I got to play with an EL 10x32 today. I have to say I liked the view despite what most think of a 10x32. Sure, maybe not a deep dusk binocular but still usefully bright, brighter than a few cheaper 8x32s I've seen. The more I though about them the more they grew on me. The two negatives often stated are shallow depth of field and small exit pupil. I used them in open hilly country where most use was past 100 yards, so the narrow depth of focus did not appear to me. It was also daylight, albeit partially clouded, and as I have said brightness is one thing I am not that sensitive too and the ergonomics made it easy to locate my pupils in the 3.2mm EP. Advantages? Wider fov than fullsize and more portable.
If I could find a model balanced just right I could be swayed to going the 10x32 route full-time. Am I crazy? The top 10x25s are great, why not give more love to the 10x32s?
But what advantage is there over a 10x42? Mid price 10x42, various brands, are about the same size and weight. The higher priced 10x42s get a little heavier due to the body.
I like 10x, but if I end up doing a diopter adjustment, the bigger objective always works better for me.
I look at this and that (porros, roofs) and always end up back at 10x42.
[QUOTE=eetundra]I got to play with an EL 10x32 today. I have to say I liked the view despite what most think of a 10x32. Sure, maybe not a deep dusk binocular but still usefully bright, brighter than a few cheaper 8x32s I've seen. The more I though about them the more they grew on me. The two negatives often stated are shallow depth of field and small exit pupil. I used them in open hilly country where most use was past 100 yards, so the narrow depth of focus did not appear to me. It was also daylight, albeit partially clouded, and as I have said brightness is one thing I am not that sensitive too and the ergonomics made it easy to locate my pupils in the 3.2mm EP. Advantages? Wider fov than fullsize and more portable.
If I could find a model balanced just right I could be swayed to going the 10x32 route full-time. Am I crazy? The top 10x25s are great, why not give more love to the 10x32s?[/QUOTE]
EE,
You are not crazy. However, I think of my Zeiss FL 10x32 as glass to be used along with my my Zeiss 7x42. There is no perfect binocular but should you wish to carry two, there may be a combination that will work for you. I would not chose to use a 10x32, alone, as I find it hard to hold. Like you, I found no problem with brightness in dayling and no trouble aligning the binocular with my eye, even with its 3.2 mm. exit pupil. Indeed, I am happy I gave that configuration some attention.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur