Which Binoculars

[Mike7]

Here is another one to consider, and potentialy muddy the waters further...Mavens.

I am in thick stuff a lot, so picked up the B3 8x30's this year after looking at 8x Swaros, Leupolds, etc. in the store and not being impressed. I think these $500 Mavens are great, especially used on a Rick Young type homemade bino harness. I put two of the rubber O-rings people have mentioned on this site under each of the eyecups so the cups never move, and have put a Vortex bino-loc on the binos. Now they are effortless to use, even with one hand. If their field of view was even wider, and their eyecups were like my Razors, then they would be perfect in my opinion.

Now, I have these tiny 8x Maven binos, and a big set of 15x's binos, which work better for me overall I think than the 10x's binos and spotter combo I had been using. I have only taken the big binos & tripod out of the truck for open country mule deer hunting this year, but the 8x30 Mavens go everywhere. I never thought I would be a two-bino guy.

With my "limited" experience, the similarly priced 10x Conquest, Razors, & Meoptas, and the Maven 11x45s all seem fairly similar in view (with some viewing off of a tripod outside near dusk but not all compared at the same time). I really like the ergonomics of the Razors (eyecups, light weight, etc) so ended up with these. They are a great all around bino, but I will likely be selling these soon I think for a good price, since I am a two-bino guy now apparently.

 

[rileybassman]

I got my conquests for 799 from camera land... have seen them for 750... these are open box, but still good warranty. I had a chip on a lense when I got them and zeiss sent me a brand new pair within two weeks.
Seen them in the classifieds here for even less.

 

[dotman]

The best prices I have found are here https://redhawkrifles.com/products/catalog/zeiss-binoculars great company to work with, I got mine from them. Might be able to save your cabelas cash for something else.

 

[Nickanto]

I'll second the Mavens. I took my B2s and my dads ELs out tonight at dusk to do some low light comparisons. I had a group of whitetails at 600 yards and watched them all the way until I ran out of light. To my surprise the Mavens hung right with the swaros. I know a lot of guys are going to refuse to believe that, but to my eyes there wasn't much if any a noticeable difference. I had one young buck that I kept switching back and forth on and ran out of light at just about the same time. Now this isn't a knock on swaros. They probably are a little better to the trained eye, but to me I couldn't justify the extra cost. Everything about the Mavens scream quality. I'm very happy with them.

 

[realunlucky]

I always check camera land when I need some thing but they wouldn't touch Redhawks price on the conquests. I'd do business with them again if buying zeiss

 

[Ryan Avery]

This is why each individual must look through the optic first! I thought the conquest where crap! I would take Maven's over them any day. But to my eyes, nothing hangs with the ELs or Ultravids.

 

[AK Shane]

Of the three original binos listed the SLC is the best but the Trino and Conquest aren't far behind. Maven is a good option and on part with the Trino and Conquest. The Cabelas Euro HD/Meopta Meostar are the closest I've found to the SLC or other premium glass without paying the price. They all have different features that you may like better than other. All are better than the Razors in my opinion.

The SLC and the Zeiss Victory HT are two of my favorite binos I've taken a look at lately.

 

[WOOD5045]

I had the same issue with the EL's and went with the SLC 10-42's and I couldn't be happier.

 

[69ChrisCraft01]

I hate to sound like a naysayer but my experience with the Maven B3 was sub par. I brought them along this fall on an elk hunt for my buddy to use as he had Nikon Monarch 8x42s. The first day on the mountain I handed him the Mavens and after a bit he handed them back and said he preferred his Nikons, I chastised him and told him there was no way they were in the same class.....we swapped back and forth for a while and both agreed the Mavens were going back in the case (they were returned under the 2 week return policy).

We both now own the 12x50 ELs and I'm a firm believer that the "get what you pay for" is more applicable to optics than anything else I've found yet.

 

[Nickanto]

I hate to sound like a naysayer but my experience with the Maven B3 was sub par. I brought them along this fall on an elk hunt for my buddy to use as he had Nikon Monarch 8x42s. The first day on the mountain I handed him the Mavens and after a bit he handed them back and said he preferred his Nikons, I chastised him and told him there was no way they were in the same class.....we swapped back and forth for a while and both agreed the Mavens were going back in the case (they were returned under the 2 week return policy).

We both now own the 12x50 ELs and I'm a firm believer that the "get what you pay for" is more applicable to optics than anything else I've found yet.

That's apples to oranges. A 42mm projective lenses is going to be more enjoyable to use than a 30mm for glassing elk.

 

[WRO]

That's apples to oranges. A 42mm projective lenses is going to be more enjoyable to use than a 30mm for glassing elk.

I disagree, I use 8x32 els for elk hunting and I don't feel I give up anything on 10 x42 except weight.

I am in the same boat as Ryan on the Conquests, I'm not impressed.

 

[69ChrisCraft01]

That's apples to oranges. A 42mm projective lenses is going to be more enjoyable to use than a 30mm for glassing elk.

I'd say more grapefruit to tangerine but I get your point. However, it wasn't field of view and light gathering ability that turned us off. If you follow some of the reviews on birding forums there is some noise about the B3 not quite being being on par with the B1 and B2 Maven products.

I understand that quality/price is subjective.....but in my opinion the Vortex Viper line (15x50 aside) is a great "value". However, the Razor line which is an optically superior line isn't near the value (comparative to other offerings from competitors in same price range).

Trying to find the best "value" within a specific price range became so convoluted and futile I eventually bit the bullet and got what I (and many others) considered to be the best glass out there. If you don't have an obsessive gear junky personality then save the coin and consider yourself lucky.

 

[dotman]

I disagree, I use 8x32 els for elk hunting and I don't feel I give up anything on 10 x42 except weight.

I am in the same boat as Ryan on the Conquests, I'm not impressed.

X2... I much prefer my 8x32's and they are very comparable to my eyes with the Meopta HD 10x42's in clarity and sharpness, yes you lose a tad of light gathering at first and last light but not much. I currently have the conquest HD 8x32's and after also owning them in 8x42 I feel the 8x32 is better overall in clarity and do not feel like they reduced any first last light ops vs the larger 42's in the conquest line.

A good quality 8x32 will see much more then an avg larger bino in my experience and the Nikon is avg if not less then avg today.

Same buddy that has the Meopta HD' had the Nikon Monarchs, he was blown away by the diff in my conquests and his Monarchs, we are not talking just a few min diff at first and last light but a substantial diff. He has since upgraded to the new ranging swaro binos and he says truthfully his Meopta's are very close to the Swaros.

 

[AK Shane]

I think if Meopta could find a way to shave 2-3 ounces off their Meostar/Cabelas Euro binos they would take over the mid range market. Optically they are superior to everything up until you hit the SLC's. The SLC edges them out with stray light control and weight. The weight is the major turnoff for most people. The ergonomics is goofy the first time you pick them up but becomes pretty comfortable after you've handled them for awhile. I guess the weight does make them more stable in the hand but you can definately feel that extra weight around your neck. If they weighed 2 oz less I don't know why anyone would pay more or the SLC.

 

[huntabsarokee]

Just a few of my opinions on some of the comments.

Optics are 1 of those items that need to be tried maybe even more so than boots.

A better alternative to the Razor 50mm is the Opticron 50 MM3 spotter. Similar price point. I owned a Nikon ED50 and the Razor and the Opticron has a much nicer eye piece especially at higher zoom where on the Razor I had to bury my eye into the eye piece. I am going to buy the Opticron MM3 60 which uses the same eye piece as the 50.

Also not a fan of the Conquest HD 8x and 10x I tried. Not that they weren't good just not better than the Monarch 7s. Which brings me to the point that when people say Monarchs weren't good it helps when you state the mode since they have different price points. To my eyes the 7s are very good and as good most binocs up to 800 or more that I tried.

The Cabelas Euro are definitely a bargain when they run a sale. I picked up a pair of the 8x32 and thought they were as bright as their 10x42s I tried. Only issue is if you can get use to the small diameter fit to your eye. Wish they made a 8x42.

 

[Phillip Hathaway]

Just to chime in I have had the SLC HD for 2 years now and love them. i looked through the EL and couldn't pick out a difference in my eyes. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

 

[jr87mustang]

Thanks for all the advice guys it was a big help, I picked up a brand new pair of the latest model 10x42 SLC's for $1375. I figured they were close enough in price to the $1000 Meopta/Trinovid/Conquest level that I might as well pony up the extra $300 and get the Swaros.

 

[stephen b]

Smart move! Fantastic optics- enjoy.

 

[kellytc45]

Why not Leica geovids solve two things at once