Vortex Razor HD 12x50 vs. Kaibab 15x56 for long range glassing?

[ftballman125]

Does anyone have any experience comparing 12x50 binoculars to similar quality 15x56 binocs? I've got a pair of Vortex Kaibab's (15x56) currently, as I typically glass wide open sage land from vantage points. They do a great job picking up things at a distance, and are pretty good for seeing into far off shadows. But, they are heavy at 45oz. The Vortex Razor HD 12x50 come in at 28oz, a lot lighter. Considering what I've paid to drop some weight elsewhere, that pound difference is significant.

Do you think that I'd be able to pick out the same deer with the 12x binoculars as with the 15x at, say, 1.5 miles? I've got a small spotter that I can use to see antlers, I just need to be able to pick out the deer.

Basically, I'm trying to figure out if the weight reduction would be worth the loss in magnification.

 

[ftballman125]

It's a pretty specific question I guess. Anyone with experience?

 

[Coues hunter]

I have 12x50 swarovski ELs. My buddy has 15x56 swarovski. My ELs are much clearer then his 15s and I can pick out details from long distances as well as or better then he can. I can't speak for the vortex binocs but I think the 12s are light enough to carry around but have enough magnification to put on a tripod.

 

[Brent1321]

I owned the 15x56 Vortex Kaibab. I was not overly impressed with them. Heavy as hell, and in my opinion, the view was rather dark. I really thought they would be brighter, but not to my eyes. I would not suggest them, but I have read many are quite happy with them. Have since bought a compact 50mm spotter, and love it.

Brent

 

[ftballman125]

I have 12x50 swarovski ELs. My buddy has 15x56 swarovski. My ELs are much clearer then his 15s and I can pick out details from long distances as well as or better then he can. I can't speak for the vortex binocs but I think the 12s are light enough to carry around but have enough magnification to put on a tripod.

Sweet. This is exactly what I was hoping someone would chime in with. I hear the 12x50 ELs are fantastic, but they're a bit out of my price range, unfortunately. Hopefully the 12x50 razor hd are similarly comparable to the Kaibabs. Guess I'll just to try it out and see...

 

[Coues hunter]

Everyone says the razor hd is great glass. Good luck with them.

 

[bikerdavet]

I would be interested in your findings. I have similar questions but I am on the fence between binos of small spotter....

 

[ftballman125]

I would be interested in your findings. I have similar questions but I am on the fence between binos of small spotter....

Yeah, I'm an eyeglass wearer, so seeing that the 12x50 razor hd has less eye relief than the kaibab's gets me thinking that I may need to save up and go for the 12x50ELs, which have the most eye relief of the three. It's hard to consider paying that much when I've daily driven cars that cost me more...

 

[jlivgren]

I have the 12x50 razorHD and I had no problem picking out deer at 2 miles. I have not looked through the 15x56 but I am very happy with the choice to go 12x over 10 or 8. I was also conscious of the weight of the 12x50 and I am very happy with the quality. I do not wear glasses and actually I am blessed with very excellent vision.

 

[kazpilot25]

I have the Kaibab HD and Razor HD, the Razor HD is MUCH better glass in my opinion than what is in the Kaibabs. I think if you are trying to cut weight, I'd go with the Razor HD 12x50 and not look back. For me, I don't feel like the edge clarity is there on Kaibabs so I have recently upgraded to the Swarovski 15x56.

As far as the Razor HD and the EL are concerned; I'd say they're optically very similar in terms of resolution and sharpness of image. Like you said, the main (if not only) difference is eye relief. Keep your eye out on ebay as you can sometimes score a good deal on there.

 

[ElkNut1]

The Razor HD 12X50 would be my choice as well, the Kaibabs do well but I agree with the others that the imagery is crisper & clearer our of the Razors! Send me a PM if interested, we have a Special on the Razor HD 12X50 at present!

ElkNut1

 

[luke moffat]

The Razor HD 12X50 would be my choice as well, the Kaibabs do well but I agree with the others that the imagery is crisper & clearer our of the Razors! Send me a PM if interested, we have a Special on the Razor HD 12X50 at present!

ElkNut1

Thats awesome that they are on sale. I got my 12X50s in May and really like them. Used Swaro and Zeiss prior to these and really feel that the 12X50s are the sweet spot for me. They are light enough to free hand glass without a tripod (though like any binos they do benefit from a tripod) and weigh as less than my 10X42 Swaro ELs did. The 12X i found very nice and never felt as if my FOV was limited. If I didn't already have a set I'd be calling you up right now.

 

[ftballman125]

Thats awesome that they are on sale. I got my 12X50s in May and really like them. Used Swaro and Zeiss prior to these and really feel that the 12X50s are the sweet spot for me. They are light enough to free hand glass without a tripod (though like any binos they do benefit from a tripod) and weigh as less than my 10X42 Swaro ELs did. The 12X i found very nice and never felt as if my FOV was limited. If I didn't already have a set I'd be calling you up right now.

Luke, I assume you don't wear eye glasses with them? Are you fortunate to have great vision or do you wear contacts? If contacts, how do you deal with that for a week in the field?

ElkNut, do you think one could comfortably wear eye glasses with the 12x50 razors?

 

[luke moffat]

Luke, I assume you don't wear eye glasses with them? Are you fortunate to have great vision or do you wear contacts? If contacts, how do you deal with that for a week in the field?

ElkNut, do you think one could comfortably wear eye glasses with the 12x50 razors?

I had horrible vision (prescription of -4.75 in both eyes) and wore contacts in the field for years. Honestly it was a pain but I did it cause I hated wearing glasses as they'd fog up or get water droplets on them in the rain and what as well as made it a PITA for glasses with certain binos.

Nothing like skinning out a goat and climbing off the mountain with muddy/bloody hands and prying them contacts our of your eyes and putting them in their case and sleeping with your contact case in your bag so they don't freeze overnight....wake up and put them back in the in the morning.

Best money spent for me on optics was Lasik. Worth every penny, knowing what I know now I would have paid twice as much to get it done. I'd rather run Nikon Monarch with Lasik than Swaro ELs with contacts.

 

[rodney482]

Just got back from Coues hunting and used my Razor 50mm spotter and 10x42 razor HD's
used them both on a Vortex SS summit tripod.

I felt like I was very well equipped!!!

 

[JNDEER]

Luke, I assume you don't wear eye glasses with them? Are you fortunate to have great vision or do you wear contacts? If contacts, how do you deal with that for a week in the field?

ElkNut, do you think one could comfortably wear eye glasses with the 12x50 razors?

I cannot speak for the 12x50 Razors, but I wear glasses and noticed halo effects with the 10x42 (I did a bino review http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?7225-My-quest-for-quot-the-one-quot ) . Before you swap I would try and get a pair of the 12s or find someone who wears glasses and make sure they will work for you wearing glasses.

 

[Jeff Martin]

BTW, Zeiss just released a 15x56 conquest HD for $1500. I would look hard at these as well. I saw them as the DSC show. Give them a look.

 

[WRO]

I have the Kaibab HD and Razor HD, the Razor HD is MUCH better glass in my opinion than what is in the Kaibabs. I think if you are trying to cut weight, I'd go with the Razor HD 12x50 and not look back. For me, I don't feel like the edge clarity is there on Kaibabs so I have recently upgraded to the Swarovski 15x56.

As far as the Razor HD and the EL are concerned; I'd say they're optically very similar in terms of resolution and sharpness of image. Like you said, the main (if not only) difference is eye relief. Keep your eye out on ebay as you can sometimes score a good deal on there.

The biggest difference besides the quality of glass (swaro hands down), is that the vortex have a relatively small sweet spot in glass compared to the swaro's.. With the 10 power razors about 30% of the lense is blurred (edges) you can see it pretty quickly when you map the glass.

 

[rodney482]

The biggest difference besides the quality of glass (swaro hands down), is that the vortex have a relatively small sweet spot in glass compared to the swaro's.. With the 10 power razors about 30% of the lense is blurred (edges) you can see it pretty quickly when you map the glass.

if you concentrate on the edge its in focus. Its not often I find myself looking at the edge.

Swaros are a little better with edge to edge but only slightly.

My observations are based on owing EL's for 5 years and a few sets of SLV's. I have not owned the newer EL's

 

[WRO]

if you concentrate on the edge its in focus. Its not often I find myself looking at the edge.

Swaros are a little better with edge to edge but only slightly.

My observations are based on owing EL's for 5 years and a few sets of SLV's. I have not owned the newer EL's

I have the new Swarovisions, there isn't much of a comparision from what I have seen.