Vortex, Zeiss, Leupold binoculars?

MD

MD

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Hunting early season mulies this week I tried my buddy's Zeiss Conquest. Yikes, that little tryout may end up costing me $1500.

I had a set of B&L 8x42 and a vintage Bushnell 7x35 set along too, but they seemed like the lenses had been coated with vaseline compared to the Zeiss.
If I was going to spend $1000 or more on some new binos, what has been working for you? Zeiss? Vortex? Leupold? Something else?

A goat hunter appeared with a set of Leica binos with built in rangefinder, but they cost $3500!!!
 
You might as well look at Swarovski's too.

There's an article posted on 24hr campfire by John Barsness that you might as well read before you plunk any cash down...

h ttps://www.24hourcampfire.com/index_binocular_basics_part_one_manufacturing.html
 
Dont know if the sale is still on but i bought the leupold bx4 pro from cabelas for $749 i was a little worried about the quality of glass but once i recived then i was pleasantly supprised. For the $$ they are hard to beat.
 
I have a Zeiss Conquest I've been meaning to advertise, recently upgraded to a Leica rangefinding binocular. The Zeiss comes with original box and all literature, basically as new. I guess I should get them up on the exchange. Lol.
 
In the world of HD (or ED or xLD or whatever you want to call it) Meopta followed by Nikon are arguably the best value for the money. I haven't tried a lot of the newer stuff like Athlon or Tract, but compared to the usual suspects that's what I've found.
 
Vortex Fury HD 5000. Great glass and a ridiculous rangefinder for 1600$. Check them out I guarantee you with see the value, makes those 3500$+++ Ziess/Swaro/Leupold's bino+range seem ridiculous. Plus the electronics are covered by the unlimited warrantee. Ive ranged (with ease) pronghorn passed 1000y and signs passed 4500y on hot sunny days through mirage. The glass is specd between their mid to top glass, so you're not giving up much in glass.
 
I went back and forth behind binos two years ago and ended up with a used pair of Vortex Razor HD in 10x42. Didnt get a chance to try Meopta's but I couldnt find a reason to get the Conquest HDs. May be slightly less color aberration with the Zeiss but clarity was bang on with the Razor's.

Warranty swung my final decision and I found a pair on the EE for $1000 shipped.. #### happens in the mountains!
 
9.3mauser said:
There's an article posted on 24hr campfire by John Barsness that you might as well read before you plunk any cash down...

h ttps://www.24hourcampfire.com/index_binocular_basics_part_one_manufacturing.html
Click to expand...

Whenever some self-proclaimed "expert" like Barsness starts claiming that "optics from everywhere have been improving over the past 30+ years" and then sings the praises of new Chinese binoculars, I look through my old steel tube 26mm Swarovski 4X32 scope made in the 1950's. It is absolutely the clearest, sharpest, best color transmitting scope I have ever owned and I have owned a lot of scopes over the last 40 years or so...European, USA and Asian made...Trust your own eyes, not a professional scribbler's opinion.
 
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dusticles said:
I went back and forth behind binos two years ago and ended up with a used pair of Vortex Razor HD in 10x42. Didnt get a chance to try Meopta's but I couldnt find a reason to get the Conquest HDs. May be slightly less color aberration with the Zeiss but clarity was bang on with the Razor's.

Warranty swung my final decision and I found a pair on the EE for $1000 shipped.. #### happens in the mountains!
Click to expand...

This. Razor's are every bit as good if not better than any of the Zeiss Conquest binos I've looked through. I want Swaro's but I can't imagine I would notice $2k difference from the Razors. Plus I'd be putting in an insurance claim if I ever dropped them.
 
I have Conquest HD 10x42 and they are very good indeed. The price has gone up on them considerably since I bought them. If I were to get another pair of binoculars I would get Leica Trinovid HD. Precision Optics has them and they are $1090 IIRC. IMO you cannot beat them for the price and they are just as good as stuff costing 2x as much. I would have bought a pair if I didn't already have the Zeiss binoculars.
 
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