Quality Binoculars -- Information Wanted

JoseCuervo · Mar 16, 2003

I have always assumed my next pair of Binoculars would be Swarovski 8x56's SLC. A buddy has them, and they are incredible glasses to look through.

But, as the price is VERY steep $1400+, and the reason I need new glasses is that I left mine out in the woods, somewhere. I thought maybe I should be more prudent with my money, until I learn to be more careful with where I sit my stuff down, while glassing, eating lunch.

Does anybody have any suggestions on binoculars, full size. No compacts. And high quality lenses. Experience with any of the European ones (Zeiss, Docter, Steiner, etc..) would be helpful, or the high end Japanese (Fujinon?)

I am thinking 8, 9, 10x, with the biggest exit pupil I can get. I like to watch Elk when they are sleeping, in the dark timber...

Thanks,

Elkgrinner....

1_pointer · Mar 16, 2003

John Barsness really touts on the Pentax WCF/WP's. He says they are within an gnats hair of the Leica's and Swaro's and are MUCH cheaper. Here's a link to a board with alot of optics discussions:
Optics

SWFA has them for for $340 for 8X32 and $400 for 8X42.
SWFA

Washington Hunter · Mar 16, 2003

I got the Pentax DCF-WP's, in 8x42 last summer for $325, then got a $100 rebate from Pentax. I don't know if the rebate is still available, but you might check on it. For $225, you can't beat 'em.

JoseCuervo · Mar 17, 2003

WH and 1Ptr... Thanks for the comments. The glasses I lost were Pentax, and they were pretty good. I remember seeing the $100 rebate last fall, but didn't have the time to investigate, and now it looks like it is gone.

I'll keep looking at them, and see if there are any other 8x glasses.

schmalts · Mar 19, 2003

Any pair of binos over 300$ are decent. But you can still see the difference between them and a 900$ pair. Check out the cahles or doctors. Also nikons high end binos are better than the ziess.

Muledeer4me · Mar 26, 2003

Elkgunner,did you find you a pair of bino's yet?
Steve and both use Swarovski 8X30 ,I love these bino's

They are easy to pack around ,and when put on a tripod I can glass all day without getting eye strain.
We hike alot so weight was an issue for us.

I didnt think there would be that much difference in quilty when so when Steve first bought his I thought he was nut's

but after compairing them out in the field ,I went home from that scouting trip and bought me a pair.
Steve thought I should put in this disclamer---if you guy's hunt with your wife or girlfriend ,don't go bragging on how much better your gear is then her's ,it could cost you more money

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 03-26-2003 07:17: Message edited by: Muledeer4me ]</font>

JoseCuervo · Mar 26, 2003

MD,

Thanks for the info. I am already convinced that Swarvo's are the way to go. I bid up a pair of 8x56SL's on Ebay on Monday, before time ran out. These glasses are awesome, but they are heavy, and some other bidder had deeper pockets than I. I moved them $100+ in the last 2 minutes, so some seller liked me.

I want to keep the larger exit pupil, than the 8x30's. So I think I am in the 8x56 group.

I want to find out, who in Boise, where somebody has some Kahles, so I can try them. They might be ok.

My other choice might be Zeiss 10x40 Classics. I don't worry too much about the weight on binoculars, as I will gladly skimp anywhere else, for having good glass. I'll carry fewer bullets, if needed. Let's just say, "I have seen the Light" and I believe in quality glass, and the "Light" is much easier to see with a German set of glasses.

Oak · Mar 26, 2003

Wow, it's rare to see someone else who doesn't care about the weight so much! I would definately suggest getting a pair with an exit pupil of at least 5mm. Your eye can only utilize light from an exit pupil up to the size your iris will dilate to. At age 20, the average iris will dilate 7mm-8mm, so you would see the benefit of an exit pupil up to 7mm or so. By age 50, most irises will only dilate to 5mm or so. So by then, you'll only utilize the light from an exit pupil size up to 5mm.

I've got a pair of Zeiss Night Owls (equivilent to the current Victory series) in 10x56 and love them, even though they weigh nearly 3lbs. If you really want light, I'd avoid the Zeiss 10x40's, simply because you'd only have an exit pupil of 4mm.

BTW, I really like the Burris Signature Series as well. I bought a pair of the 10x50's as a gift, and really wanted to keep them for myself! Good quality AND less weight. I think they only weigh about 27oz., which is pretty good for a pair that size. Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

Oak

1_pointer · Mar 26, 2003

I've been impressed with the Minox binos I've looked at in Sportsman's Warehouse. They are owned by Leica. I couldn't see the difference in quality to correlate to the higher price of the Leica's.

kiwi hunta · Mar 26, 2003

I use zeiss they are very fine focousing though, so even looking 30 yds further requires a minute adjustment but clarity and dawn dusk veiwing is very good, Minox scored top in a comparison with other top glasses in a review over here.

JoseCuervo · Mar 26, 2003

I stopped by Sportsman's Warehouse, and I will go on record as saying, I am so glad they came to town a few years back.

I was able to look at Swarvos, Leica, Zeiss, Kahles at the same time. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. It is kind of like picking your favorite child, you love them all.....

I did look at the high-end Pentax 8x42's, and they are quite good, but I don't know that they are quite like the Germans. I will probably look through some more Pentax, just to be sure, as I liked my old Pentax, that I lost, which puts me on this quest.

The salesman did show me some Bausch&Laumb Elite and Discovery series. The Elites were quite good, and I really didn't have B&L on my radar scope.

Our store did not have Minox in anything but the compact series, so I didn't look at them.

I think the ones that I want to look at some more, are the Kahles. They seemed quite good, and about 2/3 the price of the big 3. It has been interesting watching my budget creep up.....

If anybody is killing time in an optics shop, look at some Kahles, and give me your observations. IT is kind of tough, do you take the easy way out, and buy Swarvo/Zeiss or do you find the gem, and take the Kahles? Or yet another glass (Minox/Fujinon/etc...)

1_pointer · Mar 26, 2003

Kahles are good! I will say that, but the Minox just felt better to me. I think Kahles are made by Swarovski aren't they? Personally, I don't see the $3-400 of the 'big' three. Granted they are a bit better, but not 1/3 or more better.

Muledeer4me · Mar 27, 2003

Elkgunner,I think a friend of our's has a pair of Kahles.
I'll ask Steve tonight.
I hear you on spending the money on GOOD optic's.
Steve ,has been wanting to buy a bigger pair of swarovski's (as calif.hunter pointed out it's that age thing creeping up)

I have tryed Zeiss and liked them.
I have to say if I was to loose my swarovski while out hunting ,I would go to the closes town and buy another pair.
Im sold on the higher end glass.
One thing that really help's ,take the one's your are thinking about buying and go outside to try them out.
It make's a big difference.

schmalts · Mar 27, 2003

Has anyone looked at the doctors? i never looked through a pair of the roof prisms yet.
I do have a pair of 15X60 porros for spotting and LOVE THEM

JoseCuervo · Mar 28, 2003

Schmaltz,

I looked thru Docters a few years back, in Singapore. They seemed good, but I did not have other brands to compare with, so I can't say they were better or worse. I don't know if anybody carries them in town.

Oak,
It looks like it will be difficult to buy heavy binoculars. It looks like the makers are making them smaller, perhaps due to technology, perhaps due to the amount of volume the compacts have. Swarvo has a series with an alloy (magnesium?), that is reducing weight even more. I don't think any pair I end up with will weigh even close to the Swarvo 8x56SLs that I have carried before.

And one nice thing on heavy binoculars is, when you sit down to glass, they are steady. The light ones seem to bounce with each breath.

I keep looking. I am going to have to convince the guy at Sportsman's Warehouse to let me take $4000 of his binoculars out in the parking lot at dusk, and see which pair I like.

Oak · Mar 28, 2003

EG,
Yep, they're definately getting lighter, which is good! I was just saying that the weight never stopped me (which is what my high school buddies used to say about me

). The heavy ones are definately steady, especially when you're winded from carrying them up the hill!

Oak

jimmyd223 · Apr 7, 2003

Only one-- 10X42 Leica

JoseCuervo · Apr 10, 2003

I was just the high bidder on Ebay for some 10x40 Zeiss Classics, at $510.

But the minimum was $550.

The guy emailed, and said he would work with me. Now I have to decide if used/great condition Zeiss are better than similar Kahles from Samplelist.com.

danr55 · Apr 10, 2003

Doctir Optik was originally called Carl Zeiss-Jena... Prior to the onset of the Red Skurge, they were the Eastern branch of Zeiss optik that we all know so well. The quality of thier product is equivalent to Zeiss and many other of Europes finest.

As to the Zeiss/Leica debate,, if you have a choice and the money is equivalent, stick with the Leicas. They are a tad lighter than Zeiss and have better low light performance qualities.

Jack O'Conner · Apr 14, 2003

You will always hear the line "buy the best you can afford, then spend twice that amount". That's fine if you're from back east and make $100 grande a year.

But lots of westerners like myself are making a less-than-ideal income. Yet we enjoy some of the best big game hunting on the planet.

My Bushnell 7 X 35's cost me $29. at Country General 9 years ago and they're good ones. I'll not be trading up to anything else.

Oh, and my mulie stopper is a 94 Winchester angle-eject model fitted with a 2X-7X $179.-at-Cabela's Leupold scope. My rig costs a fraction of what many guys use and it works quite well. 30-30 rules!

My point is that a guy can spend a bundle on equipment and still not get within good shooting distance. It still takes hunting and shooting skills to topple that animal and too much reliance on spendy equipment is dumb.
Jack

Quality Binoculars -- Information Wanted

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