Which Swarovski binoculars - 8x25 or 10x25

[Ivan Rothman]

Steve uses the Swarovski 8x25 CL Pocket binoculars and I was thinking about getting them.
Swarovski also makes a 10x25 CL binocular. Exact same weight and size as the 8x25
I plan on using them for both birds and mammals.
I know that the 10x25 gives more reach, but at the expense of more shake and less light.
I would appreciate any advice on which one to get.

 

[Vincent_VdB]

I have a pair of Swarovski, more specific the 8,5 * 42. Great optics for both mammals & birding but will sell it and get me a pair of stabilised Kite binos .
Had my hands on one of them just before they were officially released and boy, they sure are a game changer, even useable on a rocky boat.

APC Stabilized 50 - Kite Optics

Introducing the astonishing APC 50 Image-Stabilized Binoculars. Experience KITE OPTICS’ KT3.0 image stabilization technology through our most powerful 50mm ED optical system. Designed for precision and sharpness, these binoculars redefine your observation in every way.

kiteoptics.com

 

[Ivan Rothman]

I have a pair of Swarovski, more specific the 8,5 * 42. Great optics for both mammals & birding but will sell it and get me a pair of stabilised Kite binos .
Had my hands on one of them just before they were officially released and boy, they sure are a game changer, even useable on a rocky boat.

APC Stabilized 50 - Kite Optics

Introducing the astonishing APC 50 Image-Stabilized Binoculars. Experience KITE OPTICS’ KT3.0 image stabilization technology through our most powerful 50mm ED optical system. Designed for precision and sharpness, these binoculars redefine your observation in every way.

kiteoptics.com

I'm sure they are great binoculars but my problem is the size and weight. I travel with a pair of Z9s and an assortment of lenses including the 600mm f4 TC. So any binoculars that I take have to be small and light weight.

 

[wotan1]

I don't know about image stabilized binoculars as I have not used them. I agree they add extra weight.

As a general rule for hand holding binoculars 8x is the most comfortable to use. 10x presents too narrow a field for comfortable viewing.

What matters a lot once you have 8x is the brightness of the image as well as the width of the field.

I have a pair of 10x Leica Trinovids I bought some years ago. At the time they were the sharpest binocs I had ever used.

More recently I got a pair of Maven 8x42's. Although the 8x Maven is not as powerful as the 10x Leica it has proven to be a sharper and has a brighter image than the older Leica. Plus it has a wider feel and is more comfortable for viewing.

The big problem with nice binoculars is it becomes difficult to find a store that has them in stock so you can compare.

The Mavens are surprisingly good binoculars and are much more reasonably priced. They use the same lenses as the expensive brands but they save because they only sell direct and they spend no money on advertising relying instead on word of mouth. They have found recognition in the archery community.

The other issue is that there is a tradeoff between aperture size and field of view versus weight. The 20 number in your suggested lens represents the aperture size. Typically 20 is limited to tiny binoculars that can fold into a small size and fit in your pocket. You lose a lot of weight but you also lose light gathering and field of view. We had a pair of what I call tiny Leica binoculars but I found them uncomfortable for viewing and I stopped using them. I have read somewhere that a 32 optic can be easier for viewing, the 40's are the ideal size in my opinion for viewing. The 50's are great if you are working in low light situations such as boating at night, but they are extremely heavy.

Nothing is free and there are always tradeoffs.

 

[Jmaes]

I suppose it all depends on what your primary purpose for the binoculars is. Are you going to spend loads of time looking through them or are they more of a supporting tool for your photography (occasionally look through them just to see/scan an area).

In the first case, some more aperture might be pleasant to have for the brighter image it'll provide (with the downside being the weight). In the latter case, I would keep it simple and compact (8x25 - 8x30 or so). Magnification is a personal thing, but I would always go for 8x (I find 10x to be too annoying to keep stable).

For what it's worth, I personally am in a somewhat similar situation; I use the binos as a supportive tool and want/need to keep them compact and light for travelling. I ended up going for a pair of 8x30 CL and couldn't be happier with them.

 

[Charlie Lasswell]

I would advise you to use the 8x25. The reason is the exit pupil on 8x25 is a little over 3mm whereas the 10x25 is 2.5mm. Some people may be fine with 2.5, but as we age, that can be too small. It is for me. I find that I can't hold 10x25 steady enough to take advantage of the increased magnification and that its more like looking through a tube and I'd rather have the wider field of view. Your mileage may vary and the best thing to do is try them out at sporting goods store. I think you'll find the 8x25 much easier to use.

 

[mjais]

I have the 10x25 and I like them, very light and sharp. hat said, I think for small binoculars 8x may be better.

Do you wear glasses? I found the 10x25 rather hard to use with glasses, the field of view is not great. This may be different for each person but if you have not yet tried them and are wearing glasses, I recommend to test that first.

I mostly use my Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 (the first version released 2014, I think) because they work much better with glasses (but are of course bigger and heavier). Zeiss recently introduced newer models (8x42 and 10x42 I think) and they are a bit smaller and lighter, maybe they are an option as well. But still bigger than a 10x25 or 8x25 and more expensive.