14x52 vs 15x56

[eLightfoot]

Asking those who have either switched from the 15xslc to 14x nl pure or have used both a decent amount. Are the NL 14s worth the extra cheddar based on optical quality alone? Not based on weight savings or form factor.

 

[Ryan Avery]

If you own the 15s, I would not switch over. That said, the 14s are optically better in every way, in my opinion. But you're not gonna miss an animal with the 15s that you would see with the 14s.

 

[dreamingWest]

I can't answer your question directly, yet I'll comment anyways.

It's just too steep a price for me to upgrade seeing as big binos aren't my primary. The 15 are very good.

 

[eLightfoot]

I don’t have 15s. I have 10x EL range. I want a dedicated tripod pair

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I switched from 15 SLCs to 15 Meoptas.

This winter I switched to 14 pures. In comparing both side by side on tripods, the biggest difference is finding animals/movement in the peripherals with the pures. It’s noticeable.

On coues deer here in AZ specifically they are the better bino.

 

[hereinaz]

I switched from 15 SLCs to 15 Meoptas.

This winter I switched to 14 pures. In comparing both side by side on tripods, the biggest difference is finding animals/movement in the peripherals with the pures. It’s noticeable.

On coues deer here in AZ specifically they are the better bino.

This ^^^ every bit of usable clarity and field of view catches the ear flicks and tail wags, especially when it is in the peripheral vision. Tweety birds are always catching my attention as I am glassing. I watch for movement as much as deer bits.

This obsessive desire for max clarity and FOV all the time is mostly an AZ/NM Coues thing as far as I can tell. I think Avery is right, the extra juice isn’t necessarily worth the squeeze if you can put the extra money for a primo pack, boots, riflescope, etc.

While, it’s most applicable to Coues, it does apply to glassing for elk in thick brush when you might catch a small portion of fur or antler. Is it necessary to see elk in the open, nah. To catch Coues in the open, heck yeah every bit helps with the grey ghost.

Seriously, almost every session, even with alpha glass, I can look at a Coues standing in the open, then look away for a second. When I look back it has disappeared.

I can stare at the exact spot the deer was knowing it couldn’t have moved, but can’t pick it up. As soon as It flicks an ear or licks its nose or moves its tail slightly THEN I can see the whole animal pop into view and it HAS NOT MOVED an inch.

 

[eLightfoot]

Yea I glassing for Ca mountain blacktail which can be just as hard to spot as coues. My buddy with 15x SLCs kicks my ass glassing most the time

 

[Benjblt]

I switched from 15 SLCs to 15 Meoptas.

This winter I switched to 14 pures. In comparing both side by side on tripods, the biggest difference is finding animals/movement in the peripherals with the pures. It’s noticeable.

On coues deer here in AZ specifically they are the better bino.

Did you like the Meoptas better than the SLC's? Why did you switch?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Did you like the Meoptas better than the SLC's? Why did you switch?

I did.

Way less “fragile” packing around. Better overall image and color to how my eye sees natural image (less “blueish-green” than Swaro). Better chromatic aberration alleviation overall. Less finicky on “focus” in general.

 

[eLightfoot]

I’ve heard deer “pop” more with the 14nl’s
Any opinions here? A problem I have glassing is my brain forgets to analyze what I’m looking at after a couple hours glassing the same stuff. If nothing is moving I have trouble spotting. With the 10s I have, I have to force myself to look extra hard to find anything difficult. Hoping the NL’s would help with some of that. I’m talking strictly like 4+ hours of glassing the same spot.

 

[Ryan Avery]

I’ve heard deer “pop” more with the 14nl’s
Any opinions here? A problem I have glassing is my brain forgets to analyze what I’m looking at after a couple hours glassing the same stuff. If nothing is moving I have trouble spotting. With the 10s I have, I have to force myself to look extra hard to find anything difficult. Hoping the NL’s would help with some of that. I’m talking strictly like 4+ hours of glassing the same spot.

It's not “pop” that the 14s have over the 15s. To me, it is shadow/low light resolution. Animals seem easier to see in shadows/low light with the 14s than with the 15s. The field of view is also ridiculous.

 

[Thejet]

The 14s are well worth the extra money. You don’t see people selling 14s to buy 15s.

 

[BluMtn]

I use the 12x50EL's and have been straining my brain if I want to jump to the 14x52 NL's. Not so much for my Washington hunting, but Glassing in Montana and Idaho. I know I am splitting hairs and should be happy with my EL's, but?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’ve heard deer “pop” more with the 14nl’s
Any opinions here? A problem I have glassing is my brain forgets to analyze what I’m looking at after a couple hours glassing the same stuff. If nothing is moving I have trouble spotting. With the 10s I have, I have to force myself to look extra hard to find anything difficult. Hoping the NL’s would help with some of that. I’m talking strictly like 4+ hours of glassing the same spot.

When comparing both side by side on tripods for hours of continuous use I wouldn't say the animals “pop” more. Maybe a touch more on very small animals that blend in ridiculously well like big horn sheep and coues deer here by my house. For general elk and mule deer, not really.

Don’t get me wrong, the overall image on the 14 NLs is the best I’ve ever seen. Even comparing them to the 12 NLs side by side on tripods, the image is incredible on the 14s.

Does that translate to animals “popping” or “sticking out” more in camouflaged terrain? I wouldn’t say so in general compared to the Swaro or Meopta 15s.

Where they shine is in FOV (catching movement in the peripherals) maintaining overall image clarity in very low light (shadows, dawn/dusk, and when panning from sunlit slopes into valleys/darker areas). You eyes don’t seem to “fight” the transition from sunny areas to dimmer lit areas.

They are also lighter and easier to “shotgun” glass with due to being more ergonomic (although I almost exclusively do this with my Revics in my bino harness).