Bino choices

[bugledemin]

Need a little info on the Minox 15x58's Thinking about purchasing these binos and was wondering if anyone has them or has used them. I know that swaros are the best but momma says absolutely not. I just can't get her to see that three pairs of these binos are what I need. so any advice on the Minox's is appreciated.

 

[antlergirl]

You might check with antlerboy. He has a brand new pair; might want to sell them as momma gave him permission to do the Swaravski thing.

 

[Bura Nut]

I would jump on this. I havent used the 15's Minox puts out but have looked through the 10's and they are good glass. Send Josh an email and hook up with him............. Allen Taylor......

 

[antlerboy]

I sent them back to the company to see if there was something wrong with them. For the life of me I couldn't get them to focus for my eyes, I thought the ocular tubes (I don't know what they're called) might be misalligned or something. Since then I've looked through 3 different pairs of the same binos and they all seemed to do this to me. All the owners swear by them and had much to say about them but maybe they just won't work for me. I can say that the glass seemed awesome though. My $.02. If I ever get them back, been two months now, they are definitly for sale.

Josh

 

[antler]

I've seen them for $670.00 new, and have heard nothing but good things about them. But maybe antlerboy has a valid complaint.

Lance

 

[JAD29]

There isn't much info on the minox 15x58 around. I have looked alot and on this site there are a couple guys who have owned and commented about them, pretty much the only comparisons I have found anywhere.

I have some steiner senator 20x80, I was thinking of upgrading to minox or swarovski 15x56, but hanv't had to oppurtuntity to see either first hand.

I just called the outdoorsmans.com (by the looks of the custom made pistol grip and tripod they have designed made themselves I can assume they are pretty knowledgable about glassing).

Ok here i go repeating what the other guy said...........

The salemen said the minox are 95% the binocular, very close optically but if you look hard you can notice the swarovski is sharper, swarovski is tougher, minox has a usa service center for warrantly work(when i asked about the long turnaround times for warrantly work I had read about he said somtimes they have to ship them back overseas). He also said to his knowledge minox is not discontinuing them, someone has posted here that they are being discontinued??

Jad

 

[Bura Nut]

JAD: I may not answer the original question but I wanted to tell you that I started off with the Steiner senators and I hope you are alot tougher than me because those Senators are so heavy I couldnt pack them around long. I think they are around 5 lbs. If I were you and you hike in alot, then switch to Docter 15x60's or the Minox. You will save alot of weight and gain better optics........ Thanks, Allen Taylor......

 

[JAD29]

the published weight for the steiners is 56oz, I havn't weighed them to check actual weight, with tripod adapter etc. saving some weight plus sharper views would be nice.

Jad

 

[Wyorawhide]

I used a pair of the Minox glasses this past season. First let me say that I own a pair of Swarovskis and that is what I always use. If I hadn't used the Swaros for a couple of seasons, I would have more than been satisfied. They are clear, and easy to focus. Each eye has a separate paralax adjustment that is easy to operate. They are comfortable to hold and use and if I hadn't used my glasses I probably wouldn't know what I was missing. That being said I prefer the Swaro's.

The things that I didn't really care for were, the factory tripod mount. There again I am spoiled. I have a swaro quick release and it is really nice. If left on the glasses while you walk with them around your neck, it squeeks and comes loose and I don't carry a screwdriver with me hunting. The Outdoorsmans has a system that will fit a Minox glass and has a quick release and stud to match the glasses so I think that will be taken care of easy enough. I also didn't like the lens covers. Mine are rubber and slip over the outside and stay put. They are also teathered to keep them with the glasses. Minox slips inside of the ocular lenses and have no theather and are made of plastic. Eagle Optics has some lens covers that are the style that I prefer but I don't know if they have any big enough to fit the 56mm ocular lens. They also have a doubler for $119. Actually it is a 2.5 and is supposed to fit all Minox full size http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?dept=1&type=19&purch=1&pid=3406
That is about all I have to say about that. If time is not pressing, and you don't have to have the glasses right away, there are about seven pairs of the Zeiss 15x60's that go accross Ebay every year. Usually in the spring (right around the corner and after tax returns) and they average about $700. Never seen a pair exceed $850. See if you can look through a pair. They are a poro prism model and to me they were bulky. But at a 65% discount who can argue. Well that is my two cents worth.

Dean

 

[swivelhead]

Antlerboy, If you're having trouble seeing through multiple pairs of binoculars you might want to get your eyes checked. I have recently come up with astigmatism in my eyes. I've got to wear my glasses to get my optics to focus. It's a pain, especially with short eye relief bino's.