The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Optics Best top brand binocular ?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Best top brand binocular ? | Login/Join |
One of Us |
These guys also have some interesting reviews http://www.allbinos.com/binoculars_reviews.html | |||
|
| One of Us |
I'm not sure why some people like Cold Zero feel the need to chime about their non experience with brand X's customer service, to me it's worthless information that is just taking up space. Here's some more folks with first hand experience with Leica's customer service http://forums.accuratereloadin...1421043/m/8201094061 I could care less which binocs you prefer but please keep it to first hand knowledge otherwise it's just fluff. Myself, I'm happy with my Portugal Leitz 8x40B and 10x40B. Never have had to use Customer service so I will not comment on that. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Texas Bull hockey. I could care less about your experience with Leitz. This thread is about Leica.I chime in because I trust the Outfitter's opinion as I have trusted him with my life on several trips. Hunting forums are for chat, if you can't read and chat with others, go molest your neighbors Collie. You should take everything you read on the interwebz with a grain of salt. You could also click on the ignore button, if you don't want to read about what PROFESSIONALS use and their experience with that gear, in this case Leica. Cold Zero | |||
|
| One of Us |
Cold Zero If you can't have a civil discussion then there is no need to converse. Name calling has no place in civil society and it just make the name caller look petty and small to the rest of the world. Furthermore if one can not discuss an issue like an adult with a semblance of inteligence then, by inference one have nothing intelligent to say. FYI Leitz is Leica in an earlier incarnation when actual Leitz family members ran the company. So if I were to have issues with my Leitz, Leica is who I would contact. | |||
|
| One of Us |
You insulted me and now you want the high ground.  If you really wanted civil discussion, you would not have started off by insulting me. FYI, I know who Leitz is and they have not existed as a company, since 1986.  Your information is 25 years out of date and a waste of my time to read. Keep drinking the Leica Kool aid. Cold Zero | |||
|
| One of Us |
If one of these top three companies would make a "hunting binoc" that is simple by design, lighter and less expensive to make, I would buy it in an instant. Remove the twist out eye cups and replace with rubber fold downs that are cheap to replace. Twist outs are just something that will get encrusted with mud, dirt, ice and eventually break. Designed for birders and sports enthusiest, not for rugged use. Give me individual focusing any day for mountain hunting. The focus is more apt to stay put and it proved a deeper field of view requiring less focusing. These two suggestions would probably trim 2-4 oz and reduce the price. EZ | |||
|
One of Us |
I voted other- Zeiss Classics 10 x 40. Nothing else compares. I also would have voted other for any 10x....... I have 10 x 42 FLs, ELs and Geovids. Glass is the same- splitting hairs or lying to say one is better than the other. I do kinda like having the rangefinder in the Geos..... That being said, the old rubber Zeiss Classics are still the best. There are two types of people in the world: those that get things done and those who make excuses. There are no others. | |||
|
One of Us |
In a former career, I used all types of binos under harsh conditions. In my experience, Swarovski, Leica, Steiner and Zeiss are all top quality binos and I have never had a problem with any of them. However, I also know some people can break a steel ball bearing. Has anyone seen or used the Swarovski EL Range binos? I am trying to decide between the Leica Geovid 10x42 and the Swarovski EL Range 10x42. | |||
|
One of Us |
I have not seen the Swarovski EL Range but I have seen and tried out the Leica Geovid. The Leicas are great but heavy. Instead, I decided to use a combination of standard binoculars and the Swarovski Laser Guide 8 x 30 rangefinder. The Laser Guide comes with a belt clip but I never use it. Instead, I carry it hanging under my outer shirt or coat. The optics of the Laser Guide is unlike any standard rangefinder. The 8x30 monocular is 1/2 of their 8x30 binoculars. It is clear, light, and easy to operate with one hand. That monocular is more than enough to take care of most of my viewing, especially while on the move. I only pull out the Leica 8x32 or 10x42 binoculars if I need to see some special detail or if I am just sitting and glassing. SFRanger7GP, I know where you are coming from and I will tell you that, in this case, having the two devices provides more versatility than relying on a single, larger, and heavier device. . | |||
|
| one of us |
So you're saying the Swarovski Laser Guide and a separate Leica 8x32 or 10x42 binocular is somehow lighter than a Leica Geovid? Interesting.. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Either one in the hand, yes! Most people keep their primary optic handy, usually around the neck or on the chest. Carrying the Laser Guide on the chest or neck is very much lighter than carrying the Geovid in the same place. After you have walked a thousand miles carrying all kinds of stuff you learn to put those things you need the least into or onto your pack and carry light and small things you need the most on your body. The more weight and junk you attach to your body, the harder it is to move around and do things. Things like repeatedly taking a quick scan of a skyline while humping up a slope can become tiresome and awkward with a bulky two pound device like the Geovid. The Swarovski Laser Guide weighs less than a pound, is compact, light around the neck, and easy to use with one hand. Did you ever try to use a Geovid with one hand while holding a rifle in the other? Here are the weights: Leica 10x42 Geovid = 32.8 oz Swarovski 8x30 Laser Guide = 13.2 oz Leica 10x42 Ultravid = 24.5 oz Leica 8x32 Ultravid = 21 oz . | |||
|
| one of us |
Guess I'm missing something. Either your math sucks, or you're are only packing a monocular rangefinder, which no matter how good the optics are, is not conducive to serious glassing. Carrying binoculars in one's pack, unless it's 15x's to be used off a tripod (in combination with an 8x or 10x around your neck), seems a little backwards to me, because I use my binoculars 10x more than I ever use a rangefinder. While you're digging binos out of your pack because your neck hurts, I'll be locating, ranging, and killing game. Also wondering if you've ever heard of a sling? Leica 10x42 Geovid = 32.8 oz. Swaro LG + Leica 10x42 Ultravid = 37.7 oz. Swaro LG + Leica 8x32 Ultravid = 34.2 oz. | |||
|
One of Us |
I have one here - by far the best range finder bino on the market now! (just see the details: >90% transmission while Leica has below 80% only) It works incredible well and is easy to operate! Just for the freaks: the optical quality is not like the EL Swarovision edition - due to assembling a rangefinder in there, the optical quality is more comparable with the SLC HD edition or the old EL WB edition, BUT for a rangefinder bino it is awesome and no other brand will match this quality at the moment! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Guess you are missing something. Yes total, overall pack weight is a few ounces more (only 1.4oz with the 8x32) but having the Laser Guide and a pair of binoculars means you don't have to carry two pounds around your neck or in your hand. It also means that you can scan and range on the move more easily. You can handle and operate the Laser Guide with one hand, even with a light glove on. Yes, I have heard of a sling and I use one. Slung rifles almost never stay where you put them once you start moving your arms. It takes a hand on the sling to hold it in place when moving and to keep it from falling off when you bend down or lean. The first hunt I used the Swarovski on was an eight day caribou drop-off hunt in Alaska. I had the Laser Guide and a pair of Leica 8x32s. My buddy had a pair of 10x50 binoculars. When we were sitting on hillsides glassing we compared the two binoculars and the Laser Guide. The Laser Guide did not have the field of view of the binos but for anything within 600 meters it gave all the detail and resolution needed to easily judge the animals. The binoculars gave a brighter view and provided more detail but the Swarovskis still worked adequately locating animals a kilometer away. We had to hike a mile uphill to start our hunt every day. Then we went up and down steep ridges and canyons all day long. After the first day, I left my Leicas in camp and my buddy and I used the combination of my Laser Guide and his 10x50s. Ever since then, I have done the same thing. That is, I use the Laser Guide and a pair of binoculars to complement each other. Depending on the type of terrain I am in, I usually secure the binoculars to my ruck or put them in my day pack and I use the Swarovskis as my primary optic. I'll grab the binoculars if I am doing some dedicated glassing. Sometimes I know I won't need the binoculars and I don't take them. Other times, I know I won't need a rangefinder so I only take the binoculars. It's a systems approach and I find it works very well for me. I have used many, many binoculars from small, simple shirt-pocket-sized binoculars to huge, complex 25x80 anti-vibration laser range finding binoculars. I also have considerable experience with long range optics, spotting scopes, and various sensor devices including night vision and infra red. I have had to carry gizmos and gadgets over terrain day-in and day-out, sometimes for months at a time. I've learned what works best for me. Buster, I am only sharing my experience and making recommendations based on that. More specifically, I was responding to SFRanger7GP because he mentioned he was looking at the Leica Geovid 10x42 and the Swarovski EL Range 10x42. My suggestion was that he use two smaller devices instead of one big one. If you do something different that works well for you, Buster, then good. Please, tell us about it.  On a drop hunt for caribou in Alaska. This was the first time I carried the Laser Guide. It is under my coat. We had to go up and down many hills and draws. Too bad the caribou didn't just wait for us in the valley below. .  This is another hunt the Laser Guide worked well on. I glassed for ibex from extreme distances with a spotting scope and my 10x42s. Then long stalks ensued. The Laser Guide was easy to carry and provided quick spotting and ranging while on the move. Note the terrain. . | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thanks, Grenadier. I am going to have to look at that option. I don't attempt hunts as challenging as yours so the extra weight has never been an issue for me. I do rely heavily on binos for spotting game. However, when I am carrying my double rifle or a Sharps, I really want to know the range. If the optic on the Laser Guide works as well for me as it does for you, I can see it as a great option to have, especially on a stalk. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I agree. The amount of time spent glassing (hours) far exceeds the amount of time ranging (seconds). I've never noticed the difference in weights. I don't feel recoil in the field and I've never felt the extra weight around my shoulders- between 20-30# pack on your back and your rifle you really don't notice the extra 12 oz around your neck. I used to carry both in a bag with my video equipment, etc when I hunted out of a stand (but now my Leica 1200 rfs are in my golf cart). But whenever I hunt abroad I only take my Geovids. Again, the glass is as good as the non rangefinders, which is more important: you use the better glass to evaluate your game. When you're being dropped off in a bush plane or riding out on horseback space is a premium. And if a lot of walking/climbing is involved, the less clutter the better. Makes no sense to be redundant. In '05 or '06 I was hunting the high desert outside Hermosillio ol' Mexico and some tall delta bravo loudmouth from Alaska had those pissant little Swarovski opera glass type binos- but he sure looked the part of a hunter. Anyway not only did he not get the 30" mulie he wanted, but he shot an immature 3 x 4 instead. Yeah glassing is pretty important. But it all depends on what/how you hunt. There are two types of people in the world: those that get things done and those who make excuses. There are no others. | |||
|
One of Us |
My vote was for the Leicas. But I own and use Zeiss 10x40s because I got a pretty darned good deal on them at the S.H.O.T show....brand new, $500 out the door. They were the Zeiss display pair for the show, so though not pre-owned, they had been handled. For my use, the Zeiss are plenty good enough, so why pay more? Most of the time in wooded terrain, I use still another European binos (model=Alpins), 7x35 lightweights. I don't need the highest priced or the absolute world's best. Good enough for my use is plenty for me. Low status is fine as long as they get the job done well. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I agree with Grenadier. The Geovid 10X42 are good, but are very heavy. I bought mine 6 or 7 months ago and I regret it. "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery" | |||
|
One of Us |
I voted for Swarovski, Leica would be a very close second. Since aquiring 8x32 EL's just last week, my former primary binoculars were the Pentax DCF ED 10x43, very good glass for the price & weight @ 25.75 Oz. "A Lone Hunter is the Best Hunter..." | |||
|
| one of us |
Heavy compared to what? | |||
|
| One of Us |
Heavy compared to binoculars without range finder. My brother has the Zeiss 10x42 without range finder and they are a lot lightier. The perfect set up is a 8x42 and a range finder. "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery" | |||
|
| One of Us |
I have been very impressed with the Optolyth binocs..have bought them used for the price of Nikons and they seem the same quality as the Zeiss products to me....the armored models aren't light but the 63mm models are excellent for low light conditions. The 8x56 is a good binoc for glassing...  | |||
|
| one of us |
Yeah, and then add the weight of a rangefinder.. | |||
|
| one of us |
Your brother's Zeiss 10x42's, assuming they're FL's, weigh 27 oz. Swarovski Laserguide weighs 13.65 oz. Bushnell 1600 Elite weighs 12.1 oz. Zeiss PRF weighs 10.3 oz. Leica CRF 1600 weighs 8.1 oz. I'll let you do the math... | |||
|
| One of Us |
Swarovski has the best customer service in the Industry. Broke a dial on a 15 yr old pair of 8x30 SLC's this month, 2 weeks later they sent me a new pair, NO CHARGE. | |||
|
| one of us |
You won't find too many people who would argue with that. | |||
|
| One of Us |
You are missing the point. Again!! The add weight won't be around your neck!! "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery" | |||
|
| one of us |
Not missing the point at all. You'll be fiddle-phucking around trying to dig a rangefinder out of your pack, or even more likely it'll be sitting on the seat of your truck because it's "too heavy", when I'll be ranging and shooting. And, a good harness system does wonders... | |||
|
| One of Us |
Even with a good harness they are still too heavy. I own them and I barely use them. But that's just my opinion. If you think different that's fine with me. I couldn't care less! "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery" | |||
|
| One of Us |
I've tested both Swaro's and Leica's Service Department and they both get a A from me.. Once with a AV Scope and Leica Geo... Both could have been ruled my Fault.. Both returned my stuff and in the case with Leica replaced the Geo... As far as Optical Quality Swaro EL a little better than the GEO but the Rangefinder makes up for that.. So it's a Wash in My Eye's... AK | |||
|
One of Us |
ive owned multipple from zeiss, swaro, and leica....i have settle on the 8x32 EL for its ergonomics, weight, and optics | |||
|
| One of Us |
Man. I left this post last December and it's degenerated significantly. None of the choices could be bad. Seems like its become like a debate about blondes and brunnettes. Nobody can be proven either right or wrong -- and one might change their mind in a particular case. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Back to the original quesition. IMO there is no best top brand. Several are great. I chose Swaro because my eye sees better through them than others. Choose what you eye likes. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Posted by dogcat:
My point. | |||
|
| One of Us |
The new Zeiss Victory HT has been announced with the latest Schott HT glass and Zeiss coating apparently offering ~95% light transmission. So far only 8x and 10x42.... looking forward to seeing what they offer in x50mm models to compare with the Swaro EL and Leica HD | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata | Page 1 2 |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia
