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8x42 vs. 10x42?

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Double Drops View Drop Down
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    Posted: December/09/2008 at 13:06
I'm looking to get a new set of binos, but am having trouble picking between 8x42 or 10x42.  Which would you all recommend and why?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 13:14
Originally posted by Double Drops Double Drops wrote:

I'm looking to get a new set of binos, but am having trouble picking between 8x42 or 10x42.  Which would you all recommend and why?


What are you going to use them for and where?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Double Drops Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 13:22
Originally posted by mike650 mike650 wrote:

Originally posted by Double Drops Double Drops wrote:

I'm looking to get a new set of binos, but am having trouble picking between 8x42 or 10x42.  Which would you all recommend and why?


What are you going to use them for and where?
 
I'll be using these for mainly bow & gun hunting for deer & turkey.  I hunt mainly in the southeast (TN & KY) and also Missouri.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 13:31
8X.  10X has gotten popular recently but bigger is not better.  I use 6X in the woods, 8X in fields. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 13:54
I like the 10x better for longer distance spotting where we hunt for deer. For what your doing "bow hunting" I would recommend 8x or even less.






Edited by mike650 - December/09/2008 at 15:45
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SChunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 14:08
8x will allow you to see better in the woods at dusk as opposed to the 10x that will let you see the fields at distance better.  Exit pupil makes the biggest difference here.  Field of view will increase with decreased magnification.  I hunt the same type scenario in SC and many times I wish that I had the 8x when hunting the woods (I have as a primary bino the 10x42 ATB Nikons off the samplelist.com--got them at a great deal there several years ago). 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 15:01
Originally posted by Double Drops Double Drops wrote:

I'm looking to get a new set of binos, but am having trouble picking between 8x42 or 10x42.  Which would you all recommend and why?
 
8x42 all the way. More versatile and brighter.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 15:22
What he said, 8X all the way
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cbm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 16:15
I have heard 8x are brighter and better........and probably are but I just tested some recently that were different !
 
I was hunting up in Canada recently and we were glassing big fields a lot and checking different hunting spots. 2 guys had Leica Geovid 10x42, 1 guy had Leica Geo. 8x42, and I had Leica Ultravid BR 10x42 .
 
We compared mine to the 8x42 several times and mine were better in low light than his 8x42. I personally could not tell any difference in FOV either. Anyway........for those particular bino's...........made me glad I went with the 10x42 because I fought with that decision a lot !!
 
Did not compare mine to the other 10x42's but probably should have ..........just for the heck of it !!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 16:45
Another vote for 8X42.  I have both, and I prefer 8X over 10X, though 10X has its place such as in the wide open expanses of the west.  I think the larger exit pupil, wider FOV, and lower levels of CA of the 8X combined with the less noticeable magnification of hand tremors makes up for the increased detail resolution of the 10X.
 
CBM, what you probably noticed with regards to low light performance with the 10X42 Ultravid vs. 8X42 Geovid was the effects of the fewer internal glass surfaces in the Ultravid vs. the Geovid, which has additional lenses to project the ranging data.


Edited by RifleDude - December/09/2008 at 16:46
Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cajunhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 19:20
Yep, 8X or like I did 7X42.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/09/2008 at 20:05

You can get by with an 8x for 90% of all hunting situations, I would only recommend 10x if you already have a very nice 8x.

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spf2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/10/2008 at 04:00
Originally posted by SChunter SChunter wrote:

8x will allow you to see better in the woods at dusk as opposed to the 10x that will let you see the fields at distance better.  Exit pupil makes the biggest difference here.  Field of view will increase with decreased magnification.  I hunt the same type scenario in SC and many times I wish that I had the 8x when hunting the woods (I have as a primary bino the 10x42 ATB Nikons off the samplelist.com--got them at a great deal there several years ago). 
 
totally agree.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cbm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/10/2008 at 06:24
Thanks Ted ! I thought about it......but didn't really think that the rangfinding stuff was "supposed" to affect their performance . Or at least...... I have heard that locally.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Double Drops Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/10/2008 at 08:52
Thanks for all the input!  I just ordered some Leupold Cascades in 8x42. Big Grin
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