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Binos
Aug 20, 2012 21:40:22 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Aug 20, 2012 21:40:22 GMT -5
I am pretty much a binocular snob. Most of my binos are Swarovski and Leica. the cheapest binos I have are a set of Nikons that I got on close out years ago. I Put a lot of demand on my equipment and expect my equipment to hold to the task. It's one reason I don't buy cheap trashy or junky optics. I had a pretty decent set of Steiner stolen out of my truck last year and I was going to be darn if I was going to put a $300 set in the truck to get stolen again. For $90 bucks I ordered these on a whim and folks let me tell u these are a sleeper deal. www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=1008961I ordered 3 more of these to put up for a rainy day. Get these while they last.
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Binos
Aug 20, 2012 22:38:06 GMT -5
Post by rossman40 on Aug 20, 2012 22:38:06 GMT -5
I didn't think they were worth the $250-300 price tag they carried last year when compared to some of the ED glassed models like from Vanguard or even the Bushnell Legends that were almost the same price.
I use cheaper ones in the field and laying around the house. My main ones are a pair of Tasco Sierras in 12x50. I think I only paid $27.95 on a end of season sale at Meirs. Of course I'm only glassing deer out to 300yds so I don't need that much and they do the job as well as binos in the $200 range and even thought they were about equal to the Bruntons.
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Binos
Aug 20, 2012 22:42:50 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Aug 20, 2012 22:42:50 GMT -5
I didn't think they were worth the $250-300 price tag they carried last year when compared to some of the ED glassed models like from Vanguard or even the Bushnell Legends that were almost the same price. I use cheaper ones in the field and laying around the house. My main ones are a pair of Tasco Sierras in 12x50. I think I only paid $27.95 on a end of season sale at Meirs. Of course I'm only glassing deer out to 300yds so I don't need that much and they do the job as well as binos in the $200 range and even thought they were about equal to the Bruntons. At 250-300 I would pass. There are much better binos in that price range. stieners come to mind. For $90 bucks these are a steal.
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Binos
Aug 21, 2012 3:06:51 GMT -5
Post by Al on Aug 21, 2012 3:06:51 GMT -5
Bruntons are decent for the $$ and that's a good price. Cameraland has some smoking deals on Minox from time to time and they are hard to beat for the price too. My 15yr old second hand 10x42 SLC Swarvoski's are on their back from repair, N/C, covered under warranty which I didn't expect.
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Binos
Aug 21, 2012 4:47:02 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Aug 21, 2012 4:47:02 GMT -5
Bruntons are decent for the $$ and that's a good price. Cameraland has some smoking deals on Minox from time to time and they are hard to beat for the price too. My 15yr old second hand 10x42 SLC Swarvoski's are on their back from repair, N/C, covered under warranty which I didn't expect. I love the lifetime warranty with Swarovski. I think Leica makes a bit better set but their warranty is only good for the original purchaser and only if yu purchase them from a Lecia authorized dealer which means u pretty much have to pay full list. I got my Lecias wholesale at the time and got them under the lifetime warranty.U can bet if I have to invest in another set it's going to be Swarovski or Minox. Bruntons upper end binos are really in a class above the rest. They are spectacular and come with a price. The Echo series are attractive too. I look for those on close out and find them from time to time. They are a bit sharper than Steiner for the most part. In the mid price ranges Stiener probably has the best bang for your buck. I've found their binos very suitable for most general big game glassing.
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Binos
Aug 21, 2012 5:13:45 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Aug 21, 2012 5:13:45 GMT -5
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Binos
Aug 21, 2012 6:06:48 GMT -5
Post by AJ on Aug 21, 2012 6:06:48 GMT -5
While my main carry set for big game hunting is a set of 10x42 Leica Geovid HD, I do like some of the Asian glasses. The Vortex Vipers are very decent glass for the prie. The Zen Ray ED2 glass is outstanding. I also have a set of big eyes for glassing and they are the 15x56 Vortex Kaibab. I have used them side by side to the Swaro 15x56 and I can not see a difference in picture quality so for half the price, the Vortex is my choice.
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Binos
Aug 21, 2012 9:03:19 GMT -5
Post by gunny on Aug 21, 2012 9:03:19 GMT -5
Swaros being my first choice,but out of my price range ,started using Bushnell Legends 8x42 the older ones for the eye relief (eye glasses) Then my nephew dropped them and well un repairable. Read the reviews on the Bushy ED,s and knew they would,nt work for me . Found a used pair of 10x42 Legends on ebay like new for 65.00 bucks and back in business. One nephew will now have to buy his own ,cause he sure is not using mine ;D
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Binos
Aug 21, 2012 11:39:46 GMT -5
Post by rossman40 on Aug 21, 2012 11:39:46 GMT -5
That is the good thing about the Vortex VIP warranty, I've seen them replace, N/C, a pair of binos that were ran over by a ATV. I've lost more binos to accidents and grandkids then anything else.
I probly have more glass time with Steiners then anything else but you have to watch buying them anymore. The problem is they look so much alike. It might look like the $600 pair and be only $200, but it still has $200 guts. Then there are online/Ebay retailers that will sell you what they claim is Military/Marine grade but isn't. You think you got a $600 pair for $400 when in fact you paid $400 for a $200 pair.
I won't pay more then what a pair of Razor HDs go for. I'm sorry but while Zeiss, Swaros and Leicas are quality but for half the price I get the same quality and a better no-fault warranty.
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Binos
Aug 21, 2012 13:42:51 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Aug 21, 2012 13:42:51 GMT -5
My first real experience with serious glassing was in 1985. My dad and I took a trip to Colorado. We both had a crappy pair of Tasco Binos. This was a guided hunt and our guide had a really nice set of Bausch And Lomb binos. They were pre Crapnell period optics. We were Hunting Antelope and our guide spotted a larger group of mature Antelope about 500 yards away. He was calling off widths and heights of antlers. Dad and I looked through our glass and just saw fuzzy looking racks. When the guide let us see through his binos we were very enlightened at the differences we saw.
I learned then I needed to upgrade. I spent several years of trial by error with cheap optics till I finally splurged and bought my first Swarovski's. My eyes have become so accustomed to good glass that looking through cheap glass bothers me. I can really spot the differences in good glass vs bad glass.
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Binos
Aug 22, 2012 3:05:52 GMT -5
Post by Al on Aug 22, 2012 3:05:52 GMT -5
I have a pair of 12x pre HD Razors and they are nice, but heavy. Glass has come a long way in the last 10 years and the euro glass has gone thru the roof in price. Glad I "splurged" when I did!!
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Binos
Aug 22, 2012 16:58:39 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Aug 22, 2012 16:58:39 GMT -5
I have a pair of 12x pre HD Razors and they are nice, but heavy. Glass has come a long way in the last 10 years and the euro glass has gone thru the roof in price. Glad I "splurged" when I did!! I feel your pain on the heavy part. Without a tripod several hours of glassing can really start to fatigue the arms with a full size 12x. I usually recommend to people if you really need Bino's stronger then 10x then you need to be looking through a spotting scope and not Binoculars. Better field of view and less eye strain. I keep hoping that one day that IS (Image Stability) Binocular technology will improve. Right now that technology is still in its infancy. Much like laser rangefinding scopes are. Ive seen some remarkable improvements over the years but nothing that will convince me its time to invest in a pair.
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Binos
Aug 23, 2012 7:03:14 GMT -5
Post by AJ on Aug 23, 2012 7:03:14 GMT -5
I usually recommend to people if you really need Bino's stronger then 10x then you need to be looking through a spotting scope and not Binoculars. Better field of view and less eye strain. I have a Zeiss 65mm spotter and it typically is used for range use when am shooting over 600 yards. When I glass for hunting, the 15x56 binos are the choice. I have a much larger field of view with enough magnification to pick up critter parts even at 1 mile distances. This is with much less eye strain than when using a spotter. Of course both are used from a tripod.
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Binos
Aug 28, 2012 8:39:49 GMT -5
Post by peddler on Aug 28, 2012 8:39:49 GMT -5
;D KOWA GENESIS 44, 10.5 X 44 Prominar XD Lens Peddler
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Binos
Oct 14, 2012 23:11:30 GMT -5
Post by fergy on Oct 14, 2012 23:11:30 GMT -5
After looking for months at the German glasses I decided to check out some birding sites and what they are saying are some of the best, they are Brunton Epoch's, I found a pair for 1/3 the asking price and jumped in and never looked back. They have what they call a halo warrenty which covers anything except loss or theft. They will even send you a pair 2nd day air for use if yours get broken. I love them and now another friend of mine bought a pair, and he isn't regretting it either.
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Binos
Oct 15, 2012 16:23:04 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Oct 15, 2012 16:23:04 GMT -5
Birders certainly know the difference between good glass and bad glass as they are looking at fine details for hours on end.
Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to really exercise my SLC 8x42. I had 3 does come in about 100 yards through really thick over grown hard woods. I could see them coming but of course with bow season had to wait for them to present a shot. At some point I lost sight of all movement of them. I got out the binos and started glassing for them thinking maybe I had spooked them and that they had ran off.
Had I not had quality binoculars I might still be thinking that. What I found was them laying down for a rest so I sat tight and waited them out. A hour past and I decided to hit the grunt call. Sure enough they jumped up and looked around and browsed for a bit then settled back down for a while. Repeated about a hour later with the same results.
Wasent my day. Deer won that one but the moral of the story was with cheap glass I would have never spotted them laying down and most likely would have come off stand and walked right up on them spooking them off into the sunset.
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Binos
Oct 17, 2012 2:37:09 GMT -5
Post by Al on Oct 17, 2012 2:37:09 GMT -5
My buddy gave me a set of German 10x Minox on this last moose hunt. They will run side by side with my Swarvo's all around and are a good bit lighter.
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Binos
Oct 17, 2012 13:48:53 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Oct 17, 2012 13:48:53 GMT -5
My buddy gave me a set of German 10x Minox on this last moose hunt. They will run side by side with my Swarvo's all around and are a good bit lighter. I don't doubt that a bit . I plan on ordering one of the Minox Monoculars and checking it out for Turkey season.
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Binos
Oct 18, 2012 2:45:46 GMT -5
Post by Al on Oct 18, 2012 2:45:46 GMT -5
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Binos
Oct 18, 2012 13:36:54 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Oct 18, 2012 13:36:54 GMT -5
Thanks for pointing that out. I have been toying with a new optics purchase. This defiantly pushed me over the edge.
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Binos
Oct 18, 2012 23:02:55 GMT -5
Post by AJ on Oct 18, 2012 23:02:55 GMT -5
Yep, Doug at Cameraland is a good guy. I have bought many items from him in the past.
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Binos
Oct 20, 2012 8:48:24 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2012 8:48:24 GMT -5
I was at Sports Authority the other day here in Omaha and picked up a pair for $45 on clearance!! I really like the quality of them!! Mine are 8x32!! It was the last pair otherwise I would have picked up a couple more!
RR
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Binos
Oct 22, 2012 16:23:13 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Oct 22, 2012 16:23:13 GMT -5
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Binos
Oct 22, 2012 17:22:27 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Oct 22, 2012 17:22:27 GMT -5
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Binos
Oct 22, 2012 19:31:17 GMT -5
Post by rossman40 on Oct 22, 2012 19:31:17 GMT -5
Run and get them Chinese binos! Almost all the "B" series are now made in China. The "German special edition" BLs were only final assembled in Germany from Chinese sub assemblys. The higher HGs are Japanese made.
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Binos
Oct 22, 2012 19:53:48 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Oct 22, 2012 19:53:48 GMT -5
Run and get them Chinese binos! Almost all the "B" series are now made in China. The "German special edition" BLs were only final assembled in Germany from Chinese sub assemblys. The higher HGs are Japanese made. HAve you seen them yet? I have.
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Binos
Oct 22, 2012 21:26:04 GMT -5
Post by edwardamason on Oct 22, 2012 21:26:04 GMT -5
Bow hunting is such a great time of the year to be in the woods because there is so much foliage on the trees it really makes you search for the deer. You do not get to see deer. You only get to see parts of deer. You are looking for a nose, a ear a tail.... any part of the animal that gives away his or her position in the woods. Its generally not till they get into bow range till you get to see the whole deer. This is where a good quality set of binoculars really comes into play. Cheap quality optics simply are not up to the task. This past weekend I had the opportunity to ring out the above set of binoculars and test them up against some of my go to binoculars. When I test out binos I do a bit more than just hang out the window of my truck and check out the local live stock. I took along a set of my Swarovski SLC 8x42, My Leica 10x42 BN and a rather modestly priced set of Nikon Action 12x50 Fieldmaster. Since the Swarovski SLC were closer in power and size I spent the bulk of my time comparing the two of them side by side. I must say I was quite impressed in the clarity of the Minox. You lost a bit of sharpness around the edges with the Minox . Also after glassing for extended period of times I could tell there was a bit more eye strain with the Minox over the Swarovski. But then again your talking about a Optic that retails for $1600 dollars more. That's to be expected. One of the test I do when comparing binoculars is picking up and discerning and discriminating items on the ground from a tree stand from binoculars. I try and look at objects far away such as large rocks and then try and study details in them. Then with the second set of the Binos I will compare those small details. Usually those small details will indicate to my eyes the quality of the optic. For the most part these Minox held their own that category. Ive seen a lot of quality Bino deals come and go over the years. This may be one for the record books. If your in the market for a really good set of Binos and on a Budget you could do far worse than this pair of Binos at this price. I would highly recommend you check out a pair. Im probably going to do as Rossman suggested and RUN and get a few more pair before they are gone. ;D
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Binos
Oct 22, 2012 22:45:52 GMT -5
Post by rossman40 on Oct 22, 2012 22:45:52 GMT -5
The big advantage is they are made in a Japanese run plant. And I have to admit the plant is probly producing some of the best that has ever came out of China. From what I have been told it took Kamakura like 6 years to pound out the supply chain just to get decent parts/material coming into the plant. But this same plant is also building for Bushnell, Leupold, Nikon and Vortex (and supposedly Swarovski) just to name a few. There is still some junk out there, when you see a pair of el cheapos for $24.95 it makes you wonder.
It's just the global economy. You look at Leica, they were having their low end binos built in Portugal back in the 70s. If you look at Zeiss they no longer have "Made in Germany" but "Made by Carl Zeiss GmbH". Low end binos are made in Hungary and the spotting scopes are made in Czechoslovakia. Leupold can't even put "Made in USA" on their scopes. I remember one time we were visiting another deer camp and a guy had a pair of Leupold binos. I asked him how he liked them and he went into a speech about being tired of buying foreign stuff and bought Leupold. I asked if he knew where those were made and he just looked puzzled and then looked on the binos, "Made in Korea".
In todays modern manufacturing the customer sets the standards, not the end user but whoever is paying to have the product made. Then it is up to the manufacturer to meet the standards at the set cost. Now if the customer wants to continue to sell his product it has to be right and if the manufacturer wants to keep the customer and stay in business it has to be right. Now we all know what came out of China in the past sucked. They didn't have the same rules or morals and then what was bad the customers were focused on lowest cost. But now if China wants to compete for business in the global arena from the bigger customers that set higher standards they have to produce a higher quality product.
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Binos
Dec 17, 2012 10:38:59 GMT -5
Post by sagittarius on Dec 17, 2012 10:38:59 GMT -5
I have owned Swarovski since 89' but had been planning on getting a pair of Leica Ultravid HD because I believe then to be built better like Edward said above. Swarovski's warranty can't be beat though. Lately, I have been reading a lot about the Zeiss Victory HT and might have to get a pair of those instead. What do you think of the Zeiss HT's, Edward ? Have you seen them yet ? What do you think, Rossman ?
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Binos
Dec 17, 2012 21:58:40 GMT -5
Post by rossman40 on Dec 17, 2012 21:58:40 GMT -5
I'm sorry, I would be the last person on earth to by Zeiss HT binos for $2k. Not when I can buy Razor HDs for just over $1k and frankly there are some awesome binos out there in the $200-400 that I don't have to worry about the grandkids playing with. 95% (probly 99%) of the people couldn't tell the difference between a $200 pair and a $2k pair.
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