8x42 vs 10x42????

[Patterbuilt]

Looking for feedback. Been using 10x42 vortex viper bino’s for a few years now. Thinking about upgrading and wondering if I’ll miss the magnification by dropping to 8x? I don’t carry a tripod (apparently I should lol) Glassing mountainsides out west is primary concern -not worried about bow hunting situations. Thanks

 

[fightthenoise]

What attracts you to 8x? I just kinda went through this going from Maven 9’s to a pair of Zeiss that are made in 8s and 10s. Wasn’t sure what to get. I compared FOV and found that the Zeiss 10s were equal or better (can’t remember) to my Maven 9s so I figured I’d take the free extra mag with no penalty to FOV.

 

[Patterbuilt]

Not sure I am LOL. Steadiness in the hand and a bit better performance in low light as I understand it. I’ve always had 10x stuff...

 

[Patterbuilt]

I usually just use the binos fo find em and then crank up the Nightforce to “inspect”

 

[fatrascal]

I've never used an 8x42 but those that do usually prefer them over 10x42. Frankly I'm afraid to try them out because I might like them and I've already got a big enough optics obsession, lol. 10x42 is a great middle man optic being between the 8's and 15's and now the 12's are becoming popular. I'm a backpack hunter and my thoughts are to be a minimalist and use only what is needed so I go with the long time tried and true combination of the 10x42 and a spotting scope to cover all bases. You will definitely be able to hold the 8 power binos more steady than the 10's, or so it will seem. A better way to put it is you will see less shake with lower power. This is where the tripod comes in. Any time you put the bino on a tripod it changes everything. Shake is gone and the bino is completely steady and you will see more animals and can spend a lot more time behind your optics which is paramount in Western hunting. My buddy would not try a tripod while we hunted together for years. I would spot more game and try to get him to try a bino on a tripod. Well he finally looked through my bino on a tripod and he told me I'd been cheating all these years, lol.
So to sum it up, 8 or 10 power binos are just a preference and if you can go to a sportsmans warehouse or a cabelas then take a pair of each outside and try them out. Look at the detail on tree trunks or leaves while you hand hold them and you can decide which is better for you. Then buy a tripod for them. Goodluck. Fatrascal.

 

[Patterbuilt]

Sounds like I should save my $$$ and get a tripod instead lol. Guess I’ve really been lazy -one more thing to lug around

 

[handwerk]

Although my main hunting binos are 10x42 Geovids, I also have swaro SV 8.5x42's and If I wasn't stuck on RF binos, I'd pick the swaros as a great all arounder.
It hardly gives up anything to 10x and for hand holding it's a more stable view, and the image is stunning.

 

[Fatcamp]

8x and 15x Meostar. Much better fov with 8x. Carrying 12x is intriguing

 

[Agross]

I’m gonna see what I think this week. I have a pair of maven c1 10x42. And tomorrow I have a pair of leupold bx4 8x42’s showing up. Looking forward to comparing them

 

[Brian Fahs]

I recently ran 10x 42 els and 15x 56 slc hds. I made the switch to 8x32 els and 12x50 els. The 8x32s are just incredible glass. The sharpness and overall view are unreal.
I think it comes down to quality glass. Magnification is nice but those 8's are sweet to hand hold. I have a stud on mine and on the tripod they give up very little to the 10x 42 els in my opinion.
Buy the best alpha glass you can afford. The results will amaze you.

 

[Brian Fahs]

Sounds like I should save my $$$ and get a tripod instead lol. Guess I’ve really been lazy -one more thing to lug around

A quality tripod and head will make average binos good. Good binos great and alpha glass insane good.
Hand holding even alpha glass does not do them justice.
Once you experience tripod mounting binos you will ask yourself what the hell you have been doing all your life without it.

 

[Brian Fahs]

8x and 15x Meostar. Much better fov with 8x. Carrying 12x is intriguing

I now run 8x32 els and 12x50 els.
The 8s see 90% of the use. The 12s are awesome but I'm not using them without a tripod or window mount. It just does not do them justice to hand hold them.
For super long range study I use a kowa 884.

 

[bozeman]

I switched back to an 8x from a 10x this year and don’t see myself with a 10x again. It’s more me and my eyes, but the 8x seem easier to view through and easier to stabilize. Not a tripod hunting type person.

 

[Firestone]

I have used 8s 10s and 12s. 10s are what i like the best. I dont have a problem using them off hand and on a tripod they are pretty sweet. My brother had the vipers for one year and they gave him headaches. They made me look cross eyed when i looked through them. He sent them in and had the same problem when he got them back.

 

[Patterbuilt]

Great info, thank y’all!!!

 

[Spiral Horn]

Either works. It‘s just really a matter of preference for an all-around glass. For a hand-held glass 10x is usually the upper limit most can comfortably use, but most can hold an 8x steadier with more FOV and an easer view. Some guys think higher magnification means greater resolution, but that‘s not always the case. One thing is for certain, know I’d be able to pull more from a Alpha Class 8x image than a mid-grade 10x.

Here’s an old thread on the same topic

8x vs 10x vs 12x Binoculars

Hi everyone! Happy New Year to you all. A topic that always interests us is the discussion about 8x vs 10x vs 12x binoculars. Some hunters swear by higher magnification no matter where they hunt. In the eastern hardwoods, for example, would you prefer magnification over field of view? Or is a...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Mule3006Elk]

If I were in the hardwoods, back East, Tree stand, still hunting: 8x

Western open country: 10x. Even still, I pull out my spotter to get a closer look. In big open country 8x would leave me wanting more. Now if I'm only cow elk or doe hunting 8x is fine b/c I only need to spot game. If I'm still hunting the timber 8x would be preferred.

Sometimes I wish I had 12x in big open country.

Point is, really depends on your style of hunting. That is why you will get a myriad of responses.

With the new alpha NL Pure line the FOV is insane. 10x FOV in 12x42 NL Pure. You can get 8x FOV in a 10x42 NL Pure. BUT..costly.

If you don't like tripods 12x is out. Your left with 8x or 10x. If you hunt big open country I would lean 10x. If you hunt close in or timber i would lean 8x.

If you like tripods 8x is out IMO. Your left with 10x or 12x. If you hunt big open country, rarely timber or close in, go 12x. If you hunt a mixture of both go 10x.

Agree with spiral horn: go alpha. If that means you have to save then so be it. I have SLC. I have a NL Pure fund that I'm working on. Doesn't mean I'm going to get them but I am strongly considering a purchase. Maybe 12x b/c I hunt big open country and I mainly use a tripod.

FWIW.

 

[antlerz]

Disagree - 8.5 on a tripod for me as an all round performer

 

[Firehawk]

I really struggled holding a 10x steady enough off hand. When I put them on a tripod, it was awesome, but I eventually moved to an 8x due to the image shake that I exhibited. Today, my primary binocular is a 9x Maven, which is right on the edge for me, but awesome binos. On a tripod they are terrific. I also have an 8x30 which is terrific and it may be used in place of the 9x a good bit this coming season.

 

[Mojave]

2 reasons to buy 8's over 10's or something else.

1. 8's are steadier, way steadier.

2. 8's generally offer way more eye relief in the same size objective. I have horrible vision 20-450, and most companies do not make a 10x42 with enough eye relief for me to use them effectively. 10x50's yes maybe, 10x56 yes, but never in a 10x32. Someone who must wear glasses generally needs 18mm plus of eye relief.

Maven 10x56's don't have enough eye relief, but they are one of the very few that are built that way.