Hello,
I am new here, and I am a long time bird lover. I used to have this cheap Tasco binocs which I'd use to locate and identify birds, with the help of my big, and trusty, encyclopedia. Now I am moving on. I have many more interests and I am looking for a new set of binoculars (mainly because I lost my other ones). The binoculars I will be using will be used for some high-moderate birding, moderate animal spotting (ie; deer), and scenery. I will also engage birds of prey circling high in the sky. After a lot of research I've decided to chose Leupold as the brand for me.
My options Follow:
8x42 Rogue
8x50 Rogue
or other 10x binocs
This is my dillema.
-I am unsure whether or not I will need 10x to spot high flying birds of prey (or will 8x suffice)?
- I wear glasses and the 8x42 Rogue has an eye relief of 16.5mm, and a FOV of 341ft. The 8x50 has an ER of 20.7mm but an FOV of 331ft. Overall it is not too bad for close distance but it may affect far distances.
- I do not know which model to go for because I am afraid 16.5mm will not be enough eye relief for my glasses.
- I will be carrying these on my bike or on my back, and In don't mind weight, but having a smaller sized pair (the 42) are better for me than larger ones.
So here are the trade off summaries:
42: larger FOV, Compact and lighter (eye relief problems)
50: more light enters, larger eye relief (heavier and bulkier).
What do you guys recommend for me?
I thank you all
Michael63000
My personal preference is for an 8x42. Larger exit pupil would allow your eye to roam around the image plus an 8x42 is typically noticeably lighter than a 10x50.
It will also depend on the style you plan to employ in order to identify the birds of prey. Many individuals will try to identify field marks. In this case a higher magnification would probably be more useful. After having been a hawkwatcher for several years I find myself falling into the second group which tends to ID the bird based on general shape and flight characteristics. The "flap-flap-glide" of a sharpshinned hawk becomes readily apparent after you engage in it for some time. In this case a wider field of view and more relaxed image usually comes in handy.
Just some things to think about.
If these binoculars also represent your price range why don't you also consider the Eagle Optics Denali 8 x 42? It has long eye relief (18mm) and a wide field of view (409' @ 1000 yards) which will be good for birds of prey and it is a roof prism so it would be more compact when carrying it around. And it also has a whole raft load of favorable comments!
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binocula...prism-binocular
Bob