quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
What's the point of paying thousands of dollars on all kinds of binoculars when one sees perfectly with a 300 dollar pair?

If you honestly cannot tell the difference between a pair of leica's and $300 brand x's...

You live a blessed life, and will always be perfectly content with what you have.

The rest of us must go on envying/lusting after expensive high quality goods like the elitist snobs we are.

I really like my SLC 8X30's. have been using them since 1998.

Paul K

I have Zeiss - 2pr of 8x40's (1pr Victory and 1pr Classics) and a pair of 10x40's. (Conquest) Great glass. When I was "shopping" a few years ago I checked out all the "big names" and settled on the Zeiss.

Two years ago I bought a pair of Nikon Monarch 8x32 ATB's to give to my PH's 10 yo son as a b'day gift. Never really spent a lot of time looking at them and bought mostly on brand name, price point etc. Got them to Africa and the son loved them. The PH uses Swaro 8x40 SLC and we had a chance to compare all three side by side.

Bottom line is that it was very difficult to honestly say which had the better glass! Yes, you could tell there were very minor differences in color shades, but clarity of glass and sharpness of the focus, to our eyes anyway, was virtually identical. Didn't do any "low light" comparisons but would "presume" the 40mm would do better than the 30mm.

The Nikon's also have lifetime factory warranty ($20 flat rate repair fee - mostly covers return shipping). This year while I was there, I asked how the Nikon's were holding up. He said they were great. He even used them while his Swaro's were sent in for repair. He said he got so used to the light weight and when it came to spotting and trophy evaluation he couldn't tell any difference and seriously thought about keeping using them. He did say that in low light he did prefer his Swaro's but again, comparing 40mm vs. 30mm and it that it wouldn't be cool commandeering his son's.

I've just ordered a couple of pair of Nikon's 8x30 ATB's for myself and I'm seriously considering putting the Zeiss up for sale. Plan on hunting this fall with the Nikons to do a little better "field trial" for myself before I make my final choice and put the WTS post up.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not knocking the high end products in any way. For those who can tell a difference or who use them everyday to make a living or just like the big names is one thing. All I am saying is that for the "average Joe" who may hunt a couple of weeks every year for pleasure there are some very good alternatives to the $1000 and up bino market that can be had for less than $250 and save the green for an extra trophy fee.

I went with Leica 8x32 Ultravids and they were outstanding. My PH was incredibly jealous as he had an older pair of 10x42 Leicas. I sold those binos and currently have a pair of Pentax and Minox binos and I miss those Leicas everyday, I WILL get another pair as they are really that good.

I hopped off of the scope and binocular investment train.To me,there was just nothing exciting about seeing something a couple of hundred yards away through magnifying lenses.

Another recommendation for the Swaro 10x42s. If I lost all of my hunting gear, another pair would be my first purchase. If there's a problem with them, particularly when hunting here at home, it's that you frequently have a hard time quitting a hunt in the evening in that you can still see long after shooting hours.

You really can't go wrong with anything by Swarovski, Leica or Zeiss.

I prefer the Swarovski 10x32mm EL, since it is small in size and light in weight.

Just make sure that the eyepieces are well screwed on, as they can loosen and even fall off if you're not careful.

I use a bit of Loctite on mine.

i'm in my mid 50's and 2 years ago i ask the same question. my 8 powers needed a little boost with these ole eyes and i wanted to buy 1 more pair to take me to the end of my hunting career. after a lot of research i purchased the 10 x 32 el's and that is one of the best decisions i ever made. light weight, easy focus, not too big and just a darn good set of glasses.

Another vote for Swaro 8x30 EL. Optically super and not a load around your neck. If Africa only, I like 8x20 that fit in a shirt pocket.

My Leupold 9x25 were purchased new circa 1974 and were made in Portugal. I carry them daily when on safari, around my neck tucked into the left breast pocket of my shirt. People today have no idea how good these little binos are nor how well made. I sent them back to Leupold for a service around 6 years ago and they returned them in like new condition. I've been told by Leupold reps that people who own them refuse to give them up and I find that true. Mine have hunted on many continents in all kinds of weather and have sailed on a few oceans and seas, as well as attending many championship 49ers games. They appear in many of my trophy pictures.

When I began hunting Africa I felt the need for something larger for use at last light. I settled on the Leica 10x42 BN Trinovids. They are great in the vehicle with fantastic glass, but I found them too heavy, given my back problems, for humping on a daily basis. A few years later I bought a pair of Leica 8x32 BN Trinovids at a hefty mark-down when the new models were coming out, and they are easy to carry and also have the excellent Leica glass; only wish they were the 10 power version.

As my eyes (and body) have aged I have come to doubt that an upgrade to the newer Leica models would be of much benefit to me. However, were I in your position, I would look at the latest Leicas, as they will last your lifetime and that can be considered a very good return on the investment made. Oh, and by all means, keep your little Leupolds, they are worth their weight in gold to those who know.

I have Steiners in 10 x 50 and when I am hunting I carry them all day, they are much lighter than the upper class types and just as good. The predators are smaller when compared to the others. The steiners are good for all light conditions.

One really important conideration is to actually TRY whatever you are looking at. I would love to have a pair of the lighter weight EL's but they don't go close enough to get the interpupiallary distance I need. There are several good binos I can't use because of that.

I have been fortunate enough to try out many, many different binoculars when I was guiding hunters here in MT.

I bought and use Swarovski 10x42 SLCs.

Like I said Buy the best you can afford. I used Pentax 8 x 40's for 15 yrs. Now I have Swaro's 10 x 42's , much heavier than my pentax but I like them.

I have a pair of Leica´s 8x32 Ultravids.

The PROs: They are small enough to take them buffalo tracking for hours. They fit in the left side pocket of some safari-shirts and hence you do not need to use a bra-type binocular harness, which I dislike. Unlike the compact variety they have generous 4mm exit pupils. They dont fog. They are also relatively light. Their magnification is the largest one I can handle for free-hand glassing without image tremor.

The CONs: Bloody expensive and every PH wants your binos as a tip...

I like my Leica Trinovid 8X32's. I think they are the perfect size vs 8x40's. Also have a pair of Zeiss 8x20 pocket binos. Good for a spare.

One thing that happened to me in Zim. My Leicas fogged up and were next to useless for the trip. I guess that could happen with any brand but I was surprised it happened with Leicas.

RAC-

I hope you sent them back to Leica USA immediately upon your return. Any product is subject to a problem sometime, but Leica would be very interested in inspecting and fixing such a problem.

Paul C,
I just put Swarovski SLC's 10x42 up in the Classified forum if you might be interested. Very lightly used.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
RAC-

I hope you sent them back to Leica USA immediately upon your return. Any product is subject to a problem sometime, but Leica would be very interested in inspecting and fixing such a problem.

Oh, yea. They were sent back immediately. They were fixed promptly. I never did push for a technical reason why they did fail. Didn't really matter, either they work or don't and I am not Leica quality control. Next time... I will submerge them in water before I go on a big hunt to see if they are waterproof.

quote:

I have Steiners in 10 x 50 and when I am hunting I carry them all day, they are much lighter than the upper class types and just as good. The predators are smaller when compared to the others. The steiners are good for all light conditions.

+ 1 as well for Steiners. I took a pair of 8 x 30 Military / Marine Porro's to Africa back in 2000. My guide was so impressed with them I ended up giving them to him.