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I've seen this rule of thumb repeated recently here and in other forums, and I wonder if it's really true for binoculars. Is aperture king? Does aperture rule? Or is that a simplistic and misleading assertion, verging on a myth, in relation to binoculars (that's carried over unthinkingly from telescopes)?

Of course I believe that besides optical quality (obviously!), BOTH magnification and aperture must be considered. I also think that the user's observing location(s) is(are) relevant. If a person never goes to a dark-sky site or prefers to observe the Moon more than anything else, should he or she get an 8x56 or an 8x40 (or even an 8x32)?

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People need to say this to themselves who are not yet aware of the fact: "Aperture is the ruler of what you can see, some quality accounted for."

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Two eyes and a preference to use both

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