Telescope Reviews: New Resolux 15X70 Eye Relief Compromise Questions

I just received my new Orion Resolux 15X70 binoculars. I've only tried them in the daytime so far. When I ordered them I was a little worried about the eye relief, and it turns out that it is, in fact, kind of borderline for me.

I have pretty deeply recessed eyes, apparently. I can't see the full field of view with my glasses off with the eyecups up. I can just barely, with the eyecups down, but it is really tight, kind of uncomfortable, and the IPD adjustment is really critical in getting the whole FOV in both eyes at the same time. I can do it, but I need to look at the center of the field of view; if I look to the side at all, I can't see the full FOV in one or both eyes. And I have to press kind of hard. The eye relief specs seem generous, however the eyepieces are deeply recessed, and this is the reason for this problem, I think.

The only binoculars that I've felt really comfortable with in terms of eye relief and a 5 mm or less exit pupil are the Nikon Action Extremes 10X50. In these binoculars I can actually look to the side with both eyes and follow the edge of the eyepiece field stop all the way around.

Other characteristics I noted for the new 15X70 Resolux; chromatic aberration fringing seems the best I've seen in many binoculars in the daytime when looking at the edges of distant hills and telephone poles. Focus is extremely sharp on both sides in daylight, but looking at stars later will be a better test. The IPD setting to get the max FOV with both eyes seems to be around 68, but this seems strange, because my last eye exams were 72 and 73 mm for IPD. My eye exam numbers may have been incorrect, but I don't know. I guess I could try and measure the binoculars IPD using a scale, and estimate the center of the eyepieces and compare this to the reading on the binoculars scale to see if it is correct. The numerical diopter readings when in focus, for my eyes, are within 1/2 diopter of my last eye exam; very good. AR coatings look really good. There is no rubber padding on the tripod mount, just metal to metal, so being the perfectionist that I am, I am worried that rotation of the binoculars on the mount will mar the paint or anodizing on the binoculars from use. There should be a thin gasket or neoprene washer or something.

So far I really like these binoculars, optically and mechanically. When I try them out tonight, I hope they live up to the rave reviews of Resolux as well as its clones with different Garrett, Oberwerk, AP and more brands. But I am concerned about the eye relief.

One solution to the eye relief problem might be to exchange them for 10.5X70 Resolux from Orion. This would cost shipping, but Orion will automatically do this without question. This would buy me an additional 5 mm of eye relief, that would probably make the binoculars more comfortable to use to see the full FOV. They would also be more steady handheld because of the lower mag. However, this would reduce the effective aperture from 70 to 58 mm, since my measured dark adapted pupil size is 5 to 5.5 mm.

Is this compromise worthwhile? Or will I probably get used to the tight view to see the whole FOV, but still have the benefit of full aperture, to see the faintest objects with the high magnification?

I will post again after I try these binoculars at night.

Kevin