We haven't had a theoretical discussion for a while, so here goes...
Scenario:
An observer (with normal vision) looks at a small bird over a distance of 100m. If they use a 10x binocular rather than an 7x, the image of the bird falling on the retina of the eye is larger.
Theory:
Since the image is larger, it will be stimulating a larger number of cones (the colour photoreceptors of the retina) than if the observer was using a 7x binocular. As a result, the observer sees more colour in the 10x image of the bird, not simply a larger image.
Here's a link to a site giving details of colour vision:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.ed...on/rodcone.html
Any thoughts ?
Thanks Marko. I find this sort of thing very interesting (I must get out more !).
Some more thoughts...
If an object is magnified 7x, then it's image area is increased by a factor of 49 (7x vertically and 7x horizontally). An object magnified 10x would have it's image area increased by a factor of 100 (10x vertical and 10x horizontal). Wouldn't this mean that an image of a bird through a 10x binocular is being created in your brain by twice as many photoreceptors in the retina as the image in a 7x binocular ?