Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics 32 or 42 for 10x binos?

Are 32 objective binoculars pushing the limits of exit pupil for 10x binos?

I'm wondering if alpha glass can overcome the physics of smaller exit pupils.
I like the size/weight of 32's and I've got some 8X32 but uncomfortable going 10x32 for senior citizen eyes.

In the past I felt a 8x or 10x needed at least a 40/42 mm objective but after checking out Swarovski's EL 8x32 and EL 10x32 I am having second thoughts.

IMO you need 42 to be effective with 10x. Exit pupil is 3.2 with 10x32 and 4.2 with 10x42, so everything being equal, the 42 will be much brighter at dawn and dusk. Also easier to hold due to greater size and weight.

I just ordered a Zeiss Victory 8x32. Should be here anyday.

It should work that way....unfortunately it doesn't until it's so dark you can't shoot because it's past legal shooting time.

I say this because for a about three years I owned both a 10x42 EL,and a 10x32 EL...took them both out west to hunt and used them both extensively for last light viewing on my 600 yard range,(which has deer and is the practical equivilient of an Alberta cutline.)I logged a lot of time with both.

What I saw was the that the 32mm gave up almost nothing to the 42mm until after shooting hours.....it' those lens coatings I think.As light gets bad, the larger bins had a very tiny resloving advantage over the smaller EL's,but not enough to matter a whole bunch unless you hunt at night.

Since I've had the same lighting conditions thwart even the 8 and 10x40's that I have carried up in central Canada,I'd say the practical difference is less than I thought it would be so long as quality of lenses and coatings were the same.

It's going to take a heck of difference in lense coatings to make up for 10mm's of objective lense size, IMO, but I'd say you are probably right Bob, in that we would be talking extra minutes only, at last "legal" shooting light. Still, if I were going 10X, I'd be carrying 42's and have an extra bowl of Wheaties.

Another vote for the 10x42. A 10x32 is a finicky size, and
too small for the magnification.

I have owned and used both, and as far as a popular size, at Cablelas, the 10x42 binocular is the most popular binocular size sold to hunters.

If weight is a concern, get an 8x32, much better all around
than a 10x32 in my view.

Only the very best optics work well with 10x32's. With rare exceptions I'm much happier with 8x32's for general use. There are some top-notch 10x32's out there, but they tend to be very pricey. It's much easier to find a very good 8x32 or 10x42.

I have a set of 10x42 Leica's: I can say they get pretty heavy by the end of the day. In Africa I regularly found myself trading bino's with my wife (who had 8x32 Minox HG's) when I went out for a stalk, leaving her with the 10x42's in the bakkie.

When we got home I ordered a set of Zeiss 8x32 Victory FL's. They are fantastic for carrying, have great resolution and are easier on my eyes (glasses) for extended glassing. On the other hand it also means I have to stalk in that much closer to get a really good look at a rack.

Now I'm seriously considering a set of 10x32's. I liked the 10x power but the portability of the 32's.

Still, at SCI the other month I did a comparison of the Swaro 10x42 Swarovision's vs. 10x32's and there is a very, very distint difference in the resolution and sharpness of the picture. No question in my mind, the 4.2mm exit pupil made a huge difference in the quality of the picture.

Life is about compromise... If hunting in the daytime from a truck the 10x42's were awesome. If hunting in the West where long distances are the norm, 10x is a minimum.

For today though the 8x32's are my favorite for walking and stalking.

Personally, I wouldn't own a 10x32. On the other hand, I love 10x42 and 8x42

Plus 1

Exactly That's the caveat...I don't own either of those bins anymore and use an 8x30SLC,and a 10X40 Leica Ultravid HD today.

But I used those 10x32's an awful lot,and they were very impressive for their size;and I walked away from more than one session with those Swaro EL's saying they were about as good until light got REALLY bad.They sure carried nice when a guy was doing a lot of humping.

I didn't find them tough to use at all.

And guys please keep in mind I was not refering to 10x32's in general;only how the two Swaro EL's squared up because those are the only 10x32's I have any experience with.

10x42 would be my vote

I'd say it depends on what you plan to do with them. For 9 of 10 people, an 8x32 will beat the same manufacturer's 10x32 for general use. The light transmission, exit pupil, and FOV of the 8x32 all make for a much better viewing experience vs 10x32 made to the same standards. Some specialists, like dedicated sheep hunters, will disagree though based on VERY SPECIFIC needs where light weight and power trump the other factors. There is a reason the Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD has won many "Best of the Best" awards around the world (think it's 4 in the US, 4 in Germany, plus as many in several other countries) and the 10x32 hasn't, and it ain't because any corners were cut with the 10x32. They're built to the exact same quality standards, which of course is critical to this question.

I'd rather use a 10x42 than a 10x32. The smaller size and reduced weight seems to magnify the effect of hand shake or tremors compared to a beefier set of binoculars at least in my case. I like my 6x32 and 8x32 binoculars because that shaking effect isn't as pronounced.

+1

Having used both alot, thats my preference as well.

NB

10x32 is only eclipsed as a bad idea by 10x25's... 10x40+ is the only way to go in 10X IMO.

+1


10x25s are the Edsel of the optics world...