Paultricounty
Well-known member
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What's your most used binocular? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter William Lewis
- Start date
Same here!
Lately I've been using the Opticron Aurora 8X42 every time I go out sometimes paired with the Monarch HG 8X42. Those two are a pretty good comparison....
grackle314
Well-known member
Swarovski NL Pure 10x42 with forehead rest and harness.
Oregonian
Well-known member
My daily-use binoculars are Nikon Monarch 8x42. They focus quickly, and close, and have a big field. I also have nice Leupold Santiam 10X50's I use for very open situations, but for woodlands, I keep coming back to the Monarchs. The rubber armor is wearing out, and I'll have to send it in for repair soon, as I have before.
MiddleRiver
Well-known member
It's funny, the past couple of years i've burned through some bins in the search for 'best'. But as I age, our style of birding (almost always hiking 3-5mi., often in hills) means that I grab the best lightweight bins I own. Lately that's been 8x32FL's. The NV's and even the 8x40SFL's get left behind. The UV's sold... etc. I've been tempted by 32SF's but mixed reviews have turned me away and the 8x32UV's are 'out' just because of ER (specs wearer). I do count grams (I know some argue it's silly) and i've just ordered another 8x30SFL (wife took first pair) to revisit that possibility (nearly 100gm lighter than FL's). I've even started thinking about selling the NV, Retros, etc. as I don't really use them :-(
I agree! Mostly... A lighter binocular will do really ANYTHING a heavier binocular will do. I do make a few exceptions here and there. I have found that the RYUL harness helps with any size binocular(I know folks get tired of me with my RYUL harness comments). Funny how you get used to a LW 8X30/32 and then pick up a LW 8X42(25oz or so)that now feels like a BRICK.
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello Middle River,
About ten months ago, I purchased the Zeiss 8x32SF to replace my 8x32FL. Yes, it is larger than the FL but the ergonomics are fine. My only issue with the SF was blackouts, which I attributed to looking through my the dividing line of my bifocal glasses, but I quickly learned how to position the binocular and my eyes. YMMV, so always try binoculars and purchase from a vendor with a good returns policy.
In any case, the FL is an excellent glass and upgrading may not be worth your while.
Happy bird watching,
MiddleRiver
Well-known member
Thank you Arthur... SF's will remain on my radar. The FL's are superb (and tho I'm not terribly sensitive, they do have zero CA that I can detect). But saving a gram or two (or hundred) is admittedly an obsession, so I'll run 8x30SFL's through the paces and then decide. No question I'd miss the bombproof FL build and MIG is always nice.
Blackouts are a funny thing. I think the newer, large eyepiece and wider FOV bins are a def compromise. But as you point out, a little 'accomodation' and muscle memory can overcome any issues.
for me it's the Zeiss 10x 54 HT. granted, a good deal of my use is on the night sky, but one remarkable thing about these binoculars is that they carry like a pair of 10x 50's or even a heavy pair of 10x 42's. they are what i bring with me when 1 size must fit all. the rest of the time, it's either the HT's or a pair of Oberwerk SE 8x 32's which i like quite a lot, and are a little less expensive.
SanderBird82
Well-known member
The VP 8x25 i use this one daily for small park hikes, nature walks and long hiking trips. I love this small compact alpha.
The NL Pure 8x42 i use on real bird/deer spotting walks or spotting animals at dusk/dawn. I really love using it.
I am considering a smaller Curio for real pocket size. But not sure if it is useful.
The NL Pure 8x42 i use on real bird/deer spotting walks or spotting animals at dusk/dawn. I really love using it.
I am considering a smaller Curio for real pocket size. But not sure if it is useful.
Take a look at the numbers and how it's virtually impossible to find a Curio on the used market, after also having been so difficult to even find one available brand new for the first couple of years of its release. For a binocular that sells for 700-900, meaning only to serious binocular owners, that's about as strong of an endorsement as you'll find.
jafritten
Well-known member
A few months later it is a clear cut case: It is the Leica Ultravid 8x32.
There's one gripe I have with the FLs and that is their colour balance. A couple of years ago, when I had my first sample, I thought their greens were too green. Now, looking through my second sample, I am thinking their greens are all right but now I am seeing a distinct yellow hue, which I do not like. By the way, I asked Zeiss about the issue and they said, no changes had been made between my first and my second sample. I wonder what I will be thinking in two years time... My perception seems to change over time.
My second most used pair of binoculars has been the Ultravid 8x20 during the past decade. I grab these whenever I feel the 8x32s are too big (a family walk or a stroll through town perhaps). They also see more use than my Curios which I bought because I have always wished the Ultravid 8x20s to be 7x.
I might actually sell my larger x42s (10x, 7x, 8.5x) soon because I hardly ever use them. When these x42s were freshly purchased, I used them a lot. But now I have come to see that I don't need more than my trusty 8x20s which I have owned for many years and my 8x32s which are all I need between sunrise and sunset. I am not a collector and prefer a well selected kit.
SanderBird82
Well-known member
In understand. But is it worth te spend another 750 euro's for the curio if i already have a compact VP 8x25. I will find out.....
Why is that exactly? Better Leica view? More comfortable in use?
Dominique B.
Well-known member
perhaps due to the better viewing behavior, generated by the exit pupil 3mm vs. 2.5mm and the smaller magnification 7x for image stability. Both in combination are plus points - although I also like to use my Unltravid 8x20 a lot.
He uses the Leica 8x20 more. 🙃
jafritten
Well-known member
Well, the Leica focuser is better and I don't feel I have to baby them as much as the Curios. And the strap lugs are in the right place so that the Ultravid sits flat on my chest whereas the Curios are always at an angle, which I find uncomfortable. I worked around this problem by slinging the strap around the extended eyecups, which you can see here Jafritten's Curio. Are the Leicas more comfortable in use? Reading what I have just written I would have to say yes, but then there is the issue of eye placement, which is arguably easier with the Curios. I must admit that the view through the Curios is very nice. Even though I think the Leica view is even more appealing, I don't think that is why I use the Ultravid more often. The Ultravid seems more rugged. Optically there's not much between them, IMO. My love is with Leica and with this pair in particular, as I have owned it for many years and it has accompanied me on many expeditions. Maybe that is the true reason why I use them more.
These two binoculars aren't appropriate for direct comparison unless you want a single pair of binoculars.
In the end, you're the only one who can decide of it would be worth it or not but the only thing wrong with the Victory Pocket is in the naming. The Curio and small Ultravids are pocket binoculars and the Zeiss is not.
