On another thread, someone posted
The problem with binocs with built in range finders is the apparent short life span of the range finder. Mine lasted perhaps 2-3 years and then no longer worked properly. Probably cheaper to have regular binocs and a separate range finder that you will throw away as it will quit working in a couple years.
Has anyone else had this happen?
Thanks,
Okie John
I have two rangefinding binoculars, one a Bushnell 10x40 Fusion I've had for over a decade. The rangefinder still works fine--and its been used hard.
The other is a Zeiss Victory RF 10x40, which I've been using for over years. Zeiss's warranty on the rangefinder is among the longest in the business, five years. It still works fine, and if something happens to the laser function I still have one of the finest 10x40 binoculars available.
But would also suspect that even if I had to pay to have the laser system repaired it wouldn't cost all that much--especially compared to the disadvantage of not having a rangefinder inside the binocular. Have used a separate RF a lot, but much prefer having an RF binocular, because of the time it saves, and complications it avoids.
One of the major advantages of RF binoculars is their better ability to actually get a reading, due to being able to hold them steadier than a small, light hand-held RF.
On another thread, someone posted
The problem with binocs with built in range finders is the apparent short life span of the range finder. Mine lasted perhaps 2-3 years and then no longer worked properly. Probably cheaper to have regular binocs and a separate range finder that you will throw away as it will quit working in a couple years.
Has anyone else had this happen?
Thanks,
Okie John
Whoever posted that is retarded.
Repairs are always a gamble. Most electronics' parts are out of date within about 5 years regardless of price. Ask me what I think about a $5K Trimble GPS unit. Now my $90 Garmin Etrex is still ticking.
I personally shy away from multitasking gimmicks finding single dedicated functions more dependable and supporting better battery life. I constantly keep my cell phone in submarine mode. That is, it's turned off until I want to use it. Gets charged about every three months, and if I'm being tracked, I am constantly on top of our kitchen microwave.
Things like Rhino's don't float my boat either. I simply detest failure.
I too agree with JB with regards to actual field use vs. a small handheld.
I'm on my 8th year with my GEOVID HD-R's and had the previous two generations before them, never an issue with any of them.
Still using a 1st. Gen set of Geovids that I have literally used every day. They work fine!
I have replaced the battery once
Graeme,
Am not surprised! We still have our first-generation Leica hand-held rangefinder, and it still works fine...as do a couple of other hand-helds.
But we do have to replace the batteries occasionally!
John
I have two rangefinding binoculars, one a Bushnell 10x40 Fusion I've had for over a decade. The rangefinder still works fine--and its been used hard.
The other is a Zeiss Victory RF 10x40, which I've been using for over years. Zeiss's warranty on the rangefinder is among the longest in the business, five years. It still works fine, and if something happens to the laser function I still have one of the finest 10x40 binoculars available.
But would also suspect that even if I had to pay to have the laser system repaired it wouldn't cost all that much--especially compared to the disadvantage of not having a rangefinder inside the binocular. Have used a separate RF a lot, but much prefer having an RF binocular, because of the time it saves, and complications it avoids.
One of the major advantages of RF binoculars is their better ability to actually get a reading, due to being able to hold them steadier than a small, light hand-held RF.
+1
I have separate units and am not interested in a combined tool.
I don’t have binos but I guess my Leica 1000 is 15 years old now and still going strong
I graduated from a Swarovski LRF to a set of Leica Geovids last year. So much faster in the field and you have no need to reacquire the target with a handheld wasting valuable time in a shooting scenario.
Frog---OUT!
My experience with most things electronic, it's either a case of infant mortality, or they last forever. It just seems that if there's an issue, it usually shows up early in its use.
I guess I’m different than some, as I buy the rf binoculars to use. What happens to them afterwords is somewhere In the future and I am going to use them for purpose I bought them.
I have had 3 generations of Leica rf binoculars and 2 Swarovski. I now have the latest 10X42 Swarovski rf binoculars and find them more suitable than the Leica HD-B as the Leica was just too big.
They all work, optics are important, so I stay with Swarovski. The latest 8X32 are in at my dealer and I am going to pick them up this week. I am anxious to see how well they work for size and range finding. I did get the Leica 8X32 range when they first came out, but they had a 2-3 second delay in read out, so I sold them.
Of course, you want reliability when you buy something this expensive, but I guess I’m willing to risk it for the use of the binoculars when they work and not dwell on the potential of them not working…
On another thread, someone posted
The problem with binocs with built in range finders is the apparent short life span of the range finder. Mine lasted perhaps 2-3 years and then no longer worked properly. Probably cheaper to have regular binocs and a separate range finder that you will throw away as it will quit working in a couple years.
Has anyone else had this happen?
Thanks,
Okie John
Whoever posted that is retarded.
Well, I wrote that and it was based upon my experience with range finding products which was a good number of years past - say 10 years and has included 2 sets of Leica range finding binoculars and Leupold and Bushnell range finders.
If your experience was better, then good for you but, in the meantime, ask your mom how she liked sucking my retarded dick.
John
I must have gotten one of those 1 in a 1,000,000 batteries to start with :-)
I just picked up some GPO 10×50 ranging binos. Shoutout to Doug on how fast he got them to me.
I read a bunch of reviews, including a thread here in the optics forum about them. They also have a great warranty if needed. First time I'm using something like these, I always carried separate binos and rangefinder. The more I'm using them, the more I'm liking them. I guess time will tell how long they last.
On another thread, someone posted
The problem with binocs with built in range finders is the apparent short life span of the range finder. Mine lasted perhaps 2-3 years and then no longer worked properly. Probably cheaper to have regular binocs and a separate range finder that you will throw away as it will quit working in a couple years.
Has anyone else had this happen?
Thanks,
Okie John
Whoever posted that is retarded.
Well, I wrote that and it was based upon my experience with range finding products which was a good number of years past - say 10 years and has included 2 sets of Leica range finding binoculars and Leupold and Bushnell range finders.
If your experience was better, then good for you but, in the meantime, ask your mom how she liked sucking my retarded dick.
Lol.....retard, being a retard.
You Leica's guys must have got all of the good bino/rf units. I had a previous version (403 model) that wouldn't range anything when temps got around freezing. Then a few years after that (couple of years ago now) I had 3 different 3200.com's that never would range even remotely close to what they claimed, even on large oil storage tanks, not deer. Leica gave up trying to help, and I went a different direction. Every Leica I've had has paled in comparison to the Vortex Fury AB, which has as kickasss RF, AB ballistic program out as far as you can range, more than adequate optics (easily past legal shooting light), and guaranteed for life. IMHO, the best combo of optics and RF ability is the GPO 10x50's.
John
I must have gotten one of those 1 in a 1,000,000 batteries to start with :-)
Ha!
Maybe Leica cheaped out on the batteries, to reduce retail price $2....
I have a Zeiss Victory bino/LRF that is on its fifth season and still works fine.
Before that, I tried the Leica lrf binos and they would not range a big black cow at 300 yards on a hot sunny day as a test run. Took them back, Cabela’s exchanged them for another Leica. Same problem.
Changed to the Zeiss lrf binos and it works like a champ regardless of conditions.
jeffbird,
You may know this already, but dark objects (especially if somewhat irregular in shape, like a black cow) and sunny days are the least "cooperative" targets for laser rangefinders.
That said, my Zeiss Victory 10x40 ranged Angus cows under similar conditions out to 700+ yards when I first tested it five years ago...and ranges more "cooperative" targets further.
jeffbird,
You may know this already, but dark objects (especially if somewhat irregular in shape, like a black cow) and sunny days are the least "cooperative" targets for laser rangefinders.
That said, my Zeiss Victory 10x40 ranged Angus cows under similar conditions out to 700+ yards when I first tested it five years ago....
Yes sir, understand. I mostly hunt north of Laredo, where it is hot with intense lower latitude sun, and occasionally also humid, as the most common conditions I hunt in for most of the year. I shot a pig week before last with the temp breaking 100F every day and hitting 108F one day. So, I try to use hot, bright sun against a dark colored target as a test.
As an aside, I've hunted in some extreme cold in Saskatchewan and I'll stick to our blast furnace in the thorn brush.
I have the original Geovids from back in the late 90s.
I have to send them in because the eye cups have deteriorated.
But the Lazer works just fine.
dave
I have the original Geovids from back in the late 90s.
I have to send them in because the eye cups have deteriorated.
But the Lazer works just fine.
dave
Leica sent me new eyecups when I contacted CS some years ago. Takes seconds to replace them.
I bought a set of 10x42 Leica BRF right when they introduced them in late '04. They lasted 4 yrs and I sent them in for "single fade" under warrantee and they got fixed no questions asked. I sold them when Zeiss introduced their 10x45/8x45 Victory LRF.
I had a set of 10x45 Zeiss that failed the 2nd season I used them while I was on a hunt in MT. Zeiss was kind enough to overnight me a set of demo's so I lost about a day and a half of full capability. In my mind they did everything they possibly could do to right the issue as fast as it was possible to do. When the original set was returned I sold them to a friend and bought a set of 8x45's which I used a couple seasons then sold here in the classifieds.
I bought a demo set of Leica 8x42 HD-B to compare to the Zeiss and preferred the Leica so sold the Zeiss. The HD-B didn't ever give me a problem.
A couple of friends bought the Swaro EL Range and I liked the more compact size so bought a set of 8x42 and compared them to the 8x42 HD-B. I really couldn't find a frog's hair worth of difference between them optically. I like the Leica targeting square better than the Swaro as it's smaller and that makes it seem more precise to me. I didn't like the Leica ballistic software as it requires you to plug in a specific trajectory to work, I change rifles too often for that. I REALLY liked that the Swaro had a mode that would spit out actual distance as well as the angle-compensated distance on one screen. It's simple to me:
Press the range button, dial the short displayed range, hold wind for the longer one.
It doesn't matter which rifle I have in my hands, so long as there's a chart on the rifle, the bino spits out everything I need to know.
The 8x42 Swaro are on their 5th season without a hiccup. I intend to take a good look @ the 8x32 Swaro as soon as I find one in a store.
It's been close to a decade since I've experienced a problem with a binoc/LRF combo and I have zero intention of going back to separate units as primary. I do have Meopta binocs and Leica 1600 hand-helds that stay in my 2 vehicles as "backup" and in case I'm not carrying my Swaro on any given day.
Are there any range finding binos that have the range readout in the left eye versus the right? My original Geovids readout is on the right eye and I have trouble reading it. A left-eyed version would be a lot better for me.
the two previous swaro El Range Models did IIRC.