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Help me find a great set of binos |
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Cidah
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/16/2009 Location: Mobile, Alabama Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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Posted: June/16/2009 at 18:36 |
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Ok guys. After reading the forum for a while I figure it's time to post one up. I'm getting into hunting and need both binos and scope. I'm hunting in West/Central Alabama. Longest distance is probably 500 yards max, and more than likely much much less. I'm not sure there is a perfect all-in-one bino for what I want so I am open to suggestions of multiple units. I bow hunt early season and rifle for the rest. I want something with good low-light performance. Something rugged, and dependable.
Last year I borrowed binos on the occasions I hunted. The 3 sets I used last year were all Steiner Nighthunters;8x30,8x56 and 10x56(i think). Anyways, these binos were enjoyable, and my uncle that let me use them swears they can't be beat. I don't have his budget though and so I'm thinking of spending about $1000 on binos and a riflescope(together). I may be flexable up to about $1200 if it's REALLY worth the extra money. I'm not sure what info to really give, so please ask the necassary questions and I will fill in the info. Thanks for all of your time. P.S. as a side question, is there really anything to the Steiner Predator claim of making game more visible, there's some on the samplelist for $149 that may make a great bowhunting bino. Just curious. |
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Cidah
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/16/2009 Location: Mobile, Alabama Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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Ok, it occurs to me I didn't give enough info. The binos and scope will be used for Deer and hog hunting. Don't need ultra long distance, but clarity and low light performance is important. The binos will also be used for turkey hunting as well. The rifle I'm looking at buying is a Tikka T3 hunter 7mm mag.
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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Meopta Meostar Bino http://swfa.com/New-Meopta-8x42-Meostar-Binocular-P7971.aspx and a Bushnell Elite 4200 3-9x scope.http://swfa.com/Bushnell-3-9x40-Elite-4200-Rifle-Scope-P6910.aspx Both very fine optics.
Or for a little cheaper the Vortex Razor is very good as well. http://swfa.com/Vortex-8x42-Razor-Binocular-P10832.aspx Edited by supertool73 - June/16/2009 at 20:23 |
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Cidah
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/16/2009 Location: Mobile, Alabama Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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Thank you for the reply. Both of those look pretty good. And you did a great job of staying in my budget. I've read a couple of posts about these Zen Ray ED 8x42 binos saying that can't be beat for the price and even double the price. How would these compare to either the Meopta or the Vortex binos? If they're that great I could either go with an even better scope or just save some money all together, that wouldn't hurt my feelings these days.
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Klamath
Optics Master Joined: May/20/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1308 |
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I happen to think the image in all three is at the very least directly comparable. I think my ZEN ED has a better image than the Razors I have compared it too. I don't particularly care for the yellow bias of the Meopta. But that is me. When you get to the optics level, most differences are more perceived than real. What really matters is how you like the image you are looking at. So the only answer to the "how do these compare?" question is really the answer you come up with. This is a big reason why you see so many try before you buy suggestions. Personally, I have NO reason to desire a better image than provided by the ZEN ED (or the Hawke, or the Promaster ED either). So my advice is to save the money. Unless you are extremely optics savvy the differences you will see in a practical field use are pretty much not there. How the hard use issue finishes out is at this point an unanswered question. So no, there really is no great image improvement even at 5x the price.
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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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Ick
Optics Professional ICK, Ed's BOY Joined: October/08/2008 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 817 |
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Not sure that these are "technically" albinos.......
Ok, here you go......
Your search for "binos" is now over.... Edited by Ick - June/17/2009 at 18:09 |
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Ick, Ed's boy,www.ick.bz |
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muleycrazy
Optics Apprentice Joined: May/21/2009 Status: Offline Points: 74 |
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lck that is pretty funny
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Tooie
Optics Apprentice Joined: May/17/2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 55 |
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For the use you describe, I am not sure you could beat a Steiner product. They make military binoculars for a number countries. Therefore, they know how to build them tough. I suggest you take a hard look at some Steiner models, new or used, within your budget.
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Cidah
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/16/2009 Location: Mobile, Alabama Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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Ok, bit the bullet and ordered the ZEN ED 8x43 last night. After reading all of the reviews I could find and everyone of them being positive. It's hard not to take the chance. It gives me the chance to own optics of a quality I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford.
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JGRaider
Optics Master Joined: February/06/2008 Status: Offline Points: 1540 |
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From what I read that's probably a pretty good choice. I'll second the elite 4200 idea, and give a huge thumbs up to the Tikka. Great choices.
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skywalker
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/16/2009 Status: Offline Points: 149 |
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Cidah,
You should be happy with those. I chose the ProMaster Elites ED and have nothing but praise for them. |
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Cidah
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/16/2009 Location: Mobile, Alabama Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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I can't wait to get them in. They're back-ordered so I'm not sure when they will come but it's nice to have the first pair of bins on the way. I've told my uncle and I'm gonna compare them to the nighthunters when they come in. Hopefully they stack up. For the price I don't care if they're "better" but it would be awesome to achieve similar low-light performance.
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Tranan
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/09/2009 Status: Offline Points: 85 |
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If you look for low-light effective binoculars, there is one pair that will beat everything on the marked. They are extremely difficult to find but I did see them several time on ebay, going for sums lower than what you are prepaired to pay. It is the marine Zeiss Hensoldt 7x50. These binos are like from another planet with an optics that beats the most expensive. They totally rock For hunting in low-light conditions, YOU WIL NOT FIND ANYTHING BETTER! I kid you not.
If you buy them used you will get them much cheaper than this.
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CHARLIE DON'T SURF!
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pokemon
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/22/2009 Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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cajunhunter
Optics Apprentice Joined: August/08/2007 Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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That is your first post pokemon, when someone has asked for help on a great set of Binos. Come on. Read some of the threads. This is not a hunting forum. This forum is full of optics experts. I would not even consider the Nikon Monarch with other binos at that price like the Zen Ray, Hawke and a few others.
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JGRaider
Optics Master Joined: February/06/2008 Status: Offline Points: 1540 |
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You got that right.........the monarch binos do a great disservice to the Nikon name.
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Tranan
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/09/2009 Status: Offline Points: 85 |
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I am not really fond of Monarch either but if I were to defend Pokemon I would say that their 8.5x56 model is definitely one to consider. 8x42 and 10x42 are trash but these other one are actually pretty good.
What is however worrying about the Monarchs is the fact that the marked is full of refurbs, which must actually mean that they have a high rate of failed models. |
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CHARLIE DON'T SURF!
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rfc
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/25/2009 Location: mississippi Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Marksoutdoors, Leica 8x42 BA $695. Samplelist, 8x30 zeiss classic $499. Firststopguns, Zeiss classic 10x40 $550, you want find better glass at these prices.
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Tranan
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/09/2009 Status: Offline Points: 85 |
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True indeed, however our friend was refering to low-light binoculars. These ones, though very good, are not the prototype of what I'd call low-light bino. I would rather look at 7x50, 8x56 something like that.
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CHARLIE DON'T SURF!
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spf2
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/02/2007 Status: Offline Points: 169 |
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I have found Bushnell Excursion a better binos than the Monarch
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