I need a new pair of binos and looking for recommendations. I want 10x42 and would like to keep it under $1000.
Bino recommendations
- Thread starter wildstreak
- Start date
manitou1
Member
Bonecollector
Veteran member
All the big brand nocs are quality anymore. It comes down to personal preference. Any unit over $700+ will be good. Also depends on what you've been using up to this point.
Do a search as there are several threads on this topic. Read some of those and then you'll be able to ask more specific questions. Then I'd head to the store and try out a few models or order via mail to try several brands and return the ones you don't want to keep. Do this within a 30 day period and you won't hit your credit card but for only the one you keep.
Do a search as there are several threads on this topic. Read some of those and then you'll be able to ask more specific questions. Then I'd head to the store and try out a few models or order via mail to try several brands and return the ones you don't want to keep. Do this within a 30 day period and you won't hit your credit card but for only the one you keep.
If you have. Big box store close to you I would go on and check out what they offer and make the decision on what you like. Ziess, Vortex, Swarovski and many more will fit into your budget.
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
- 3,919
- 3,238
I think I just saw a used pair of swaros for 1000 on one of these sites. I would try for a used pair of those.
HighPlainsHunter
Active Member
Asking hunters about optics is really not the best place for good info. Look for reviews and comparisons by birders, they are much more knowledgeable and less biased on optics. Hunters simply tell you to buy what they have and rarely have done any legitimate comparisons, and many are influenced by sponsors. There are subtle differences in things like eye cups that are important, other not so subtle things like prism type are very important and most hunters can't even tell you what kind of prisms their binos have. That's why I say asking hunters about optics is like asking teenage boys about sex, they kinda get it. Ask the same questions to birders and they will tell you all about the prisms, CA, edge distortion, color warmness, feel, clarity, eye cups, manufacturer, etc...
On prisms the Schmidt Pechan is smaller and most popular but does not transmit as much light. The Abbe Koenig is larger and heavier but transmits more light, these are models like Leupold BX-5, Sig Sauer Zulu 9, and MAven B2. Make sure you can hold the binos stable enough to free hand, for me the most I can handle is 10x, beyond that I shake too much. More magnification is not always better, you give up FOV which is another thing you will rarely ever see hunters mention in bino discussions. Another funny thing is many of the binoculars hunters buy are not even made by the company with the name on the box, there are are a handfull of large MFG's who make binos for many manufacturers, birders will discuss who actually made the binos and I have yet to see hunters even acknowledge any of these manufacturers
For the most part hunters will tell you to buy Leupold, Vortex, or Swaro. There are lot of other brands of optics out there that hunters are not even aware of such as pentax, fujinon, steiner, tract, takahashi, minox, etc. In fact if you look at some of those brands lenses for cameras they are much more expensive than even the Swaro optics hunters use and think are the best ever.
On prisms the Schmidt Pechan is smaller and most popular but does not transmit as much light. The Abbe Koenig is larger and heavier but transmits more light, these are models like Leupold BX-5, Sig Sauer Zulu 9, and MAven B2. Make sure you can hold the binos stable enough to free hand, for me the most I can handle is 10x, beyond that I shake too much. More magnification is not always better, you give up FOV which is another thing you will rarely ever see hunters mention in bino discussions. Another funny thing is many of the binoculars hunters buy are not even made by the company with the name on the box, there are are a handfull of large MFG's who make binos for many manufacturers, birders will discuss who actually made the binos and I have yet to see hunters even acknowledge any of these manufacturers
For the most part hunters will tell you to buy Leupold, Vortex, or Swaro. There are lot of other brands of optics out there that hunters are not even aware of such as pentax, fujinon, steiner, tract, takahashi, minox, etc. In fact if you look at some of those brands lenses for cameras they are much more expensive than even the Swaro optics hunters use and think are the best ever.
Catahoula12
Very Active Member
Which ever you choose from which ever retailer make sure you ask sales person helping you if you both can walk them outdoors to look through them.... looking through glass indoors is a waste of time imo. Good luck!!
AND go in store early morning or late evening. looking through glass in half light situations is where you separate the good from the great.