Am I the only one?

[smokinbobf4]

So I have a pair of maven c1 10x42 (which are the best I have ever had) and I recently have been thinking about upgrading and was thinking the swaro nl pure 10x42. A friend let me borrow his nl pure 12x42 and I looked this evening side by side and I really didn’t think that I could really see any more with them. I compared until dark into a large stand of oak trees. They didn’t seem much brighter but I thought I could see a bit better just with the extra magnification. One thing I liked was it seemed like the picture was bigger for whatever reason, and the build quality was way better. I am definitely not a glass snob and I am going to do more comparing, but as of right now I just don’t see how they are $3000 more. I feel like I must be wrong because it seems like they are supposed to be the best glass on earth. What am I missing?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rent Outdoor Gear]

Were they mounted on a tripod?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[smokinbobf4]

They were not mounted on a tripod. Hand bled for about 15 minutes as it got to dark.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[smokinbobf4]

I have an adapter for the tripod for the mavens but my friend doesn’t for his swaros. I really like glassing from a tripod though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Superdoo]

They were not mounted on a tripod. Hand bled for about 15 minutes as it got to dark.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That answers your question for the most part. Put them both on a tripod then do a side by side. The 12s are severely disadvantaged if you’re just holding them.

 

[smokinbobf4]

I will try to get a tripod to put them on. I wonder about that and tried resting them on something but that still is not as good as on a tripod. I should mention that most things I looked at were in the 80-250 years range if that matters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Superdoo]

Try to use distances that you encounter in the field.

 

[fatrascal]

Also, look at an object and in the middle of your field of view the image will be clear. Then look at the edge of your view and compare the clarity or the blur around the edge. Do this in bright conditions but ln the evening and let it get dark during your comparisons. To get more particular, put an open newspaper or something similar out at 100 yards and try to read it with both bino's. Then move it out to 200 yards, then 300 yards. Both binos should be mounted on a tripod so you can jump back and forth between them as it gets dark. Fatrascal.

 

[Rent Outdoor Gear]

12’s will naturally be at a disadvantage in low light due to the smaller exit pupil so keep that in mind. If they were 10’s you would be able to compare more directly the optical and coating performance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Formidilosus]

Also, look at an object and in the middle of your field of view the image will be clear. Then look at the edge of your view and compare the clarity or the blur around the edge. Do this in bright conditions but ln the evening and let it get dark during your comparisons. To get more particular, put an open newspaper or something similar out at 100 yards and try to read it with both bino's. Then move it out to 200 yards, then 300 yards. Both binos should be mounted on a tripod so you can jump back and forth between them as it gets dark. Fatrascal.

If someone needs to do this, then there isn’t a functional difference between them.

 

[Formidilosus]

feel like I must be wrong because it seems like they are supposed to be the best glass on earth. What am I missing?

That people are emotionally invested with their purchases and exhibit conformation bias. There is a difference between those two levels of binos. It is not an earth shattering difference despite what people try to claim. The difference show themselves towards the ends of the extremes- extremely long continues glassing sessions, needing to resolve extremely fine details in bad lighting, etc. For the vast majority of hunters and hunting situations there is no functional difference between good $500 binos and alphas.

 

[BBob]

That people are emotionally invested with their purchases and exhibit conformation bias. There is a difference between those two levels of binos. It is not an earth shattering difference despite what people try to claim. The difference show themselves towards the ends of the extremes- extremely long continues glassing sessions, needing to resolve extremely fine details in bad lighting, etc. For the vast majority of hunters and hunting situations there is no functional difference between good $500 binos and alphas.

Exactly. Say you're a hard core trophy Coues deer hunter, those differences might mean something but running around hand holding them as a general use binocular then maybe not so much. For most of what I do I want that edge and every now and then it no doubt in my mind bought me something extra.

 

[InteriorAKPopsicle]

OP, could you compare to the B series Mavens?
I’m just now discovering Maven (why I clicked this thread) and I think the B series is the higher series they claim is higher end more like the Euro Binos.

I am leaning towards a $500-$800 pair hopefully before hunting season.

 

[fatrascal]

Formidilosus, if a person is on a forum asking about comparing binos and creating a conversation about it then I would say he wants to know what those differences are. Wether they are a functional difference to you is one thing and wether they are a functional difference to someone else is another thing. The guy is trying to get the best bang for his buck. Trying to get the best quality for the money he spends is the best functional difference for his dollar.
Comparing which bino will perform the best as it gets dark is a great functional difference for many people. You may get an extra 10 minutes of glassing late in the evening or early in the morning. In areas that get a lot of hunting pressure sometimes those nocturnal animals come out right at dark and a sub par optic sometimes will not see it. I cant tell you how many times I've seen people talking on these forums about getting an extra 10 or 15 minutes of glassing in the dark. Some people squeeze out every second. I love a good debate so please feel free to give opinion. Fatrascal.

 

[smokinbobf4]

OP, could you compare to the B series Mavens?
I’m just now discovering Maven (why I clicked this thread) and I think the B series is the higher series they claim is higher end more like the Euro Binos.

I am leaning towards a $500-$800 pair hopefully before hunting season.

I cannot, as I don’t have them available. I am considering those as a pair I might want to purchase. I do like the mavens that I have, I just started going down this rabbit hole and sold a few things that I have to try some different binos.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[smokinbobf4]

I think that this is a good conversation so far. I respect Formidulous greatly on this forum and I feel like he is the no frill guy that just wants what works period. I think I want what works with the best low light performance I can get and the less eye fatigue the better. i had diamondbacks a few years ago and can even tell I have less eye fatigue with the mavens. I do appreciate everyone’s take and that is why I ask as I am far from a pro and haven’t had the chance to look through many. I don’t expect myself to be glassing all day, though it does get longer the older I get. I usually sit and glass for a few hours in the morning and evening and some between.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtwarden]

I'd also mention that comparing a 10X with 12X in dim light is not apples to apples; a lower power (with the same objective) is generally going to better in low light

to the OP, Maven has a great "try it" program, if their B line isn't noticeably better send them back

 

[smokinbobf4]

I'd also mention that comparing a 10X with 12X in dim light is not apples to apples; a lower power (with the same objective) is generally going to better in low light

to the OP, Maven has a great "try it" program, if their B line isn't noticeably better send them back

Thanks! I do understand that 10 and 12 are not apples to apples. I just thought it would still be noticeably better. I also did think of trying mavens try it program


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JohnJohnson]

I don't think you're going to notice much difference without putting both on tripods. Having said that, I also can't imagine not heavily focusing on tripod use when getting binoculars. They should be on a tripod as much as the situation allows.

 

[JGRaider]

Thanks! I do understand that 10 and 12 are not apples to apples. I just thought it would still be noticeably better. I also did think of trying mavens try it program


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, IME it's not quite that cut and dried. If you take a premium glass with premium coatings at 12x, and compare it to an average glass with average coatings at 10x, you won't necessarily see any disadvantage to the 12x. The 12x will also give you greater detail every time given the same optical properties. That being said, the differences between the so called "alphas" and $500+ optics today aren't that great, and the gap is narrowing all the time.