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Leica CRF 800 vs Vortex Ranger 1000 Video Review |
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Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/20/2012 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 33 |
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Posted: September/13/2012 at 09:35 |
I promised this a while back in the Ranger 1000 thread, but thought I'd make a separate post here.
Do you think I'm right choosing the Vortex over the older Leica? I've got the Leica listed online right now for $450 Canadian. I also threw together some less qualified musings about the various rangefinders I've used in the field: |
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Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/20/2012 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 33 |
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Was I wrong to post this guy here? Would this be more of a "Members Reviews" kind of post? It just seemed more topical for rangefinders
Personally or through friends I've tried: Bushnell Scout 1000 and Legend 1200 Leupold RX 600 and RX 1000 TBR Vortex's Ranger 1000 Nikon's Archer's Choice Zeiss Victory RF Leica 800, 1200, 1000, 1600 (but not the 1600-B yet!) Swarovski's brick of a rangefinder |
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- I try to produce quality firearms content worth watching:
http://www.youtube.com/user/WildGunmenOsborne |
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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Thanks for sharing. Next you should move onto the Bino RF combos. You will wonder why you ever messed with them individually.
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Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.
"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own." |
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Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/20/2012 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 33 |
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Oh I have tried all the Bino RF combinations. The new swarovskis were . . . disappointing. I used to love all their stuff, but these days I think the only swarovski product I'd buy is their CTS. And even then, Zeiss has a pretty strong alternative.
My problem with all the combination units I've tried has been that either the glass in the bino isn't good enough, or the display in the rangefinder isn't good enough. Similar to my less qualified musings about rangefinders, my slightly cynical thoughts on the bino-combos I've used are: Leica has a great rangefinder in there, but the left handed button is odd, especially for archers or anyone else using the units one handed. The glass is not as sharp as unadulterated Leica glass. Spend 10 minutes looking through Ultravids or an APO spotter and then transition to the Geovids. You will see it. Swarovski killed their open bridge ergonomics with the Swaro-Range binos. Also their display is the most wishy washy form of LED illumination I have ever used, and when the sun is out the numbers are nearly unreadable. Zeiss charges an exorbitant amount for a unit that is very heavy. For the same weight I could carry a set of binos a rangefinder and a compact spotter. Bushnell is the cheapest of any Bino-RF combo, but the glass in them has a strong green cast that I cannot abide. I would love to see an offering from Leupold, Meopta, or Vortex into this arena. Something at the $1200-$1600 mark would do very well for them. But as it stands now, there isnt a combination unit on the market I'd spend my money on. |
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- I try to produce quality firearms content worth watching:
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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Oh come now, the Zeiss is not that heavy.
The laser in the Zeiss smokes the one in the Leica. Absolutely no comparison IMO. I have compared the Zeiss RF in one hand the Zeiss FL in another. If there was mcuh diff I could not see it. Same with the Leica RF and the Ultravid, not that much diff. Lets see Leica RF 7.8 ozs. Leica Ultravid binos 26.5, Nikon 50 fieldscope 16.6 Nearly 50 oz. Ziess, 36 Leica 33 Swaro 32 Heck even just carrying a bino and seperate RF is as much as any of those binos RF combos. Plus you only have to carry one thing. The Meopta with a good RF would be very cool, I agree. But it would weight the same as any of the other combos. I dare bet we will see one for Vortex before to long. Vortex seems to be really innovative. You talk about speed and easy to deploy. The combo units blow away carrying to separate units. IF you are glassing for game and suddenly need to range one, you have to put the binos down dig out the RF and start again. With the combo it just takes a flick of the finger. you talk optical quality. No RF I have ever used even compares to the glass quality of the Leica or Zeiss combo units. plus you are only using one eye to view things. Monoculars suck vs a good bino Just my opinion, but having used the separate bino/rf for several years and then having them combined, I would pick them combined any day. The weight issue is moot IMO. If you have a good bino harness like the S4gear a few ounces you don't even feel. And it is much easier to deploy than pulling it out of a pouch or pack. |
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Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.
"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own." |
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lucytuma
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: November/25/2007 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 5389 |
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I thought it was a good honest review. Thanks for taking the time to produce it and then also sharing it.
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"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
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Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/20/2012 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 33 |
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Thanks guys!
Supertool, I'll give you some credit: if I was offered a bino/RF combo I doubt I'd turn them down. I just feel like there's other places I use my binoculars and rangefinders. Such as on the range with a Spotting scope and RF, but no binos. You're right, the speed though does make bino-combos pretty popular these days. I got to try a set of Vectronix RF/binos at shot show this year. 25km range! German glass! Sign me up for a pair. |
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- I try to produce quality firearms content worth watching:
http://www.youtube.com/user/WildGunmenOsborne |
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Prieto9000
Optics Apprentice Joined: March/12/2010 Location: Monterrey Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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I'd like to see the price tag on that little piece of gear!!!
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FOsteology
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/21/2007 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 101 |
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Nice review.
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Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/20/2012 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 33 |
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@Prieto Government prices. Like over ten thousand dollars. D:
Amazing stuff though. Just mind-blowing. |
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- I try to produce quality firearms content worth watching:
http://www.youtube.com/user/WildGunmenOsborne |
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