SLC 15x56 vs razor UHD 18x56 vs conquest hd 15x56 comparison

[ElkPRC]

I’m really waiting for Swaro to come out with 15x NL Pures or Vortex come out with 15x UHD’s. Both of those need to happen. I’d buy either if they would release.

 

[Tmcgarrigle]

I’m really waiting for Swaro to come out with 15x NL Pures or Vortex come out with 15x UHD’s. Both of those need to happen. I’d buy either if they would release.

An 18x NL Pure could be even more of a game changer because if they can do it right, it would have a field of view bigger than most 15’s on the market today. So you’d get 3x more magnification and a field of view of a 15x. If they did a 15X NL, I can only imagine how good the FOV would be on that

 

[TheGDog]

thanks for the reviews op. curious to hear if you end up going the nl pure route in the future. I haven't looked through 8x nl's yet, local stores have only had the 10's.

I've tried but personally I can't handle anything over 8x handheld. already have some little 8x32 el's that I love with an outdoorsman stud. leaning toward some 15x to bridge the gap between my 8x and 25x-50x scope. I think the 15's will help the 'scope head' I get from glassing all day with a spotter. Might just drop the spotter for days archery elk hunting too.

all that said, I have my eye on those nl pure 8's as well... I sympathize with the analysis paralysis.

RE: handholding - Are you making sure to brace the back of your thumbs against your cheekbones and making sure the eye cups touch against you? So everything is locked in?

I mean the only time I've felt 8x's make a notable difference in terms of shakiness is like when you're mid-hike-in... pulse is really pumping... and you try to throw them up to quickly check something.

But even then, paying attention to technique of using those anchor points to lock them onto your face pretty much makes up for that.

I don't think I'd want to try handheld viewing with 12x on up. When I've done quick handchecks with the 15's, you can do it... but it stresses your eyes, and really makes your brains computing power work overtime trying to piece together the shaky image being fed-in to it, in order to register object detection.

If you're going into open country where you know the 15's will be an asset, having 8x's be your primary can be an easy way to help shave ounces as well. But in that instance, it'd have to be some more compact 8's like some 8x32's, otherwise no real weight benefit to be had.

 

[TheGDog]

QUESTION TO OP - What about Depth of Field?

I'm assuming since they're all higher tier optics the Depth-of-Field of focus (You focused in on object X.. but because of the Depth-of-Field you can still also clearly see objects Y & Z which are both in front of, and behind the object you initially focused on, by some amount of distance) is similar enough that you can't detect any difference.

Does that seem to be the case with the ones you compared?

 

[db.cannon]

RE: handholding - Are you making sure to brace the back of your thumbs against your cheekbones and making sure the eye cups touch against you? So everything is locked in?

I mean the only time I've felt 8x's make a notable difference in terms of shakiness is like when you're mid-hike-in... pulse is really pumping... and you try to throw them up to quickly check something.

But even then, paying attention to technique of using those anchor points to lock them onto your face pretty much makes up for that.

I don't think I'd want to try handheld viewing with 12x on up. When I've done quick handchecks with the 15's, you can do it... but it stresses your eyes, and really makes your brains computing power work overtime trying to piece together the shaky image being fed-in to it, in order to register object detection.

If you're going into open country where you know the 15's will be an asset, having 8x's be your primary can be an easy way to help shave ounces as well. But in that instance, it'd have to be some more compact 8's like some 8x32's, otherwise no real weight benefit to be had.

Thanks gdog I appreciate the tip. I've found that more anchor points are my friend while handheld glassing. I use a somewhat modified version of that where I wrap my thumbs underneath the barrels and then lock that first knuckle of each thumb against the side of my nose/cheek. Gets me on my focus wheel well. If I'm not running my focus wheel, I'll wrap my other fingers around the bill of my hat.

Favorite offhand rest is either the top cam of my bow or a trekking pole handle. I always have one or the other handy while hiking. I also like to "double stack" the 8s on top of my 15s, see the example pic. Awesome in the morning during scouting season. Only issue is fogging the 15s with your nose, fixed with the ocular covers.

Agree with you on weight, still rock my 8×32 els, meopta 15s, kowa 773. Use 15s for scouting or when I have a buddy to split weight. Took the 8s and spotter into the high country last year during season and didn't feel handicapped by the setup.

Most people using 8s will cite FOV as a big bonus, for me that's huge. I know the nls closed the gap there but decided it wasn't worth the upgrade to me.

 

[TheGDog]

Thanks gdog I appreciate the tip. I've found that more anchor points are my friend while handheld glassing. I use a somewhat modified version of that where I wrap my thumbs underneath the barrels and then lock that first knuckle of each thumb against the side of my nose/cheek. Gets me on my focus wheel well. If I'm not running my focus wheel, I'll wrap my other fingers around the bill of my hat.

Favorite offhand rest is either the top cam of my bow or a trekking pole handle. I always have one or the other handy while hiking. I also like to "double stack" the 8s on top of my 15s, see the example pic. Awesome in the morning during scouting season. Only issue is fogging the 15s with your nose, fixed with the ocular covers.

Agree with you on weight, still rock my 8×32 els, meopta 15s, kowa 773. Use 15s for scouting or when I have a buddy to split weight. Took the 8s and spotter into the high country last year during season and didn't feel handicapped by the setup.

Most people using 8s will cite FOV as a big bonus, for me that's huge. I know the nls closed the gap there but decided it wasn't worth the upgrade to me.

Another one is tucking your elbows in to rest upon your ribcage while hand-holding (if not huffing and puffing too bad ATM). I only bother bringing the 15's if it's a Desert HIlls / Open Country type of location. Otherwise most of the time, it's steep Apline stuff, so to keep weight down I'll just do the 10's once the season is on. Love my Zeiss Conquest HD 10's. Especially since my vision REQUIRES glasses now... the whole world is without focus without them... so whenever I look thru the Zeiss glass... it's like.. kinda like crack for your brain, so to speak. It's like your brain gets excited once again by that higher quality view of the world, ya know?

After getting those 10's with the better glass, for me personally, I just don't ever bring the little compact 8's anymore. I like those 10's that much!

That's really interesting the way you've stacked them like that. Top one to scan big area for movement, bottom one to look for details closer up.

With the weight of the 15's at around something like 40+ oz... been considering picking up another striaght spotter instead. One that's lighter than that. I have the lil vortex razor 50mm angled. But it bugs having to drop the tripod down lower for the angled. Want a straight lightweight spotter (55-65 range) so I can just swap out at will and still be pointing at the right spot. I use the Outdoorsman's Stud/Bino Adapter system, and dig it.

Kinda would like to checkout out the Maven S1, the Kowa 554, and the STC.

EDIT: Welp... Nevermind!... I just checked out Outdoorsman's Used stuff and they had a used Zeiss Dialyt 65mm for like less than half retail, so just pulled the trigger on it, since only like 5oz more than STC weight, and just a few inches longer.

 

[TheGDog]

Thanks gdog I appreciate the tip. I've found that more anchor points are my friend while handheld glassing. I use a somewhat modified version of that where I wrap my thumbs underneath the barrels and then lock that first knuckle of each thumb against the side of my nose/cheek. Gets me on my focus wheel well. If I'm not running my focus wheel, I'll wrap my other fingers around the bill of my hat.

Oh yeah, another thing I've noticed is that I like to wrap a ring finger around the Bino-Stud now for even greater grip/support into the binos when hand-holding!

 

[Thighspliter]

How I missed this thread is beyond me. Good job Dioni. Answered lots of guys questions.

I did a YouTube review on the Swaros versus the Vortex a few years back, and yeah while the Swaros won overall, I was surprised at how close the Vortex came.

If I remember right, Vortex even beat the Swaros in a category or two.

Ultimately I use my Swaros a lot more, but I’ve held onto those Vortex and use them occasionally, they’re great to have a long when a friend doesn’t have any. I’ve even loaned them out to a few roksliders who’ve been pretty happy with them.

Hello Robby, I can't seem to find your review on the uhd 18x56. Can you help guide me to the review.

 

[robby denning]

Hello Robby, I can't seem to find your review on the uhd 18x56. Can you help guide me to the review.

Hi, I did not review the UHD‘s, just the Kaibabs. That should be on our homepage under “Vortex versus Vortex the definitive review” I think it was called.

 

[JNDEER]

Sorry I didn't notice this. Yeah I went with nl 10s. Don't have them yet but I've spent time with the 8 and 12 and they're incredible

I know this is an older post- but am wondering why you choose the 10?

Imany resent topics have been getting 12 nl as the in between and not needing the 15’s- is that something you looked into and if so why did you still stick with the 10’s?

 

[Dioni A]

I hunt such varied country that I wanted to be able to use one pair everywhere. Hindsight being what it is I wish I would have bought the 12s and a second pair of lesser binoculars if I'm going to be moving through tight timber country. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them honestly though.

 

[pucmw11]

I know this is an older post- but am wondering why you choose the 10?

Imany resent topics have been getting 12 nl as the in between and not needing the 15’s- is that something you looked into and if so why did you still stick with the 10’s?

I wanted to know too! Thanks for asking!