Help with some good optics - Bino's

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ECVMatt

ECVMatt

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I have been tempted to spend some money on a new hunting rifle but every time I get close to pulling the trigger I default to my favorite big game rifle, a SS Winchester M-70 in .30-06. I have hunted with this rifle for over 30 years and really can't find something that a newer rifle will do that is leaps and bounds above my Model 70.

That got me thinking that I would like to spend a good amount of money on optics to compliment my rifle.

I currently live in CA and we have a tag/draw system. In reality, this year might be the last time I am able to hunt in CA. I am hoping to draw in the zone where I shot my first buck around Crowley Lake, CA. I would like to get a pair of bino's that be great for my last season as well as serve me well when I am able to hunt year round in retirement. I would be using them to glass open sage flats and high mountain valley's. I have a Leupold HD spotting scope for long distance work, so I am looking for somethings that I can carry in a backpack but still get some good distance.

I have about 2,000 dollars to spend. What would you guys recommend? I have had great luck with Swarovski in the past but there seems to be a lot of new players in the game.

Thanks,

Matt
 
Whew. Vision is a bit like hearing in that they both deteriorate with age. You’re going to most likely try a few different pairs until you find one that just “fits.”

Do your homework, ask lots of questions. The higher-end models are generally worth what you pay for them, IME. I do, however, have a pair of Redfiled 10x42s called the Rebel, that are no longer made that I picked up for about $350 that are just stellar in every respect - size, clarity, build.
 
I was also VERY surprised with the Vortex I purchased recently. Vortex Ranger 10x50 HD with Mil ranging reticle. Made in Japan-not Ghina 20220410_182351.jpg (Wanted a battery free option) I believe they were $500. Super bright & clear with a lifetime warranty, hard to beat.
 
You are going to pay a premium for big names…but they generally back it up in performance (buy once, cry once). I would stick with Swarovski, Zeiss, or Leica. Pick your lens, get the form/shape you want…if they are from the big three, you will be OK. I ended up with 7x42 Swarovski’s. For me…the right balance of power, objective, form, and etc….

One thing to remember…one size does not fit all. I am still wanting some “pocket” sizes….I am leaning to an 8x30…yeah, bigger than the traditional pocket size, but smaller and lighter than the 7x42’s.

Something to consider…buy used from a reputable company. Two to consider: B&H and Land, Sea, and Sky. I have done business with both - top shelf.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/browse/Binoculars-Scopes/ci/3303/N/4294246679

https://landseaskyco.com/
 
Tract, or Meopta Meostar B1+

Both are outstanding!

I was unimpressed with the 1K plus Vortex offerings.

Everyone who looks through my Meoptas at matches likes or loves them.

The Sawarski, Meopta Meostar and the Tract are the only binos I have looked through in tough conditions that have wowed me.

If Tract had come out with their 15X binos soon enough, I would have bought those, but have never regretted buying the Meoptas.
 
I have some Diamondback 8X32 binos and they are very nice for the price, I really like them, clear, small, handy. I bought some 10X50 Diamondbacks and they were so bad I returned them, and I’m not prone to that. My buddy has some 15X Diamondbacks and they are impressive for the price, but the Meoptas blow them away in tough conditions.

What conditions you’ll use them in really matters.
 
Just as a question and to add to the discussion. What about stabilized binoculars? I know my stabilized camera lenses sure work better than the standard. I do not have that much money to spend so I have not even looked through stabilized binos? Do they offer a real advantage? I would be hard pressed to find what I considered an improvement over my M70 too.
 
I am going to support these with a tripod in camp and off my shooting sticks while hunting.

I found that once I eliminated as much movement as possible from my bino's while glassing I started to see a lot more animals. I am not sure about stabilized bino's, but a stable platform makes movement in your view stand out much better.

I am curious to hear what others have to say about stabilized images.
 
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I upgraded from a cheap set of binos I got at Big 5 sporting goods to a set of Nikon Monarch 3's. They also had a Monarch 5 and 7 model but they were way out of my price range. I am very happy with the Monarch 3's. They are super clear and aren't too heavy for hiking around with a rifle. I have the 10x42 version. It seem to fit my needs the best. Unfortunately Nikon got out of the optics game so they are only available through places like Ebay. If you want higher dollar than that I am sure Swarovski or Zeiss would have something that would fit your needs.
 
Back when I was always hunting/staying in tough conditions (as in the Alaskan bush), I got tired of all the bino failures and bought a set of Swarovski’s, today they still work perfectly and are still amazingly good, even when comparing to some of todays "other" good brands.

DM
 
I cannot comment on image stabilized bino’s. My wife uses image stabilization lens for her photography, and they work like a champ! Canon and Zeiss are the two bino’s that have them (that I know of…). At 7x, not so big of a deal. At higher magnifications could be a game changer. I do have a tripod adapter for my bino’s, and stability makes glassing much easier.
 
I too would recommend the Meopta's. Not as expensive as the Swaroski's but optically speaking depending on our vision and perception, the difference may not be discernible to the naked eye.
 
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$2,000? Oh my God! My last pair of Binos were $10 at a flea market! Good lord i didn't even know Binos could be that expensive!

Guess I have a lot to learn. Maybe I just need to use an expensive pair to learn the difference.
 
I have been working a ton of overtime from the pandemic and have taken care of my family obligations so I don't feel bad indulging.

I have some a pair of Swarovski 8x42's and can tell you there is a big difference between those and the one's they replaced. I like to mountain hunt and spend a lot of time glassing. In fact I now glass more than I hike. I guess it is a bit of age and wisdom converging.

I agree at some point the difference is imperceptible, but it can also make or break a hunt so the higher end stuff it is worth it for me.

I think a lot of this depends on how and where you hunt although I had some friends in Texas that spent big sums of money to look across a 100 yards of winter wheat.
 
ECVMatt said:
I agree at some point the difference is imperceptible, but it can also make or break a hunt so the higher end stuff it is worth it for me.
Click to expand...

I don’t disagree with you at all. It’s all about the hunt, and like we’ve all heard the expression, “you get what you pay for,” the same holds true for a once in a lifetime hunt.
 
Varminterror said:
The worse your eyes get, the more glass quality matters.
Click to expand...

I don’t disagree with you, but optics aren’t glasses. They gather light first, and transmit that light down the length of the tube to your eye. Many times what’s lost in that tube are what separates the good from the better quality. I think we agree on this. For example, if I don’t know the difference, once I look through say, a Tasco and a Leupold, I’ll probably be able to notice one is “clearer” to my eye than the other.
 
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