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Originally Posted by GregW
If you're glassing less than a mile and mostly under 800 yards, a quality 10x or 12x on a quality tripod with a quality head (very important) IME will be a better tool for you than a pair of low quality 15's even for bedded animals if you are at least a decent glasser -

For 650 or under I'd go Minox (get the x 56's, not the x 58's) but I'd save the coin and go Swaro still -





Great advice IMO.


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I have had both x58 and x56 minox the 58's are better glass the 56's are smaller lighter and a better fit for most. Wait a little while the 56's go on sale all the time.

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azelkhuntr,

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I have had both x58 and x56 minox the 58's are better glass the 56's are smaller lighter and a better fit for most.


That was my experience. I still have the 58mm and the 56mm are gone. That's why I asked earlier what made the 56mm better.


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Size ergonomics focus wheel thats about it

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I've hunted the Vortex and Minox 15s. It's Minox hands down. Maybe Doug still has that open box deal going on.

I think you won't do better under $1K.

Trying to limit my comments to the OP's specs. I now own the Minox simply because I could not spring for the Swaros. But are the Swaros that much better? Probably.


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Quote
I now own the Minox simply because I could not spring for the Swaros. But are the Swaros that much better? Probably.


When I compared my Minox 15X58 side by side with a Swaro 15X56 I graded the Swaro at 100 so I could give my Minox some kind of number to make sense. I rated the Minox at 97. To me they were that good. There were three of us making the comparison. One guy prefered the Minox and the other guy couldn't tell any difference. I guess it is individual preference.


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One of your guys couldn't tell the differences between the minox and the swaro and the other didn't see a difference? Seriously?





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GregW,

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One of your guys couldn't tell the differences between the minox and the swaro and the other didn't see a difference? Seriously?


Sorry I wasn't clear enough. One guy prefered the Minox and the other couldn't see any difference. The guy who prefered the Minox is an experience shooter. The other guy may have hunted twice in his life and never looked through a binocular before.


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I've noticed a common response from folks that would never dream of justifying big dollars on glass, eager to proclaim whatever lesser quality product it's being compared to as "just as good".

I'm not saying the price tag always justifies the performance but there are a whole lot of guys that have no issues in lying to themselves to satisfy their perspective.


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Originally Posted by SKane
I've noticed a common response from folks that would never dream of justifying big dollars on glass, eager to proclaim whatever lesser quality product it's being compared to as "just as good".

I'm not saying the price tag always justifies the performance but there are a whole lot of guys that have no issues in lying to themselves to satisfy their perspective.



True story.


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I have no problem accepting the fact when something is better. You saw I rated the Swaro above mine. If I could afford them my 7X binos and my 15X binos would be replaced with Swarovskis. Swaro scopes are a different thing. After having four z5 there is no way they are as good as my Leupold VX-6.


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I agree Ringman. Swaro binos rock....Swaro riflescopes not so much IME.


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If you must have 15X consider the Nikon Action 7-15X35's.

I just compared them to Leupold 7X-12X switch powers and Hensoldt 8x56's and when you consider the price they are not bad to have around.

Nikon 7-15X's. $150!

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BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Holy fugk this website is awesome.




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bankwalker,

I'm going to dissent from most opinion here over the past 15 years -- buy the glass you can afford when you can afford it and run it. If the time is right, buy it and save no more.

My Minox were less than $600 and they are very good. Why didn't I save for the Swaros? Because life is short, resources are finite, and seasons change. Learning to glass is the key to open country hunting and I wanted to get in the game.

There are only so many days when one is strong and circumstances allow for outdoor enjoyment. It's not about hardware. Hunting with your eyes is a whole new world of fun, and you will observe things you would have never seen otherwise. Things you would have missed waiting for savings to double, and quadruple. Glassing is more about skill than optics, if you start with a glass that is viable. Good glassers will outperform beginners on any glass. And nobody gets good without time behind the optic. Waiting for a heavier purse delays this.

Keep in mind that a 15x bino is a specialty machine which will require a good quality tripod. Like rifles and scopes, they go together. Only you cannot put a good 15 on a cheap tripod and get any performance at all. Tripods are simply a necessity.

So get your gear and enjoy it. If it does not pan out, sell it and recover some of your cash. By the time you know how to glass well, you may be able to afford better. Or you may decide to keep the good glass and buy,for example, a $750 landowner tag and chase an animal you would have otherwise never been been able to.

When my Minox were brand new, my hunting buddy, a new hunter and friend, and I found and chased good elk in amazing country for several days because of that glass. On another hunt it took hours of glassing the same 10 acres of mesquite desert to find a sleepy javelina that we eventually stalked and shot. It was classic American big game hunting made possible because I bought the best I could and used it.

Could I have found more animals with Swaros? Probably not. Would I be a better overall glasser with Swaros? Yes. Could I have gone to Alaska and fished for salmon -- twice -- if I made a habit of buying the very best gear every time? No.

So get solid quality and don't look back, look forward. When affording great glass is no longer such a big deal, you'll probably give these away anyway, and be the richer.


I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill
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Savage_99,

These are way! better than almost everyone realizes. They used to be my favorites. A few years ago I found some deer about 1/4 mile away and turned up the magnification to watch them. Finally I realized I wasn't getting on them with the rifle and one was a good enough buck. By the time I got behind the rifle the deer were moving into the woods.

Right then I knew I was going to a fixed power bino. The other day I decided to compare the 7-15X with a 10X bino I really liked. There was just no comparison. The glass in the 7-15X is good enough that when I put it on a higher magnification the fixed 10X didn't have a chance. I did the same with the Minox 13X56. Again the glass was so good in the 7-15X the Minox could not stay with it for checking detail.

Of course the Minox will last longer in low light.

For those who think I cheated by putting the 7-15X on its highest setting I didn't. The others were on their highest setting also. It's just their glass is not good enough to beat out the 7-15X. If I was limited to one bino it would be the 7-15X. I would have to remember to get behind the rifle when I find game.


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$150 glass is $150 glass. Period. End of story.

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firstcoueswas80,

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$150 glass is $150 glass. Period. End of story.


Some folks can't afford more than $150. There was a time when I couldn't even afford $150 for anything other than house bills. Times were hard for us.

Have you compared these $150 glass with anything? If you don't mind would you tell us of a better bino for the money?


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The OP can afford more than $150 glass, fortunately.

For 15X tripod work, the Nikons above aren't a viable option. If you're saying that setting them on 15 will equal the Minox 15s, well, they just won't. Not even close. But if $150 is your glass budget, I'm sure a guy could find some deer with them. But if you need to find a piece of Coues deer buck under a bush a mile away, the Minox will get it done and the $150 glass will not. The Swaros will get it done better. It may be the 'Golden Age of Optics', but there's still no fairy dust that will make a $150 glass a $650 glass. Get behind them both in the field and within 30 seconds your eyes will be asking "Are you kidding me?". Probably 3 seconds. The information of merit you can get from looking at binos in the sporting goods store is regarding fit and ergos. You can't judge glass there.


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Originally Posted by Talus_in_Arizona
bankwalker,

I'm going to dissent from most opinion here over the past 15 years -- buy the glass you can afford when you can afford it and run it. If the time is right, buy it and save no more.

My Minox were less than $600 and they are very good. Why didn't I save for the Swaros? Because life is short, resources are finite, and seasons change. Learning to glass is the key to open country hunting and I wanted to get in the game.

There are only so many days when one is strong and circumstances allow for outdoor enjoyment. It's not about hardware. Hunting with your eyes is a whole new world of fun, and you will observe things you would have never seen otherwise. Things you would have missed waiting for savings to double, and quadruple. Glassing is more about skill than optics, if you start with a glass that is viable. Good glassers will outperform beginners on any glass. And nobody gets good without time behind the optic. Waiting for a heavier purse delays this.

Keep in mind that a 15x bino is a specialty machine which will require a good quality tripod. Like rifles and scopes, they go together. Only you cannot put a good 15 on a cheap tripod and get any performance at all. Tripods are simply a necessity.

So get your gear and enjoy it. If it does not pan out, sell it and recover some of your cash. By the time you know how to glass well, you may be able to afford better. Or you may decide to keep the good glass and buy,for example, a $750 landowner tag and chase an animal you would have otherwise never been been able to.

When my Minox were brand new, my hunting buddy, a new hunter and friend, and I found and chased good elk in amazing country for several days because of that glass. On another hunt it took hours of glassing the same 10 acres of mesquite desert to find a sleepy javelina that we eventually stalked and shot. It was classic American big game hunting made possible because I bought the best I could and used it.

Could I have found more animals with Swaros? Probably not. Would I be a better overall glasser with Swaros? Yes. Could I have gone to Alaska and fished for salmon -- twice -- if I made a habit of buying the very best gear every time? No.

So get solid quality and don't look back, look forward. When affording great glass is no longer such a big deal, you'll probably give these away anyway, and be the richer.


I agree with your post. The optics thing is all about which
binoculars we use and for what purpose. A budget is very important for everyone on this site.
For many a nice 8-10x42 is the main binocular that is used
often and everyday.

I have a 15x58 Minox ED and I really like it. It is a very
nice binocular and mentioned above. I recommend it well for
those looking for this size.

I own 5 Swarovski binoculars, but I don't want or need a 15X Swaro. as I don't use this size often.



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