: interesting i looked the expression strawman up.

If, as stated in your edited comment, you had look up the meaning of 'straw man'... it speaks volumes. BTW: WTF is not profanity: it's an acronym for 'Whiny Trenchant Fulminations' by a Straw Man.

 

[Thotmosis]

If, as stated in your edited comment, you had look up the meaning of 'straw man'... it speaks volumes. WTF is not profanity: it stands for Whiny Trenchant Fulminations.

May i suggest you try a LEICA 7x42, i think you will benefit from it. Seriously, it softens the hart.