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Vortex Talon vs Vulture |
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muleyspook
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/18/2011 Location: New Mexico Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Posted: September/30/2011 at 08:33 |
Im about to order some new binos. I have set my mind to either the Vortex vulture HD 10x56 or the talon HD 10x42. I need some opinions of these two binos to help me decide. I cant look through these binoculars before i buy so im wondering if the vultures are really bright enough to make up for the extra weight?????
Thanks in advance.
Vulture +HD glass +large OBJ, brighter +Center Diopter Ring -heavy at 40 oz Talon +HD glass +Lightweight at 26 oz -maybe not as bright as the vultures???? |
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Klamath
Optics Master Joined: May/20/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1308 |
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You are sort of at an apples vs oranges crossroads here. Each will have different characteristics. Which is best for you really depends on what your uses, need and conditions are. You don't give much information there.
I have just looked at each of these, but don't have a lot of infield experience. I do have lots of time with the ZEN ED series, particularly the ED 2, which is the same thing as the Talon. As I have never been dissapointed with the ED 2, you will likely have the same experience with the Talon. The Talon will be bright enough to serve well beyond most legal shooting hours. Its resolution is sharp enough that you won't miss anything because you are not using something "better".
The Vulture is, like its namesake, sort of the ugly duckling of the Vortex line. It is pretty short for a 56mm glass, and as such it feels like it is based on a couple of heavily armored, short, stubby beer bottles. That is not meant to be a deragatory statement on quality, just an ergonomics observation . As you noted it is heavy. It is also very decent optically, and would be on my short list if I wanted a good, yet not overly expensive 56mm binocular, but I am not in that market. I have to pass on any low light observation comments, as I have none to make for the Vulture, one way or the other.
As a side note, the Talon likely has better glass than the Vulture. Sadly, the HD designation is purely Vortex "marketer speak" and means precisely nothing. Conventional wisdom does tell us that the 56mm glass should be brighter than a 42 mm, as the bigger objective has a lot more glass, hence more light energy, to work with. However the size of many people's exit pupils are not large enough in low light to fully use the advantage. Further, lens coating and glass quality has a lot to do with how the glass works in low light. Edited by Klamath - September/30/2011 at 14:27 |
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Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron |
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Sefrez
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/19/2011 Status: Offline Points: 30 |
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The vultures are likely to have a better focus if you are picky like me when it comes to it. The Talons may have better glass as Klamath said. I am pretty sure it wouldn't be very large though. I had a couple pairs of the Talons and the glass was good, but I didn't like the focus (to much play.) Some here say they have had no problems with play, but I had it on both.
So I ended up getting the Vipers. The focus is much better. What does that have to do with the Vultures? The bridge. With the Talons you have an open bridge and there is much less room to store the focusing mechanics. This makes it harder to design while still having a solid focus. For example, the Talons have two rods that connect to each barrels focusing element. When you focus to infinity, these rods are pulled back into the focus knob - leaving very little rod length in the bridge due to the open bridge design. If you can imagine holding a rod with two hands and then with one, you can see how with both (more enforcement) the rod is more sturdy. So to some it up, with a longer bridge, given that the focus mechanics take use of it, it will be more stable. This may not matter to you, it is just my observations. My vipers have zero play. I can however tell that the focus is a bit more stiff on the close focus side (because rods are almost fully enforced.) But that is perfectly reasonable and understandable, in my opinion. |
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dw0229
Optics Apprentice Joined: December/21/2010 Location: boaz,alabama Status: Offline Points: 121 |
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Allbinos.com has a recent look at the vultures and gave them a huge thumbs down.This is a twin to the Fomei made in the same plant.
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Sefrez
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/19/2011 Status: Offline Points: 30 |
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Yeah, I saw that. Not too good. It might be then that the best ones to go for in the China market is the Talon's. That is, I believe the vultures are made in some China plant.
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