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Bang for Aussie buck?

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AdamK View Drop Down
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    Posted: November/04/2009 at 03:46
Hi all,
Given the strong Aussie dollar against the $US at the moment, I'm intending to invest in some new glass (binos, spotting scope, range finder, & rifle scope). 
So, I'm after some recommendations on where and what to spend my money on. My budget for binos is about $1750US. I've been looking at the Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, but have heard they are being discontinued. Would the new model be worth the extra money?

Thanks in advance.
AdamK
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AdamK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AdamK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2009 at 00:34
Come on guys, where's the love? 
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Klamath View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2009 at 09:53
The new EL won't ship till next year, so nobody has seen one to comment.  They are advertised for sale at $2,399 US.
Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron

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JGRaider View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2009 at 14:51
Are you a hunter, birdwatcher, or what?

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AdamK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AdamK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2009 at 18:24
I am a hunter using both bow and rifle. 

What do you recommend and where to buy from via internet in USA?
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JGRaider View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2009 at 20:16
You can't go wrong with the EL's, but I'd probably go a different route myself.  I'd probably look right here at SWFA and do this:

1.  Meopta--super optics, extremely tough
2.  Cabelas Euro--Cabelas brand is a rebadged meopta
3.  I'd look on the Sample List here and see which one I could get the best deal on of the Zeiss FL, Swaro SLC New, Leica Ultravid.  I'd lean toward the Swaro because their customer service is best in the business bar none.
4.  Leupold Gold Ring HD--In the Meopta class, great customer service, supposed to be very tough also.  
5.  Zen Ray ED2--optically as good as it gets, bar none, yes....bar none.  I've compared to the SLC EL, and Trinovid, as well as the Gold Ring HD and I felt that they offered a superior view to the SLC, Trinovid, and GR, and there's not a nickles' worth of difference in the Zen's optics and my hunting bud's EL's  All were 10x.  As posted many times, many places, jury is still out on durability, but I've drug mine through some "stuff" the past 3 months and they're holding up well.

Hope this helps some.  It's always best to look through them before you buy, but that's not always possible.  Good luck and ask more questions here if you need to.
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John Barsness View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2009 at 21:00
For the buck it's still hard to beat good porro-prism binoculars, like the Nikon SE's, but they aren't fashionable--though they're $1000 cheaper than the equiivalent roofs.
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AdamK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AdamK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/10/2009 at 00:02
Thanks John. You've given me plenty to contemplate there. Much appreciated.
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The Apostle View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Apostle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2009 at 20:17
Originally posted by AdamK AdamK wrote:

Hi all,
Given the strong Aussie dollar against the $US at the moment, I'm intending to invest in some new glass (binos, spotting scope, range finder, & rifle scope). 
So, I'm after some recommendations on where and what to spend my money on. My budget for binos is about $1750US. I've been looking at the Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, but have heard they are being discontinued. Would the new model be worth the extra money?

Thanks in advance.
AdamK
 
You're not the only Aussie shooter/hunter at the moment thats cheering the fact our dollar is so darn strong!!!
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NDhunter View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NDhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2009 at 20:39
Originally posted by JGRaider JGRaider wrote:

You can't go wrong with the EL's, but I'd probably go a different route myself.  I'd probably look right here at SWFA and do this:

1.  Meopta--super optics, extremely tough
2.  Cabelas Euro--Cabelas brand is a rebadged meopta
3.  I'd look on the Sample List here and see which one I could get the best deal on of the Zeiss FL, Swaro SLC New, Leica Ultravid.  I'd lean toward the Swaro because their customer service is best in the business bar none.
4.  Leupold Gold Ring HD--In the Meopta class, great customer service, supposed to be very tough also.  
5.  Zen Ray ED2--optically as good as it gets, bar none, yes....bar none.  I've compared to the SLC EL, and Trinovid, as well as the Gold Ring HD and I felt that they offered a superior view to the SLC, Trinovid, and GR, and there's not a nickles' worth of difference in the Zen's optics and my hunting bud's EL's  All were 10x.  As posted many times, many places, jury is still out on durability, but I've drug mine through some "stuff" the past 3 months and they're holding up well.

Hope this helps some.  It's always best to look through them before you buy, but that's not always possible.  Good luck and ask more questions here if you need to.
 
SWFA only ships to U.S.A. addresses.  You will have to look for another internet retailer.
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The Apostle View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Apostle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/15/2009 at 00:17
Originally posted by NDhunter NDhunter wrote:

SWFA only ships to U.S.A. addresses.  You will have to look for another internet retailer.
 
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AdamK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AdamK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/15/2009 at 04:34
I can ship to a friend in US and get them to post it to me thereafter. 

I am prepared to spend the money for the new EL 8.5 x 42. This is a life investment so I'm not going to much around....

Quality of warranty service etc is important, but so is performance. Are the Leica over rated?

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HuntMaster View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HuntMaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/15/2009 at 13:12
Originally posted by AdamK AdamK wrote:

I am a hunter using both bow and rifle. 

What do you recommend and where to buy from via internet in USA?
 
You can not LEGALLY buy optics from anyone in the U.S. , you can't even get a private individual to ship it to you. They could get in serious trouble from Dept of Homeland Security. 
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NDhunter View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NDhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/15/2009 at 18:42
I think that restrictions are only on rifle scopes, and high intensity flashlights.
 
Other optics are certainly shipped worldwide.  No problem with that.
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AdamK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AdamK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/15/2009 at 19:57
Mates get stuff all the time from the USA..... Never had a drama with scopes either. 
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