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rangefinder vs binocular

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Category: Other Optics
Forum Name: Laser Rangefinders
Forum Description: Optics that make life a lot easier
URL: http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=19824
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Topic: rangefinder vs binocular
Posted By: scavaleru
Subject: rangefinder vs binocular
Date Posted: October/15/2009 at 17:06
    My question is if I buy a rangefinder this can be enough to not buy a binocular?Or I need both  ?



Replies:
Posted By: Kickboxer
Date Posted: October/15/2009 at 17:20
As far as I know Leica, Leupold and Swarovski all make a full binocular with laser rangefinder.  I use Bushnell 1500's and don't have a problem.  I haven't carried my binocular in a while. 

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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living


Posted By: trigger29
Date Posted: October/15/2009 at 17:49
I would say it depends on the ranges which you use your binoculars. Most rangefinders that I'm aware of are 7x. If that is enough power, then you are probably good with the rangefinder. It may not be as bright as a good bino though. I prefer 10x bino's so I went with a Leica rangefinding binocular, and absolutely love them........now that they're paid for.

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"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."


Posted By: Kickboxer
Date Posted: October/15/2009 at 23:44
The one's I mentioned all have FULL binocular and higher powers... of course, they also carry a pretty hefty pricetag. 

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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living


Posted By: scavaleru
Date Posted: October/16/2009 at 00:36
    How important is a rangefinder?It is "a must"?Because a good rangefinder is almost like a scope(6-700 $).


Posted By: trigger29
Date Posted: October/16/2009 at 07:42
Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

The one's I mentioned all have FULL binocular and higher powers... of course, they also carry a pretty hefty pricetag. 
Yes that would be what I ended up with in my Leica Geovids...........but for $2300 they better be REAL nice.

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"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."


Posted By: Kickboxer
Date Posted: October/16/2009 at 10:01

Roger that, Trigger.  Quality technology is expensive...



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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living


Posted By: trigger29
Date Posted: October/16/2009 at 16:58
Originally posted by scavaleru scavaleru wrote:

    How important is a rangefinder?It is "a must"?Because a good rangefinder is almost like a scope(6-700 $).
For me it would depend on the terrain I was hunting in, and how good I was at estimating range, and the caliber I was shooting. If shooting a flat shooting caliber like a .257 wby, with ranges no longer than 300 yards, I wouldn't need one, as I can guess the range close enough. Get out to 400 and beyond though, and I can't guess close enough because the bullet drops so fast.

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"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."


Posted By: biggreen747
Date Posted: October/17/2009 at 15:40
I wouldn't be without either one... As stated before most rangefinders are limited to 6x or 7x magnification which is sufficient but they do not have much of an objective lens (and are of course a monocular) and therefore are not all that suitable in the early morning or late evening hours to judge game at a distance. A binocular raised to your face also feels much more natural that a rangefinder brought to one eye and I find it much easier to scan for extended periods with a good binoc. I wish I could afford some of the above mentioned binoc/rangefinder combos but they are prohibitively expensive. Since you can buy a good rangefinder and good 8x or 10x binocs for 1/3 to 1/2 of the combos I would stick with that option..

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We measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a crayon, and cut it with a chainsaw.


Posted By: lucytuma
Date Posted: October/17/2009 at 18:01

The range finding technology has been changing so fast, that I'd have a hard time spending the $2000.00+ on a range finding bino.  I won't feel so bad when I have to replace my $300.00 range finder with a new and improved model.



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"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson


Posted By: jonoMT
Date Posted: October/17/2009 at 19:06
It depends. I have the Swaro w/8X monocular. If I'm traveling light and really want the RF it's alright for limited glassing. The glass is excellent but only a 30 mm objective and using a monocular is uncomfortable. IMO, at current prices the Swaro is overpriced ($1K) vs. the Zeiss ($650 w/rebate). Of course the Zeiss has an even smaller 26mm objective. But if you check prices on RF bins, it seems better to have both separate...like a $650 Zeiss and a pair of Zen-Rays should make most people very happy hunting.

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Reaction time is a factor...


Posted By: Terry Lamb
Date Posted: October/18/2009 at 12:18
Everyone is different. I am an old and conservative hunter, but I hunt abolutely everything, including birds, with my binos around my neck. I add my rangefinder for bowhunting (WOW is range critical in THAT endeavor!). My rifle carries a Leupold M8 straight 4x and is sighted and deadly to 300 yards. Beyond that the drop begins to occur in a substantial way, and my old Leupold acts as a defacto rangefinder in that it becomes increasingly difficult to hold on deer-sized animals  and little ones like antelope at longer ranges.
 
I guess if my rifles had scopes that let you read the US Mint designation on a dime at 1000 yards, I would need to determine what the real range was by guestimate, some sort of visual calculation, grids in the scope, specialized software, or, of course, the rangefinder. Since the more inexpensive rangefinders ( which I own) begin to fizzle out at about 400 yards, I now do not even carry it big-game hunting any more, as my scope, my rangefinder, and my ability all seem to dissipate at the same range.
 
Thus I am suspicious that, at least for most big-game hunting, fascination with the technology available has overrun the field a bit. I suspect that unless you have no budgetary limit, a combination bino/rangefinder will be a poor solution for most hunters, a compromise having been made either with the bino or the finder portion.
 
I recommend getting excellent binoculars, and whatever rangefinder separately.


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Terry Lamb


Posted By: scavaleru
Date Posted: October/18/2009 at 19:05
     After all my decision is to buy a good bino and to not buy a rangefinder.Because Here in Ontario the distances to shot is short and I don't thing I wiill shot over 300 yards.So,the bullet trajectory will be almost the same and I don't need rangefinder.Thank you for all information.


Posted By: jonoMT
Date Posted: October/18/2009 at 19:59
Sounds like you won't go wrong. The only thing I use a rangefinder for under 300 yards is setting up targets when I go somewhere else than an established range.

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Reaction time is a factor...


Posted By: scavaleru
Date Posted: October/23/2009 at 01:07
    On the short distances is very easy to evaluate.Is not be necessary to be very precised because in this range the bullet has almost a right direction,special the magnum.Am I wright? 


Posted By: September Hunter
Date Posted: November/24/2009 at 00:04
Big Grin Yes it's ture ! i think you can take two of them.
Rangefinder is called like laser rangefinder monocular and binocular.while telescope is called like binoculars.  the biggest difference between them is like some people said up to the ranges and the magnifications you want. because normally the rangefinder are always  in 7x and 10x but i can tell you the rangefinder have no good adjustment as compared with binoculars. 
Cool  like if  you use rangefinder to view some people standing on a hill in 800meters. maybe you can see the hill clearly and also can see the people. but if you want to see the people more clearly you have no choice but to use binoculars.  haha. that's why ?


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what you see is what you get!


Posted By: gr8plmbr
Date Posted: December/14/2009 at 21:53
it depends on what type of hunting bow not with out my rangefinder gun sometimes both sometimes just binos deer hunting in wisconsin is sometimes trickey one year seen a deer i thought had horns looked with nikon binos no horns good thing



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