As I mentioned in a post about Leitz 7x35b Trinovids, it seems that until the last decade or two american birders favored a 7x35 for all around usefulness whilst the europeans had in mind an 8x32 for the same all around usefullness and portability. Nowdays it seems the top of the market is dominated by european brands (and Nikon, I know) and the 8x32 is readily available and 7x35s are tough to come by past the low end porro market. Also newer, ligher, more compact and better balanced designs have allowed even full sized models to be touted as great all-rounders, foregoing the 3 pound 10x50s of the past that were surely a handful.
Coating technology, prism and lens design, housing materials, and other latest and greatest technologies seem to be introduced at the top end co I can see how european preferences can come to dominate the market. Don't mistake my words I as much a fan of the 8x32 as there can be, but maybe some of the simple joys found through the glass of a cutting edge 7x35 have been lost to history. Considering how light and compact a 7x42 roof can be made, glorious that, imagine what one of the big names could do with a 7x35 roof. I know I would buy one.
Ramble Ramble, I suppose I have used enough words to get to these three points.
1. I would love to see Leica reissue the Leitz 7x35b with updated coatings and dressed up like the Ultravid BL. I would have a blank check for the man who had that for me.
2. What do you other kind BFers think about the way 8x32s seem to have repaced 7x35s? Do you think it was due to which side of the pond had the market? Was it inevitable since 8x32s can now be made brighter than an old 7x35s, and yet be smaller and more powerful? Is it a subtle combination of the two?
3. A modern 7x or 8x42 roof can be made as compact or more so than a 7x35 porro, and may contribute to that sizes popularity. The debate between 8x32s and 8x42s as one can equal the performance in a smaller package and the other can better the performance in a similar sized package.
I'll add more about what I think after a few others add their comments.
Ramble Ramble, silence.
I think that (for the U.S. anyway) the market is too strongly in favor of higher magnification to allow a return to a 7X glass. Thus the extreme popularity of 10X glass despite its narrow field of view, greater difficulty to hold steady etc. etc. etc. Nikon has even brought their Monarchs in a 12X42 configuration to further capitalize on this "need" to get closer in. This also helps explains why the B&L (Bushnell) Custom Compact 7X26 is almost impossible to find in any sporting goods store while other 8X and 10X minis are so prevalent. This despite the overwhelmingly better image quality of the Custom Compact
I'm with you, I'd love to see a good high quality 7X35 roof (Especially in a mid priced model that I could actually afford) and would be happy to slap down my credit card to get one. But, I fear we would be in the minority and will therefore probably not see one anytime soon.
i think the leica 7+42 ultravid and the nikon 8+32 se should be forced ''procreate'',you could sell their ''lovechild'' for as much as you dare ask! matt