what do you have for optics?

[Marzipan]

like binoculars, telescopes...can even talk camera gear if you like.

my passion is for bino's and hope one day I can afford a few Swarovski and the Kowa Highlander's, but I have had many a scope too.

for bino's, I have:
- Nikon SE 10x32
- Nikon SE 10x42
- Nikon SE 12x50
- Vixen 2.1x42 Constellation

Nikon SE's are pretty much the BEST porro prism binocular ever built, so I'm pleased to have them in my collection. that said, they are outclassed by the more modern Nikon EDG2. heck, with all the Swaro and Zeiss I've looked through, they don't stand up against the EDG2!

for a telescope, I have:
- SkyWatcher 80ED w/upgraded 2 speed focuser and Televue Clamshell Ring
- Celestron 90mm Maksutov Cassegrain Spotting Scope w/Flip Diagonal

I have a Canon Rebel T4i, but it's been in my dad's custody ever since getting int, LoL!
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[Marzipan]

no idea how I duplicated myself...

[Marzipan]

no idea how I duplicated myself twice! 

[Walchit]

My wife has a d3400 Nikon camera with a 50mm Nikon lens, and a big zoom tamron that was almost 700 bucks. I just grabbed a d3300 for 60 bucks at an estate sale, need to find some cheap glass for it.

[Marzipan]

you likely know what to buy...but Sigma usually has much friendlier prices than Tamron.

I tend to shy away from the home brand lenses as they're usually inferior to the third party options.

[dogman]

I have this https://www.meoptasportsoptics.eu/en/produkt/meopro-hd-8x56-3512/

Because of the huge exit pupil they are so bright that at night the image is not any darker than what you see with the naked eye. I also have a pair of American-made Leupold Goldrings but I cannot get to them now.

[Marzipan]

yes, large exit pupil's are nice for stability, but at the same time has to be weighed against all the wasted light your pupil's are missing. that's why it's nice to have a good tripod when you get into the higher powers.

[dogman]

yes, large exit pupil's are nice for stability, but at the same time has to be weighed against all the wasted light your pupil's are missing. that's why it's nice to have a good tripod when you get into the higher powers.

A big exit pupil is never bad as far as I understand it and has nothing to do with stability. It just has to do with how much light gets lost or not. These are only 8 power and are hard to hold. But tripods kinda kill the idea of binoculars. If you need more magnification and you also need brightness, you need a spotting scope with a big exit pupil.

[Walchit]

you likely know what to buy...but Sigma usually has much friendlier prices than Tamron.

I tend to shy away from the home brand lenses as they're usually inferior to the third party options.

I actually haven't looked into it much, I will have to check out the sigma stuff. I want something with a decent zoom, where I can still get that good bokeh or whatever its called. The 50mm nikor takes awesome portraits, at least to me they are lol

[Marzipan]

yes, large exit pupil's are nice for stability, but at the same time has to be weighed against all the wasted light your pupil's are missing. that's why it's nice to have a good tripod when you get into the higher powers.

A big exit pupil is never bad as far as I understand it and has nothing to do with stability. It just has to do with how much light gets lost or not. These are only 8 power and are hard to hold. But tripods kinda kill the idea of binoculars. If you need more magnification and you also need brightness, you need a spotting scope with a big exit pupil.

it does involve stability as well as the light gathered (tho this is more an aspect of the primary objective) and/or lost (if the exit pupil is bigger than your pupil). the stability is an extra benefit of large exit pupils because the shake of your hand often isn't so much that it knocks your pupil outside of it's measurements.