15x Glass

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Benjblt

Benjblt

WKR
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
1,289
Location
Western Oregon
Tell you what If you can just hold off for a little while more I'll buy a Meopta B1 PLUS and Swarovski SLC both in 15x56 right away to personally test out and let you know if it's actually worth the difference in price and I'm actually more of a cheapskate at heart and a more bang for your buck kinda guy in reality and I even bought two NL Pures recently just to have a reference as to "supposedly" THE BEST BINOCULARS THAT MONEY CAN POSSIBLY BUY and now buying lower priced Razor UHDs and cheaper HDs and SIG ZULU 9s and 10s just to test them against to see if the price difference are actually worth it.

I collect Binoculars as a hobby as well and only use the ones that I like the best that are most comfortable for me daily.
I don't use these NL Pures and just have them to have to compare everything against in all honesty and prefer to use my dirt cheap ScoopX UHDs and NIKON Prostaff P7 10x42s daily believe it or not and now added a SIG ZULU 9 9x45 probably gonna be another daily use bin.

I actually really don't like their lack of POP and really low color tone (like turning down the color on your TV compared to what you're used to) in the two NL Pures 8x42s and 12x42s I bought compared to my daily use bins.

I also sold my Swarovski ST80 spotting scope and ridiculously overpriced top of the line Swarovski tripod I bought brand new at a huge loss because I just didn't like the mediocre sub par image quality on Max magnification and lack of color pop.
Have you tested these yet?
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
751
Location
Utah
Is this the one? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1578286-REG/meopta_573262_15x56_meostar_b1_plus.html I've seen this model for $1,600 all the way up to passed $2,100.
No not the hd plus, just the regular hd. Those in this review..

They can be found pretty frequently on the used market $1000-$1200 and are outstanding glass.
 
Joined
Jan 24, 2018
Messages
304
Location
Southern California
I guess I'm not looking in the right places? All day long?
*cough cough

 
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Benjblt

Benjblt

WKR
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
1,289
Location
Western Oregon
No not the hd plus, just the regular hd. Those in this review..

They can be found pretty frequently on the used market $1000-$1200 and are outstanding glass.
Looks like Meopta only has the Plus listed on their site. Is there a major difference?
 
OP
Benjblt

Benjblt

WKR
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
1,289
Location
Western Oregon
I'd buy the way cheaper SIG ZULU 10 15x56 before spending Maven kind of money. Sane Binoculars with the edge going to the new ZULU 10. Easily can buy them brand new for $1100 and cheapest $900 just call dealers willing to negotiate prices. I really don't get the direct to consumer motto to keep prices low when middle men dealers resellers flippers for SIG getting their cut and reselling them for way cheaper than the Maven version direct to consumer.

Why not spend as least as possible for the exact same Binoculars so you don't take as much of a hit after trying to sell them?

I own both Maven B5 and SIG ZULU 10 and to my eyes the cheaper ZULU 10s are slightly brighter and clearer. I also have two Vortex Razor UHDs inbound to compare as well. Actually I have 4 Razor UHDs I just bought 2 are the newly released 8x32 and 10x32. I'm not really a Vortex fan when it comes to Binoculars though I just collect Binoculars to compare different brands at different price levels ti see which are the best bang for the buck and SIG and Maven and Vortex Razor UHD supposed to be same same all at different prices go figure.
You can get the Vortex UHD's18x56's from Bass Pro now for under $1,500. I'm wondering if it's worth it or if I'd be happier with the $1,600 Meopta B1 Plus 15x56's? I realize the light transmission will be less in the Vortex's but I'm curious how much difference that will make practically and if the edge to edge clarity is the similar. . .
 

Fritz D

FNG
Joined
Dec 21, 2023
Messages
87
Location
Idaho
Gonna be interesting to see how the price of the SLC 15x56 drops after the NL 14x52 has been on the market for a while?
 
Joined
Jun 23, 2024
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2
Look for a SIG ZULU 9 15x56 in the $700 price range you certainly won't be disappointed. SIG lowered their MSRPs in 2023 on their ZULU 9s. For reference the 11x45 ZULU 9s are $799.99 MSRP full regular retail according to SIG USA now brand new.
The Sig Zulu9 15s are on sale at Natchez for $880 right now, but they seem to be normally $1250 and up. Where did you get a pair at $700?
 

Stikbrandon

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
115
Location
Sam Diego ca
@Benjblt Have you considered the tract15x56’s ?? They run Shot glass and I can tell you they should be double the cost and can not be beat comparing them to mid year glass.

they break it off in vortex all day and I’m a vortex guy. Before I got my hands on tract optics I was running vortex UHD 12x50 and 18x56’s and the 15’s are 1K.

My tract 15’s out perform in low light and mid day with edge to edge clarity.

Tract is straight to consumers so the re is no mark up and loss of quality to maintain margins.
 
OP
Benjblt

Benjblt

WKR
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
1,289
Location
Western Oregon
@Benjblt Have you considered the tract15x56’s ?? They run Shot glass and I can tell you they should be double the cost and can not be beat comparing them to mid year glass.

they break it off in vortex all day and I’m a vortex guy. Before I got my hands on tract optics I was running vortex UHD 12x50 and 18x56’s and the 15’s are 1K.

My tract 15’s out perform in low light and mid day with edge to edge clarity.

Tract is straight to consumers so the re is no mark up and loss of quality to maintain margins.
Never heard of them. I'll have a look. If their return policy is good I might try a sidebyside comparison.
 
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