I am planning on buying a range finding binocular very soon and cannot decide between the Zeiss Victory 10x45 RF or the Leica Geovid 10x42. I have several Zeiss scopes and two binoculars and have had great customer service and service from my items so I am a little torn. I have a Leica LRF 800 also but I cannot decide which one I would rather have. The Zeiss has the Ballistic program but to tell you the truth, I am not sure how much I would actually use it. Am I missing some great disparity between the two brands or is it a flip of a coin? Anyone have experience with either, good or bad? Thanks in advance.

I have a Leica Geovid 8x42.

It has great glass, and the RF works very good.

It is a little heavy.

I just wish Leica would make an 8x30 Geovid.

Have you looked at the Bushnell Fusion 1600 ARC 12x50? It has been getting positive reviews, even by owners of the Leica Geovids and at a much friendlier price point. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the optics when I first looked through them, liked the intensity adjustment and they seem to be well thought out. I'm thinking about taking one to Zim this August.

BTW, Leica have been my binos of choice for many years.

You should better go with a Swarovski EL Range !

Much better optics then the 2 others... The only problem is to get one as Swarovski´s plant is producing on the limit and it is still not enough...

Hi
I am using the 10x42 Zeiss for the last 4 years professionally and I am very happy with it and no complains / no problems the ballistic program is easy to use and will cover anything you need and it is fast!

All 3 make good products however I prefer Zeiss / Hensoldt then Leitz / Leica and last Swarovski.

something to read at http://www.longrangehunting.co...nocular-Review-1.php

Hope that helps.

Mag,

Great question. Please do your research before plinking down a shiny penny on this purchase.

I owned two sets of Leicas. To me, the glass was average at best. The images distorts as you move to the outer edge, I believe the term is spheratic aberration. But at the time they were the only game in town.

I traded them into the Swarovskis. Those Els are sweet. The one drawback is the closest distance for ranging. The Swaros is way out at 10M vs 3M on the Leicas. 33 yards minimum is not very useful if you are a bowhunter.

If you have an opportunity, you should compare them side by side. Its your money, buy the pair that look best to you.

Good luck

I have looked through both and I preferred the Zeiss glass but I have heard that the rangefinder function is more accurate with the Leica.

The Swarovski's are sweet too!

Tough decision, one that I will be making shortly as well.

Drummond

This is not the answer to your question, but....
I think the RF/Binocs are a bit on the heavy side, especially if you are hunting and don't need both, which can be the case.

I use a Leica 900 range finder for rifle/bow and Swaro 10X32 bonocs.

I think its the best of both worlds, but thats just my opinion.

Hello
Why buy at all
Let the PH give you the distance.
Save the money buy another animal
Larry
Oh after over 13 safaris never used a range finder ever.

I, for one, vote that all future entries from the above poster be moved directly to the HUMOR section of this Forum :-)

Thanks Biebs

:-)

I too was concerned about weight but the Swarovski with RF weighs 3 ounces more?? I think this is negligible. I Have zeiss victory binos now and really like them but all ph's I've hunted with in Africa use Swarovski binoculars. Must be for good reason.

Maybe they don't know any better?

I think the Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss question is a Ford/Chevy/Dodge truck argument. Go with the one you like most. They are all top of the line glass and their RF functions great. None of the 3 will disappoint you.

For me, comparing optics for clarity in Cabela's, SWFA, etc. is a borderline waste of time. Even a $200 set of binos are really clear when looking across a parking lot or a lighted store. When the lighting and weather is poor is when you will find out which binos are good.

I have a pair of Leupold Gold Ring 10x42 that I thought were great. On a hunt one foggy morning, all I could see was a "white out". My guide guided me in on a nice stag with his Leica's that I could easliy pick out in my Swarovski scope once I was vectored in on him. I was going to get the new Swarovski's but I went with the Leica's for 2 reasons. I used a lot of Leica optics in the military and Camera Land gave me a GREAT price on a demo set (that was still in sealed plastic when I got them). I didn't like the way the Zeiss RF is set up but that was a personal preference.

Put your hands on both and buy the one whose features you prefer. Search all of the big optics dealers for good buys on demo models. It could save you a lot.