I'm writing this as reaction of sorts to Dennis's thread on grading binos purely on optical quality. I have owned some good binos over the years, but last winter was the first time I was ready and able to buy the best bins available. That prompted my joining this forum as well as 24hour campfire, and I spent many hours at local sporting goods stores asking questions and looking through various high end binos. At that time I weighed optical quality as the highest factor concerning my pick of optics. I spent hours and hours splitting hairs between an 8x42 Ultravid and a 8.5x42 Swaro EL for example. During these comparisons I considered ergonomics, but if there was a noticible difference in view, I went for the better view regardless of other considerations. I had my limits, 29 oz was my max, so I ruled out 42mm size Swaro SLCs and Trinovids, but other than that criteria I valued things such as eye reliefe, handiness and carryability pretty far down the list.
I ended up with a very nice, cherry unit 8x42 Ultravid BR that is just super, but I immediately noticed that it was a bit too large and heavy for all the hiking I do. This last weekend I went hunting with my buddy's son who was hunting with the old Leitz 7x35 Trinovids I gave him ten years ago when they were judged too expensive to repair ($410.00, loose prism, collimation and dirty lenses, specks inside). They still have all of those problems, but they are all he has and they work better than nothing. Anyway I borrowed them for a bit and loved the package. I had forgotten how handy those old Trinovids are, he just keeps them in his coat pocket, no strap. They are very light and compact. I fantasized about trading him my new 6x30 Yosemites and sending the Leitz's back for repair after all. I know the view would be nowhere as good as the view through my Ultravids, but there would be a lot to say for a view 80%-90% as good in a light handy package like that, and to my mind there has never been a better looking binocular than that original 7x35 Trinovid design.
Where do you guys stand on binoculars as a total package? Are you willing to compromise larger EP and some twilight use for an easier to carry bino? Is there a certain bin that feels so good in the hand, or up against your face that you picked it over another that a slightly better view? How about ease of view? If I hold my Ultravid just right, it is clearly better than any bino in the shop, but now after owning it almost a year, I can see the EL is less critical in the way I hold it. If I had to do it over, I probably would value that ease of view a little higher than I did. Any other considerations?
John
I pretty much always go for my perception of the total package within the other limits I usually impose on myself with price constraints. Everything seems to be about compromises and I haven't found one binocular that has everything I like, and I doubt I ever will. So, I look for faults that I can live with and concentrate on what I like about the binocular.
I recently spent a fair bit of time looking over Leica Ultravids, Zeiss FL, Swarovski EL, and Steiner Peregrine XP. Now IF I were to decide to spend that much for a binocular, the Steiner XP would be what I'd buy as of today, in the full size range. If were to buy an alpha class 32 mm glass today, it would be the Swarovski 8x32 EL. In both cases, the deciding factor would be the ergonomics of the binocular. The images do look "different", but I could easily live with any, although, I'd prefer the Leica image overall. While the Steiner has a terrific image, I'd personally rate the image order as Leica, Zeiss, Swaro, Steiner. But the difference is rather nit pickish. Resolution of detail does not seem to noticeably differ to me. So the Steiner ergonomics make the choice a no-brainer for me. Now, if I were to win one of the others at a raffle, that's what I'd use happily everafter.
But if I really went alpha, I'd like to get a 7-8x30ish binocular, for the same reasons you state, ease of use when hiking. That is where my Swift 7x36 shines. So, I'm in the wait and see what develops mode.
Whole package, definitely.
Lots of very good optics out there. The Chinese and East Europeans have really stirred up the market and have the Japanese on their toes. There has been an explosion of decent to very good binoculars put on the market...almost unbelievably so.
If I had 1800 dollars to spend on a bino, Id end up with half a dozen at least. :)