Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics What are your binoculars and why?

What binoculars do you have. Why did you buy them. Price,quality,word of mouth,etc. Are you happy with them. Would you buy them again? What do you like about them.What do you not like about them? Would you spend more money next time. Would you spend less? Woud you spend the same but on a different brand. Especially interested in eye glass wearers, but please all comments welcome as to performance,price and quality. Not concerned with a donnybrook on what is the best,just are you happy or unhappy with what you have and why.

I have Leitz 8x40's, late '70's vintage. I used to sell binoculars, and had a chance to 'borrow' many different brands, and try them out. The Leizt were by far the best.
<br> I do wear eyeglasses, and the Leitz will let you see the full field with the eyecups rolled down. Many brands have retractable cups, but still won't show the full field.
<br> If I lost 'em, I'd have a new pair of the same thing on the way to me before sunset.

Leica 8x32BA's. I like the weight, size, crystal clear,sharp resolution. They are built like tanks and Leica recommends you clean them by submerging them in water, so you know they're waterproof. Spent $600 on sale, thanks to the intro of the BN's, and I feel that price is about what I wanted to spend. Aside from the fact that the focus is very critical, they are absolutely perfect. Oh, I'd probably prefer twist out eyepieces rather than pop out, but I don't wear eyeglasses and it's nothing I lose sleep over. I would buy them again.

Swarovski EL 10x42. Arguably the best available today. Had a pair of SLC 10x42 that I sold to upgrade to the EL's. I made up my opinion after extensively testing them in the Austrian Alps, during a Swarovski factory tour in Absam in '99 (they were unveiled to the specialized press then) and last October, during a week Moose hunting in Sweden.

Leica Duovid 8+12x42.
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<br>Because its two binoculars in one. I use the 8x for its wide field of view and increased light transmission, then when I need to really look at something I turn it into a 12x. It's the best of both worlds. I love them and would not trade them for anything. I would definately buy them again. The twist out (removeable) eye cups are wonderful for eye glasses and you can take them off to get the South Texas dust out of them. The only draw backs are price and weight but with a good Crooked Horn system the weight is no problem and with a few winning lotto tickets the price is no problem.

Swarovski 8x42 SLC...(1) they have superb optics, (2) they fit my face, (3)I got a great deal on them....in that order.

Another happy Leica customer here, in my case BA 10X42's bought from SWFA. The optics must be used to be appreciated. As already mentioned, built like a tank. Of course, they are heavier than the competition, but then brass is heavier than plastic. I use them mostly for backpack mountain hunting. With binos like these it hurts when you buy them, but now that they're in the safe I can't imagine hunting without them. The price has been forgotten.

DB Bill,
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<br>You mean 7x42SLC or 8x50SLC or maybe 8.5x42 EL.
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<br>Chris

Canon 8x32 WP (H20 proof) love em. Great clarity terrific field of view, rubber coated housing, (dropped em a couple times and still function flawlessly). I think I paid $230 or so. Use them mainly for glassing fields for whistlepigs in the summer and in early archery season.
<br>Suit my needs wonderfully, just can't see, or really afford the real high end glass, probably wouldn't pay that much even if I could.

Fujinon FMTR-SX 7x50's on Crooked Horn Straps. Carry them all day, no problem, really! Bought them used, like new, for $110 and can't stand to spend 7-10 times that for roofs. The new duovid may just get me though.
<br>Why do I like them? I just flat out like the view through them. The depth of field is pretty amazing. Color and detail are outstanding. They are tough, too. I like the individual focus, I only wish they had a "detent" in the eyepieces like the aperture ring on a 35mm camera. The built in objective lens covers are handy, I put some individual covers on the oculars and they are ready for action. As you all know, put fine binoculars on a tripod and it takes a really, and I mean really, good spotting scope to beat them in practical use.
<br>Carry them with me most of the time in the car, too.
<br>Met with the local wildlife biologist and he has the same Fuji's and a set of Swaro SLC's.
<br>All you have to do is look through the best glass. Once you do you will be hooked. The choices right now are amazing.
<br>I also have a pair of the Bushnell 7x50 Marine with compass and rangefinding reticle. They are handy and acceptable in quality. If I know I'm going to be doing a lot of mapwork I will carry them instead. I see them as more of a "tool" than anything else.

Chris.....#%@//*&^%# typo...should read 7x42SLC.

Leica 8x25 compacs-Wouldn't trade them for all the tea in china... Belive it or not, I could see later with this bino. than I could with my Leo. 3x9. Light weight and exellent optics..... good shootin, vbshootinrange.

I have Pentax DCF WP 8x42s. The are really easy on the eyes to look through. The whole field of vision is crystal clear. They only cost $375.
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<br>I have been thinking about Geovids though. Combination of good binoculars and laser range finder is very tempting. I would have a pair but the $2000 + price tag is a challange.
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Zeiss 7x42 Classics.
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<br>Had 'em for 10+ years, and would buy them again in a heartbeat. I like lower power glass for the increased field of view and the steadier hold. The larger exit pupils aren't bad either!
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<br>The only other glass I would consider is a Leica 8x42. Tried 10x40's again this year in the desert, and was reminded again of why I like 7x. I need to try a bite of raw tomato every five years or so to remind me that I don't like raw tomatoes too. Much harder to keep that 10x steady, for me anyway, and harder to glass on the fly. I don't like to have to sit down and brace myself to glass every time ... glassing on the move, especially in the timber, is one of my favorite things to do.
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<br>I still like Zeiss optics best. For my money, they are unsurpassed. Not saying Swaro and Leica aren't just as good. But better? Don't see it.
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<br>Non plus ultra.
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<br>Rick

Mine are 8X42 Leica BA's. Absolutely love them, and wouldn't trade them for any other glass. I picked up mine last November from SWFA on Chris' Samplelist. New in box with full Passport warranty for $729. Wish I had bought them years before instead of 4 pair of cheaper binos. I wear contacts and glasses, and the pull out eyecups work great for me. These also fit me better than any others I tried. It came down to a pair of Swaro SLC's and the Leicas. For me, the ergonomics favored the Leicas and I thought (again for ME) that resolution was a bit better on the Leicas. The Swaro's were a bit lighter, but not enough to make a difference. Besides, I'll carry two or three ounces of extra weight when it makes those binos pretty much bullet proof. Honestly, I couldn't believe it my first evening hunting with these. I looked through them for almost two straight hours. When I took my eyes away, it was DARK! It was funny, looking through the Leicas I thought it was just dusk. I also had NO headache, common with cheap glass. It was then that I truly understood the fuss about good binoculars! FWIW, I settled on 8 power over 10 because where most of my hunting is done leaves less than 250 yard shots. Still, I don't feel handicapped in wider spaces with them. Guess I preferred the resolution and field of view of the lower power binos. If I ever traded them, the 8X12 duovids that Chris mentioned above would probably pull me in!
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<br>Joe

Zeiss 10x40 Classics,for fullsize. Leica 8x20 Compacts,for smaller chores.
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<br>Both were deemed the best for my needs. After comparison against other high end offerings. I'm still ecstatic about each................

Another Zeiss user, although I use the "cheap" ones. 8X30 Diafun. Nice & light, good optics for the money. They have survived a 30 ft drop from a treestand (my stupidity) & work great. Low light transmission pretty good too. badger.

Zeiss 10x40 BGA classics, just like Stick's for almost everything, as well as a smaller pair of the same model, 7x35, which I never seem to use. Bought the 10x40 in '82 and have compared them to newer models and never saw a difference that was meaningful.
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<br>Would not ever go with the new Victory series from Zeiss though. Got to field test them for a long week and the feel of them simply turned me off... Would replace the 10x40 with an identical glass if I ever needed to.

Sitka,
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<br>I'm contemplating buying another 10x40 Classic,at their current reduced price. That just to keep salted away,in case I were to lose mine or some other "weird" event. Or give to the kids.
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<br>If Cabela's has them for $649,you know they can be had for less than that,from other sources..............

Leica 10x50s and Kahles 8x42s. Both are awesome--even my wife said so after looking through them. I also got them from the Samplelist.
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<br>Blaine