Help with Binos!

[TheGDog]

Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42 and get the demos from Europtics or Red Hawk Rifles.

Definitely second the Zeiss Conquest HD! And with the new slightly lighter SFL's now out... you might be able to snag some cool used ones from the guys that always have to have latest/greatest.

PS I liked the Zeiss soo much I went and bought there 15's as well!

 

[TheGDog]

Very satisfied with my Meopta Meostar’s and Zeiss Conquests. Just didn’t want to pay Swaro $. You get into this level of glass and hair splitting begins. They are all very good, as are a number of other makers top end stuff. GPO, I hear good things, but zero experience with them.

To this very same point... I think sometimes a person also has to be realistic about the limitations of their own eyes. LIke I'm sure even with my glasses on for correction of focus... I'm sure there's some percentage of image fidelity my eyes naturally just no longer have anymore. LIke I notice how vivid and vibrant and exciting the whole world looks when viewing them thru my binos now!

So to that hair-splitting comment someone made.. yeah... I'd say definitely take that into consideration in your decision process, when considering some used items. IF you don't have to be absolute pinnacle of performance, but instead solidly within that range of products... then sometimes it comes down to how much money do ya wanna spend in order to achiever lighter weight versions of the same type of products.

 

[Arcticmanak]

I tried the Kowa Genesis 10.5x44, Maven B6 10x50 and GPO Passion 10x42 side by side and ended up keeping the GPO'S. They are exceptional. I also have a pair of Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32s that I absolutely love to carry. Lightweight, compact and crystal clear.

Which for the 10x Itch?

I've been happily using Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32's for the last 8+ years and absolutely love them. I'm getting the itch for a little more magnification and considering adding a 10x unit. I want to stay at the same optical quality as the Zeiss, so seems like a no brainer to get the same bins in...

rokslide.com

 

[Happy Antelope]

Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42 and get the demos from Europtics or Red Hawk Rifles.

We have some also as well as some GPO.

Paul

 

[Spiral Horn]

It happens quite often that folks come here, BirdForum or other optics sites looking for definitive “Best” binoculars in different price ranges. This generates discussion from a bunch of folks, many of whom just cite their personal favorites.

Up front - there is no perfect binocular in each price class or one that is superior in every way. Every optics choice is a confluence of features and everyone’s eyes draw from an image slightly differently.

That being said, it is best to first go to the nearest optics store (even if it involves some travel). It is vitally important to determine personal likes, dislikes and preferences and only the individual can do that. Without at least some experience in actually handling and looking through some name-brand binoculars to establish some baseline / frame-of-reference of basic view and handling characteristics, it will be difficult to fully understand the differences between models or why folks are recommending one model over another. It can be very costly to buy a personal device on someone else’s recommendation just to find out much later that you really don’t like it or have a strong preference for the features of another model.

Most folks live within at most a few hour drive to some retailer that has a fair selection of optics. Cabelas, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Optics Specialty Stores, Birding Stores, etc. It shouldn’t be much of a challenge to find things like a Swarovski EL, Zeiss Conquest HD, Vortex Viper or Razor, and a host of others. Once general individual preferences are determined, then it is time to do a deeper dive into individual model comparison.

 

[Arcticmanak]

Well said Spiral. I got a trial pair of Mavens, bought and returned Kowas, looked through a friend's Leica's , and tried Vortex, Leupold, Zeiss and Swaro (last two models were out of my budget...but just for comparison) at a local store before making my decision.
I think once one reaches the level of sub alpha glass and higher, the cost vs gain margin becomes increasingly minute.
You make a good point that due to personal preferences and difference in vision what might be great for one user is less than desirable or optimal for another. I was reluctant to send back one of the pairs I tried, but I realized that was because they were all the rage online, but the reality was that they just didn't end up appealing that much to me. I consider myself a blue collar hunter and am far more interested in function than form. For my uses and to fit my needs I found a high quality optic that checks all the boxes for me. No matter what optic the next guy has, I hope he is just as satisfied with his as I am with mine.

 

[Chad717]

I’ve looked through a lot of different glass in different conditions, but once cry once with Swarovski