NL 10 vs EL 12 if you had to choose one

[LIWolverine]

Had both NL 10’s and 12’s and got to use them in the mountains and the eastern woods pretty extensively.

Sold the 12’s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Andyram_18]

I have no issue freehanding them. I use them for everything so they get free handed a lot during archery. The best I can explain is something with the increased FOV causes it to not seem as shaky? I’ve never been able to free hand other 12s but can these. There is also the headrest option that will add a point of contact if they are too shaky for you.

Everyone is different though, you should be able to pick a pair up at a store and know if you can acceptably freehand them or not pretty quick.

Thanks man. I appreciate you being willing to answer my questions. I have always used 10xs, but as my eyes deteriorate (and it’s happening fast, even tho I’m young) I’ve realized I’m quite shaky.

So I worry that a pair of 12x will be impossible. But everybody here says that the 12 NLS are the end all, be all. I just know 12s are hard to hold.

Anyway. Thanks. Hoping to go to blackovis to try 10s vs 12s next week.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Hey man, Did you ever publish This? Curious about your thoughts.

The Rokslide Members' GIANT Optics Review

In this giant optics review, a group of Rokslide members got together to compare a long list of optics in real field conditions.

www.rokslide.com

I prefer the 12x. They do resolve a tad more (pretty sure we had some 10x in there). I personally think if your eyes are close together there is a chance of minor blackouts (small exit pupil issue).

 

[Andyram_18]

The Rokslide Members' GIANT Optics Review

In this giant optics review, a group of Rokslide members got together to compare a long list of optics in real field conditions.

www.rokslide.com

I prefer the 12x. They do resolve a tad more (pretty sure we had some 10x in there). I personally think if your eyes are close together there is a chance of minor blackouts (small exit pupil issue).

Holy cow. Thanks! I’ll study this. Any issues hand holding the 12x?

 

[Tahoe1305]

Holy cow. Thanks! I’ll study this. Any issues hand holding the 12x?

I have never been greatly bothered. They are not as good as the 10x for that for sure. IMO 12x is the best tripod mainly with occasional handheld. 10x better all around but will give up a little at distance to the 12x.

 

[Andyram_18]

I have never been greatly bothered. They are not as good as the 10x for that for sure. IMO 12x is the best tripod mainly with occasional handheld. 10x better all around but will give up a little at distance to the 12x.

I just need a gracious donor or win the lotto so I can buy 8xs and 12xs!

 

[Tahoe1305]

I just need a gracious donor or win the lotto so I can buy 8xs and 12xs!

If that’s the goal just get 10s!

Or smaller 8s.

Maven 8x30 and NL 12 is a sweet combo (to have at home and choose. Not to carry both).

 

[Andyram_18]

If that’s the goal just get 10s!

Or smaller 8s.

Maven 8x30 and NL 12 is a sweet combo (to have at home and choose. Not to carry both).

Yeah. The 10s logically fit me most. buck hunting, shed hunting, archery and rifle. However the talk about the 12’s has me curious! Do you have any experience in the EL 10s vs NL 10s? Gaining much for the $1,200 price tag? Sounds like the EL 12s and NL 12s perform optically very close.

 

[HuntHarder]

The big advantage of the 12NL is the ability to only carry one set of Bino's. Lots of guys here in Az used to have 15x's and 10's and a scope. Seems like a bunch of guys have ditched the 15's and only carry the NL12's and a spotting scope. If nothing else, the weight savings was enough to get me to try them out. Optically, my 12x NL look better to me than my 10x ELHd's. I am not saying it was a huge difference, but it was noticeable to me. The convenience of a little more power on the tripod and the size still being small enough to comfortably carry them on my chest was what pushed me over the edge.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Yeah. The 10s logically fit me most. buck hunting, shed hunting, archery and rifle. However the talk about the 12’s has me curious! Do you have any experience in the EL 10s vs NL 10s? Gaining much for the $1,200 price tag? Sounds like the EL 12s and NL 12s perform optically very close.

I don’t. I wasn’t overly impressed with the NL12 “wider” fov over the 12NL. I suspect the 10x may be a greater difference.

 

[Andyram_18]

I don’t. I wasn’t overly impressed with the NL12 “wider” fov over the 12NL. I suspect the 10x may be a greater difference.

You mean you aren’t impressed with the wider FOV in 12xNLS vs 12EL? Just want to be clear….

 

[Tahoe1305]

You mean you aren’t impressed with the wider FOV in 12xNLS vs 12EL? Just want to be clear….

It was larger in NL but much smaller than expected (<10% more max).

The big thing for me in the 12x NL is they are smaller and lighter. Optically the EL is almost same. The case for NL 12x (vs 12x EL) is better IMO than the 10x (NL/EL) comparison because of this.

The 10x won’t share that same advantage because they are still 42mm (vs 50).

 

[Andyram_18]

It was larger in NL but much smaller than expected (<10% more max).

The big thing for me in the 12x NL is they are smaller and lighter. Optically the EL is almost same. The case for NL 12x (vs 12x EL) is better IMO than the 10x (NL/EL) comparison because of this.

The 10x won’t share that same advantage because they are still 42mm (vs 50).

Ah. That’s the most clear way I’ve heard it put. So basically, the main advantage in the 10x goes to the NL, but in weight and ergonomics. A 10% larger FOV? Otherwise they are virtually the same? Worth 1k? Hmm. We really do pay a lot for small differences. After reading thru this, I’m going to take a hard look at 12 NLS. If I can handhold them, that might be the ticket. Otherwise the 10 EL make a lot of sense due to there 1800-1900 price tag.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Ah. That’s the most clear way I’ve heard it put. So basically, the main advantage in the 10x goes to the NL, but in weight and ergonomics. A 10% larger FOV? Otherwise they are virtually the same? Worth 1k? Hmm. We really do pay a lot for small differences. After reading thru this, I’m going to take a hard look at 12 NLS. If I can handhold them, that might be the ticket. Otherwise the 10 EL make a lot of sense due to there 1800-1900 price tag.

Be patient….you should be able to get 10x ELs south of 1700. There was some 8.5xs for $1250 this week that were killing me. If those are still available I’m sure you’d be pleased for the price b

 

[BBob]

I’ve realized I’m quite shaky.

Try this and see if helps any:

Swarovski NL Pure 10X vs 12X

This site has ended up costing me a bunch of money, I have an old pair of 10x42’s SLC (DA 85…) Is there going to be a noticeable improvement to upgrade to NL’s?

rokslide.com

Any issues hand holding the 12x?

I have no problem handholding mine. Are they as stable as handholding my 10’s? Probably not but totally doable for me.

 

[pirogue]

Now That you are getting rid of your EL 10's, do you pack the NL 8's, 12's, and a spotter? Or just the 8's and 12's?

12’s in the West, along with a tripod depending on hunt; 8’s for deer stands in the South. Got rid of spotter. Only time I ever used, (and saw real need for) a spotter, was for sheep hunting.

 

[Andyram_18]

12’s in the West, along with a tripod depending on hunt; 8’s for deer stands in the South. Got rid of spotter. Only time I ever used, (and saw real need for) a spotter, was for sheep hunting.

Hmmm. Interesting. Different thinking for sure. Just the way I’ve come up in hunting, spotters are do or die!

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

Having spent hundreds of hours using the nl 10s, el 10s, and nl 12s. I would recommend the nl 10. They can't be beat. 2x more in the 12s is not enough benefit to outway the negatives. I sold mys nl 12s and got the ATC scope to run alongside my nl 10s. Best decision I ever made. That combo is the cats meeow

 

[Andyram_18]

Having spent hundreds of hours using the nl 10s, el 10s, and nl 12s. I would recommend the nl 10. They can't be beat. 2x more in the 12s is not enough benefit to outway the negatives. I sold mys nl 12s and got the ATC scope to run alongside my nl 10s. Best decision I ever made. That combo is the cats meeow

Awesome. I’ve never packed both a spotter and binos. Usually just 10’s. I upgraded my spotter and now carry it full time; just trying to find the best fit. 10s or 12s. I traditionally run 10s

 

[eltaco]

While I haven’t spent time with NL12, I put a lot of time into EL 10x50, EL 12x50, and NL 10. I absolutely wanted to love the 12s and planned to sell the 10s as soon as I got them, but I spent enough time in the field to be confident that I actually resolved less detail at distance with them due to hand jitter than I could perceive with the 10x. For me personally, they’re too much power. Add that issue on top of lower FOV, and it made the decision for me. I ended up trading up to the NL 10x and absolutely love them, but know the 12x isn’t for me personally, especially with the smaller exit pupil on the 12x. My use is exclusively hand held, though, so I’d perhaps lean a different direction off of a tripod.

I know a lot of guys love the 12x and say they hand hold them well. I seriously wonder how many of them have objectively compared in the field in hunting conditions vs 10x hand held.