Which binocualar for marine use?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Shazam

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Messages
16
Hi Everyone:

I wanted to get people's opinions on the use of a binocular for marine use. I am thinking of 2 choices:

Pentax DCF WP 8X42 ($365)

Nikon Monarch ATB 7430 (8x42) ($225)

Is 8x too much for marine use?? Is 42mm to small? I know most marine binoculars are 7x50. I it would primarily be used to spot friends when we ride our jetskis and for binocualrs for the bug out bag.

Both the Pentax DCF WP 8X42 and the Nikon Monarch ATB 7430 (8x42) are water proof and seem pretty tough from what I have read in the many reviews on the internet and the gun forums...(highroad, thefiringline, and glocktalk)

So which one whould you choose??

Please feel free to enlighten me on your comments and opinions!!

Thank you,

Shazam
 
I think 8X is the most versitile magnification level (good for BOB.) Objective lense should suit you needs. Will you be using them in the low light in sunrise or sunset? If so go big. If not, then you will get the same quality for a smaller lens and less money. Are the models you mentioned waterproof?

I like leupold and the better versions of bushnell. I would feel comfortable with the quality of glass from most camera makers, but construction is something I am unsure about.

Look for multi/fully-coated glass. I like roof-prisms.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/binocular_basics.htm
 
Higher magnification means more likely difficulty in seeing objects because you are bouncing around more. 7 seems to be the time honored solution. US navy, Royal Navy. and most other navies seem to use 7 powers when used on smaller vessels. some modern US ships have stabilized 20-50X vaiables. get a crytal clear image on the screen no matter what the seas.

50 MM objectives also give you a wider field of view and accept more light, meaning your glasses are going to work better at night, or during the twilght hours. smaller objectives can work nowadays with better coatings, but they limit field of view and make keeping a object in view when bouncing more difficult and will encourage motion sickness if you look a lot when at sea.

The two best Glasses in my mind are the fujinon 7x50 and the stiener 7 x50. for onboard use. The Fujinon are tough and heavy but veryvery good. The stieners are lighter, almost as tough and very very good.

There are pentax that are pretty good for a hundred bucks less. the Swifts are realy not bad, for about 1/2 the price. but not on the same level.

spend well, cheap glasses really cost you more
 
Objective lens diameter has no significant effect on the field of view of binoculars, riflescopes, etc. FOV is often most drastically affected by eye relief (lower eye relief, better FOV), magnification, and lens quality.

A larger objective lens will give you a larger exit pupil, allowing for better low light performance (up to a point, anything greater than 7mm is a waster for unassisted human eyes). Usually, a larger obj. lens will also provide better resolution, although most people won't be able to tell the difference.
 
8x42 isn't going to work well at night. The image they project is 42mm / 8 = 6mm and the fully dialated iris of your eye is 7mm. In the USN, we used 7x50's on the bridge. We could pick up speedboats in the daytime at 12-14k yds. At nighttime, you could pick up anything with a light on it.

If you can't see it with a 7x50 binocular, then it's over the horizon.

fwiw
Distance to the horizon (nm) = 1.1 times the square root of the height of eye. Multiply nautical miles by 2 to get thousands of yards (it's close enough to use statute miles as well).

i.e. if I'm riding a jetski, my eyeball is let's say 5 feet up off the water. Therefor, the horizon is about 3 miles away. If I'm on a ship, 25' above the water, the horizon is 5.5nm away.
 
8x42 isn't going to work well at night. The image they project is 42mm / 8 = 6mm and the fully dialated iris of your eye is 7mm.

An 8x42 binocular has an exit pupil of 42/8 = 5.25 mm.

In reality, a 6mm exit pupil (e.g. 7x42 binocular) is perfect for night viewing. Sure, 7mm dialation is the text book answer, but in the real world, almost nobody can dialate much past 6mm, so the 7x42 is perfect. This is especially true for older (30+) people.
 
Thanks guy for all the help.. I have have been reading on the net for more info as well. One thing I found out was that a 50mm provides 42% more light then a 42mm binocular. I was suprised. I thought it might have only provided say another 20% or so.

I like the idea of having a 50mm binocular in 7x or 8x....waterproof to. (for the jetsking) and also look at the stars as well. I dont seem to find to many in 8x50mm just the normal 7x50 marine binoculars. Any good recomendations on a 7x or 8x 50mm marine/waterproof binocular. I am will to spend mid range money...say Nikon, Pentax, but not the high end German stuff.

Thank you,

Shazam
 
Steiner 7x50mm Military/Marine.

The standard for good reason.

Especially if you do not have to pay for them yourself... ;)

Whatever you get modern coated optics are really nice, oh, and Leupold makes binoculars, might look into those.
 
Yea the Steiner 7x50mm Military/Marine are nice but too rich for me.. :(

Any other options guys??
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top