OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Other Optics > Binoculars
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - "must have" features of next wave of binoculars?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

"must have" features of next wave of binoculars?

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
Dr.Pepper View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/03/2012
Location: NC
Status: Offline
Points: 22
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dr.Pepper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: "must have" features of next wave of binoculars?
    Posted: December/27/2013 at 18:22
Just for fun, does anybody care to speculate where the market will go next in terms of the next set of features that will make most people want to upgrade?

Clearly, to my mind anyway, the current trend is the inclusion of HD/ED glass. This seems to be the single most aggressive marketing hook right now, but I wonder how much longer this will be the "buzz" word.

Naturally, I would expect continued development in coatings, compactness, brightness, baffling, field of view, edge performance, and simply making a better bin. for less $. But which features do you think will be developed or refined enough to become the beginning of "the next generation?"

If it is anything like archery tackle, the budget companies will eventually figure out how to mimic Swarovision for less money while the Alphas come up with something "new".

Back to Top
FrankD View Drop Down
Optics Journeyman
Optics Journeyman


Joined: November/11/2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 686
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FrankD Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/27/2013 at 18:44
Field flatteners will further expnd into the lower price points as they have already started to with the Leupold McKinleyabd Zen Ray Prime.

As for the Alpha companies, good question. We already have Swaro and Nikon with the field flatteners, Zeiss with the highest light transmission and Leica trying that new porro prism design. Not sure where else they can go unless they go digital. Not sure I would like that much. Call me old fashioned.

What I would like to see one of them do is revisit the super wide angle era. Some of those vintage porros had 75+ degree fields of view but with short eye relief. I would like to see the same but with more accomodating eye relief levels.

About all I can think of for now.
Frank
Back to Top
Urimaginaryfrnd View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Resident Redneck

Joined: June/20/2005
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 14964
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/27/2013 at 19:26
Not only will the next generation of binoculars let you watch thing you want to see but it will watch you and report directly back to NSA because they will be digital computer driven with GPS technology.

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
Bobby Paul Doherty
Texas Ranger
Back to Top
Dr.Pepper View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/03/2012
Location: NC
Status: Offline
Points: 22
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dr.Pepper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/27/2013 at 20:59
Anybody know anything about catodioptric binoculars? It seems to be available in nightvison binoculars. Surely, there will eventually be some daytime/ sporting adaptation.

A little closer to here and now, I really was surprised when I read a review elsewhere that states that best 8x42 is actually a 8x56 where the pupil has constricted in daytime use to only let in 5mm or less. That puts most of the aberrations and edge " junk" on the outside of the pupil.   This catches me off guard when compared to the conventional smaller exit pupil configuration for daytime use because anything else is a waste kind of advice.

I am not saying so like a teacher, only loosely paraphrasing. I have no stinking clue myself. I will be happy to PM where I get this kind of talk from as I am not sure I can post it here. I am certain though that many of you will know where this is coming from.

I am hoping for the evolution of optics that don't require having to carry two extra mm of exit pupil just to get the sweetest view.
Back to Top
BigGameBalls View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice


Joined: December/10/2010
Location: MN
Status: Offline
Points: 280
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BigGameBalls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/27/2013 at 21:08
What I would like to see is a really nice pair of 8x42 with a good reliable simple range finder built in and keep it under $800. Like say Viper HD or Monarch 7 image quality and a legit quality range finder. I hate the fact that I have to carry around binos and a range finder while hunting or I have to drop over 2k.
Back to Top
trublu View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: May/26/2013
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 10
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trublu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/28/2013 at 01:28
I think optics have got as good as they are going to (more or less).

I think in the future, fully electric (no glass) rangefinder/camera/night vision/video recorder/distance viewer/ with pattern recognition and hyperlinks added to the images. 
optics (so far): SightronIII 3.5-10x44, Zeiss conquest 3-9x40, Eotech 552, Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50, Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36, Zenray ED3 8x43, Vortex Viper HD 6x32.
Back to Top
Klamath View Drop Down
Optics Master
Optics Master
Avatar

Joined: May/20/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1308
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/28/2013 at 10:23
There will continue to improvement in "glass optics".  I tend to agree with Frank and with trublu.  However I think traditional glass optics are 95% of the way done.  They may be around for a couple more decades but they are getting close to as good as the human eye can get use from.  They are not there yet and we will still see improvements.


Another thread on a similar topic: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=273175

Notice this does not come from a traditional glass optics manufacturer.  With digital electronics we can literally open up whole new worlds.  Some of it good, some not so good.  In a decade or so we will see digital electronic zooms go into triple digit magnification ranges, image stabilization, range finding we can't comprehend today and image identification programs.  I can see it now...get the new Boone and Crockett app for your android or iPhone, connect your new smart binocular to your smart phone, not only will you get the range, you'll get the raw score. What's that bird? Let the computer that lives in your smart phone do the work.  In a unit not much bigger that the binocular we now carry we will have a binocular, spotting scope,rangefinder, gps, camera, links to our home computer or smartphone, maybe even a digital binocular that has smartphone capacity as well.  We have guys now who can't take a shot without a rangefinder.  How helpless will we get with the dawning of the new age? 

Remember when the Swiss dominated watch manufacturing?  Remember the introduction of the digital watch?  Texas Instruments made a mint and the now dead Swiss watch industry kept building watches the way they should be built.  I wonder if top end optics makers learned that lesson.


Edited by Klamath - December/28/2013 at 12:15
Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.158 seconds.