OT--Best Binoculars--again

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:08 am

Not too long ago we "discussed" the best binoculars.

I determined from what some of you said that Leica, Zeiss and Swarvski are the very best. Some said most professional hunters in Africa chose Leica. That's been my understanding too.

Today I call www.binoculars.com and ask their advice. The lady tells me that all 30 people she works with there pick Swarvski (sp?) as being the very best. Every single person there!

That tells me a lot but I still need to compare them side by side before buying. Lots of money but over the rest of my lifetime--not much at all.

She suggests 8X40. Keeps them light and they are so good that going to 50mm objective lens not needed. As most of you know, get over 8X and the shakes can be a problem and destroy image although I know there's been a big shift to 10X in recent years.

I didn't know it but she said some of these top end binoculars also offer Imaging Stablizing feature.

I bought the Canon 10X30 recently from binoculars.com and may return them for the Swarvski brand. Plus a couple dollars!

Don McCullough

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:35 pm

For the money, Pentax is a great choice, too. Then there's Brunton, Meopta, etc., etc.

Poke around this forum to learn more:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread ... /16/page/1

And, specifically, this thread (Mule Deer is writer John Barsness. He knows his glass.):

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread ... r/1957736/

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:45 pm

I read that all full size binocs are 8x, they just put magnifiers on for the remaining 2x. So it might reduce the clarity a little to go for 10x.

I wanted to do well with a low price, and tried the Bushnell Legend with Porro Prism in 8x. I must say they are pretty good, better than the Bushnell Roof Prism which cost twice as much. They're no heavier, just wider.

For me, I have a slight astigmatism, so it wouldn't help me to get great binoculars. The lack of cylinder correction means they wouldn't be all that sharp anyway.

So I would say whatever you want to get, consider the Porro Prism as they are a more solid and straightforward design.

Terry Murbach · Post by **Terry Murbach** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:11 pm

HEY DON, DIDN'T WE TALK ABOUT ALL THIS BEFORE ?? MAYBE LAST YEAR ?? OR THE LAST CENTURY ?? IN THE IMMORTAL WORKS OF SAM CLEMENS " I CAN REMEMBER ANYTHING WHETHER IT HAPPENED OR NOT."
I HAVE USED LEICA AND I HAVE USED ZEISS. BOTH WERE GREAT, BOTH WERE TOO HEAVY IN THE MODELS I HAD ACCESS TO. NEITHER EQUALLED THE SWAROVSKI'S IN MY OPINION AND I COULD NEVER QUITE PUT INTO WORDS WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS.
MY 8 X 30 SWAROVSKI'S ARE THE BEST I HAVE EVER USED. I AM RED/GREEN COLOR BLIND AND I HAVE SEEN, AND CAN SEE, THINGS WITH THOSE BINOCS I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. NO FOOLING. I TOLD THE FOLKS AT SWAROVSKI/AUSTRIA THIS ONE TIME AND THEY ALL LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS NUTS. THE USA DIRECTOR OF SWAROVSKI AT THAT TIME WAS A PAL OF MINE AND HE THOUGHT I WAS GOOFY ABOUT THIS. I WAS NOT !!! THE SWAROVSKI COLOR REDITIONS WERE UNSURPASSED, NO ONE ELSE WAS BREATHING THEIR DUST.

Post by **Old Savage** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:33 pm

I have Leupold 10x40 IF. They are good I wouldn't say great. I have read with interest the different opinions. Swarovski - Leica etc. Eyes are different and so are nervous systems which interpret the info. I would like to see great. Haven't use Leica. Swarovski was not the best for me but I believe they are for others. I would like to be able to try a wide group.

spud1949 · Post by **spud1949** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:43 pm

I have the EL 10x42 Swarovski best glass period! I gave my oldest son my EL 8x32 Swarovski's to use on the job (swat team). These are the best glass I have ever looked through!

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:03 pm

I've located some Swarovski dealers in my area. Will be visiting them soon. Will call and make sure they also stock Leica and Zeiss. Seems for sure these 3 are considered best.

Guy has to be careful and distinguish between Swarovski EL models and older model which is inferior. Learning as I go here.

When you think about it the price is not so bad compared to a fairly decent old Winchester lever-action. Average cost over 10 years and it then is easier to take. At 67 I've decided to have some of the better things--while I'm able to enjoy them. When both parents die and you see lots of 50 and 60 year olds in the obituaries--your priorities change!

Mortal man is no joke.

Don McCullough

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:06 pm

spud1949 wrote:I have the EL 10x42 Swarovski best glass period! I gave my oldest son my EL 8x32 Swarovski's to use on the job (swat team). These are the best glass I have ever looked through!

spud1949,

How do you compare the 10x42 with the 8x32 ? Do you have a problem with "shakiness" with the 10x42's ?

Don McCullough

Greg807 · Post by **Greg807** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:30 pm

I haven't tried the swaro ELs but these are hard to beat,as far as punishment goes. we've had ours for ten years now, use them mostly for watching the birds. The ten x helps to check groups at 100yards http://www.cambridgeworld.com/detail.php?item_id=2256

gimdandy · Post by **gimdandy** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:47 pm

went to Cabelas and after looking at all they had ,the dept. mgr. and I filled up a shopping cart of bino's and went outside for almost 2 hours and I just kept trying everyone of them and putting the ones I eliminated in a different cart. The last four were Leica , Zeiss , and Swaovrski SLC , and 8.5X42 EL . These last 4 took over an hour of the time. I bought the E L Swarovrski's, second place was the S L C

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:51 pm

I'm saving up for a nice pair of binocs as well. I've been looking at the Leica range finders ..... handy for those fellows who shoot slow bullets. The LEICA GEOVID 8 x 42 BRF looks pretty good. I've looked through the Leicas and have been extremely impressed. I have not tried the Swarovski's but it sounds like I should before making the big purchase.

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:07 am

gimdandy wrote:went to Cabelas and after looking at all they had ,the dept. mgr. and I filled up a shopping cart of bino's and went outside for almost 2 hours and I just kept trying everyone of them and putting the ones I eliminated in a different cart.

You were too kind in your testing.

Don't use bright light to evaluate. Instead, you should find the dimmest, darkest corner of the store and look into it with the binocular. Which model allowed you to see best in that low-light situation??? THAT is how the wheat is separated from the chaff with optics.

gimdandy · Post by **gimdandy** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:51 am

sorry rsy our elk aren't in store corners...ther' outside.My tests were done late afternoon till half hour for dusk @500 to 1000 yds or so. Do whatever you want w/ that chaff ,

THINK FIRST

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:03 am

I like steiner and nikon for the money
I use a compact 10x42 bushnell for hunting
Leica, Zeiss and Swarvski are out of my price range

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:34 am

For a while I was kind of hung-up on large objective lens. That is how they get more light into binoculars and see better in dim light.

Then, I got to thinking. How much time will I spend using my binoculars in dim light. Very, very little. Thus, I want smaller objective lens which makes for a considerably lighter tool. Actually I'm going with 42mm which is sort of a compromise. The 50mm are really heavy. Often cost quite a bit more, too.

Now for you guys who use binoculars in early morning and late evening for hunting--or whatever--the 50mm lens is best--if you don't mind the extra weight. Of course a top binocular with 40mm would probably be brighter than a cheap pair with 50mm. Just guessing.

Don

win40-82 · Post by **win40-82** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:46 pm

While at the Las Vegas gun show last weekend I found a pair of used Swarovski SLC 10X42 for $849 which I believe did not sell. The table belonged to First Stop Guns in Rapid City SD. They were in excellent condition. I looked them over pretty well as I was thinking about trading in my 8X30 toward them. I have visited his shop and a good friend of mine does a lot ob business with him so believe it is safe to recommend doing business there. I believe he also had a some Lieca 10X42 that looked to be in like condition. Anyway here are the numbers to contact the shop. He also has a good web site.
605 341 5211
1 888 404 5211
Get a set, you'll never be sorry.

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:22 pm

Cabelas price for Canon 10x30 IS binoculars 100 dollars more than what I paid for mine a few days ago. 329 vs. 429 Wow !

Be careful where you buy.

Appears to me Cabelas is pretty high with their gun prices too.

Don McCullough

spud1949 · Post by **spud1949** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:56 pm

getitdone1, the main difference in them to me is the field of veiw. When I want to get a good look at something I get a good rest. There are a lot of good glasses out there and certainly cheaper but I would have been dollars ahead if I had bought these years ago!

bj94 · Post by **bj94** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:13 pm

While Zeiss/Leica/Swarovski may be the best, some of the better Nikon and Pentax models were said to be "just as good" but 1/2 or 1/3 the price. But if a person can afford the best and will use them for a lifetime, then go for it. Anyway, I'm cheap so I ended up getting one of the better Pentax models. I still have an old pair of Nikon travel binocs that work pretty well for me and are compact.

It seems from my memory that some hunters liked the Leica because they had a model something like 8x30 that was good but also light and compact and easy to carry.

I also found a lot of information about how the size of the objective lens works. As I understand it now, a bigger objective lens will focus the light into a correspondingly bigger output. But the problem is that the size of the pupil in your eye will be the limiting factor. So for most people they can't tell the difference in brightness between 40mm objectives and 50mm objectives. And the older you get the smaller the pupils in your eyes are, so a younger person stands to be able to use the larger objectives better than the rest of us.

I've used binocs with small objectives and could see through them just fine, but I wondered if the larger exit image would make it easier to center your eye. Some of the binocs with small objectives seemed real sensitive to where you put your eye.

win40-82 · Post by **win40-82** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:10 am

spud1949 wrote:getitdone1, the main difference in them to me is the field of veiw. When I want to get a good look at something I get a good rest. There are a lot of good glasses out there and certainly cheaper but I would have been dollars ahead if I had bought these years ago!

You're exactly right. The money I wasted on other brands would have paid for at least half of my Swarovski SLC 8X30. And when I'm no longer can use them my grandson will get them.

Coldfingers · Post by **Coldfingers** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:25 pm

I sure squandered away alot of mony buying "good" bino's.

Glassing all day with "good" binos will give one a severe headache. At late dusk in the early gloom when you can no longer see anything, pick up a pair of Swaroski's and watch the world come alive again. No headaches after a day of squinting either.

Nothing I have used in the field even comes close.

"Ya can't hunt what ya can't see" and a pair of Swaroski's will save one heck of alot of boot leather and make it pure joy to glass the country or probe the deep thickets before blundering in there.

jvaldes · Post by **jvaldes** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:39 pm

Getitdone1

I own all three that you mention and for all practical issues, to my untrained eye they are indistinguisable, they all have the "wow" factor that you dont see in the less expensive brands.

Having said that, you owe to your self to do a serch under "birding optics forums" that group are extremely dependant on their optics and you would benefit from their opininons.

Good hunting
JV

OT--Best Binoculars--again

OT--Best Binoculars--again

I did a lot of research on binocs a couple of years ago

Binoculars