Best low light binoculars

[Bezamaelee]

Upgrading my binoculars this year. I currently have 8x42 Leupold BX4 pro guides. They have been great and under $600 I don’t think you could do better. Now I want to take the next step and get a set that would serve me better hunting large green fields in the east. Particularly scanning the edge of timber at last light. I’m thinking 10 X 50 and looking at offerings from Tract and Meopta. But I would be willing to go to the next tiernup and spend $1500-$2000 to get something that would really enhance my evening hunting experiences. I am definitely willing to spend the money if it gives me an extra few minutes of visibility.

 

[The Ri Guy]

I can only speak to Leica's, but my GEOVID HD-R Binoc's & APO Televid Spotter allow me to spot bucks well before & after legal shooting light in pretty much any terrain and weather.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Maven B6 10x50 is very hard to beat in low-light. It is a 50mm and has one of the highest light transmission rates in the industry. I have no doubt it will noticeably outperform your current Leupold for peering into the shadows at last light. It also retails for ~$1k. Been using mine for a few months now and have been very impressed.

 

[ozyclint]

Swaro Habicht 7x42. highest light transmission there is.

8x56 would be the other format to consider

 

[Jimss]

If you are upgrading I would definitely go all the way and buy a bino rangefinder. I'm certainly glad my days of going back and forth between binos and rangefinder are over. Plus the fact that I instantly can range with my binos! It's a no brainer when it comes to binos.... Swaro and Leicas are the best of the best. I would much rather buy a lightly used pair of these rather than spend just a little bit less on inferior! Believe me, there are great Leica and Swaro's deals available if you have time, patience, and keep your eye out. I bought almost new pair of Leica-rangefinder combo demos from Cameraland for a great deal! I also picked up an almost new Swaro spotter for about 1/2 price on this websites classified adds.

 

[Blue72]

What size binoculars are you willing to go with?

because the best low light binoculars are really big….like 7x50 or 8x56

 

[prm]

I’ve wondered about the Meopta 8x56 for that same purpose. Anyone have first hand experience?

Meopta Sports Optics - European premium optics

www.meoptasportsoptics.com

 

[Bezamaelee]

What size binoculars are you willing to go with?

because the best low light binoculars are really big….like 7x50 or 8x56

I am more than willing to go with a bigger model. Especially if it gets me a lowlight advantage.

 

[Blue72]

I am more than willing to go with a bigger model. Especially if it gets me a lowlight advantage.

Look at the sizes I mentioned

 

[Bezamaelee]

Look at the sizes I mentioned

Do you have a make/model you prefer and recommend based on experience? I see a lot of 8x56 stuff. Seems like there are some good options. I was looking at Meopta in that size

 

[Spiral Horn]

56mm binoculars (I have a few) are quite physically large and heavy. The 8x and 10x56 SLC use an Abbe-Koenig Prism System and are incredibly bright. However, size/weight in a 50mm or larger glass tends to be a tradeoff issue. That’s why I recommended the B6 as it is unique in that regard - 50mm brightness and performance in a size/weight range more in line with a 42mm.

BTW - most 56mm and larger objective lens binoculars are not all that bright in full daylight. The 56mm SLC is somewhat of an exception in that regard.

 

[Blue72]

Do you have a make/model you prefer and recommend based on experience? I see a lot of 8x56 stuff. Seems like there are some good options. I was looking at Meopta in that size

i have a set of Nikon Oceanpro 7x50 that are excellent in dusk and are my favorite astronomy binoculars

I know there are very high regards for the Steiner 8x56 shadowquest

 

[Lionhound1975]

I had the Meopta Meostar B1 8x56 for a few years. They were very good after dusk especially in deep woods. I compared them to my Meostar 7x42 and Blaser 8x42 and the Meostar 8x56 were better in very low light settings although in normal light there was not much difference between them and the 7x42s. I ended up selling them since I am planning to buy the Zeiss SF 8x42 as more of an all-round woods glass. I never tried the Meopro in the 8x56 configuration but in my experience the Meostars are well worth the extra $ over the Meopro lines.

 

[ozyclint]

I know there are very high regards for the Steiner 8x56 shadowquest

I have a pair of 10x50 Steiner Nighthunters (same line of bino. Shadowquest is the USA market model name)
They are exceptional in low light. The 8x56 could only be brighter. plus being porro prisms you eliminate the light transmission losses associated with roof prisms, regardless of whether they are AB or SP prisms.

 

[zeisstwice]

Whatever configuration you decide on, do yourself a favor ,and get a good tripod.

 

[Krem]

Bringing this thread back to life any others out there in the budget category?

 

[Bezamaelee]

I don’t know about budget category but I ended up with a 2022 model SLC 8x56. I just picked them up after the season so I haven’t hunted through a season with them yet. Playing with them in the pasture looking at cows and also looking at my 3-D target 100 yards from the porch and I think they’re going to be great, although they are bulky and heavy. But that’s OK the primary use for this is food plot specific, with the longest glassing distance being under 300 yards. On long walking hunts I’ll carry my lighter bino. Not heading west this year, so planning to make another bino purchase in 2024 that will be geared more towards western spot and stalk with long periods of glassing.

 

[Bezamaelee]

Edited that last post. Looked like a drunk man wrote and posted it!

 

[RussGS]

A quality 8x42 with 5.25mm exit pupil or a good 7x42 with a 6mm exit pupil are tough to beat if you are looking for an all-around option. The 10x50 will hurt your low-light performance when compared to equivalent quality glass in the two previously mentioned configurations.

The “budget” qualifier is another reason to go 8x42. Magnification also magnifies imperfections in manufacturing.

 

[Choupique]

I'd like to bump this as I am in the same predicament as the OP, except I've never even looked through good binos. The best I've ever used are vortex fury for reference and the best ones I own costed $80.

I was shopping for an 8x50 or 8x56 binocular, but I'm wondering if it matters after a certain objective for a certain zoom. I want 8's or 10's, but my primary concern is glassing basically in the dark. I like to get to my deer stand extremely early and stay extremely late because I always see deer, I just struggle to ID what they are.

Is it as simple as good glass works better, or does having huge objectives measurably help?

Added: just to clarify, my rifle is unloaded outside of shooting hours. I just like to deer watch on big openings in the dark. I'd buy night vision if I could afford it.