Cameras and Lenses
question on exit pupils and brightness
Pardon if this has been done to death.
So all optical quality being equal, will a 8x32 and 10x40, (or a 7x35 and 10x50) APPEAR equally bright because the exit pupils are the same?
From personal experience with Nikon the LX, the 8x42 is brighter than the 8x32 and the 10x42, and the 8x32 and 10x42 seemed roughly equal (brightness only, looking at a white object well lit).
Of course more aperture means more light, but I also read that magnification diminishes brightness as it increases.
Bearing in mind I am ignoring things like resolution and am limiting this question only to brightness, how does this play out? I ask because I am considereing getting a 6x30 or 6x32 and many comment on how bright they are. Could it be that a 6x30 will really seem as bright as an 8x40 (or even 10x50) if quality is the same?
(left hand = can of worms, right hand = can opener) 
[QUOTE=eetundra]Pardon if this has been done to death.
So all optical quality being equal, will a 8x32 and 10x40, (or a 7x35 and 10x50) APPEAR equally bright because the exit pupils are the same?
From personal experience with Nikon the LX, the 8x42 is brighter than the 8x32 and the 10x42, and the 8x32 and 10x42 seemed roughly equal (brightness only, looking at a white object well lit).
Of course more aperture means more light, but I also read that magnification diminishes brightness as it increases.
Bearing in mind I am ignoring things like resolution and am limiting this question only to brightness, how does this play out? I ask because I am considereing getting a 6x30 or 6x32 and many comment on how bright they are. Could it be that a 6x30 will really seem as bright as an 8x40 (or even 10x50) if quality is the same?
(left hand = can of worms, right hand = can opener) [/QUOTE]
Which models are you considering?
Well, there aren't many to choose from. I am looking at the different Leupolds, the Eagle Optics, and the Minox IF 6.5x is also a longshot contender though unlikely.
Any comments as to the brightness issue?