Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics $400 binos

Steve,

I think I more or less have you figured out from BF . Welcome to the fire. It is sort of a touchy subject to get into hunting there. It is always good to have one more knowledgeable opinion.

Thanks for the welcome Steve!! Between you and JG you are going to make me blush.:) It is kind of hard to post bigger pictures on here, but other than that I really like this site esp. for what you say about the touchy subject on that other site compared to what is our views.

SteveWM,

A Welcome also from me.

I recognize you from the BF also; as I have conversed with you over there and you were always helpful. (I am stephen b on BF )

Good to see a fellow hunter come over and post here.

+1 and they are an American company. I have a set of 10x42 Viper's on the way now.

Hi Stephen, Sure I remember you and I remember you had some "crazy" trouble about some Nikon binoculars you were selling. I was thinking you had a Swaro 7x30 SLC, I had to get rid of some of my messages on BF, so forget. Statestat might be who has the Swaro 7x30SLC or both of you. Thanks for the warm welcome.

I followed directions by Sam Steele on how to post pictures on here.Thanks Sam.

Hi Steve,

Yes that was a "lil'crazy"

And yes it was me that was looking for a pair of 7x30 SLC's to replace the ones that I had regrettably sold off, and it was Statestat that sold me his yr. 2000 7x30 SLC's. Good memory! They are great.

I almost sold them this fall, but decided that I would kick myself again. So, I have the 7x30's and a fantastic sample of an 8x32 Pentax DCF ED and now I am set and content with my favorite class of objective size as optics go for hunting, or anything else for that matter.

-Stephen

I thought he was a little crazy about all that and felt you were within your right to do what ever you wanted.
I notice there are some more people on here that either like the Swaro 7x30 SLC or wish there were 7x32 offered by Leica etc. I have the little Leupold 6x30 Yosemite and it is really nice binocular in "woods" of Pa. This was my second 6x30, the first I had to sell to my brother-in-law after he looked through it. I have showed my BIL some of the high end binoculars and he brings out that Yosemite and says there isn't "that" much difference. I quit showing him other binocular, he is happy with that one.
I sometimes miss the 4.2+ exit pupil of the Swaro 7x30SLC I had compared to the 8x30SLC neu I bought.

heard that from multiple places. Maybe you are comparing newer ZEN ED to older version of SLC? I am sure the latest Swarovski SLC HD is better, and it'd better be better

Is he talking about the Swarovski SL series porro prism older models?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Swarovski-Habic...ar&hash=item27b95d35ee#ht_500wt_1156

After playing with the Vortex Viper 6x32's for a few days I have to say this is the way to go for me. The depth of field allows you to see from 75 feet to infinity with perfect sharpness. A very relaxed view for long periods viewing forof locating game. Outstanding.

I have to agree about 6x, relaxed view and depth of field. I have taken the Leupold 6x30 Yosemite when we took trips and it came in handy looking way ahead to read signs, well with my wife driving at that time.;) I tried 7x this way before and didn't work as good, bouncing around etc.

I forgot to say when I compared the Theron Wapiti 8x42 ED HD to the Nikon 8x32SE and Swaro 8x30SLC neu on a clear day in the evening with the Sun really low looking in that direction the Theron showed no glare, the other two showed a little glare. I was impressed with this.

The more I use my Therons, the more I like them. For the money I am really happy so far.

I'm just amazed at the quality of binoculars these days. I remember when only the premium binos were phase corrected. Now almost all are. ED glass was rarely seen on some high end photography lenses, but not binos. At least not advertised as such. Now most have some type of ED glass, plus better coatings. I wonder if the mid priced binos on the market today are better optically than just about anything on the market 20 years ago.

I believe they are, without a doubt.

They are certainly better than any roof prism binoculars made before phase-coating. P-coating started more than 20 years ago, in the late 1980's. Today's $350 roof-prisms are DEFINITELY better optically than any made in 1985.

Porro prisms have also improved, though not as much optically. But today we have porros that are actually pretty darn waterproof, something we didn't have back then.

Now, if we could just convince folks who read books from that era that Swarovski has actually learned how to make binos water/fog proof, we'll be getting somewhere...

Go with the Zen Ray's. I bought a pair a year or so ago. They blow my Monarch's out of the water. The Nikon's are now in my truck as my "beater" set and the Zen Ray's are my go-to's.