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Finest 10x42's at any price?

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m1911 View Drop Down
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    Posted: April/20/2017 at 20:46
Swarovski, Zeiss, or something else?
I currently own vortex Razor 10x42 binoculars. I love them and will keep them.
However, if I wanted a second pair, what are the absolute "best"....in your opinion of course....
I'm sure I couldn't tell any differences.....but want to hear about it anyway.
Thanks!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oldfortyfive Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/20/2017 at 21:47
Try all the alpha's and see what feels right. You won't be unhappy with any of them. I tend to favor Swaro's due to the better eye relief.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NDhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2017 at 06:59

Zeiss Victory SF 10x42.  I have or have tried most of the alphas.

Lots of reviews out there.  I've had mine for well over a year.

Some nice things are very nice handling and balance.  Silky smooth

focuser, and the widest FOV in the high end range.  Also very bright

and great at low light.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2017 at 07:39
I'm saving up for the new Leica Noctovid.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2017 at 09:01
They are all good and the choice comes down to personal preferences.

Personally, I was most impressed with the Leica Noctivid.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2017 at 10:21
I do not necessarily disagree with anybody who has posted, but to the original question, you will not see any more than a smidgen of improvement over your Razor, which may not be detectable.   So spend away and get whichever one suits you best.  Just don't think the improvements will actually be worth the 2x price increment.  The higher midrange binoculars have gotten to the point where we can buy 97% (that is just my subjective number) of the alpha for one third of the price.   Differences of 3-4% are not likely detectable by the human eye. 

What is "worth it" will vary a lot, depending a lot on perceptions.  You are the only one who can answer that for you.  Just be sure to put in a lot of side by side time and see for yourself.  A lot of the answer depends on your bank balance. Smile


Edited by Klamath - April/21/2017 at 10:26
Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Troubador Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2017 at 10:27
As ILya says they are all terrific bins. I was sorry Swaro downgraded the close focus distance of SLC so that if Swaro fans wanted a decent close focus they have to buy an EL, but if you don't use close focus much (shame on you) then this wouldn't matter.

Noctivid offers a great view, right up there with the best, but falls behind Zeiss's SF on handling. Having used HTs and now SFs I have gotten used to slipping my fingers around the barrels and finding that my first finger falls on the focus wheel immediately. This is neat.  At least as important is the feeling of low weight when picking up an SF. And its not because SF is so much lighter than an EL. Its the balance. I was present at a nature reserve in the UK when the guy responsible for purchasing their inventory of binos picked up an SF for the first time. A smile spread across his face as he felt their heft or rather their apparent lack of it. Check out a sectional view of these and you can see why. Most of the glass is near the eyepiece so the weight is either right inside your hand and not down by the objectives or its resting against your head. If you like watching behaviour of birds or animals for extended periods of time (as I do with European Otters) you will appreciate how long you can hold these 10x steady. For me its been a big bonus. And even without considering the length of time I view, I can just hold SF 10x steadier than anything else.

This is what works for me: other points of view are available Big Grin.

Lee
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2017 at 10:43
Originally posted by Klamath Klamath wrote:

I do not necessarily disagree with anybody who has posted, but to the original question, you will not see any more than a smidgen of improvement over your Razor, which may not be detectable.   So spend away and get whichever one suits you best.  Just don't think the improvements will actually be worth the 2x price increment.  The higher midrange binoculars have gotten to the point where we can buy 97% (that is just my subjective number) of the alpha for one third of the price.   Differences of 3-4% are not likely detectable by the human eye. 

What is "worth it" will vary a lot, depending a lot on perceptions.  You are the only one who can answer that for you.  Just be sure to put in a lot of side by side time and see for yourself.  A lot of the answer depends on your bank balance. Smile


I have several pair of Meopta's which I think image wise are very comparable to the Razors.  I also have a Zeiss Victory and the difference I see is in low light.  I can see elk a good 5+ minutes earlier in the morning than I can with any 3 of my Meopta's one of them being an HD pair.  Also my Zeiss have a more pronounced blue tint that makes them seem brighter and more vivid to me. 

But during normal daylight hours the differences between the HD and the Zeiss are not really noticeable other than that very slight blue tint
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2017 at 11:09
Binos, like most things in life, do indeed suffer from the law of diminishing returns.  For casual users, that holds even more true.

Where you see a real difference is:
1. Low light
2. Prolonged use

If neither of those is a priority, skip the higher price and get something "good enough."  

If you need either or both, getting something top tier is money well spent.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m1911 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/23/2017 at 15:38
Thanks everyone!
I have to tell you that I really like my Razor 10x42's....
No need for anything else really.
I have considered a second Razor in 12x50.....but we shall see.

Is anyone surprised that Schmidt & Bender doesn't make Binoculars and Spotting Scopes?
Seems like a natural market for them.

I've looked at Swaro, Zeiss, and Leica online until I'm blue in the face.....they all look good to me.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m1911 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/04/2017 at 05:56
UPDATE:

So I bought the Razor-HD 10x42's six months ago....the eye-piece ring says MADE IN JAPAN.

I like them so I ordered the 12x50 Razor-HD's and received them yesterday.
The eye-piece ring says MADE IN CHINA......

I'm sending them back....it's disappointing that Vortex would use China to source their FLAG-SHIP-Highest-End line of anything.....

I understand the China source for most of their other offerings.....just NOT RAZOR-HD's....

What makes it worse......say you need warranty service in the future and they replace your MADE IN JAPAN's with MADE IN CHINA's....

If I can find a MADE IN JAPAN set.....in either 12x50 or 10x42....I'll replace them with that.
I like them a lot....but when it comes to my hobbies, I prefer MADE IN USA, SWITZERLAND, GERMANY, or JAPAN....

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/04/2017 at 10:14
Are they in any way inferior to the 10x42 you currently have?

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m1911 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/04/2017 at 17:27
I just received them and haven't spent any quality time with them.
I've already organized their return.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote timberbuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/26/2017 at 17:27
Best for my uses/preference is the Zeiss Victory HT 

Brightest on the market. (tested and proven).
Love the ergos with the large forward mounted focus knob.
Like the "classic" style view with a little pincushion distortion on the edge and no field flattening lenses to cause "rolling ball" in the view while panning.
Great focus mechanism.
Great CA and glare control.

I have not looked through a Leica Noctovid yet but have owned or used all the other alpha glass.

Honorable mention is the current Swarovski SLC. Other than a less than stellar focus mechanism there is really no need to spend more $.


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