Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Nikon Action Extreme VS Leupold Yosemite Binos

I just did a one on top the other comparison of the $129.00 Nikon Action Extreme 10X50 bino's against the 89.00 Leupold Yosemiite 6X30. The Nikon binos are not as bright, not as sharp edge to edge as the Yosemite. Now that was today at 12 noon in the bright sun light and that's what my eyes see. This weekend I will compare them at dusk while in the stand..

I'm not really surprised, but I'm also not happy to hear that.
I'm a big fan of Nikon optical stuff. My favorite "carry around my neck all day" binocular is an 8X32 Nikon LX.
But, I too, have noticed the disappoiting performance of one of their cheaper binoculars, the Monarch.
I've even carried the little Leupold in the wide open, high elk ranges of Montana. Wanted something really light and comfortable on some very long hikes a couple of times. Definately, not any where near as good as my LX 8X32, but surprisingly good. Spotted four elk over two miles and about 2000 ft. above me one morning before sunrise. Couldn't put antlers on any of them because they were in heavy shadow, but I could tell that one of them had to be a really large bull. Nothing is that big but a big bull.
Very handy and user friendly binoculars those little Leupolds. Every binocular user should have at least one. E

I always thought that the Nikon Action binoculars had a noticeable field curvature to them, which may explain the "not as sharp edge to edge" observation.

But to get to the two binoculars in your post, even though they have the same exit pupil size, the 50mm Action has more light energy to use and more glass with which to use it than the 30mm Yosemite. At some point into the twilight there should be some difference showing up.

While I like porro binoculars, the smaller size of the Yosemite is one of my attachments to them. They are, as Eremicus pointed out, pretty easy to pack around all day. Also perfectly usable in my experience in the fairly typical legal shooting hours of one half hour before and after sunrise.

No doubt about it. A 10X50 should run away and hide from a 6X30 when it gets dark. Simply because it puts you much closer to the target. E

I've got the 8x40 Action Extremes for one reason: boating. They aren't great optically but they bounce well, are waterproof, not that expensive if lost and are good enough for what I want to see over water. I haven't had them more than a couple months but they ride in the center console of my fishing boat and have bounced around a lot without damage. Ward

Never handled the Yosemites or the 10x50 AEs, but the 7x35 AEs I bought my son a few years ago are well worth the money & then some.

Mike.

The Action Extremes do not have quite as nice a view as the older plain "Action" series that were not waterproof.

My 7x35 Nikon III series (I think it was called "Naturalist" then, the Actions are V series, Extremes would be VI I suppose) has better glass than the 10x50 Action Extreme. In side-by-side glassing with my buddy's bino, I could see equal detail at equal times with both, all the way through dark.

I'd take my Yosemite over either at this point though, but still keep the 7x35 in the truck.

glad to hear as I recommended a pair of the 7x35 Extremes to a friend for his son who loves them so far. Might be better glass but for a little over $100 about perfect for all the hunting we do around here. Great size. Still- I will likely get myself a pair of 6x30 Yosemites for the truck. Got a 8x42 so the 7x35 is a little redundant. First pair was some Russian 7x35. Amazing view for the $$$ but talk abot crappy adjustments.

Nikon action binoculars and Monarch are great binos.I have never seen disapointing performance from monarchs and I hunt a wide range of conditions.I like them far better than leupold binos.

well I compared the Nikon AE 10x50 against the 6x30 Yosemite and to ME it seems that the yosemite's were just possibly a little bit brighter at dark, but looking at 150yds the nikon 10x50 made it easier to say "count points" or "verify it's not a button buck". Now I have to choose one to carry from now on and I think it will be the Yosemites, they are light, fit well in my hand, not to heavy on the bino harness, very bright during the day and although they don't have quite the magnification as the 10X I think if the buck is really big enough to shoot, I should have no issues see enough horn to make the call. Now what started me down this road is when I see a deer I halfway think I want to shoot, I start shaking to much to see clearly thru the 10X binos.

Highridge1- have you been able to look through the yosemite's?

Welcome to the club. As a user of expensive Leica binoculars, I can assure you my 6X30 Yosemites get lots of use. E