RF or IS Binos - 1 Purchase this year, what would you choose?

[benconfused]

Looking to buy a pair of binos this year - either range finding binos, or image stabilizing binos. Which would you choose and why?

My current pair (and only pair I own) are 10x42 Viper HDs.

 

[silasbowhunter]

How much rifle hunting do you do? I currently have the Sig stabilized 10x and love em. As I’m starting to get into NRL and shooting more with my rifle.. I can see how much better a RF Bino is.


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[benconfused]

How much rifle hunting do you do? I currently have the Sig stabilized 10x and love em. As I’m starting to get into NRL and shooting more with my rifle.. I can see how much better a RF Bino is.


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Equal rifle and bow.

 

[handwerk]

I'd always pick a quality RF bino as my #1

 

[bielenbm]

I feel it depends on the type of hunting. Western Oregon blacktail, I think the Zulu6 12 are going to be killer for me. I’ll be covering ground looking at Clear cuts and moving slow through timber.

Edit l: I also think there is an advantage for them when you are looking into a burn area and it pays to move 5’ over for a different angle.

 

[Deerfield]

I’m trying to make the same decision right now. Currently I’m leaning pretty hard toward rangefinding binos. I do most of my glassing off of a tripod so for the most part I’m pretty stable. And there were two instances this fall where I found myself bouncing back and forth between my bino and rangefinder. Both shots worked out, but it would have been a whole lot smoother with everything in one unit.

 

[benconfused]

I feel it depends on the type of hunting. Western Oregon blacktail, I think the Zulu6 12 are going to be killer for me. I’ll be covering ground looking at Clear cuts and moving slow through timber.

Edit l: I also think there is an advantage for them when you are looking into a burn area and it pays to move 5’ over for a different angle.

Are you getting the clarity you want from the Zulu6 12s in the early morning and late evenings under low light?

 

[cuerro viejo]

Are you getting the clarity you want from the Zulu6 12s in the early morning and late evenings under low light?

No, well not in the 16x. Great day light bino, rough dusk/dawn and with any glare

Swaro needs a competitor in the EL 12x range

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

You will simply find more game with IS binos. I hated to get rid of RF binos, but I can't go without IS anymore. Too many pros. Currently use IS binos with ballistic handheld RF. Until they have IS and RF in a bino, this is what I see myself using.

 

[benconfused]

You will simply find more game with IS binos. I hated to get rid of RF binos, but I can't go without IS anymore. Too many pros. Currently use IS binos with ballistic handheld RF. Until they have IS and RF in a bino, this is what I see myself using.

What IS are you using?

 

[PredatorX]

Rangefinding with binos one handed while the bow is in the other hand kind of sucks. This alone led me back to the small handhelds. Have Zulus 12x now and am very pleased and I’ve had many binoculars over the years.

Also unless I am mistaken there might be better or more sensors in the dedicated handheld rangefinders.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

What IS are you using?

I have the sig 16x50. Hated the 42s.

 

[bielenbm]

Are you getting the clarity you want from the Zulu6 12s in the early morning and late evenings under low light?

I think they are about the same as the vortex diamondbacks but the IS makes up for it. however, I have not put a lot of time behind them yet either. I just know when I’m glassing on a tri pod, I don’t move to get another angle when I probably should. I think that where these are going to help a lot

 

[bielenbm]

The form factor of the 42s is something to be less desired but the 50 are a lot bigger

 

[benconfused]

The form factor of the 42s is something to be less desired but the 50 are a lot bigger

If I went IS I would go with the Zulu 16s.

 

[bielenbm]

42 or 50? You’ll definitely lose glassing light with the 16x42 vs the 12s not sure about the 50s

 

[benconfused]

42 or 50? You’ll definitely lose glassing light with the 16x42 vs the 12s not sure about the 50s

Was thinking 42s as the 50s (pros) are even heavier.

 

[PredatorX]

The 12x’s are going to feel way more the just +2x from your current binos if that is what you are thinking.

In a 42 objective I don’t know I’d be willing to give up the light transmission increase of the 12x.


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