Hello all. I've been reading many of the posts in this sub-forum. There is a wealth of knowledge here!
I have been using a really crummy pair of Bushnell 10x42 for birding and I am ready to get a nice new pair of bins. A couple of years ago, I bought my wife Nikon Monarch 10x42, and I quite like those. After doing some reading here, I see that there are some good alternatives for a future purchase for myself.
I have gotten used to 10x bins, but I am wondering if 8x might suite me fine as well. I don't think that I have a problem with shaky hands. I am wondering if anybody has gone (or continues to go) from a 10x to an 8x? If so, what do you prefer and why? Will I really dislike the lower power of 8x after having used 10x for a time?
Also, I think either way (8x or 10x) I am going to get the Atlas Intrepids from EO. However, I wanted to ask about the focusing rate. Now that people have owned them for a while, how do you feel about the focusing rate?
Thanks.
romancandle
I had the AO Intrepid for a time when they first came out. From what I remember they had the same "slower" focus rate of the Promaster ELX ED and the original Zen Ray EDs. I did not find the slower focus an issue because the tension was very good in relation to the focusing speed. I actually have a hard time warming up to faster focusing speed models (less than one full turn) as I tend to overshoot the "perfect focus" many times.
For what it is worth I applaud your choice. All of the current open-bridge ED bins mentioned are excellent choices when you consider price and performance. You are not likely to find better bins optically in this price range.
Read the reader comments at Eagle Optics. There was one quality issue with some Atlas model. I do not remember which.
My best guess is that all these Chinese ED pairs will give 5 years of good use, no telling beyond that. I had an eye cup problem on the Promaster within the first year. It stayed out, would not go in anymore.