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From: rising@utzoo.UUCP (Jim Rising)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: binoculars 
Message-ID: <9061@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-Dec-87 12:53:39 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.9061
Posted: Mon Dec  7 12:53:39 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 7-Dec-87 12:53:39 EST
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 21

Traditionally, birders were told to get 7X50 binoculars because (1) they were
easy to hold still, (2) let in a lot of light (thus little colour loss), (3)
and it was easy to get the bird in the field of viewing.  However, I have 
used 10X50 for years, hand have never had any trouble with them.  I need the
extra magnification, myself.  Also, I know many others that use 10s without
difficulty, so I recommend that you at least look at these.

As for scopes, I have an old Baush & Lomb scope that still has excellent 
optics, and I have played around with a number of different oculars.  I find
that my 40X ocular distorts colour on occasion (legs of Great Black-backed
Gulls look yellow at a great distance)--so I've become cautious with colour
judgements when using it.  15X ocular is great, but then I have 10X binoculars.
I find that I use my 22X-wide angle the most.  Colour is great, and I still
get some magnification.  I've looked through many scopes with zoom lens, and
find them disappointing.  Colour is generally awful.  As one friend commented
about his, "With this, I can get chromatic aberation of any size I want!"
-- 
Name:   Jim Rising
Mail:   Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto
        Toronto, Ontario, Canada    M5S 1A1
UUCP:   {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!rising