Leica Geovids HD-B's / Swarovski EL-R /Zeiss Victory RF - Real World Experience

Mighty Peace

Mighty Peace

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Looking to purchase new bino/RF combo in one of the 3 listed models....10x42 / 10x45. Time to give my Leupold 10x50 Olympics to my boys to share when they come out with dad.

Anyone with real world hunting/field experience with the models listed? What you like/dislike. I have held the new Leica and Swaro's in store but not the Zeiss. I am kind of leaning towards the Leica's but can get a better deal on the Zeiss.

All comments are appreciated.:cool:
 
No real world experience but Google is your friend.

I did a bunch of research last week and found Leica was the best rated combo unit. The amount of light through each barrel on the Zeiss is different due to the range finding electronics inside.

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2013/12/12/leica-geovid-hd-b-review/

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2013/12/14/zeiss-victory-rf-rangefinder-review/

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=490182&d=1396360283

In the end I ordered a pair of Zeiss Victory Ht binocs and will use a separate rangefinder despite the obvious convenience. My reasoning was that the electronics will become obsolete long before the optics in the binoculars are outclassed.
 
I own the Zeiss RF and I've used the other two. There isn't much difference optically that I could notice, the Leica's seemed the clearest to me by a little bit. I use mine strictly for hunting, which usually means I range trees and landmarks so I have an idea of surrounding distances. I don't often range animals I want to shoot, as there's little time, so all the ballistic information isn't important to me, though they all have that option.

My decision mainly came down to price. I bought a demo Zeiss RF from Cameraland NY for $1750 when they had a sale for CGN members, which was $1500 less than I would've paid for Swarovski or Leica. There were a few little things that also helped sway my decision; The Swarovski ranging button is on the left side, something which felt odd to me. Leica and Zeiss is on the right. The Swarovski has large nubs underneath on both barrels to house the electronics, I could feel them against my chest. The Leica was very nice, but not $1500 nicer than the Zeiss. If I had the choice between all 3, price notwithstanding, I'd probably choose the Leica. It was just that little bit clearer than the others and the rangefinder was more consistent in getting measurements, especially at distance. I can get tree lines out to 1600 yards or so on the Zeiss, the Leica went to over 2000. But then I gave my head a shake and realized that's about 4-5 times further than I'd ever shoot anyhow!

I think once you're looking at this level of optics, they'll all be very similar and it comes down to personal preference. My advice would be to handle them all and decide from there. One thing is that when I carried a separate rangefinder, I rarely used it. Now with the combined unit, I use it all the time, most often playing games of "guess the distance" to pass time. You'll like it, no matter which one you choose!
 
Thanks guys. I am really liking the Leicas but with $$$ difference, I am leaning more to Zeiss. Both are great glass, I just prefer the design looks of the Leicas more plus like the feature of the Ballistics Compensator with programmable to your calibers...only thing is would this art work when hunting in -20 C or colder.
 
I have the Leica 8x42 HD-B. The image is very very good .They are the brightest 8x42 I have seen. They are only a little behind my Swarovski 8x56 in brightness and the image has an almost 3d quality to it. I was really surprised as they were as bright as they are....I haven't had much time to check there rangfinding ability but initial testing was quite good. I had readings on tree lines around 1975 yards. I also used the ballistic function to down a varmint at 653 yards....
 
I have a pair of Leica Geovids (non-HD). They have great optics but the only thing I noticed is that the laser RF is pretty sensitive to weather conditions and frequently won't give readings in foggy weather or through glass. It is weird as my Bushnell Elite 1500 LRF will easily go through the windshield and in foggy conditions. I decided to keep both but it was a bit on the disappointing side for me with the Leicas as they were supposed to be my all-in-one solution.
 
I have used the Leica Geovids HD-B and they were just awesome. A friend has a farm where we shoot sometimes and its over 1300 yards deep. I know this because I stood at the target looking back toward the house and tested how small of a target I needed to get a response with the Geovid. It picked out just about anything I pointed it at. Very much superior to my own bushnell which I would say are just pointless to own. The reason I say that is the bushnell need a billboard to get a good response from only 400 yards even though they advertise them to 800. This is very much in contrast to the Leica Geovids HD-B which pick up everything within any practical expectation to 1300 yards during my own test. The Leica Geovids are on my WTB list.

Range finders are one of those items that only really good ones are worth having. The cheap ones only work to distances where you don't actually need a rangefinder in the first place. Inside 300 yards is about point blank anyway. it's outside 3-400 where you need the help and the only models that are any good that far are fairly expensive.

Buy the quality and forget about the cost. If you buy cheap and it doesn't do what you bought it for, you just waist the money. (like I did with the 800 bushnell (aka snake oil)). I learned my lesson.

... not suggesting that any of the models you mentioned are cheap.
 
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Mighty Peace, spend some time looking at distant trees, look at the bark, the trunk and the branches, then look at trees through and beyond the tree you were first looking at, see if all the branches look the same distance away or see if you can really tell which are further and which are closer. With Leica's Zeiss and Swaro, they are all top tier glass, and it comes down to your specific eyes. They all have a little different lenses, which will refract light a little differently and believe it or not, everyones eyes pick that light up differently from the next guy and different from eye to eye in the same person. For me, I don't wear glasses, the swaro EL are the best of the bunch you are looking at, for my relate who wears glasses the Leica are better for his eyes, and for my shooting buddy the Zeiss. It really does depend on your own two eyes, and when spending the kind of money you are spending its worth taking the time to look through them.
 
You're on the money. Leica makes the best glass and knows how to charge for it. Zeiss is a good 2nd choice and will be cheaper if cost is a consideration.

Wolf
 
HD-B has the best light transmission of the three based on it's design. I've tested them in the bush and they are very nice. Not quite as bright as a Zeiss HT non-rangefinding bino, but that's a different story.
 
I have the swaro's and have no complaints. It gives you a range adjusted for any angles up to 1000 yards and then line of sight distance only after 1000 yards.
I can usually get a repeatable reading out to about 1000 yards in sunny conditions on trees or large rocks and usually deer sized game. If conditions are better (ie not so bright out) and you have a stable platform to rest on I have had readings out as far 1600 and something but don't expect that to happen regularly ,

I found that the swaro's seem to deteriorate ranging ability in falling snow conditions more so than a friends original Leica rf bino's if that is important to you at all

I understand that the leica b model ranges further and that the ballistic program is used is the software that gunwerks created?correct me if I'm wrong about though. If your wanting a ballistic solver I think the leica b is the way to go as the first leica model only allowed you to pick a similar ballistic profile which will not cut it for long range.

A great option for ballistic solutions is the kestrel with either horus or applied ballistics. They both work great at extreme distance.
If your happy with a cheaper choice in glass but want to range really far away the g7 br2 range Finder is awesome and provides solutions out 1400 yards.
 
I have the Zeiss RF 10x45's. I really like them overall, but find the display washes out very easy in the snow. They range further than my Leica 1600B RF.
 
I have the Leica HD-B 10x42, buddy has the Swaro EL-R 10x42, optically they are too close to say which is better to my eyes. But I do like Leica's BDC more, I wear glasses too so Leica gets my vote.
 
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