testing binoculars ????

[boogle]

hi all !!!

just wondered how you can test one pair of binoculars against another ?
i have a faithfull pair of 10x40's that i have used for many years but have been given a older pair of 7x42's that are supposed to be real quality !!!!
what i would like to know is...how would you go about testing them against each other ???? any ideas/tips would be greatly appreciated !
my friend said put a book or cd ( in its box) on a wall and move backwards a few yards at a time when its cloudy and dull....what do you think ???
i am interested in what makes one pair better than another and is there really a difference that is significant amongst binoculars or is it really marginal like i suspect !
i will let you all know what i think soon... in a unbiased review...how would you go about this ??? the 10x40's are mid range the 7x42's are top end ...and this could be interesting !!!!
thanks in advance Boogle !!!!

[pegasus]

Originally Posted by boogle

hi all !!!

just wondered how you can test one pair of binoculars against another ?
i have a faithfull pair of 10x40's that i have used for many years but have been given a older pair of 7x42's that are supposed to be real quality !!!!
what i would like to know is...how would you go about testing them against each other ???? any ideas/tips would be greatly appreciated !
my friend said put a book or cd ( in its box) on a wall and move backwards a few yards at a time when its cloudy and dull....what do you think ???
i am interested in what makes one pair better than another and is there really a difference that is significant amongst binoculars or is it really marginal like i suspect !
i will let you all know what i think soon... in a unbiased review...how would you go about this ??? the 10x40's are mid range the 7x42's are top end ...and this could be interesting !!!!
thanks in advance Boogle !!!!

hi. If you go the bigger RSPB sites with shops or the IN FOCUS shops---they are very helpful and you can try all types of bins[ hate to say this but you do get what you pay for in terms of quality] --Good Luck

[thunder]

Originally Posted by boogle

hi all !!!

my friend said put a book or cd ( in its box) on a wall and move backwards a few yards at a time when its cloudy and dull....what do you think ???

If you intend to spend a lot of time using your binocs to read books from a few yards in dull conditions, this is an excellent way to test them. Otherwise I think something more realistic would be better . Try looking at things at the range you expect to use them most. If the shop is in the right location, look at birds (if that is what you will use them for). Switch back and forth between models a few times, and try to use each one for a few minutes, as your eyes will probably adjust while using them and this will affect the image you see.

Checking your post I see that you already have the two pairs. In that case - just use them turn and turn about for a daya each for a couple of weeks - you will soon, I expect, decide which pair suits you best.

henrya

[davecatt]

I would be inclined to look on them as different tools for different Jobs.

I use a pair of 10x50s for general field work and 7x50s for woodland and low light conditions.

The large objective lense lets in more light on the lower magnification.

Dave

[Sprout]

i would have to agree that you get what you pay for in terms of quality of durabilityt, the numbers on them for magnification etc., are irrelevant and you buy, or use, what suits you (i have a pair of 8 x 42, my husband has a pair of 10 x 42. although his magnification is greater, i don't like them because any small wobble of my hands shows).
we bought a make called vanguard, and whilst i can't fault them in use and i really can't see any difference when looking through them compared to a pair costing 3 times as much, both of us have had to have them replaced by the manufacturer due to faults. fortunately, they were still under warranty being less than 12 months old, but this in itself tells me something about the make. and having spoken to the guy at in focus at martin mere this week (about scopes, we bought one!!) i really wish we'd asked an expert about which makes to avoid before we took the plunge.
i would also agree about using them both for a period of time to see what suits you best, you'll soon know.

[Ferret]

The first thing to say here is that you are not really testing like for like in your test, a bit like trying to compare two cars from the same manufacture and same model but different engine sizes one will give better acceleration and top speed but lower fuel consumption, the sportier version may stick to the road better due to stiffer suspension but will not have such a comfortable ride as the smaller engine version, in other words there are tradeoffs to be made between the two models.
A pair of 7x bins are not going to give you such close views as the 10x but they will perform better in low light conditions, hand shake will be less noticeable in the 7x then the 10x but this may not be a problem if you are using them were you can give them support i.e. in a hide were elbows can be rested on a shelf. Do you need close focus generally lower magnification bins will focus closer than high magnification ones.
These things apart I would be looking at doing two sets of tests the first in good light. First you need some thin parallel lines preferably about 2-3mm apart, do the lines look parallel across the whole width of the lens poor quality lens may be fine in the centre but become distorted as you move towards the edge of the lens. Also look at the sharpness of the lines are they as clean and sharp at the outer edges of the lens as they are in the centre.
Look at some small print or other fine detail and see how far away you get before you can no longer read it; the 10x should perform better as they are more powerful but do they?
How close can you get to a small subject before you can no longer focus on it?
Look at a dark object such as a post or tree branch against a bright blue sky, now look at the edge of the dark object, is there a coloured fringe? Good bins will have little or no fringe. Look at a range of different colours both bright distinctive one and subtle shades, a paint chart is good for this, are the colours true and clear and bright can you tell subtle shades apart?
These tests should tell you which lenses are the best quality.
Now you need some low light conditions, one of the biggest mistakes made when testing different bins is to only test them in good light its like testing the two cars on a smooth dead straight road at 40mph they will both appear to be the same but put them on a bendy test track at speeds up to 100mph and you would defiantly notice the difference in acceleration and road holding of the sportier car. I find a dull day towards dusk is best for this test, now look at the small writing or fine detail how do they compare now at different distances, also look at the colour chart can you still discern the different colours and shades. As the light fades how much longer can you still use the 7x after you can no longer see anything threw the10x?

Also look at the build quality; can the dioptre setting between the two lens sets be locked into place? Are the lens cups that fit against your eye adjustable and do they stay in place, are they comfortable, these vary a lot from simple rubber skirts that are just folded up or down to sophisticated click stop cups, this can be very important if you wear glasses and share the bins with someone who does not. Is the field of view the same with the cups set for use with or without your glasses? Is the focusing wheel easy to use and smooth? Can you easily follow a subject that is coming towards or going away from you at some speed? Are they waterproof? Are they nitrogen filled to prevent then misting up inside? Are they armoured for protection against nocks? How much do the weigh can you carry them about all day and can you hold them steady? Do they feel comfortable in your hands i.e. to small and difficult to use or to big and cumbersome?
You will find the 7x have a wider field of view than the 10x does this help you find small moving targets?

If you where having to choose between the two think about how and where and in what conditions you will be using the bins to help you make the decision. In my experience you defiantly get what you pay for but as you get towards the top of the range just as with cars you may have to pay a lot more just to get a little bit better. If you are just a casual user who would like a closer look at birds and insect on country walks you would probably not want to spend a lot but if you are a super keen twitcher than you would want the very best you could afford, just as if you are a keen traveller all over Europe you would probably be ably to justify a top of the range car but this would be a bit of a waist if you only use it for the once a week shop the occasional trip to visit family and your annual hols.

Sorry it’s so long got a bit carried away methinks but it may help someone make the right choice.

Ferret

[Dinasaw]

Thanks Ferret for all this useful advice.
My post won't be informative, but you might find it amusing. I bought a pair of lightweight pocket bins from a certain 'catalogue shop'(cheap enough to drop or leave behind and not cry). I'm not good at using any pairs so wasn't surprised to have difficulty focussing. But when I looked thro' one eyepiece at a time, found the horizon in left sight was at 30degrees or so!!! Yeah, I went for the money-back option!