Bino magnification

[Yoder409]

I use Nikon 10X42's for turkey, bowhunting and flintlock.  They just seem to be the best of all worlds for my purposes.

[bowbird87]

Think I'm going with the 8x32. I've had multiple pairs of diamondbacks and vipers over the years, so I'm familiar with the product. I've just never used anything smaller than a 42mm object.

[Dtrkyman]

The objective should be 4 times the amount of the power!  Hence the 8x32.

It is optimal for the exit pupil.


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[Sixes]

Personally, I despise small binoculars. I tried the compacts and ended up giving them away. I use the same binoculars that I use for deer. 9x45 Mavens.

Best bang for the buck that I found

If you decide on full size, carry them in a chest harness and you will never know they are on.

People either love or hate vortex. I'm in the latter, I've had 2 pair and they were nowhere close to Leupold and not in the same stadium with my Mavens.

[GobbleNut]

Really, with the improvements in the optics industry over the last ten or so years, and the corresponding decreases in the size and weight of the optics that are available, there is really no reason to saddle yourself with the so-called compact binoculars.  There are a number of small, light-weight binoculars available now in the 8X42 and 10X42 categories that are head and shoulders above anything smaller, and are just slightly larger and heavier. 

Sacrificing the light-gathering capabilities and larger field of view that the modern roof-prism bino's offer for a few ounces difference in weight and a slightly smaller overall size in a compact pair is just not worth the trade-off in my opinion.  Not only that, you can then use those same binoculars for a variety of other big game in other circumstances where anything in the compact-binocular category is basically totally worthless.

Having said the above, IF you already have a decent set of compact binoculars...and IF you hunt in circumstances where they are effective, and IF you are not going to be hunting other game under other conditions where you really need something better, stick with the compacts.  On the other hand, IF you are looking to buy binoculars and you want something that will work better for you in an assortment of other circumstances, I suggest getting some mid-price, roof-prism bino's with at least 8-power and a minimum 42mm objective.   

[Tom007]

10x25 Swarovski Compacts. Crystal clear, light, fold into chest pocket. Love em....

[Kyle_Ott]

10x42 for me.

From the hardwoods of the mid-atlantic, to the vast ag in the central part of the country to the big country out west, there is no doubt 10x is the most versatile magnification.

At some point you'll find yourself looking at turkeys at considerable distance and 10x will save you a long hike or a lot of crawling because you were able to distinguish between a jake and a gobbler. 

I'd also recommend a good binocular harness.  It protects high quality optics, it makes them quickly accessible and you'll use your optics a lot more frequently.

[vthokie7227]

I use 8x28 Vortex Diamondbacks paired with a harness. They're compact, lightweight, and more than enough for the turkey woods. The harness is nice in that it keeps them at the ready without them flopping all over the place while running around.

[lacire]

10's are pretty versatile and what I've carried for years (vortex venom 10x42).  They've saved me a lot of steps and probably accounted for some birds since they have allowed me to see what a turkey was from a long ways off.  They aren't that much heavier than 8's (a good harness is important, the american made marsupial harness has been my favorite) and I can't say I've had low light issues with the venoms.

I currently use the 8x42 for everything, they're just a lot more steady for me. Plus one on a good harness, I just replaced my 3 year old Kuiu pro with the american made marsupial harness. Marsupial makes nice stuff.

[Greg Massey]

One of the best harness you can buy is Rick Young Ultralight harness if you don't want the pouch, it's stretch cord type and isn't hot on your body and you can wear it different ways on your body and real easy to adjust depending on your needs.

[Crghss]

Leupold McKenzie 10x42

I enjoy glassing while sitting in the woods or fields. See all kinds of stuff, pigs, deer, goofy hunters.

[Tail Feathers]

I carry some Bushnell 10X.  A good 8X would probably suffice.  Usually you just want to tell if it's a bush or turkey, tom or hen.

[Zobo]

I'm with Greg and tal, 10x28 Diamondback HDs for the turkey woods.  An effective, compact, lightweight and inexpensive value choice. If you're glassing open fields a lot go bigger and better$$$.

[MK M GOBL]

I have been selling glass over the last 30+ years and the improvement of lower end binoculars have come way up in performance.

I can tell you I sell way more 8X binos than anything when I work with a customer, if they walk in off the street then they just say give me 10X...

Here is what I have learned and gone by over the years, and you have to compare an apple to an apple here.

To really "see" a difference in optics you are going to double the price to see that. i.e. 75/150/300/600/1200/2000+

The most basic pair I sell start at $300.00

8x vs 10x so the key here is Exit Pupil and you want a minimum of 5 for low light viewing. Simple math here is just divide your objective lens size by your power. So 10X50 is 5 exit pupil.

Now what you run into is the 8X42 vs 10X42... the 8 = 5.25 and the 10 only gives you 4.2
Next is that stability factor, 10's are just harder to hold stable, and in most case the weight is negligible.

as far as compacts vs "full" size it will come down to what your use is. My turkey set is a 10x30, I wanted the size of these more than low light viewing, by the time the birds hit the ground I have enough light to see, I was looking for 8X32's and I found and awesome deal on these, Swarovski 10X30 SLC WB's.

Now my Big Game binos are Swarovski 8.5X42 EL's and are the best binocular I have ever used, of course they just dropped out the NL Pures

Let's talk viewing range, and we will make some easy math out of this...

8X at 80 yards = 10 yards
10X at 80 yards = 8 yards

there is a 2 yard difference in these, 6ft at 80 yards. Even going out west would be the same just drop a 0 on these 800 yards and you have a 20 yard/60 ft difference at 800 yard

To get the 10's to perform this well you would need 10x52.5mm and then the size and weight difference would be a bigger difference.

If "full" size I would always go 8X42's and if you think you need more we need to talk spotting scopes.

For Compacts and use (turkey hunting) daytime viewing 8x or 10 x would work with 32mm objective.

Last thing I always talk about is quality cannot be replaced by warranty.


Hope this helps!

MK M GOBL

[bowbird87]

Got my 8x32 Diamondback HD's today. So far I'm very impressed, definitely a step up from my older vortex binos.