RE: What size binoculars are best for hunting?
Big Country: It's a scientific fact.... not preference, that tells us the compacts CAN NOT possibably give us the low light viewing the larger binos do. It just can't happen.... no matter who makes the glass. The relationship between power and objective lens diameter is the prime determining factor in low light viewing. Divide objective lens by the power and you get a factor. Anything over 5 is prefered. So, a 7x42 gives you a factor of 6. For me it was a compromise between the ultimate "7" and size. The human eye can only go so far and anything over a factor of 7 is lost. Anything under 5 starts to get into the POOR or DAMN POOR range.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Also, most people can not hold anything above an 8 or maybe at most 10 power steady enough for really picking horns or bushes apart. Compacts will blob out in brush where as a good set of binos will allow you to pick it apart to the point of seeing eyeballs blink. In clear good light there may indeed be little difference to some people... but in low light the best will shine. AGAIN... it's not MY preference or me saying this. It's science and all the TRUE glass experts. YES, CHEAP low class glass brings in some more factors. The better the glass, the better the binos. BUT, the size is the determining factor if glass is near the same quality.
Edited by - davidmil on 01/31/2003 07:54:51