Binocular Comparison 10x42

[Nozler]

@handwerk, where are you located?

 

[NoDakfarmin]

They make binoculars that aren’t Swarovski!? Blasphemy

 

[Nozler]

@NoDakfarmin, right is such a thing possible? I missed the boat on the recently discontinued SLC HD's and EL'S are priced way to high in Canada so I'm choosing between the Zeiss and Leica as an upgrade to my Vortex.

 

[Kenn]

I bought my grandson 10x42 trinovids and we elk hunted together and compared them to my 10x42 NL’s and, other than a wider field of view, we could see very little difference.

 

[Nozler]

Thanks Kenn, that's very promising to hear such good results. I find the Leica to be what color my eye prefers, things seem to have more contrast for me when viewed with Leicas.

 

[Nozler]

Forgot to ask Kenn, was it the original Trinovid or the newer HD version your grandson used?

 

[PoniBoy]

I can’t speak to the Leica’s. I love my Conquest HD 10x42’s though. Like you I had a pair of older Vortex Vipers. IMO you can’t beat the Conquests field of view and clarity at longer ranges for the price. Great all around optic

 

[Kenn]

Forgot to ask Kenn, was it the original Trinovid or the newer HD version your grandson used?

The HD

 

[handwerk]

Nosler ,I asked in case you were around Thunder Bay which I’m just south of, I’d let you try some different Leicas.

 

[Kenn]

I don't think you'll find a huge difference between the Trinovids and the Conquests but some people do. One thing that is very important to me is how they feel in my hands. I had a pair of Nikon HG's that were very good glass but I could never get used to the fee of them and sold them.

 

[BigNate]

I just upgraded after noticing my eyes are really showing age. I used Nikons for years and didn't think my buddies Swaro SLCs were any better.
These days I notice the Swarovski and Leica images seemed clearer than anything else I had used. I now have Leica Ultravid HDs.

 

[Nozler]

@handwerk thanks man, appreciate the offer and how helpful people are on this forum
Great community

 

[Larsy63]

Im currently looking at both above Zeiss Conquest HD and Vortex I wear glasses when hunting
anybody find either uncomfortable or hard to adjust your eyes when using

 

[Nozler]

@Larsy63 i wear glasses as well. Generally if the eye cups are all the way closed (turned in) I dont have a problem with viewing. That being said your eyeglasses do get pressed against your face. I have the vortex viper currently and have looked at the Zeiss in store with glasses on and no issue. I run into more problems with the spotting scope and my glasses. I own the 11-33x50 and 16-45x65 Razors. Both require me to take off my glasses to get a sight picture at higher magnification. Not sure your age, but a new issue i discovered when I got a pair of progressive lenses is that it's very frustrating getting a sight picture on any optic (rifle scope, bino or spotter) because you now have another variable (in lens magnification) that needs to be aligned. Took a bit of getting used to for a sight picture on which part of my eyeglasses I was to look through.

Hope this helps you a bit.

 

[Larsy63]

@Larsy63 i wear glasses as well. Generally if the eye cups are all the way closed (turned in) I dont have a problem with viewing. That being said your eyeglasses do get pressed against your face. I have the vortex viper currently and have looked at the Zeiss in store with glasses on and no issue. I run into more problems with the spotting scope and my glasses. I own the 11-33x50 and 16-45x65 Razors. Both require me to take off my glasses to get a sight picture at higher magnification. Not sure your age, but a new issue i discovered when I got a pair of progressive lenses is that it's very frustrating getting a sight picture on any optic (rifle scope, bino or spotter) because you now have another variable (in lens magnification) that needs to be aligned. Took a bit of getting used to for a sight picture on which part of my eyeglasses I was to look through.

Hope this helps you a bit.

Thank you Sir very helpful, turning 63 this year and seem to always have issues with glasses Binos and scopes they just don't mix . mine are Progressives as well I was trying the Vortex Viper HD and the Zeiss Conquest HD on the weekend at Cabela's did take them outside to peruse the landscape and found the Vortex to be easier to maneuver as far as quick to the eyes and sharp view of everything as I kinda had to adjust with the Zeiss do you think the 8x42 is an advantage compared to the 10x50 for us older blinder types Thank you,Lar

 

[Nozler]

Hi Lar,

I'm having a similar debate as I always have a spotter with me if i really want to investigate something. My wife has the 8x42 and I the 10x42. What I prefer about her 8x is I can see closer objects better, they don't feel so tunnel vision, plus I can hold the 8 more stead so less strain. However, once we're out to a mile the 10x shines with that little extra zoom. I'm finding them very situation based as I age. For sitting on a stubble field hunting limited to 1 or 2 quarter sections i like the 8 much better. Then when we turn to the rockies for elk and distance is the game I prefer the 10. I think my new purchase will be a 10 as it's more of what I spend time at. I'm considering picking up a good quality intermediate in an 8x for those moments. Not sure down south, but here in Canada the Nikon Monarch 5 goes on sale frequently for just over $300 can. To me that's a fabulous bargin for price vs quality.

 

[Larsy63]

Good afternoon Thank you for the reply sounds like we may hunt in the same Province for the most part I hunt Farms in NE Alberta for Moose and Deer and every 2 years or so Im down South in the Rockies /Crowsnest Pass and havent really tried 10x anything I do have a lower end Pentax 8x42 which I do like ,Im pondering a 10x50 or 8x to replace what I had stolen last fall

 

[Nozler]

Alberta may be a big Provence but everyone knows each other some how

I've never used a 10x50 before or even looked in store at them so I'm not much help on that front.
Cabelas has the Vortex Viper on sale for around 500 several times a year. That's how I got my wife's 8x

 

[Marshfly]

For mid priced binos I would be looking hard at Maven. I bought my son C1s and they punch way above the price. I would imagine the B1s would do the same for anything in that $1000 range.