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

[Kicks831]

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.

This is a helpful thread: mind to share a few binos you are considering?

 

[PredatorX]

It’s all a trade off.

If you want the best low light IS and are willing to carry the extra weight then yea go with the 50 objective.

If you are running around the hills and want light get the 12x42.

If you are always in the timber and aren’t reaching out just get the 10x32


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[swavescatter]

I bought 5 pairs of Sigs - 10x30, 16x42, 18x50 (2 pair) and 16x50.

For me, the pros were absolute junk in 2 out of 3 that I bought, and only one slightly matched the resolution in my Gen 2 16x42's.

Low light is a bit better in the 50's, but they still suck and all pairs are capable of ID'ing game well after legal light. My RF binos are still better than all of them and I still have to carry those so low light was not a consideration for me.

The pros are $600 more, worse resolution, heavier, require more batteries, and I greatly prefer the Gen 2 stabilization. Save your money.

 

[benconfused]

Wife has 16s I compared them side by side to 12s a friends white has and you should buy 12s

Which 12s are you referring to, 42s or 50s?

 

[benconfused]

This is a helpful thread: mind to share a few binos you are considering?

RFs are the Revic and the new Vortex Talon (not immediately buying so I'm willing to wait until Summer to see how the feedback goes.)

For IS, I've really only looked at the Sigs and have used them a lot while working a number of summer events where they always had a booth.

 

[benconfused]

I bought 5 pairs of Sigs - 10x30, 16x42, 18x50 (2 pair) and 16x50.

For me, the pros were absolute junk in 2 out of 3 that I bought, and only one slightly matched the resolution in my Gen 2 16x42's.

Low light is a bit better in the 50's, but they still suck and all pairs are capable of ID'ing game well after legal light. My RF binos are still better than all of them and I still have to carry those so low light was not a consideration for me.

The pros are $600 more, worse resolution, heavier, require more batteries, and I greatly prefer the Gen 2 stabilization. Save your money.

Which RF's are you using?

When you say you prefer the Gen 2 stabilization, are you still talking about the sigs (non pro)?

 

[benconfused]

It’s all a trade off.

If you want the best low light IS and are willing to carry the extra weight then yea go with the 50 objective.

If you are running around the hills and want light get the 12x42.

If you are always in the timber and aren’t reaching out just get the 10x32


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's primarily gonna be for glassing up western game. I find my current pair does fine on Southeast deer stand setups. The Viper HDs did fine on my recent caribou hunt while on a tripod, but I did push them beyond both power and clarity when glassing moving bou miles away.

 

[swavescatter]

I kept the gen 2 10x30 and 16x42 Zulu6 HDX's. Yes, I really like the gen 2 image stabilization in scan mode and then the target lock mode. I didn't like the omniscan - didn't feel as stable for me.

The ONLY feature I could verify was marginally better was low light. And they both still suck at that.

With that said, to answer your original question I think you need to tell us your budget? There are several new Bino RF's out this year, but they're in the $2-3k range. Are you having trouble finding animals now? If not, then a solid set of LRF binos is probably best. If you struggle to find animals in the first place, the IS binos with a cheaper RF will probably be OK if you get closer (inside 500 yds).

 

[benconfused]

I kept the gen 2 10x30 and 16x42 Zulu6 HDX's. Yes, I really like the gen 2 image stabilization in scan mode and then the target lock mode. I didn't like the omniscan - didn't feel as stable for me.

The ONLY feature I could verify was marginally better was low light. And they both still suck at that.

With that said, to answer your original question I think you need to tell us your budget? There are several new Bino RF's out this year, but they're in the $2-3k range. Are you having trouble finding animals now? If not, then a solid set of LRF binos is probably best. If you struggle to find animals in the first place, the IS binos with a cheaper RF will probably be OK if you get closer (inside 500 yds).

I don't seem to have trouble finding them at long distances right now, even using the "grab your hat while holding your binos" trick to help stabilize.

It's getting better clarity and detail at what I'm looking at once I've found it and weighing how far you gotta go to get to them, that I'm wanting improvement on.

I'm realizing there may a 3rd component to this topic. IS vs RF vs RF w/ ballistic solver.

Lastly, the $2-3k range is what I'm budgeting and I also have some industry discounting I cannot take advantage of across several of these vendors.

I failed to call out I already own the Sig IS rangefinder and it's game changing for archery. At TAC events, Im so used to those targets I rarely use binos, but that's usually 100y max.

 

[PredatorX]

Are you talking “yes that is a bull with brows” or “that is a 310” bull with devil points” detail you are looking for at 1-2 miles?

 

[mtnbound]

Equal rifle and bow.

RF binos. I use them for scouting, practice sessions, gun and bow season.