Upgrade Conquests?

[Whaledriver]

Looking to upgrade the Conquests after 10 years or so. Is the SFL a noticeable performance bump? Looking at the 10x most likely. Would the SF be a better option?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Both the SF and SFL would be a noticeable upgrade for sure. It's our pleasure, as a long standing supporting vendor here, to discuss this with you and special opportunities. Please give a call, 516-217-1000, when you have the time. Thanks

 

[BadEarth]

I haven’t looked through the SFL or conquests but went right for the SF last summer and have been blown away. I consider selling for NLs this winter and after trying a pair I stuck with the SFs. My eyes preferred them

 

[Ecampbell25]

Conquests are a good price point for good glass. They are a step down from SLC. I might be selling a brand new set of conquest 10x42 pm me if your interested.

I haven’t looked through the SF or SLF but I’m sure they are sweet.

 

[General RE LEE]

I think Conquests are a sweet spot for glass. They arent alpha, but the returns start to diminish quickly once you start paying more. I've owned Victory SFs and Swaro EL and they are excellent glass, but I sold both pairs to fund other projects and went back to Conquests.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Don’t know what version of the Conquests you’re currently running. I have the 8x32 HD, 8x32 FLs, 8x40 SFL, 10x42 SF as well as a number of other binoculars. To me the 8x32 HDs are an absolute gem — I absolutely agree with Gen Lee that they are one of the best values available in optics.

Is the SFL a noticeable performance bump? In resolution = not really; in color pop = yes the SFL has better saturation but the HDs are no slouch; in handling = yes the SFL is better balanced, feels lighter in the hand and I prefer its focuser. Is the SFL worth double the price = only you can answer that. I generally prefer using the SFL over the Conquest.

Is the SF a noticeable performance bump? In resolution = SF is slightly better; in color pop = very close between SF and SFL; in handling the SF is definitely better balanced and although noticeably larger handles better than the conquest, and the SF has the best focuser of the three. At 2.5-3x the price, is it worth the bump??? Personally, the 10x42 SF is my primary hand-held glass. I reach for them more often than any other, including my NL Pure.

The last point is the HDs are a slight bit more prone to CA than the others. I only really notice it in extreme contrast situations - like a crow against the sky or snow.

 

[Whaledriver]

Wow that is awesome information. Leaning towards the sf and call it a day!

 

[Happy Antelope]

I find the Victory my favorite bino in the world. I like them better than the NLs and Noctivids even. We have several pair in stock, feel free to reach out.

 

[General RE LEE]

Wow that is awesome information. Leaning towards the sf and call it a day!

You won’t be disappointed. The Victory SF is stunning glass.

 

[Pilotone78]

I was just at B&H yesterday comparing the SFL and a handful of the conquest category - Razor, Trinovid, Conquest. All 10x. Optically, to me, all were pretty close (I am also in a store looking at stuff on shelves and fake birds they have posted around). Where I found the differences for me was in comfort, ergonomics, weight, and being adaptable with glasses.

The SFL was my favorite of all and I would have said the same even if it was the same price. No issues with focusing, blackouts and they just felt right in my hands. Optically they are fantastic. Since your current bins are a decade old, I’m guessing you would notice an immediate step up.

Anyway they are worth checking out. The price point could be a bit better but if you are going to get another 10 years out of them it’s worth a look.