32 vs 42

[huntinfool84]

so i have a set of swaro 10x42 el's that i have a chance to sell well above what i paid for them plus get the remainder of my antelope paid for in the deal. since the wife and i are trying to get a few things paid off I am thinking of selling them and buying some swaro 10x32's or 8x32's to save some money but still have swaro's. BUT??? is there any differance is low light or anytime for that matter where the 42's would be better? I hunt all terrains from desert to mountains for antelope, deer, elk and javelina. Anybody with experiance with either or both your input would be extremely appreciated!!!

Thanks Brian

 

[larryschwartz]

Brian,

The 42's will give you more light but they will also provide a wider field of view which will be better glassing.

 

[Jeff Martin]

Actually the 32s will give you a much better field of view than the 42s. That is a common misconception. I too am looking at the 8x32 swarovision ELs. I have looked at the 32s and I think they are as good as my Leica 10x42. I think I might do the same. IF you go with 32s, I would NOT buy 10x..stay with 8x.

Swaros EL
8x32 FOV 423
8.5x42 FOV 390

10x42 FOV 330
10x32 FOV 350

Leica
8x32 FOV 404
8x42 FOV 389

10x42 FOV 336
10x32 FOV 360

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just tried out my new pair of Swarovski 8x32, previously I was using the 10x42 slc, for the country I hunt I really like the 8x32 I think they will be getting more use than the other ones now.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I am with Jeff on this one. I like 8X32s because they are similarly bright as 10X42s, and 8x is a little easier to hold steady in a smaller binocular.

The 3.2mm exit pupil in 10X32s is a bit dim in really low light for my tastes.

Field of view is primarily a function of eyepiece design, not objective size.

 

[huntinfool84]

thanks for the input guys. so if it were you would you sell the 10x42 get the mount paid off in the deal then buy the 8x32's and be able to pocket $600?

 

[dotman]

I would say do it and don't look back.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No doubt go for it

 

[CritterGetter]

I run 10x32 El's and would NOT go back to my 10x42 EL's. Do ittttt!

 

[Matt Cashell]

thanks for the input guys. so if it were you would you sell the 10x42 get the mount paid off in the deal then buy the 8x32's and be able to pocket $600?

Personally, I would go for this deal.

 

[huntinfool84]

ok, that is what i want to do but dangit my gut churns when i think about losing my binos. LOL. glad to see everyone on here is on the same page with me it is sure helping the indegestion i have caused myself with this deal im making. thanks everyone!!

 

[Ryan Avery]

I have been running 8x32 for the last three years. I have never thought that I was under glassed. I would go for it!.... I would go with the 8 over the 10 in the 32's. The 10 are shaky and they get dark on me fast at last light.

 

[stephen b]

8x32 size bino's are my favorite all around size ( unless maybe I could have a 7x 32 size- as I love my 7x30 Swaro SLC's)

I right now have 4 sets of 8x32 quality bino's that I am currently testing to decide which ones I am keeping. A Swaro 8x32 regular EL; a 8x32 Swaro Swarovision; a Nikon 8x32 EDG and a Nikon 8x32 SE porro.

The other night I tested all of these in very low light against a quality 8x42 Leupold Cascade Porro that is excellent in low light ( and to me the porro design helps with this); and I will say all of the quality 8x32 bino's that I was looking through held up fantastic and hung well with the 8x42. This was right up untill 40-45 minutes past sunset ( here legal Shooting light is 1/2 hour after sunset). The best of the 8x32's as far as very low light in my testing samples was the Swaro SV and the Nikon SE porro.

Low light is one of the main things that's mentioned for an advantage of 42 mm over 32mm- but, with real quality glass it is not much difference. To me I would much rather carry a 32mm bino that is great quality all day over a 42mm size and still be able to see all that I need dawn to dusk.

To me- the 32 mm size ( in a 8x as I would never carry a 10x in 32 mm ) in a quality glass is the best all around hunting bino made.

 

[Yukondog]

Good stuff here. I'm saving up points at Cabela's for quality glass. I'm around $1,500 at this point and was going to wait to buy 10x42 Swarovision binos. Now, after reading this it seems that most prefer the 8x32. I have not tested the difference in low light. I don't have any idea of the ins and outs of binos, but if the 8x32's are preferable I might give them a shot. Weight less, smaller and best of all cost $600 less. Seems a better deal.

These would be all around binos for everything I hunt. Elk, deer and hopefully sheep and goat one day.

Being that I can only afford one set of quality binos, is there any real advantage to the 10x42 over the 8x32? What will I be giving up?

Thanks.

 

[RosinBag]

Brian, I wouldn't. Once you sell them, you are going to want them back. If you hunt Idaho's big country you are going to want the 10's for magnification purposes. You have some of the best glass going right now. It sounds like you want to do a deal to help pay for other things, but ultimately you at some point are going to need those 10's back. The 10 x42's are maybe the best all around optic for glassing out there if you don't have the luxury of affording two sets of optics.

 

[Matt Cashell]

The 10X42s offer more detail due to increased magnification. The 8X32s offer a wider FOV and lighter weight. If they are of similar optical quality (Like the SVs), they will be similarly bright due their similar exit pupils (4.2mm vs. 4mm).

Like Doug, I prefer the 10X42s for wide-open glassing (especially tripod mounted), but I wouldn't feel very handicapped with 8X32s either.

 

[Matt Cashell]

One other thing, if you go for 10x42s, check out both the SV and the SLC HD. They are both top-shelf, and many find the SLC HD better suited to their eyes.

 

[Yukondog]

Thanks Matt. Do you find the 8's are enough when glassing big country? I tend to shake a bit and my current 10x42 binos are hard to see good detail at long distances. I would carry my Nikon ED 50 spotter for closer looks. My thought is the 8x32's would be great for glassing because of my human error (shaking) and if a true closer look is needed I would use my spotter. Flip side to that is I could use my tripod to help with the shaking while using the 10x42's. Truth is that there is not a lot of opportunity to glass long distances where I elk hunt. The parks are few and far between. Most of it is heavy timber and aspens.

The size difference in the two binos is also appealing. Carrying a smaller glass around my neck all day does sound good.

 

[huntinfool84]

well my deal fell through and now have both 10x42's and 8x30's, actually glad it did because as mentioned above i would want them back.

 

[Matt Cashell]

Thanks Matt. Do you find the 8's are enough when glassing big country? I tend to shake a bit and my current 10x42 binos are hard to see good detail at long distances. I would carry my Nikon ED 50 spotter for closer looks. My thought is the 8x32's would be great for glassing because of my human error (shaking) and if a true closer look is needed I would use my spotter. Flip side to that is I could use my tripod to help with the shaking while using the 10x42's. Truth is that there is not a lot of opportunity to glass long distances where I elk hunt. The parks are few and far between. Most of it is heavy timber and aspens.

The size difference in the two binos is also appealing. Carrying a smaller glass around my neck all day does sound good.

YD,

I hate to sound wishy-washy ... but yes and no. I didn't find myself very hindered glassing with some Razor 8X42s I had. BUT, I do appreciate the extra detail that 10s have to offer when looking long distances.

This is a pretty personal thing. I don't have much trouble keeping 10s steady even freehanded, but I know many that do. I know that Doug uses 12s a lot, and I would guess he is pretty steady handed. I do know many people that just can't seem to get those 10s steady, and they really prefer 8s or even 7s.

If you notice you have trouble keeping the 10s steady, I would suggest giving the 8s a whirl, as they are noticeably easier to keep steady for a lot of folks, especially since you will have the ED50 handy for a closer look.