15x56 Opinions

[ColoradoV]

Thinking about getting a set and want to hear from guys who have them. I think they will be a nice addition to the way I glass and scout. Used off a tripod pretty much exclusively. I will be hard on them and these will not be a safe queen in any way.

Seems the swaro gets the highest marks and as I hold on to my glass seems the best choice but is it worth the $2200 price tag?

Vortex Kaibab hd also seems to be a good choice I have a set of raxor hd 10x42 that are good not great. The 20x56 seem interesting to me as well. With the saved $ comes a Karifu pack or outdoorsman tripod/head..

Minox seem good value for the money..

Are Zeiss, Lecia, or others that are worth a look?

I am still a ways out from getting a set but doing the research and will look around for lightly used glass on what ever route I go.

Thanks

 

[mcseal2]

I had 13x56 Minox and didn't feel like they were enough better than good 10x to justify having. I stepped up to the 15x Swaros and feel that they are in a different class. I'd save up for those personally. I looked through Leica Duovid 10-15x, Vortex Kaibabs, and the Minox I owned before making my decision. I have not tried the Zeiss.

To me the more magnification, the better the glass needs to be. If you consider your Razors ok but not great I don't think you will be happy with less than the Swaro. I use mine with either a Promaster 525 or Outdoorsmans compact medium tripod, and the Outdoorsmans pan head on either. I agree with taking your time and buying used, has worked for me.

I use the 15x quite a bit. I use them a lot in the Midwest whitetail hunting too, not just out west. I use them scouting from a window mount or tripod and in the whitetail ground blinds or just hiding in brush. Rifle hunting the action is mostly at first or last light, and having the good 15x stable helps me identify the age class and any broken antler on a buck. I try to shoot only 5yr old and up bucks in most places I hunt and this prevents mistakes. When it's cold in December I can push the binos around with my face with the tripod and head set properly, keep my hands in the HPG serape and stay warm. I'm usually not grid glassing a big area then, just looking at a specific treeline or field edge.

Hope this helps.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I recently purchased some 15X's as well. I wanted to see how much I liked them and how much I'd use them before paying big dollars for the alpha glass. There's a good review done by Robby Denning on 15's over on Rokslide. He compared the cheaper Vortex Vulture in his review. I picked some of those up after reading his review and doing some research. They get decent reviews and I paid well under $400 used for some that look brand new. I'm gonna try them for a season or two then upgrade as/if needed. I've seen both the Razors in 15X & 20X for sale used over on Rokslide too if your looking to save a little money.

 

[mcseal2]

Did a little looking, the Vortex 20x only has a 168ft field of view at 1000yds. The Swaro 15x has 234ft. I don't think I'd like that small a FOV. As a reference the Swaro STS65 spotter has a 108ft FOV on 20x.

 

[hoshour]

You might consider image stabilized 15X binos like the Canon 15X50 IS. Rock steady image, tripod or not, though as heavy as they are, you might want a tripod to hold them. They also make image stabilized 10X binos, which would be awesome. I have not tried them. The downside is the weight. The Canon 10X42 IS is 2.4 lbs whereas the Vortex Razor HD 10X42 is 1.5 lbs.

 

[ScottR]

The Zeiss 15's are worth it. Brandon is still using his.


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[ScottR]

https://youtu.be/hP2d0tU5OhA


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[hoshour]

The Zeiss 15's are worth it. Brandon is still using his.


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I forgot about the Zeiss binos. Their pricing is really, really good for HD quality. That's pretty tempting, especially since I almost always carry a tripod anyway.

 

[Tim McCoy]

I use a newer model Minox 15x56. Bought a demo model. Very happy with them. But I do not own alpha glass, am sure the alpha would be better, but these are enough to for me, considering the price difference and limited use. I prefer them to a spotting scope for stuff out to maybe a mile.

 

[packer58]

Do not overlook Meopta, i absolutely love my 15X56's !!!

 

[ColoradoV]

The zeiss does interest me as after looking through most of the higher end spotters with all things considered I went with the zeiss 85 as I look a long way sometimes. The only thing I have read about the zeiss 15x is that they are much harder to put a tripod adapter on but I am sure there is one that will work. Price looks good..

Field of view is a good point with the 20x56 Kaibab's.

Have not looked at meopia but will.

Minox is still on the mind as I could get a pair use them for a bit then move on if needed when the wife or girls want to use them as my razors are most times used by them now lol. Folks over on the birder forums sure seem to like em.

I will spend give or take 30 days a year using these in some form or another so that is a consideration for me.

Thanks for the info so far.

 

[ando_31]

Sounds like swaro is your best option. It'll at least save you from buyers remorse. I personally don't believe you absolutely need a tripod however. I use a pair of leica duovids on 15 power exclusively and rarely put them on the tripod. I wish I would have gone with the 15x swaros now (not sure if I would notice much difference in the 56mm swaros from the 50mm duovids in regards to carrying them). I do like the idea of more light and a greater FOV. The duovids I own are good glass, but I never use the 10x option on them.

IS or VR is an interesting option as well, but the binocular selection is limited and they likely do require much more care in the field. I own a nikon EDGE VR fieldscope and I use that about 5 times as often as my swaro 80mm hd. I can even use the nikon with a window mount without having to turn the truck off. It also incredibly useful when the wind is howling. VR and IS makes a world of difference when you get into higher powers.

 

[hoshour]

I see more game when I put my 10X binos on a tripod. Little details that make the difference are hard to catch without perfect stillness. I can't imagine hand-holding 15X without IS.

I also just find I don't scan as fast when binos are on a tripod, and that's a plus. For some reason, I just naturally take more time looking around the field of view. Not sure why, I just do.

 

[maximus]

Agree with Hoshour once you glass with a tripod you can never glass handheld.

 

[mcseal2]

Using a tripod even with my 10x Leicas was a game changer to me, I rarely hunt big game without a tripod anymore. Even glassing off my shooting sticks isn't the same as off a tripod. I'd never pack the 15x over the 10x if I wasn't also packing a tripod.

 

[greyghost]

The Zeiss is a best buy among 15x glass. The SLC HD is slightly better in its ability to control CA. Both are class leading in brightness, FOV and are both very sharp.

The Meopta HD lags behind a little in brightness as it does not have the efficient Abbe Konig prisms of the Zeiss or Swarovski and does not use dielectric coatings on its prisms. It does control CA better than the Zeiss but also lacks in FOV and is heavier and larger than the Zeiss or Swarovski.

I personally would skip all the other 15x glass (including the Maven and new Leupold as well as the Minox and Vortex) in favor of the Zeiss or Swarovski. Save a little longer and get the superior glass, you wont regret it.

 

[tim]

I bought a swaro 15x56 in 2006, they are used daily. they are awesome, but my situation is very unquie, in that they are set up on a tripod in the house and we can glass every day of the year from the house. I would not want to carry them around or try to use them with out a tripod. 2 nights ago, my wife and I where looking at 2 cow elk with this years calves. this morning I was checking out a buck.

 

[sneakypete]

Sent you a pm!

 

[PacWestUL]

I went with 15x56 vortex vultures, only because I couldn't afford something better. Does it get the job done? Yes. Would glassing early morning and evening be better with nicer glass? Absolutely. Looking through swaros vs what I have is a night and day difference. Good thing about swaro and vortex - both have great resale value. Vortex due to warranty, swaro due to quality. All hunters being equal, which obviously they are not, swaro would win. Would 15x56 kaibob's in the hands of an exceptional hunter work better than swaros in the hands of a novice? Of course...

 

[mcseal2]

I think those are the Vortex that Robby Denning used and gave a favorable review I read.