8x56 vs 8x42 twilight performance

[Bugger]

For those that run 8x56, how much extra time in twilight do they give you over x42’s for picking out deer from bushes and then seeing antlers. Use case for me would be glassing whitetails in open brushy flats out to 1000y and making a move as they head back to the woods to bed. With the warmer weather and some added hunting pressure this year they were hesitant to stay out long in the daylight, so starting a stalk as early as possible is a must. Do the larger objectives give enough minutes to justify the expense and added weight of carrying them around on top of normal chest binos?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

The FOV for glassing animals is where they really shine. “Low light performance” will be nearly indistinguishable.

My 8x50 Meoptas I have for sale really shine when glassing, as our eyes usually catch movement in the peripheral which means FOV is king.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Also.

Take some time to read this…

Brightness: Exit pupil size vs. Twilight factor

I am confused. I keep hearing different viewpoints. One is that the exit pupil size contributes to brightness, as in 7x42mm. On the other hand, a 7x42mm for example has a lower twilight factor than a 8x42 or 10x42 and certainly less than 10x50. But a 10x50 has a 5mm exit pupil size which is...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Bugger]

Also.

Take some time to read this…

Brightness: Exit pupil size vs. Twilight factor

I am confused. I keep hearing different viewpoints. One is that the exit pupil size contributes to brightness, as in 7x42mm. On the other hand, a 7x42mm for example has a lower twilight factor than a 8x42 or 10x42 and certainly less than 10x50. But a 10x50 has a 5mm exit pupil size which is...

www.birdforum.net

Interesting, thanks, hadn’t really thought of magnification making up for brightness since objective size is always tied to low light performance in advertising and conversations. I’m curious where the sweet spot is between magnification and objective then.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Interesting, thanks, hadn’t really thought of magnification making up for brightness since objective size is always tied to low light performance in advertising and conversations. I’m curious where the sweet spot is between magnification and objective then.

Yep.

“Low light performance” is the most over hyped and subjective to one’s eye “spec” that exists in all of optics haha.

The sweet spot is user dependent and for me also greatly depends on weight and FOV.

 

[Bugger]

Yep.

“Low light performance” is the most over hyped and subjective to one’s eye “spec” that exists in all of optics haha.

The sweet spot is user dependent and for me also greatly depends on weight and FOV.

Dang, that’s disappointing. The 56’s are so hyped up. I’ll try comparing my 10’s to the 8’s side by side next time though.

 

[Athens]

I have a pair of Hensoldt, (I think that's right), 7 X 35's and I really like them for the use you described. They're handy, not bulky and don't weigh a lot.

 

[Choupique]

I have some 8x56 and they are pretty great in the dark. I'm not sure if it's worth the weight- they are porros and they are huge.

 

[JohnJohnson]

“Low light performance” is the most over hyped and subjective to one’s eye “spec” that exists in all of optics haha.

It's also a very misunderstood thing. People think low light performance is about light transmission and to a large extent it's not. In low light situations, your color-vision is severely degraded. So a lot of low-light performance is actually the optic's ability to maintain color contrast in low light situations. That is very different from pure light transmission.

 

[Jtb.kfd]

You didn’t mention your age or how good your eyesight is and so I will add this. The link above discussing exit pupil size and light getting to your eyes has always matched what I have experienced in the field up until the last two years. I have always worn glasses and had bad uncorrected vision. About two years ago I began needing progressive lenses (readers in my prescription). Since that time my low light glassing has taken a huge downturn. Hunting with my kids, I can tell its light enough to still glass but everything is blurry through my 10x42’s (Vortex Vipers). The kids can still see fine for another 10-20 minutes. What I have found is my 15x56’s (Vultures) allow me to continue to see clearly until last light. With the magnification/objective lens size it shouldn’t make that much of a difference but it does. Perhaps its the larger field of view as I can see side distortion in both pairs on the edges in daylight. I am at the point where I will be upgrading to much better glass for next season to see if that helps. Most of my hunting is backcountry/mountain hunts and the extra weight sucks, but those 15’s are amazing at times.
When I am day hunting however I rarely carry both, I just deal with the 10’s. I usually have one of the kids with me and they are shooting anyhow.

 

[Wrench]

I know this much, my 8x42 alpha binos (I've had many) will all out see every scope I've ever looked through with the exception of the 72mm victory which put on a heck of a show......but ever 40-56mm riflescope was out of the hunt several minutes before the binos gave up.

My favorite was a buck that I watched till dark through a pair of 8x42ba's. My pard had fuji 10x50 porros which are pretty impressive too. He lost the deer 10-15 minutes before me. I watched the deer make it's way onto a ridge at 350-400 yards away when I lost him. It was a good buck for our area. My pard got up to leave as I was watching and I freaked out on him because I could still see that buck. He thought I was full of it. I had a 3.5-10 mark4 m3 on a very accurate rifle but simply could never find this buck in the scope even though I watched him for 30 minutes.

The next day I went back to my glassing location and located him mounting a doe not far from where I lost him. I killed him the second he put his front feet back on the ground.

 

[Bugger]

You didn’t mention your age or how good your eyesight is and so I will add this.

Mid 30’s, wear light contacts but overall no issues with walking around under good moonlight without a headlamp so I assume my pupils are dilating to at least average.

I know this much, my 8x42 alpha binos (I've had many) will all out see every scope I've ever looked through with the exception of the 72mm victory which put on a heck of a show......but ever 40-56mm riflescope was out of the hunt several minutes before the binos gave up.

I’ve noted the same with HG’s & Noctivids vs a SWFA 3-15. Not a chance it would ever be an even playing field but I’m looking to spot and move well before shooting and don’t mind shooting at a body shape in the scope as long as I’m sure in the binos it’s the deer I want and alone.

My favorite was a buck that I watched till dark through a pair of 8x42ba's. My pard had fuji 10x50 porros which are pretty impressive too. He lost the deer 10-15 minutes before me.

Good to know, those were an option I was looking at. I figured they’d never compete with alpha chest binos overall but if they gave a few minutes in the morning it might be worth a try. Thanks

 

[Wrench]

To be fair to other scopes, the swfa 3-15 sucks optically. A 3-9hd has outperformed the few 3-15's I've had.

 

[Mojave]

Here in Northern Europe 8x56 is king. Mountain hunters are mostly 8x42 or 10x42 guys here, same as in North America.

 

[Bugger]

To be fair to other scopes, the swfa 3-15 sucks optically. A 3-9hd has outperformed the few 3-15's I've had.

Youre definitely not wrong but I trust it to shoot straight on my slug gun more than the other “higher quality” scopes I own though.
I figure the better investment is ID’ing time vs shooting.

 

[Bugger]

Here in Northern Europe 8x56 is king. Mountain hunters are mostly 8x42 or 10x42 guys here, same as in North America.

What are your thoughts on the two side by side? I haven’t even held one and all the reviews of 8x56’s (mostly Europe) only compare to other 56’s.

 

[Mojave]

What are your thoughts on the two side by side? I haven’t even held one and all the reviews of 8x56’s (mostly Europe) only compare to other 56’s.

I had a 8x56 Swarovski, and 10x56 Zeiss for years. I am using a Swarovski EL TA 8x42 now. Not because it is better, but because I have pared things down.

I personally feel as though the 56mm Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski and even Meopta are light years ahead of the 42mm models. Swarovski has a new 10x52 NL Pure. I'd like to try that, but I just got my current set, so it will be a long time before I upgrade.

Just update this to say that I had a pair of 12x56 Swaro EL's, and I have had some excellent Nikon 56mm bins as well.

I am a fan of bigger glass for sure.