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Best high end???

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haminator View Drop Down
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    Posted: March/02/2009 at 11:39
Currently have a pair of Minox HG 10x52 br's.  I love them, but I would like to get rid of them and move to the next level.  I would like to keep the large objective for low lighting situations, (50 plus).  I have been reading about the flouride technology and am curios to weather the extra money is really worth it.  The minox apo's only go up to a 42mm obj so not really too interested.  I like the wide fov of zeiss and leica as mine is only 283' @ 1000yds.  Any imput would be helpful and appreciated.  My budget is hopefully under 2grand, but I can get into ultravids, el's and victory fls for that no prob.  thanks...
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haminator View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 16:49
Well 37 views and no replies.  Thanks, nice to feel welcomed to your forum...
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
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"Eagles may soar, but weasles dont get sucked into jet engines.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:00
Given your stated specs and budget, I would get the Zeiss Victory FL 10X56, enjoy my binoculars for the rest of my life and never look back.  Whether the extra $ is worth it or not is a personal decision.  It all depends on how picky you are about optical performance, and how badly you want that little extra performance.  Once you get into this class of binoculars, you pay a hefty premium for very slight improvements.  The fluorite lenses in the Zeiss FL will definitely produce a cleaner image with less color fringing.  It also has exceptional light transmission, with the Abbe Koenig prisms used.  Your Minox HG is already a very fine binocular, so you may not notice a huge improvement, though you will gain a fairly significant amount of field of view with the Zeiss (330' vs. 283').  The Zeiss Victory FL series is definitely among the very finest roof prism binoculars in the world.  The Leica Ultravid HD is in the same class as well, but if I'm going with 10X and want to optimize low light performance and don't mind a large objective, I would choose 56mm over 50mm, and Leica doesn't offer their Ultravids in 56mm versions.

Edited by RifleDude - March/02/2009 at 17:09
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:05
Originally posted by haminator haminator wrote:

Well 37 views and no replies.  Thanks, nice to feel welcomed to your forum...
 
WOW!  Be patient, haminator.  You just posted today; give it time!  When you're talking about $2K binoculars, you naturally narrow the field of responses, because many people viewing your post can't afford such binoculars and therefore have no experience with them to comment on. 
Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:08
yea
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"Eagles may soar, but weasles dont get sucked into jet engines.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:10
Originally posted by haminator haminator wrote:

yea
 
What does that mean?
 
 
Did you not get a response to your question?
Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:12

Thanks ted appreciate the info.  I am leaning toward the zeiss because of the reason you stated on the large objective.  Your right about the post sorry everyone.  I am excited to get them, you know a big kids toy.  They are a huge purchase for me as well, as I am definately not wealthy.  I want a bino that will hold up and I can appreciate the rest of my life or at least for a very long time.

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"Eagles may soar, but weasles dont get sucked into jet engines.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:19
Some will likely disagree because of the huge price tag, but the Zeiss FL is one of those once in a lifetime binoculars.  Since you indicated low light performance was at the top of the priority list, you are set on 10X, and you want something that will outperform your Minox HG 10X52 in low light, the Zeiss 10X56 FL is the only premium class roof prism option I can think of that will do what you're asking.

Edited by RifleDude - March/02/2009 at 17:20
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:23
yea I looked it up the twilight factor is 23.7 where mine is around 22 if I remember right.  I am satisfied with that aspect of mine but more is better.  I love the larger fov though.  The color fringing that your talking about, I can notice a little bit on mine when I look at something in the snow there is a bit of fringing not bothersome but it is there.
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"Eagles may soar, but weasles dont get sucked into jet engines.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:27
http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/2007roundup/chart_main.html
found this a couple days ago and it backs what your saying about zeisses lense quality and overall build quility.
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"Eagles may soar, but weasles dont get sucked into jet engines.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:28
wait that is the wrong chart
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 17:29
http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/2008roundup/chart_main.html
ok there is the high end chart, the first is the mid range chart
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 18:40
Things like the twilight factor do not help you take into consideration things like lense coatings that affect the amount of light or its color spectrum that get throught the tubes.  YMMV.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 18:46
For the most part, I don't think those rankings are too out of line, however, starting with the middle of the rankings, I disagree with their opinions.  I would certainly rank the Meopta much higher, and don't think the Bushnell is quite in the same class as the others.  Keep in mind that no matter whose rankings you use to base your decision on, they are still based on someone's opinion. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 18:54
Originally posted by silver silver wrote:

Things like the twilight factor do not help you take into consideration things like lense coatings that affect the amount of light or its color spectrum that get throught the tubes.  YMMV.
 
Exactly.  Twilight Factor is basically a worthless number.  Its value is only as a basis of comparison between two equal quality optics.  Twilight Factor is nothing more than the square root of the result of objective diameter (in mm) X magnification.  It doesn't take into account the quality of the glass, glass grind and polish, coatings, or overall optical design.  So, a cheap, total piece of crap 10X56 binocular has a greater twilight factor (23.7) than an alpha class 8X42 (18.3), yet the latter will give you better low light performance by virtue of better optics.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rifle looney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 19:00
Originally posted by haminator haminator wrote:

Well 37 views and no replies.  Thanks, nice to feel welcomed to your forum...


Dude I am a regular and sometimes they avoid me like the plague!........Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 19:09
Originally posted by rifle looney rifle looney wrote:

Dude I am a regular and sometimes they avoid me like the plague!........Wink
 
One word... halitosis!Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haminator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/02/2009 at 22:27
Thanks guys all good info.  Lots to think about..
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
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"Eagles may soar, but weasles dont get sucked into jet engines.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cajunhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/03/2009 at 20:17
I have been very please with my 7x42 Zeiss Victory FL.  They are the hunting bomb unless you really need magnification.  Awsome FOV, low light, stabliltiy etc.....
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