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Considerations when buying optics...food for thought #5467248 12/09/14 05:12 PM
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HuntnFly67 Offline OP
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I have been reading the topics on optics to try to decide what binoculars to buy as mine were stolen last year. More than anything, I was having a hard time deciding what size objective to go with. The ones that were stolen were a good set of Bushnells that I was content using and were given to me as a gift. I appreciated not having to quibble over the details of what to buy and why or why not and really liked these. But they are gone, and I have been in research mode for a while ('a while' is relative as it has only been since deer season started that I remembered and realized I was binocular-less).

I had been especially hung up on if there is that much of a difference between a binocular with a 42mm and 50mm objective lens? Does the 8mm make THAT much of a difference?

I would like someone far more schooled in the science of optics to chime in on that question.

The following is my thought process and consideration for determining what would work for me. Maybe it would fit your situation if you are in the market for new binoculars.

The other day in the stand as I was using my rifle and scope to look at a perfectly positioned prickly pear that resembled the head and ears of a resting doe, I had another thought - two truthfully. The first was why am I using a tool designed to kill to 'check out' something I didn't necessarily want to kill. That was a rather sobering thought and sent a chill down my spine. I had done it zillions of times on trips when somehow my gift binoculars got left in the truck or separated from my backpack. I don't know why it struck me so gravely, but this day it did.

The second led to a quick analysis of my hunting rifles. I primarily use binoculars when hunting and when hunting, my rifle is rarely beyond arm's reach. My go-to guns are topped with fair to good scopes that are variable magnification in 3-9 or 4.5-14 and each has a 40mm objective (whether the scope has a gold ring around the bell, the scope maker's name starts with a 'V' and ends in 'x' or rhymes with shmushnell doesn't matter all that much in this case).

Since I am already questioning an 8mm difference in the binos - a 42mm or 50mm objective - could I tell a difference in the light gathering capability when going between a 40mm objective riflescope and a 42mm set of binoculars? FOR ME, the answer is no.

This rationale helped me conclude that a 50mm objective glass would be better for me and help supplement the capability of the optics that I was already bringing into the field. Besides, isn't bigger better?

Best of all, the doe headed prickly pears in the woods and anything else that resembles the silhouette of a deer are safe. grin

Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: HuntnFly67] #5467345 12/09/14 05:41 PM
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Interesting.

I don't own binoculars, at all. I glass with an 8X Swaro Laser Guide range finder. Since the glass is so nice I havn't consdiered binoculars. However, there are times I think a wider field of view might be handy. Today I have been scanning with both eyes. One through the glass and one with no glass. It's not perfect, but I make it work.


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Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: HuntnFly67] #5467492 12/09/14 06:32 PM
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Maybe its just me, but I find it easier to see in fairly low light with binoculars. I have a 50mm objective on my scope, and while letting in a lot of light to the scope to see, my eye is still ~4" away from the scope and the outside light hits my eye.
I've got some cheap bushnell binoculars. I think they are 8x32? that were given to me as a Christmas present one year. They have a rubber eye piece that you can fit right up to your face. Even with the 32mm lenses on the binoculars, I can still see a little better with them, but i think it's due to me having them right up to my eyes and not allowing so much outside light hit my eyes first (like the scope allows). If that makes sense.

Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: HuntnFly67] #5467499 12/09/14 06:34 PM
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BTW I'm not saying to go buy some cheap 32mm lenses, but was trying to shed some light. No pun intended lol.

I will say that ever since my lasik though i am a little more light sensitive than before, so it may just be me. I don't know.

Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: HuntnFly67] #5467511 12/09/14 06:39 PM
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Skyler, posted the riflescope school thread that's stickyed, that covers some of the optical principals that would apply to binoculars as well. Field of view and optical brightness are the two biggest reasons to increase objective size. The human eye can dilate to 7mm, if you divide objective diameter by power it shows a good approximation of the usable light. The old standard for European night hunting was 8x56 binoculars with has that 7 ratio.


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Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: HuntnFly67] #5467565 12/09/14 06:56 PM
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My understanding is that the optimum ratio is 5X for light gathering. I believe that optimum ratio is a function an eye characteristic. Therefore, theoretically, 10x50 should draw more light than 10x42. With that said, IMO there is more than objective size. You have to consider the whole package. I chose a 10x42 because I felt the size of the overall binocular was more comfortable to carry and use. It was worth the small sacrifice in light gathering capability. My 2 pennies.

Last edited by BigBucky2014; 12/09/14 06:59 PM.
Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: BigBucky2014] #5467668 12/09/14 07:51 PM
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I own a couple dozen binoculars, and they cover just about very conceivable size and magnification. It is important to compare apples to apples. In other words, you can't learn much from comparing, say, a 10x50 Tasco to a 10x42 Leica.....expensive glass will out-perform cheap stuff, no matter the objective diameter.

I will make a few observations. A 50-60mm objective makes for a heavy binocular; it is a burden to carry around all day. But in a deer stand, where you are hunting until the very last glimmer of light, a 10x50 bino is quite useful. And remember, the extra 8mm of objective diameter the 50 has over the 42 is squared when you measure the incoming light. The fifty might also be useful in your truck, where you might stop early and late to glass a buck.

A 32mm binocular is a joy to carry all day when you're tracking dagga boys or climbing around in the sheep mountains. The 32 mm gives up nothing until right at the last two minutes of daylight. Personally, I carry a bino of 8x32 mostly when walking in brushy country (or sometimes my superb B&L Elite 7x36) and a 10x32 in open mountain country.

An excellent compromise is a 42-43mm objective that is powerful enough to work right up till plum dark but is light enough to carry all day. So if I were to buy only ONE binocular for North American hunting, it would have a 42mm objective.

Regarding the popular mini binos with 20-28mm objectives....these are light and handy but difficult to hold steady for serious glassing, at least for me. And they give up a lot near dark. I have an excellent Zeiss Victory 10x25 that I've taken on 4 or 5 caribou hunts, and they work OK here because caribou hunting is strictly a daytime, walking proposition. But otherwise, nix the minis....

As far as magnification, 7x up to 10x are all OK. If I know I'm going to be stalking in brushy country or rattling up bucks in south Texas, I will select a 7 or 8 power. If I'm hunting open pronghorn prairies or watching a sendero or pipeline cut, I lean toward 10x. If you go much larger in magnification, say up to 12-15x, most of us will need a tripod to avoid a shaky view.

For timbered East Texas and brushy South Texas, it would be hard to beat a 8x42 of good quality. For West Texas and the Big Country west of I-35, a 10x42 binocular might be more useful.

Just one man's opinion.....mine.


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Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: HuntnFly67] #5467801 12/09/14 09:03 PM
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Originally Posted By: HuntnFly67
I have been reading the topics on optics to try to decide what binoculars to buy as mine were stolen last year. More than anything, I was having a hard time deciding what size objective to go with. The ones that were stolen were a good set of Bushnells that I was content using and were given to me as a gift. I appreciated not having to quibble over the details of what to buy and why or why not and really liked these. But they are gone, and I have been in research mode for a while ('a while' is relative as it has only been since deer season started that I remembered and realized I was binocular-less).

I had been especially hung up on if there is that much of a difference between a binocular with a 42mm and 50mm objective lens? Does the 8mm make THAT much of a difference?

I would like someone far more schooled in the science of optics to chime in on that question.

The following is my thought process and consideration for determining what would work for me. Maybe it would fit your situation if you are in the market for new binoculars.

The other day in the stand as I was using my rifle and scope to look at a perfectly positioned prickly pear that resembled the head and ears of a resting doe, I had another thought - two truthfully. The first was why am I using a tool designed to kill to 'check out' something I didn't necessarily want to kill. That was a rather sobering thought and sent a chill down my spine. I had done it zillions of times on trips when somehow my gift binoculars got left in the truck or separated from my backpack. I don't know why it struck me so gravely, but this day it did.

The second led to a quick analysis of my hunting rifles. I primarily use binoculars when hunting and when hunting, my rifle is rarely beyond arm's reach. My go-to guns are topped with fair to good scopes that are variable magnification in 3-9 or 4.5-14 and each has a 40mm objective (whether the scope has a gold ring around the bell, the scope maker's name starts with a 'V' and ends in 'x' or rhymes with shmushnell doesn't matter all that much in this case).

Since I am already questioning an 8mm difference in the binos - a 42mm or 50mm objective - could I tell a difference in the light gathering capability when going between a 40mm objective riflescope and a 42mm set of binoculars? FOR ME, the answer is no.

This rationale helped me conclude that a 50mm objective glass would be better for me and help supplement the capability of the optics that I was already bringing into the field. Besides, isn't bigger better?

Best of all, the doe headed prickly pears in the woods and anything else that resembles the silhouette of a deer are safe. grin






With top end binos that are said to gather and transmit the most light you eyes can use the 50mm generally just have a larger feild of view.


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Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: HuntnFly67] #5467895 12/09/14 09:47 PM
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10x40 or 10x42, in a good pair of binocs, is all you need. And binocs will let you see better in dim light. I learned that in a strange sort of way. I had a brain tumor (till they found it) and had to wear an eye patch for about a year. Trust me when I tell you that two eyes bring more light to your eyes or brain or whatever than one eye does. And size matters in a negative way. 10x50's are going to be bigger and bigger isn't always good. I'd recommend a good pair of binocs (Zeiss, Leica, Swaro) if you can make yourself spend that much money in 10x42. They'll be small, light, and superb and you will never need another pair. And you will want to buy me a beer, except that you will no longer be able to afford it. :-)


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Re: Considerations when buying optics...food for thought [Re: BigBucky2014] #5468115 12/09/14 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted By: BigBucky2014
My understanding is that the optimum ratio is 5X for light gathering. I believe that optimum ratio is a function an eye characteristic. Therefore, theoretically, 10x50 should draw more light than 10x42. With that said, IMO there is more than objective size. You have to consider the whole package. I chose a 10x42 because I felt the size of the overall binocular was more comfortable to carry and use. It was worth the small sacrifice in light gathering capability. My 2 pennies.

Perhaps Wikipedia will help exit pupil


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