NL Pure 14x52 owners

[handwerk]

For those that have been able to spend some time behind these binos...what are your thoughts?

 

[huntnful]

They're legit. And even hand holding them for quick glances while covering country isn't bad at all with their ergonomics. Tested them side by side with the NL 12X42's and the 14's had a slightly brighter and better image all the way until dark.

 

[StopMakingSense]

Honestly blown away with how well I can hand hold them. I don’t feel like I’m at a disadvantage if the main goal is to use on a tripod but they stay on my chest as my only binocular.

 

[westonadkins]

Honestly blown away with how well I can hand hold them. I don’t feel like I’m at a disadvantage if the main goal is to use on a tripod but they stay on my chest as my only binocular.

You using the headrest?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

They’ll likely be in my pack very soon.

Outdoorsmans is only an hour or so from my property in AZ. Their show room in fountain hills lets you glass big country right from their parking lot.

I’m a HUGE fan of my Meopta 15x56s and don’t even use a spotter for 90% of hunts now a days. These are winners over the 15s even for Arizona coues deer.

Absolutely next level binoculars.

Durability is my only concern as my Meopta 15s are tanks that keep on rolling.

 

[roweraay]

They're legit. And even hand holding them for quick glances while covering country isn't bad at all with their ergonomics. Tested them side by side with the NL 12X42's and the 14's had a slightly brighter and better image all the way until dark.

How is the hand-holdability of the 14x52 vis-a-vis the 12x42 ? From my past experience, I could steadily handhold the 12x42, when paired with the headrest, and hence curious about the 14x52.

 

[huntnful]

How is the hand-holdability of the 14x52 vis-a-vis the 12x42 ? From my past experience, I could steadily handhold the 12x42, when paired with the headrest, and hence curious about the 14x52.

They're less steady, but I don't use a forehead rest either. But I still don't think they are unusable by any means. They're fine for a quick glance over country while you're moving through it for sure. I glassed a bedded but at 300 yards freehanding them

 

[StopMakingSense]

You using the headrest?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, I use the headrest. Even on the 10x42 it's a night and day difference for me. I broke it last year (my mistake) and went without one for two weeks during spring bear. The replacement I ordered couldn't come soon enough.

The other thought was how you hold your binoculars. I picked this up reading BirdForum when the NL 14x52 first came out. It helps me with just a bit more stability using my thumb to support the ocular area under the strap connectors. It feels incredibly natural and adds to the already amazing ergonomics of the NL series.

 

[BBob]

It helps me with just a bit more stability using my thumb to support the ocular area under the strap connectors. It feels incredibly natural and adds to the already amazing ergonomics of the NL series.

I agree with this ^^^

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

 

[StopMakingSense]

Bold statement but the NL 14x52 is what the EL 12x50 did. The 12x50 was on the edge with what you could hand hold comfortably in the EL series. The 14x52 feels just like that in the NL series.

EL vs NL
Mag - 12x vs 14.4x
FOV - 300ft vs 279ft
Weight - 35oz vs 36oz
Height - 6.8" vs 6.9"

 

[StopMakingSense]

I agree with this ^^^

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

Fantastic explanation! I wish I read this post when you first posted it.

 

[TheGDog]

Yes, I use the headrest. Even on the 10x42 it's a night and day difference for me. I broke it last year (my mistake) and went without one for two weeks during spring bear. The replacement I ordered couldn't come soon enough.

The other thought was how you hold your binoculars. I picked this up reading BirdForum when the NL 14x52 first came out. It helps me with just a bit more stability using my thumb to support the ocular area under the strap connectors. It feels incredibly natural and adds to the already amazing ergonomics of the NL series.

View attachment 740506

View attachment 740507

Though it may not be as necessary, since you have the forehead mount point on?... I wouldn't know yet... I've always found one of the critical things, for increasing stability of my view, when hand-holding, is Trying a grip style... where you're holding the binos such that, at the very least one of your two hands, you're butting the back side of your thumbs knuckle... kinda at and under your cheekbones as well? Sorta "hooking it in", to your heads anatomy, ya might say? It creates more stationary points of contact.

Is that forehead contact-point that much of a game-changer?... that the benefits of doing all these extra techniques to "lock-in" to minimize your mechanics imparting shake on the view (another one is dudes using the fingers on top and grasp the visor of their cap to further assist in stabilizing the hold), are just not necessary anymore? Is that what we're saying here?

This is an Honest Question. I wouldn't mind conserving small bits of energy here and there (referring to not needing the holding style I'm describing for hand-held viewing), if employing a different device could yield the same net effect without having to, without adding much weight-penalty. Is why I'm asking.

 

[StopMakingSense]

The extra techniques only add to the stability with the forehead rest. Handholding 15’s with the SLC was extremely unreasonable to me. I tried back in 2018 on a New Mexico elk hunt. With the ergonomics, hold techniques, and a forehead rest I’m able to handhold these.

My buddy doesn’t use the forehead rest and he gets on great with his 10x42 NL’s. As mentioned in the previous post I tried for two weeks and the difference was noticeable to me even with 10’s. I love the tripod effect of the forehead rest.

 

[Buffalo-Jo]

Has anyone been seeing the Swarovski TAs tripod adapter for the NL purse shipping yet?

 

[28bang]

Has anyone been seeing the Swarovski TAs tripod adapter for the NL purse shipping yet?

I have mine.

 

[Chris>>--->]

Would I be crazy to replace my EL 12x50’s with a pair of the NL 14x52?

 

[huntnful]

Would I be crazy to replace my EL 12x50’s with a pair of the NL 14x52?

Not at all. Smaller profile, better ergonomics (if you decide to hand hold occasionally) similar FOV but more magnification and the image is better and clearer.

We had those exact binos side by side looking at bucks during a hunt and the 14’s stood out considerably.

But if you’re just going to have one bino enjoy carrying them on your chest, the 12x42 NL would also be excellent.

 

[Chris>>--->]

Not at all. Smaller profile, better ergonomics (if you decide to hand hold occasionally) similar FOV but more magnification and the image is better and clearer.

We had those exact binos side by side looking at bucks during a hunt and the 14’s stood out considerably.

But if you’re just going to have one bino enjoy carrying them on your chest, the 12x42 NL would also be excellent.

I appreciate that info.

I use my binos for everything. I mount them on my tripod and glass for hours then when I go on stalks, they’re on my chest. I slow hunt timber a lot and just hold them as I glass ahead. I’ve been using my EL 12s for 10 years and they’ve served me well. I don’t have a spotting scope and I don’t really plan on getting one. That’s why I’ve been considering the new NL 14s. I like the little bit more magnification for glassing off the tripod but they still seem small enough to just hold for going on stalks and whatnot.

 

[huntnful]

I appreciate that info.

I use my binos for everything. I mount them on my tripod and glass for hours then when I go on stalks, they’re on my chest. I slow hunt timber a lot and just hold them as I glass ahead. I’ve been using my EL 12s for 10 years and they’ve served me well. I don’t have a spotting scope and I don’t really plan on getting one. That’s why I’ve been considering the new NL 14s. I like the little bit more magnification for glassing off the tripod but they still seem small enough to just hold for going on stalks and whatnot.

You’ll definitely appreciate them off the tripod. They honestly might be a bit much for still hunting timber. But it’s tough to find the “perfect” bino. You absolutely will not be disappointed with the optic itself. Just potentially the slightly smaller FOV during the timber hunting.

 

[roweraay]

If the 14x52 was a 13x52, it would have resulted in a larger 4mm exit pupil, which would have made it brighter in dimlit situations, in addition to a FOV of around 320 ft. A fantastic middle ground in terms of brightness, magnification and FOV.

I liked the 14x52 (actually a 14.44 x 52) a lot, but the 279 ft FOV (which is exceptional for a 14.44x magnification), could prove constraining as a one-and-done type of optic.

I can certainly use the 12x42 as a one-and-done optic, due to its super-wide FOV of 339 ft, in addition to a good-enough magnification of 12x.