Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Another stupid binocular thread

Here goes,

I used Vortex Diamondback 12x50s in Colorado last month. Perfectly serviceable with decent image quality for the money.

A few observations:

1. Too much magnification, On the tripod they were fine but at 12x they are difficult to hold steady for general interrogation while moving about.

2. The field of view was too narrow for my taste. At least in the terrain we were in. The bulk of what I was glassing was less than 1000yds.

3. I feel like better glass (sharper, crisper color contrast and detail) would have allowed me to spot more game.

So...... I'm in the market for a step up in glass that is 10x. Would really like them to be 10x50s to maximize viewing in low light.

I'm not prepared to spend "Swaro-money". I know, I know. Buy once, cry once. If I were a guide, I would, I'm not so we are talking the $1000 range.

Having a look at the Vortex Razor HDs and the Tract, both in 10x50

I know full well this is the "fire" but let's keep this objective.

The 8.5x50 GPO is very nice Bino. I have tested them against my Alpha's and they stacked up well. Built in Japan, at least the ones I had were and for the $$ the outstanding bang for the buck.

Best of luck

Years ago 7x was probably the most recommended power.

Last month I looked at the display at a dealer. There were about a dozen, but nothing other than 10x.

Bruce

For the money i have been happy with the 10x50 MAVEN C3.Field of view is a little narrow compared to other 10x50 but still very good and they are on sale right now.I know they are way south of 1000 and not made in china.

For offhand use without getting propped up for stability, I like 7x50's. With 10x I have to sit down or lean on something.

Meopta Meostars from CL.

I have 2 pair of Tracts in 8x and12x. The 12's replaced a set of 15x Swaros and I like them better. The 8x set sits along side my older Zeiss 8x20's and Zeiss 10x and doesn't give up anything in image quality. IMHO you would have to pay a lot more to beat them.

I should add that I am pretty much sold on 10x.

My (quite) old Pentax DCF 8x42s do everything an 8x will do for me.

My Vortex 12x50s are fine for stagnant glassing in good light (though have a fairly narrow FOV).

Additionally, whatever I wind up with needs to be able to adapt to a tripod or monopod. The later (kestrel monopod) is definitely being added to the "tool box".

Yes, everything I've researched leads me to believe that (as with rifles, cars etc) you get to a certain point then pay a whole lot more for a fraction of improvement.

Diminishing returns :-)

I spent 10 days hunting with my son last month, he had just bought a new 12x tract Toric bino...actually they are 12.5x 50's. very good bino's for the money and they are on sale right now for even a better value !!!!!
But if you are saying they are better than the Swaro 15x56 SLC's you have been smokin' way too much of somethin'

I like my 10x40 Tracts very much… I’m sure there’s better glass out there but I didn’t find in that price range.

They are a lot lighter and smaller and I paid less for them than I sold the Swaros for. Whatever the difference in optical quality (not much) was offset by portability since they are used mostly for backpack hunts.

Two things happen(obviously) as magnification increases. First the field of view decreases. Second, the depth of field decreases as well. In other words you sacrifice depth and width for detail. FWIW depth of field refers to the depth of the field in front of the objectives. The other term seen often used interchangeably is depth of focus. This occurs inside the binocular and refers to the relative placement of the focus lens system. OP is likely on the right track with 10x if he has plans to do any glassing off a tripod. 10x is typically the highest magnification that can be hand held and is also enough to give results off a tripod.

Except the Swaro 12X42 NL Pures.

Do yourself a favor & call Doug @ Cameralandny & buy a pair of GPO Passion HD 10x 50. These are made in Japan.

No I don't own a pair of these but I've compared them to my $2800 Zeiss Victory SFT 10x 42's & I can't see any clearer with my Zeiss. Yes, the Passion HD's are that good!


As a matter of fact, I wish that I would have bought the GPO's & saved $1500.

Thanks for the input fellas.

As per the "diminishing returns" rule, it seems there is a $1000-$1500 threshold at which point you almost have to double the money to get more. But not much more.

GPO and Tract come up often enough (here and other places)to warrant investigation. Do the Razor HDs fall in the same category?

The GPO Passion HD's are an amazing binocular priced very sharply

Would you settle for ocular?

I honestly expected this right out of the gate