Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Which 8x42's in the $300-ish range?

I bought a pair of Leupold Pinnacles last year for $380 from Eagle Optics.I have been very happy with them and would recommend them on the high side of your price range.

I understand the relationship between Sheltered Wings and their various optics endeavors. I have and will continue to purchase things from Eagle Optics. I will also remain just a little bit wary of the Vortex line and its warranty. Sheltered Wings may have been around for awhile but their Vortex line has not. Sheltered Wings already had their Audubon, Stokes, and Eagle Optics brands and yet something made them decide that they needed a new company/name for this, their first real foray into high(er) end optics. Why did they decide this? I don't know. Perhaps it was because they felt they couldn't get the prestige mileage out of their already established brands. Perhaps they just wanted a clear delineation of their "hunting" from their "birding" optics. Whatever the reason, Vortex itself is a new and as yet untested venture and the relative success of its parent company cannot gaurantee its own long-term viability. There are many successful off-shoot endeavors that ultimately fail - even though though the parent company remains overall successful and profitable.

I'm not (let me repeat NOT) saying that Vortex makes poor products. Nor am I saying that they are going out of business any time soon. I am equally not saying that you shouldn't buy from them. I am saying that Vortex along with its VIP Warranty does not have kind of history that say for example, Leupold does with their Golden Ring products to back up the long-term viability of their gaurantee.

According to my conversations with Vortex representatives and one experienced optics dealer who sells Vortex, the Vortex line was iniatiated to cater to hunting needs while they intended the birding needs to be satisfied with the Stokes brand. The big difference in the Vortex presentation of a hunting vs. a birding binocular is that the serious birding binoculars in the Stokes line feature a much quicker (one turn) focus than the Vortex binoculars, which have a slower (1.25-1.50 turn) more precise focus for focusing back and forth through layers of foliage.

Also the birding crowd will not be caught dead using a non-phase coated roof prism glass, hence those are in the Vortex line simply because less expensive sells a lot of binoculars. They have maybe caught themselves in a sort of conundrum with the Razors. If there is an issue with these it seems to be the focus, it is either too slow for birders or too sticky for some others. They likely thought the Stokes DLS would have more appeal to birders than the Razor. There will be some evolution in this approach. So far my experience with them has been top notch, but they do have to exist for some more time to prove themselves to a larger portion of buyers. Meanwhile they have my support.

I bought a set of Minox BL 8x42 BR's from Doug last year, and I'm delighted with them They're not considered "high end" I know, but are certainly a major upgrade from the old crap I was carrying around for years previous.

I bought a set of Minox BL 8x42 BR's from Doug last year, and I'm delighted with them They're not considered "high end" I know, but are certainly a major upgrade from the old crap I was carrying around for years previous.

Nice comments Steve (said sincerely). I had no idea about some of those issues as it relates to Vortex and their binocular designs/focus.

Thanks for all the advice, Guys!


At the moment, these are what I am leaning toward picking up.

I found a store that is close to here that has a selection of Zeiss/Swaro/Steiner/Swift/Fujinon binoculars for sale. I plan on swingin' by there and checking them out later on today or tomorrow..

Whichever set you buy, I suggest you get the widest field of view available.

Most low to mid priced 8x42mm bins have something in the area of 330 feet FOV @ 1000 yards. My Nikon Monarchs are prime examples of that. They give an excellent sight picture and resolve minute detail at very long distances. They are bright and have great ergos. Thing is, when we hunt we tend to glass for long periods, sometimes hours at a time. It is easy to get eye fatigue doing this and as noted in a few posts in other threads, a wider FOV plays a part in reducing it. I am sure that is why my 20 year set of B & L 7x42 Discoverers didn't bother my eyes when I used them to glass for hours...they had a FOV exceeding 400 feet. Like I said, if you look at most 8x42 bins, they are as low as 290 feet (for the Minox 8.5x52) to 350 feet. The odd one goes higher and the price usually does too. The Vortex Viper is 347 feet yet its' more expensive brother, the Razor, is 410 feet. It is interesting to note that the big 3 brands in 8x42 all are in that 400' FOV range and I have never read a complaint about eye fatigue with those. I am sure that there are other factors at work there too, such as glass quality and so on but the FOV seems to be an important, but often overlooked issue.

Well, the one store that had all the binoculars in the display case has been closed for the last two days, so I went over to a small camera store across town. They had a Nikon Monarch 8x42 and a small, rubber-armored, "Made in Japan" Celestron that was 8x30 or 8x32 (it didn't have a model name on it). The small armored Celestron roof blew the Nikon out of the water, IMHO. The FOV was much larger, with a more vivid and detailed image. The edges of the image was also better than the Nikon. Since I knew nothing about that brand or model, I decided to pass (for now) while I found out more about them. And after searching Celestron's website for this model, I turned up nothing, even in their "archives". They look like the Nobels but have waaaay thicker armor, and they don't have a focus wheel, but a long bar that you use instead. I am guessing that they were an older discontinued model perhaps?

Anyhoo, after looking at that small roof, I am now thinking about 8x32 or 8x30's instead. I had no idea going in that I would end up liking a binocular smaller than a 8x42! Could someone give me some 8x32 models in the $300 (or so) price range that I should be considering. So far, I have turned up the Pentax 8x32 DCF SP's for $290 (refurbs), Vortex 8x32 Fury Demo's for $250, Celestron 8x32 Nobles for $257, and Leupold Yosemite 8x30's for around $100 as the most talked about by the "birding crowd"..

I own the 6x30 Yosemites and really like them a lot. I was sceptical about a $90.00 binocular being good, but believe me they really are good. I assume the 8x30 size would be good to. You might PM Steve99, he did a good review comparing the Yosemites, Vortex Furys and Minox. I believe he prefered the Furys with the Yosemite a close second. The Furys should be more durable and have gotten great reviews as they have been passed around, plus you can't complain about Votex's customer service.

There are several reviews of the Vortex Fury 6.5x32 done on the campfire by myself and several others. Even though I have a 6x30 Yosemite and a Swift Eaglet 7x36, I bought the 6.5 Fury I reviewed from Doug and he will send a new one to the next reviewer. I also have a Nikon Monarch 8x42. It was purchased as an inexpensive all-around binocular, but it is now in the spare/loaner bracket. I now prefer the 6-7x magnification for all-around use, but they really work best in combination with a good 10x. Where the less than 8x glass really stands out is in the way the lower magnification handles heat waves (aka mirage). They are emminently usable when an 8x is marginal and a 10x is impossible. I hunt in desert country and that is an issue for me.

As I said in my review, I seriously doubt that if you were handed unmarked versions of the 8x32 and 6.5x32 Fury, that you could tell the difference. We recently had a Gun Show here where a Vortex dealer had a booth. I left him my card and took home a couple of pairs of Vortex binoculars, one was the 8x32 Fury. When others looked through them with the end of the focus wheel covered, the several pairs of eyes that looked couldn't tell which was the 8x. A couple thought the 6.5 was best. While we're talking $3-400 binoculars here, they won't make it to the alpha level, they are damned good glass. For me the decision was easy, I liked the 6.5 better than the 8x.

Thanks!

I have also read recent threads where guys are having QC problems with the Vortex 6.5x32 Fury. While I don't doubt that Vortex will get this issue fixed, I think that I will look elsewhere for binos. The Pentax SP's or Celestrons in this 8x32 size are what I will probably go with..

I wouldn't, simply for the customer service angle alone.

If you get a bum set, or bust a set, of Pentax or Celestrons, where and who do you call to get them repaired or replaced and how fast?

With Vortex, I can answer that question with a person's name and the repair/replace is unconditionally guaranteed regardless of the damage or owner at the time. Turn around time is a matter of days, not weeks.

To me, for a set of hard use binos, that alone would tip the scales to Vortex; all else being equal.

Also, if you could squeeze just a couple more $$$ out of your budget, the Vortex Viper is RIGHT there at $400, and is one helluva set of glass.

Likewise, it would move you from looking at Made in Phillipines and Made in China, to Made in Japan. Big difference, IMHO..... and anything to avoid the Made in China sticker ought to be a given.

The Fury's are nice, but the Vipers are much better, esp. for just the very few dollars more.

I'd wait two more weeks, call Doug @ Cameralandny and have a set of 8x42 Vipers inbound. I very, very seriously doubt that you could do any better on glass in that price range, and I don't think that there is any way you'd do better via a company or a dealer than Vortex or Cameraland.

Schuey;

Dude: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...lat/Number/2151896/page/1/gonew/1#UNREAD

Yesterday, I sent the Fury I reviewed and bought back for some diopter issues that developed recently. There may possibly be some issues with the Fury. That's now two issues for two Fury binoculars for me. There was some delay with the release of the 6.5x32, so maybe there is some QC problems in the rush to get them out. However, the Viper is an entirely different story, mine seems built like a tank. I've had it for a year and have yet thave to touch the diopter and rarely need to use the focus wheel, or fiddle with the IPD distance when I pick it up. Clear, bright, clean, sharp images. Sometimes internet threads can have the sample of one complaints get blown out of proportion, so a flag does get raised.

I'm going to call Vortex and try to talk to somebody familiar with the design and see what they have to say. The dealer who was at our Gun Show, and has been in the optics business for a long time told me he had yet to send back his first Vortex for QC/service/repair. He has taken a couple back of the Chineese made models (Diamondback in his case) because of the China issue. He seemed like a straightforward honest guy, not a used car salesman selling binoculars, so I tend to believe him.

I've got some more Vortex comparison notes I'll post after I talk to Vortex and add their comments.

VA;

Dude: http://www.17photo.com/product.asp?id=62619

Better FOV.

.

That is the beauty of "looking." I still haven't made up my mind yet. Besides, I plan on going to down the store with Swaro's and Zeiss Goodies today. Who knows what will happen after I walk out of there?

Edit: Thanks for the info, Steve.

I would like to try out a pair of 8x42 Viper Demos. Hmmmmmmm..

If you pick up the Swaro SLCs or ELs, or the Zeiss FLs, your budget for glass will grow, your wait will be much longer, but in the end, you're going to have far, far better glass.

BT/DT.

If you're seriously not going to the top-shelf stuff, stay away from the Chinese stuff regardless. Japanese glass, or European (even if used) is a known quality, and deal with a company that's a known quality as well.

For me, that'd render it Nikon, Swift, Vortex, Pentax, Meopta, Minox, or any of the "Big Three".

Actually Celestron has a warranty almost as good as the Eagle Optics/Vortex/Stokes warranties.

Celestron No-Fault Warranty General Description
The No-Fault provision of the warranty means that regardless of how the binocular or spotting scope may have been damaged or rendered unusable (fully or partially) by the owner of the binocular or spotting scope, Celestron will repair or replace the product without any questions asked. Some restrictions apply.

Celestron No-Fault Warranty Complete Description
The No-Fault warranty is applicable to all Celestron binoculars.
(excluding the VistaPix digital camera/binoculars which feature a 2-year warranty)

A. Celestron warrants this binocular to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for its usable lifetime. Celestron will repair or replace such product or part thereof which, upon inspection by Celestron, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship. As a condition to the obligation of Celestron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to Celestron prepaid together with proof-of-purchase satisfactory to Celestron. The proper Return Authorization Number must be obtained from Celestron in advance of return. Call Celestron at (310) 803-5955 to receive the number to be displayed on the outside of your shipping container. You can also send an email for this number from the support section of the Celestron website.

B. The NO FAULT provision of this warranty means that regardless of how the binocular may have been damaged or rendered unusable (fully or partially) by the
Owner of the binocular, Celestron will repair or replace the binocular without any questions being asked.

To take advantage of this provision, enclose a check or money order for $ 25.00 (U.S. dollars) with the binocular to cover inspection, handling, and shipping.

All returns must be accompanied by a written statement setting forth the name, address, and daytime telephone number of the owner, together with a brief description of any claimed defects. Parts or product for which replacement is made shall become the property of Celestron.

Celestron shall use reasonable efforts to repair or replace any binocular covered by this limited warranty within thirty days of receipt. In the event repair or replacement shall require more than thirty days, Celestron shall notify the customer accordingly. Celestron reserves the right to replace any product which has been discontinued from its product line with a new product of comparable value and function.

CELESTRON DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN.

THE SOLE OBLIGATION OF CELESTRON UNDER THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE COVERED PRODUCT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH HEREIN. CELESTRON EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY LOST PROFITS, GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY, OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY CELESTRON PRODUCT. ANY WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED AND WHICH CANNOT BE DISCLAIMED SHALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO A TERM OF ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASE.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Celestron reserves the right to modify or discontinue, without prior notice to you, any model or style binocular.

If warranty problems arise, or if you need assistance in using your binocular contact:

Celestron
Customer Service Department
2835 Columbia Street
Torrance, CA 90503 U.S.A.
Tel. (310) 328-9560
Fax. (310) 212-5835
Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST

NOTE: This warranty is valid to U.S.A. and Canadian customers who have purchased this product from an Authorized Celestron Dealer in the U.S.A. or Canada. Warranty outside the U.S.A. and Canada is valid only to customers purchased from a Celestron Distributor or Authorized Celestron Dealer in the specific country and please contact them for any warranty service.

Well, guys, if you are looking at stuff in the 32mm size and the $300 range, I'd seriously consider the Leupold Katmai 8X32's. I was really surprised at their image quality when I looked diagonally across the huge Sportsman's Warehouse. I could see the contrast between the shades of mud over the screws on some raw drywall work. At 60-70 yds, that is pretty good. Phase coated prisms and fully multicoated optics in an 18 oz. roof bincoular with a full Leupold warantty.
Might buy one myself in 6X32. Even with the Yosemites in my collection. E