vonn
US Veteran
Steiner has held up very well for me hunting . Lots of abuse and work great in prime hunting time. Size and weight are excellent.
High End Binoculars
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I have a pair of Zeiss, Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, as well a 2 Military pair - - - BUT my best and favorite are my Canon Image Stabilizing Binoculars!!! At the touch of a button they activate a gyroscope that makes the image so clear and steady you can track a bee or moth in flight perfectly! I no longer even bother using my other s and should probably sell some of them.
steveno
Member
When I was working at Cabela's customers would always ask if there was really a difference in how the high priced binoculars performed compared to the cheap ones. I would let them pick a couple of different ones to compare with in both price ranges. We would take them outside and let them look through them to compare. Outside on a clear day you could see there was a difference in the price ranges but they had to decide if it was worth the extra money.
Then back inside the store I would pick out an item that was in a dark corner and then let them compare the two price ranges. This was where the higher priced binoculars really show the difference and it was a noticeable difference. They didn't always buy the higher priced glass but they could seen the difference in low light. Your eyes will have to work a lot harder with the low priced glass.
The bird watchers would always buy the high priced glass. The farmers would almost always buy the lower priced stuff because they were using them for was to look at the cattle and didn't need the high priced glass.
Then back inside the store I would pick out an item that was in a dark corner and then let them compare the two price ranges. This was where the higher priced binoculars really show the difference and it was a noticeable difference. They didn't always buy the higher priced glass but they could seen the difference in low light. Your eyes will have to work a lot harder with the low priced glass.
The bird watchers would always buy the high priced glass. The farmers would almost always buy the lower priced stuff because they were using them for was to look at the cattle and didn't need the high priced glass.
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for me it's Leica 10x42.
Had three Swarvoski products; two of them leaked, they repaired them & I them sold all three.
Had three Swarvoski products; two of them leaked, they repaired them & I them sold all three.
The "glass"
I PCSed to West Germany in 1983 and lived in a little village outside Widen, Bavaria. I fell in love with the mountains and the green fields and the game, being a hunter since age 9. I signed up to get my German hunting license and started to school to qualify. My German instructor hammered one thing. '"the glass, boss, the glass". I got the message. I have 3 pair of field glasses: Optolyth Royal 8x56, Zeiss 8x30, and not so high end, Jason/Empire 7x50. My rifles are scoped with Zeiss, Smith & Bender, and Picard (Berlin), add a spotting scope to that bunch, as well. You gotta see it!
I PCSed to West Germany in 1983 and lived in a little village outside Widen, Bavaria. I fell in love with the mountains and the green fields and the game, being a hunter since age 9. I signed up to get my German hunting license and started to school to qualify. My German instructor hammered one thing. '"the glass, boss, the glass". I got the message. I have 3 pair of field glasses: Optolyth Royal 8x56, Zeiss 8x30, and not so high end, Jason/Empire 7x50. My rifles are scoped with Zeiss, Smith & Bender, and Picard (Berlin), add a spotting scope to that bunch, as well. You gotta see it!
I have some medium size Nikon 10x binoculars that are about 15 years old that I bought from Academy Sports for about $125. I looked through all the more expensive brands they had and if those were any clearer it wasn't by much and not enough for me to justify paying three or four times more money. But my binoculars that get used the most is a tiny pair of 8X Steiner pocket binoculars, because they are so light and small I always have them with me and if I could own only one pair of binoculars it would probably be them.
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Bill Bates
Member
I have a two binoculars: Canon 10x30 Image Stabilized and cheap 8x32 Nikons I carry when hunting.
Both work well for quick game location but neither are good for hours of glassing while looking for game. Once I find what I'm looking for I get out my Meopta 20-60x75 spotting scope and start judging.
I've become a big fan of Meopta optics. I have two of their rifle scopes and the spotting scope. If I ever decide to by a higher end binocular I will take a hard look at their offerings. They are right up there with the other more common high European optics.
Both work well for quick game location but neither are good for hours of glassing while looking for game. Once I find what I'm looking for I get out my Meopta 20-60x75 spotting scope and start judging.
I've become a big fan of Meopta optics. I have two of their rifle scopes and the spotting scope. If I ever decide to by a higher end binocular I will take a hard look at their offerings. They are right up there with the other more common high European optics.
I love my Zeiss 
Anyone have any field experience with Kowa 10x42 Prominar series of binoculars?
Kowa is WELL known for their line up of spotting scopes but not so much in the world of binoculars...
They seem like a decent pair of binoculars....
Randy
Kowa is WELL known for their line up of spotting scopes but not so much in the world of binoculars...
They seem like a decent pair of binoculars....
Randy
mike from st pete
Member
UltraView 8x42 Wide-Angle Binoculars | Orion Telescopes & Binoculars
At a half to third the price of those top dollar binos this one has all the same features. I have had a pair for 20 years and they work quite well even in low light. Eight power is about the most magnification I can hand hold steadily.
At around the same time I bought a pair of the astronomical 10x80 and use them off a tripod for bird watching.
At a half to third the price of those top dollar binos this one has all the same features. I have had a pair for 20 years and they work quite well even in low light. Eight power is about the most magnification I can hand hold steadily.
At around the same time I bought a pair of the astronomical 10x80 and use them off a tripod for bird watching.
Faulkner
Member
I'm also a Steiner fan and have been very pleased with the two pair I have.
I have a Leica geovid 7X42 that I bought in 1995 with My company bonus. Still far and away the best Bino's I have ever had. I got a Swarovski compact 10X25's that are great carrying and excellent optics. Got them at the bargain cave around 2004 or 3. Until then I had an old Bushnell set that I wondered how I saw anything after I got the new ones.
rbrbrb6
Member
Leica Trinovids from 1985 are the last glasses I bought. Beat up, nicked up and worn but still some of the clearest glass I have ever used.
K-22
Member
Leica Service
Leica service in the USA sucks. I find the quality control at their repair facility to be the epitome of mediocrity.
Gary
Leica service in the USA sucks. I find the quality control at their repair facility to be the epitome of mediocrity.
Gary
That is discouraging to hear. Leica confirmed receipt of my Ultravids at their NJ site a month ago, but I have heard nothing since. They did forewarn me that the pandemic has slowed down their turnaround times... Will try to recall to report in when I learn more.
Swarovski 10x42 here. My wife gave them to me about 18 years ago. I was and still am good friends with a guy at the LGS. She asked him what I would never buy but would use and love and he sold her them. He and she were spot on. I love them (and her!).
5Wire
Member
I purchased a Swift 7X50 Armored Storm King bino back around 1980 for $450 (equivalent to about $1300 now) when swift had a plant in Massachusetts. I limited the search to seven power for hand-held use on the ocean and the exit pupil to at least 7 mm because that was as wide as my pupils dilated. This model at one time issued to U.S. Navy. Individual ocular focus. It has attached fold in eye shields. The objectives have attached fold in lens covers. The oculars have a cover attached to the neck strap. No loose parts to misplace and fall overboard.
I'll take a photo and post it later, I couldn't find a pic online and it's in my car and dark out. No longer manufactured.
Back then I could see better in daylight with my naked eyes (20/10, 20/15) than with most binoculars. Drooled over Swarovski and Zeiss but could not afford either. The Storm Kings are bright and clear edge to edge in daylight. At night on a mooring with unaided vision, for example, I could see other boats were there, with the Storm Kings, I could clearly see and read their registration numbers. Excellent!
I'll take a photo and post it later, I couldn't find a pic online and it's in my car and dark out. No longer manufactured.
Back then I could see better in daylight with my naked eyes (20/10, 20/15) than with most binoculars. Drooled over Swarovski and Zeiss but could not afford either. The Storm Kings are bright and clear edge to edge in daylight. At night on a mooring with unaided vision, for example, I could see other boats were there, with the Storm Kings, I could clearly see and read their registration numbers. Excellent!
Texas Star
US Veteran
I used to work security at a defense plant that rebuilt Navy 7x50s. Cleaned and rebuilt them and added improved optical coatings .
They auctioned off some in excess of the number the USN wanted. I was astounded at prices. One guy got an as new-remade 7x50 B&L for $50! I was undergoing divorce and couldn't outbid him.
Another great loss was when a camera shop went out of business and sold two pair of Nikon's best 7x50's for a very good price. I'd just bought my Zeiss 10x40B/GA and was a struggling single father on a tight budget. I hope the buyers knew what they got and loved them.
BTW, do NOT leave binoculars in a hot car. Seals will vaporize and can internally fog lenses and prisms. Severe cases may not be fully restorable.
They auctioned off some in excess of the number the USN wanted. I was astounded at prices. One guy got an as new-remade 7x50 B&L for $50! I was undergoing divorce and couldn't outbid him.
Another great loss was when a camera shop went out of business and sold two pair of Nikon's best 7x50's for a very good price. I'd just bought my Zeiss 10x40B/GA and was a struggling single father on a tight budget. I hope the buyers knew what they got and loved them.
BTW, do NOT leave binoculars in a hot car. Seals will vaporize and can internally fog lenses and prisms. Severe cases may not be fully restorable.
