10x42 or 10x50???

[Mr.BowJangles]

Looking for a new pair of binocs and want some of your pros and cons between 10x42 and 10x50. Would be used for mostly stand hunting in Michigan, but also want something that would be valuble on a western hunt. What do you gain/lose with the 50's? Fire away fellas!!

[Bitterroot Bulls]

You gain .8mm of exit pupil, which should help in very low light. You also lose in something else you gain ... weight and bulk.

[Mr.BowJangles]

So you will pull in a little more light and thats about it. Is it enough of a difference to really matter with a higher quality glass?

[BKC]

The average pupil on a human is 3 to 4 mm. If you have a exit pupil of 4 ( in other words objective size divided by the magnification ) then all your pupil is covered with the light that you are looking at. Anything more is a waste. That being said the 10 x 50 will give you an exit pupil of 5mm and a 8 x 42 will give you an exit pupil of 5.25 mm and cover more than just your pupil. My son has a pair of 7 x 50 steiners and immediatly when you put them up you see a great picture. Look in to a bright light and have someone look at the light that is being cast on your eye. You will see how much light is cast outside your pupil. Also the more light your pupils recieve the more they dialate and get smaller. I think the bino people have it all figured out and probably sell more 8 x 42 than anything. It is the most poular size.
l,

[Bitterroot Bulls]

I like a 4mm exit pupil or larger. The human pupil dialates from about 2mm in bright light to about 7mm in low light/ dark. An exit pupil larger than your pupil isn't exactly wasted, in that your pupil has a little more room to wiggle around, kind of like a stabilized camera lens, so you can get a little steadier picture.

To me, I prefer the weight and size savings of the 10X42 over the 10X50. If I want more exit pupil, I go down in magnification, as BKC noted.

[flatlander51]

i just learnd more about binos in two post then i have my hole life. thanks for the info

[goathunt]

For what it is worth I have multiple pairs of binos from compact up to 10x50. The various makers have it figured out that each size has its pros/cons. Guiding out west I use each of them differently, but the one that makes it around my neck the most is 10x42. I believe that the size/weight makes a difference when one uses them day in and day out. Buy the best quality glass that the budget can swallow.

[xtreme]

Go back to BR to explain the effect of age on exit pupil.

[Ikeepitcold]

10x50 for me. I have had smaller in the passed and always return to the bigger objective.

[Muleys 24/7]

I like and have the 10x50 on my weatherby

[betterthanwefoundit]

I have worked my way up n quality to the cabelas meopta 12x50 & love images. Size &l weight not so much. I use them on tripod a lot. 10x42 is my next purchase. Will be a much friendlier packing bino and also easily tucked in jacket when im on stand for whitetail. Again the best quality i can aff
ord.