Thread: Midget binos

Who here uses a 10x30 or 10x25 size bino and do you find them lacking much over a "full size" 10x42 bino? I'm thinking of replacing mine and could maybe save a few grams at the same time by going to a compact.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Who here uses a 10x30 or 10x25 size bino and do you find them lacking much over a "full size" 10x42 bino? I'm thinking of replacing mine and could maybe save a few grams at the same time by going to a compact.

I using 8x25 Swaro CL Mountains (latest Pockets)
They come in 10x too

Fantastic - fit into top shirt pocket - at daylight today I had a Thermal in right hand and them in left hand on neck strap and so easy
Watched 10 Deer too
Would have only seen prob 4 without Thermal as locator.
Just a head sticking up over Pine cutover stumps - then Bino

Have got Leica 10x25 Trinovid Pockets - not as good as the 8x Mountains

You get sick of them after a few hours glassing

Originally Posted by Brian

You get sick of them after a few hours glassing

That's what I thought could be problematic I reckon could end up with tired/strained eyes really quickly?

Originally Posted by Brian

You get sick of them after a few hours glassing

Why, specifically?

Originally Posted by Maxx

Why, specifically?

Small field of view and the lica's I tried were too small for my eye width I could see out the sides.

Originally Posted by Brian

Small field of view and the lica's I tried were too small for my eye width I could see out the sides.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Maxx

Why, specifically?

Many reasons for eye strain with binoculars. One can be that the prisms are not correctly aligned so the two visual axes are not parallel. The bigger the magnification, the more that will be a problem. Even a fraction of a hairs breadth out may cause eye strain. With an expensive pair of binos, you'd have to ask, were they dropped real hard?

Other causes can be the binos are too heavy. Or too much magnification (shaky image and having to pan too much).

If the exit pupil is small, say in a pair of 10x25s with 2.5mm exit pupil, the binoculars are not so forgiving of eye positioning as some 7x35s which have twice as wide exit pupil (the width of the shaft of light coming out the eyepiece).

Don't do this for too long, but monocular telescopes have a use for that closer look, if you haven't got zoom telescopic sights for that use:



A short blurb on the use of telescopes in "upland deerstalking" from Why do upland deer stalkers seem to prefer telescopes? - Shooting UK

There’s a number of reasons the main one being that for any given magnification a telescope will be smaller and lighter than an equivalent set of binoculars.
Trying to assess a stag’s head from up to a mile away would require a colossal (and heavy) set of binos but an equivalent scope would be a quarter of the size and weight.
Furthermore a scope is much easier to hold steady in a prone position and for studying detail at long range there’s really no substitute.
The reason binoculars are so popular closer to sea level is because they have a wider field of view and are far easier to use from a standing or sitting position around fields and woods where ranges are shorter.

@Shearer seems to like his.

Personally, I couldn't bring myself to give away the extra FOV. Suspect you would lose a bit more than you think in low light, too.

Depending what country you in mostly
Open tops and Alp Thar hunting etc - no
Pulling out to scan a slip in Ruahine or Tararua type terrain - pockets perfect !!

I use the pockets more than the Alpha's but I ain't walking open Tussock/tops etc
Horses for courses

I have the swaro 10x25 pockets. They are great where weight and bulk are concerned. More scanning required due to field of view, but you can’t have everything.

What would you do about your bino harness then Ryan, and all your extras you stuff in it? Do AGC make a small harness for say the 10x30 CL Swaro's?

Originally Posted by Mathias

What would you do about your bino harness then Ryan, and all your extras you stuff in it? Do AGC make a small harness for say the 10x30 CL Swaro's?

Why would you need a "harness"
They fit into a top shirt pocket

Originally Posted by Mathias

What would you do about your bino harness then Ryan, and all your extras you stuff in it? Do AGC make a small harness for say the 10x30 CL Swaro's?

You'd just have more room for more shit to make up for the weight savings

Originally Posted by Nibblet

You'd just have more room for more shit to make up for the weight savings

More room for the Kestrel I want to buy haha