high end optics

kawboy

kawboy

Very Active Member
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I have been losing sleep thinking about which binos to purchase. I hear some people say swarovski is the only way to go, others leica. I have never heard of anyone sporting zeiss. Has any one here had good or bad experienses with these? Which would be the best warranty. Should I bag them all together and get a pair of cabela euros? Maybe vortex? Money is an issue, but I think the sacrifice would be worth it. I would never have to buy another pair in my life.
What do you think?

Rub some dirt on it, ya sissy!
 
Check out the "Optics" forum. There is some great advice.

I upgraded from Nikon to Swarovski 10X42 SLC's. They are are worth the extra $$$ IMO.
 
I've never "liked" Leica....not a technical point of view; they just don't feel good in my hands.

I have Zeiss and Swarovski. Zeiss is every bit as good of optical quality as anything any where. HOWEVER, they don't stand behind their warranty.

I special ordered their most expensive rifle scope. When it arrived (at the dealer), the power-adjustment ring would just about not work. It took 4 1/2 months to get it "back". Honest.

Eventually I dropped the rifle a couple of feet. The scope was scratched but didn't appear to be broken. However, it began to fog up internally. They would not fix it.

Their warranty said unconditional for 30 years. After MONTHS of arguing with half of the Zeiss employees (only a slight exaggeration) in America AND many of them in Europe (I speak German.), they eventually replaced my fogged-up (most expensive model they make) scope with a Conquest.

The Conquest is a great scope....but 1/5th the price of the one I bought. THAT is not honoring their warranty.

I own a number of Swarovski products and think they are technically just as good (maybe better) than Zeiss. However, I had to send them back to have lenses replaced (after my kid washed them with a steel wool pad....joys of parenthood). They charged me but I got them back in two months.

I also broke the focus ring. It was fixed (I'd say no questions asked, but they actually asked HOW I did it; said they wanted to make sure it wouldn't happen again.) and returned (from Austria) within about 6 weeks.

Between Swarovski and Zeiss......go with Swarovski for the warranty work. Can't offer insight with respect to Leica.

Good Luck!


Within the shadows, go quietly.
 
Heck-it is modern times-I dont think I would invest in top end glass without the ranging abilities you will be happy with---can u imagine in ten years someone carrying a separate range finder!!!
 
I use swarovski 15x56 binos and 20-60x65 spotting scope. They are worth the money especially if you spend hours on end glassing off a tripod. No eyestrain at all. As far as the "ranging" binos go be aware that leica warranties the electronics for only 3 years. I know 2 people that have had the rangefinder quit on them mid season and then they were stuck without a rangefinder til they could send them in for repairs at the end of season.
 
I have Zeiss binos. I really like them. As for the warranty, here is my Zeiss customer service story. I was deer hunting and fell pretty hard. My binos came across my body and slapped a tree. It was snowy and by the time I made it back to the truck they were fogged. I sent them into Zeiss. They called me up and asked if they could send me a new pair. 3 weeks from the fall I had a brand new pair in my hands. Interesting how they treat me so well and the other post so poorly.

But the service problem is the same for Swarovski, as some of my friends have had great service from them, yet others have had horror stories. I do hear Leica is very tough to deal with on service needs.
 
Here is another, buy nice or buy twice. Take it from someone who has bought lesser optics, sold them at a loss and now own Leica's.

Rich
 
My take; I've had 2 pair of Zeiss [still have the 15x] the 10 swaro SLC's and the Leica 10x Geovids
I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between all 3 of these mnfr. binos. Seriously good stuff. If you spend hours on end behind them its worth the $$.
I have had dealings with Z,S and L warranty and always had above and beyond service with all three. Surprised to hear the above Zeiss story, its not like anything I have ever heard from them.
I can tell you the newer versions of the Z,S,L are far superior to the 15-20 yr old versions. I compared some older Leicas and the older Zeiss Classics to my Swaro SLC's in low light and it was night and day difference.

Now if you won't be spending alot of time behind the glass [just pull up and take a look type stuff]there are some very good mid range binos that do 95% of what the big three can do at 1/4 the cost.

"In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences"
Robert Green Ingersoll
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-06-10 AT 07:40PM (MST)[p]Nikon top end optics (edg, venturer lxl, premier lx) are every bit as good as anything out there, and can usually be had for a little bit less than the big three. Do yourself a favor and look through them before you buy something else. They are very well made and are not even remotely comparable to Nikon lower end stuff like the monarch. As for warranty, it's transferable lifetime no fault, but they might charge you $10 plus return shipping. It can sometimes take a few months to get them back though. Good luck
 
Everyone?s eyes are different, as different as fingerprints. When it comes to the very high end optics, all three, as well as the top end Nikon stuff are all very good, but one mans ?best? might be another mans third or forth place.
You should look through all three (four), as well as the top end stuff from Minox, Vortex and maybe Zen Ray.

Decide for yourself, what looks best to you.

When I went shopping for ?the best? binoculars, I spent a year, looking through them at trade shows, optics shops and in the field whenever I could. To my eyes, no question, Leica Ultravids were the best. Every time, everywhere I compared them, the Ultravids won. I got a pair of Ultravid 8X43s, and I'm still happy years later.

I did take the chance at RMEF Reno last month to look through the new ?HD? or ?ED? binoculars. The Swarovisk EL HDs were stunning, maybe better than my old Ultravids, but then I moved down the isles and looked through the new Ultravid HDs. Once again, opticly, the Leicas were better, no question. That's me, my opinion, my eyes. To you, the Zeiss or Swaros might look better.
 
Thank you, Some really good information so far. Woodruff, I have posted things in the optics forum in the past, it simply lacks the traffic of this one, Thank you for your concern. I have learned more about the optics in just these few posts than I could have learned from the distributors. I really dont glass all day long, however I have been doing it more and more. I was most interested in the Zeiss victory FL 10x56, or the swaro el 10x42, since I dont stare through glass all day would the slc suffice? or maybe a different Zeiss?
Thanks for the posts. keep them coming

Rub some dirt on it, ya sissy!
 
The main advantage the EL's have over the SLC's are they are lighter. I think they are a little more crisp as well but if you don't spend endless hours glassing the SLC's will be fine. I've owned multiple pairs of SLC's and EL's over the past 15 years and never had a problem with any of them.

I regularly send them back for thorough cleanings and only pay the shipping. I hear they stand by there warranties but the best news is I've never had to find out. If you're looking on the used market make sure they have swarobright.

good luck
 
EL's and SLC Neu's use the same glass. Only real difference is weight and ergonomics.

Buy a 10x42 EL, SLC, FL, Ultravid, EDG, and your grand-kids will be using it long after you're gone...
 
Definately check out the Minox HG-APO's they are just as good as the Swaro's, Leica's, and Zeiss and are going to be a few hundred dollars less.
 
DUDE dont spend that kinda money. these newer optics are every bit as good as the high end optics. ZEN-RAY!! i was once a doubter, but had to try them. i litterally sold my 3 different pair of ziess, lieca, AND swarovski, because these are so dang good.


:) total b.s. line :) funny thing is someone will use that in a serious way, or you could replace "zen-ray" with "vortex"

i own lieca, and have for 10+ yrs. i never have used their warrenty, because they dont fall apart.
 
I started out with Leupold's and went through Nikon, Pentax, and Steiner. I finally bought Swarovski's in 1999. Wow! What a difference. Since then I have sold the Swaro's and have found that I love the Leica's more than the rest. I owned the 10x42's at first and then I bought the Geovid 10x42's the first year they came out. I think they are the best piece of hunting equipment I own.

I was in Alaska a few years ago hunting bears when the seas got rough and the Geovids were pitched off the top bunk and onto the metal floor of the boat. It broke the eyepieces. I sent them in to Leica and they promptly fixed them and sent them back free of charge.
I also sent in a pair of 10x42 BN Leicas for my dad that he had bought on the internet. They told him they were grey market and they would not fix them here in the USA. They sent them to Europe and fixed them, then sent them back again free of charge. It took about 3 months.

I can't complain about the warranty at all with Leica. I like the way they fit my eyes too. Swarovski hurts my eyebrows when I glass a lot. Again it's personal preference, but I prefer a rangefinder in my binos too.

DeerBeDead
 
I would agree with the above posts about the big three fit everyone differently. I've heard guys swear that leica spotters were better than swaros etc. For myself the swaro's fit and look better than the other two. For that reason I've stuck with swarovski. My current pair of swaro's is a 3 year old pair of slc 10x42 binos that have performed flawlessly. The only complaint I have is that the eye cups keep falling off while hunting. I've replace them 2 times already and again they are gone. Oh well they only run me $50 a season or so and the quality is worth it to me. I currently have another pair of eye cups ordered at which point I'm gonna sale my slc's and purchase the new el swarovision binos.





ego participate in Monasteriense muleys proinde ego sum bardus (I participate on monstermuleys therefore I am stupid)
 
Whoever told you that Leica was tough to deal with on warranty and repairs, mislead you, absolutley not the truth. I have read thru this thread and have read thru extensive comparison studies for all the big name brands that are being discussed. Way too much to go into detail here, but without a doubt, the Leica Products come out on top everytime. For overall clarity, brightness, and edge to edge definition, they were rated the best. One thing I always notice is guys willing or wanting to cut corners on their optics, and spend extensive amounts of money on all other pieces of equipment in this sport, without a doubt optics are the most underrated and over looked aspect of this sport. I have guys with me every year that went cheap and then their entire hunt is defined in one moment when they cannot find an animal because of poor quality optics. Here is the bottom line in this game, if you can't see it or find it, you will not shoot it. Spend all you can and then a little more, if you buy right the first time it will cost you less and will be a lifetime worthwhile investment in your sport.
 
stinky,
I have the same problem with the eyecups but they have never charged me for new ones? are you just buying them from a dealer? I just call them up and within 2 weeks I have a new set.
 
The difference in the high end spotters is the eye piece glass and the guts.
Stick a camera on each of the big 3 spotters and take some pics. Those pictures will show you the difference.
 
ya buy those zen-crap!!
4a2c3c3419e430ad.jpg


rackmaster
 
I have one set each of "the big three".
I can assure you my Zeiss Classics NEVER leave my neck!
I have never had an eyecup issue with my Zeiss, although i do roll them down to let more light in. My Swaro's are definately excellent glass, but like stinky stated, i can't keep the eye cups on them and i just flat out like the Zeiss glass better.
My spotter is a Leica 77 and has never let me down.








http://i764.photobucket.com/albums/xx290/slamdunk_04/E1x1BWINV1-2.jpg[/IMG]
 
Kawboy, I'll tell ya, if you, me, these guys on here, anybody spends $2500 on glass, I gurantee you, me, they'll say it was a great investment. What else are you going to tell yourself after dropping that kind of cash!?!

Like someone mentioned above, for a whole heck of a lot less money you can have VERY,VERY good optics. Don't discount the 2nd or 3rd tier optics simply by the opinions here. Go look through them all.
 
It would be nice to get some opinions from people that u know arent trying to sell their own product. Just about everyone I associate with hunts or owns binos. They range anywhere from low end to the high end stuff. I personally have owned a handful of optics over the years. First and foremost u have to ask yourself what is it that u want your optics to do? I like some others on here spent money on crap and it got me by for a few years. I finally save up my money and I did my research. I talked to everyone I could. I looked through all of the mentioned optics and I fell in love with the Leicas. The swaros and ziess were comparable but I realized that if I was going to spend the money I needed to buy the Leica Geovids so that I had a built in range finder. I agree with Deerbedead, they are the single best investment I have made for hunting. In fact all the guys I hunt with have or are making the switch to them because they are that good! I cant tell u what to buy but I can tell u I have nothing but good things to say about the Leicas, especially with the built in range finder. Good Luck!
 
"these guys on here, anybody spends $2500 on glass, I gurantee you, me, they'll say it was a great investment. What else are you going to tell yourself after dropping that kind of cash"

Funny you mention that... What else is funny is that I hardly ever find anyone selling used Swaro's, Leica, or Zeiss. Another thing I find funny is that I have not seen hardly any posts of anyone saying they wish they wouldn't have spend the extra $$$$ on high end optics and just stayed with the "2nd or 3rd tier" optics.

I have no dog in this fight so to speak. However, I find that most who complain about the "high end" optics have never owned a pair.
 
I have a cousin who scouts elk with me on a regular basis. We fight to see who can find the elk the fastest and we are about equally yoked. He as a pair of burris binos he bought for $300 and I have my swaro slc 10x42's. Only difference is that once he finds an elk he has to borrow mine for confirmation of what he is actually looking at but he's pretty good with them. When your talking about a grand you really need to ask yourself if its necessary. I would say 90% of the people I hunt with don't need those types of optics.





ego participate in Monasteriense muleys proinde ego sum bardus (I participate on monstermuleys therefore I am stupid)
 
I've owned pentax,vortex, minox, leica, swarovski.They are all good glass and well built, however, leica and swarovski have the edge on durability and longevity and the glass overall is better.I have bounced back and forth between Swarovski and Leica the last 5 years and you are splitting hairs on quality and clarity. Swarovski has traditionally had the better warranty but Leica has stepped up on the warranty issues in the last few years. Good luck!

Mike
 
Im in the deciding stages right now, just got permission to buy my 1st pair of swaros(or any high end bino). this week went to spotsmans and tried the swarovision, EL's, zeiss, and the leica's the last 30 minutes of light. the zeiss and leicas were the old style, not the new HD ones they both have out now. I was at the store with one of the employees and a good friend, all 3 of us thought the leicas were the worst of the 3(amount of light at dark). the zeiss compared to the EL's real close but i thought the zeiss felt cheap in my hands and were bushnell's with better glass. the swarovision hands down brought in more light and had crisper color. (all 3 agreeded). I'm deciding now if the swarovision are worth the extra money over the EL's. I also want to get to a cabelas and compare their euro binos to the swaros? also some of these other brands that sportsmans does not carry.
 
just last night a buddy came over and we compared Swarovski 10x42 EL's, Vortex Razor 10x50, and the Zen Ray 10x43.

im going to do a more thourogh wright up tonight when i get home on my website but ill tell you, there isnt enough of a difference in the glass as what guys will make you think. it not like 10 years ago, you 100 dollar bushnells compared to swarovski....thats easy. The glass is about the same in all of the higher end stuff anymore. its about how well its built.

the vortex warranty is unbeatable i will say.


Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
Blacks-Creek Packs Dealer
 
As I stated earlier, everyone?s eyes are different, and one mans ?best? might not be best to another. Another points is, some people can tell the difference and some can not.
I have a friend who swears he can't tell any difference between lower mid range binos like Nikon Monarch, and the top of the line Leica/Swaro/Zeiss.
I can tell the difference. I can tell the difference between upper mid range stuff like Zen Ray, or Vortex Razors and Leica.
I can tell the difference between Swaro Els and EL HDs. It's obvious to me, not to some others.
The point is, look through them for yourself. Test them in low light, fine detail situations. Try to read some fine print, several hundred yards away in the shadows.
One of the big differences is the ability to spend hours on end glassing. Optics that look very close for a few minuets, might be miles apart after sitting on a Mountain top looking at the same ridge from dawn til dark.
There are a lot of serious hunters and guides who do this. ?Glassing? is how they hunt, and they kill big bucks and bulls doing it. There is a reason 99% of them use Swaroviski, Leica or Zeiss.
 
I've owned the Zeiss 10x40 for 25 yrs and love them. I've looked thru the rest and still think I made the right decision. They are used almost daily with never a problem. I don't think I'll live long enough to wear them out. Excellent glass!
 
You differently will not go wrong with any of the high end optics. I believe everyone's eyes are different, so the different coatings that each of the companies use will have a different clarity to different people. Once your eyes get used to looking through a specific glass I think your eye will become accustom to that glass so others may not appear as good. Anyone who wears glasses notices that it take some time to get used to a new pair.

With that said here is my $0.02. I have a pair of 10x42 SLC. I love them, however over the last couple of years many of my hunting buddies have bought the Cabela Euros. I honestly think they are every bit as good as my SLC and the are 1/2 the cost with a great warranty.

I would take the money you saved and start saving for a good spotting scope. Great Bino's are critical, but so is a great spotting scope and so far I personally have not found a good lower priced spotting scope outside of the big three. They are worth the money.

Best thing for you is try to get out in the field with all of them and see what works for you. However I know that could be hard to do.

Good Luck
Scott
 
I owned SLC 10x42 for 7 years. Great Glass. I sold them last year and bought Geovid 10x42. Also Great Glass.

IMHO, Swarovski has better glass and edge to edge crispness, but I like the convenience of a built-in rangefinder.

Those that said the TOP 3 brands will treat you right are on-target.

Get what you like, you won't be disappointed.

Grizzly
 
>You differently will not go wrong
>with any of the high
>end optics. I believe
>everyone's eyes are different, so
>the different coatings that each
>of the companies use will
>have a different clarity to
>different people. Once your
>eyes get used to looking
>through a specific glass I
>think your eye will become
>accustom to that glass so
>others may not appear as
>good. Anyone who wears
>glasses notices that it take
>some time to get used
>to a new pair.
>
>With that said here is my
>$0.02. I have a
>pair of 10x42 SLC.
>I love them, however over
>the last couple of years
>many of my hunting buddies
>have bought the Cabela Euros.
> I honestly think they
>are every bit as good
>as my SLC and the
>are 1/2 the cost with
>a great warranty.
>
>I would take the money you
>saved and start saving for
>a good spotting scope.
>Great Bino's are critical, but
>so is a great spotting
>scope and so far I
>personally have not found a
>good lower priced spotting scope
>outside of the big three.
> They are worth the
>money.
>
>Best thing for you is try
>to get out in the
>field with all of them
>and see what works for
>you. However I know
>that could be hard to
>do.
>
>Good Luck
>Scott


My question is, if the Cabela's/Meopta Euro binos are as good as Swarovski, wouldn't the Cabela's/Meopta Euro spotter be in the same boat?....
 
It is a good thing we have a few months before the hunt starts, I am going to look at some others I have not thought of yet, I am still pretty set on the Zeiss at this point, however if the Cabela Euro is close for half the price I am tempted, I have only heard bad things about their warranty though, I like the thought of never spending money on binos again, I think the only way that will happen is with the big 3. Is it worth it to look for used? I am afraid the companys will be harder to work with if I do. I am a guy who likes great customer service, I like to talk to someone face to face, I hate phone conversations over products.

Rub some dirt on it, ya sissy!
 
>Heck-it is modern times-I dont think
>I would invest in top
>end glass without the ranging
>abilities you will be happy
>with---can u imagine in ten
>years someone carrying a separate
>range finder!!!


Ya I can...rangefinders are for ranging, not glassing.
 
In my mind you buy the high end, not for the warranty, but for the reliability so that you don't need the warranty.

Cheaper glass always comes with the "unconditional warranty" and they probably even honor it. Problem is, that warranty isn't worth a hill of beans when you are in the middle of nowhere and in the middle of a hunt and your cheap binos take a crap on you.

That in my mind is why I love Swarovski optics. Don't need the warranty, they simply don't go bad (at least not often).

That said Swarovski also stands behind their stuff in the off chance you do need something.
 
Foreman4x4,
I was unaware that cabelas and meopta had ever done a spotter. I know they talked about it for the last couple of years. Every time I asked they said it was not done yet. If they have come out with one I would like to see how it does. As for me I had waited long enough and kept saving and a year ago I went ahead and bought a Swar HD 80 and absolutely love it.

From my experience with binos, which is probably worth about $0.02. I have looked through Swar, Leica, Ziess, Leopold, Cabelas Euro/Meopta, Nikon, and Vortex in the field in low light conditions. All performed relatively well and truthful all had great clarity. But for me what truly sets good optics apart is eye relief. How long can you look through them before it feels like your eyes will explode out of your head. I think the big three, Cabelas Euros have performed by far the best. However I really have not had much exposer with the Vortex. I never have had a chance to look through them for a long period of time.

I agree with most post buy any of the big three and your good to go. I am just say if I did it over I would buy Cabelas Euros and save for a spotter. Even the best binos can't confirm the size of a buck or a bull more than a 1/2 mile away. Where the spotter can confirm a 1" cheater at 3 miles.

Once again good luck.
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-08-10 AT 06:47PM (MST)[p]>Foreman4x4,
>I was unaware that cabelas and
>meopta had ever done a
>spotter. I know they
>talked about it for the
>last couple of years.
>Every time I asked they
>said it was not done
>yet. If they have
>come out with one I
>would like to see how
>it does. As for
>me I had waited long
>enough and kept saving and
>a year ago I went
>ahead and bought a Swar
>HD 80 and absolutely love
>it.
>
>From my experience with binos, which
>is probably worth about $0.02.
> I have looked through
>Swar, Leica, Ziess, Leopold, Cabelas
>Euro/Meopta, Nikon, and Vortex in
>the field in low light
>conditions. All performed relatively
>well and truthful all had
>great clarity. But for
>me what truly sets good
>optics apart is eye relief.
> How long can you
>look through them before it
>feels like your eyes will
>explode out of your head.
> I think the big
>three, Cabelas Euros have performed
>by far the best.
>However I really have not
>had much exposer with the
>Vortex. I never have
>had a chance to look
>through them for a long
>period of time.
>
>I agree with most post buy
>any of the big three
>and your good to go.
>I am just say if
>I did it over I
>would buy Cabelas Euros and
>save for a spotter.
>Even the best binos can't
>confirm the size of a
>buck or a bull more
>than a 1/2 mile away.
> Where the spotter can
>confirm a 1" cheater at
>3 miles.
>
>Once again good luck.

I guess my way of thinking is just the opposite. I use a binos 100 times more than I ever use a spotter, so I'd buy the best binos I could afford and can easily get by with a mid-range spotter, especially given the fact there isn't a spotter on that market that after looking through one eye for while doesn't get tiring, even with a patch. Some are far worse than others though. Having said that, I'll take a good quality 15x bino over a spotter as well.

Cabela's/Meopta came out with a Euro spotter probably a year ago. Haven't laid my hands on one yet, but should be a great product. I'm a huge fan of the Euro binos.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...en/common/search/search-box.jsp.form23&Go.x=0
 
There is know question glass that has comparable clarity of the big 3 euro companies, but the real question(s) is: will that less expensive glass be housed in an optic body that will withstand abuse? How long will the coatings last. I don't care how good a warranty is. If your optics become inoperable in the field, why waste your time and money.Not everybody can afford or needs to pack around $2000 dollar pair of swarovskis or leicas, but if your going to spend the money ya ought to know what your buying.
 
Definately consider the Zeiss FL-the first HD (flourite glass) bino, ahead of Swarovski and Leica by several years.

Swarovski pays out a lot of money for advertising and for some reason people tend to buy more of them and you see more of them in the field. I think many poeple just assume they are the best and don't campare to Leica or Zeiss.

All three are excellent glass-the Swarovski Swarovision ,Leica ultravid HD and the Zeiss FL.

Leica built its reputation on excellent glass and best durability. I would say their binos are still built the best.

IMO Swarovski is up to par with the Leica Ultravid HD and Zeiss FL with the new Swarovision model but they have lacked behind for several years.

The Zeiss is actually the brightest of the three with their patented Abbe Konig roof prism design which is a little more efficient than Leica Or Swarovski's design.

You need to handle all three and see which one you like the best.

As an owner of a Victory FLT I will tell you that the optics are stellar but the build quality is not as good as the Leica BN I had or the Swarovski SLC I have. But I think the FL is a best buy at the moment-you can find Demos from cameralandny.com and other places for around $1500.

IMO I would go with at least a Swarovski NEU SLC or better bino, there is a difference worth paying for over the Meopta and Minox binos.
 
Foreman4x4
I checked out a Cabela's Euro spotter a few months back at dusk outside of Cabelas right next to a Swaro 20-60x80. The glass was comparable, crisp, and clear. However, the eyepiece for the Euro spotter was horrible. It was tiny, cheap, and not very solid feeling. It honestly felt like the cheap eyepieces they put on some Walmart binoculars. IMHO, if they can come out with an angled spotter and a much better eyepiece, they'll have a great product.

OP
FWIW, I bought Cabela's Euro 10x42 binos and used them extensively for 3 years. I loved them. I regularly hunt with guys with Pentax, Swaro, and Zeiss and I would put them up with all of those. HOWEVER, cameralandny was running that deal, so I sold them for Leica Geovid BRFs..mainly for the convenience of a rangefinder w/in the bino. Honestly, the glass quality of the Euro is comparable to the Geovids. Geovids are marginally better; but I guarantee you you'll be veerrrrry happy with the Euro binos.



"...I'd rather be tried by twelve than carried by six..."
 
I have been hunting for more than a few decades. That being said i've owned just about every single brand of binocular that's been made. I still have the first pair of Zeiss binoculars 8X30 that I bought more than 30 years ago and they still work great. I also own a pair of Swarovski 10X 42 SLC and my wife has their 8X 30's and they have been excellent for the 15++ years we've used them. I bought a pair of leica's 10X42's about 7 years ago because I got a great deal on them. They are the best out of the three but the coating technology has changed quite a bit. The first pair of Zeiss set me back $700.00, the SLC's $750.00 and $650.00 and the Trinovid set me back $800 with a rebate at the time. Now at todays prices every single pair of those is a bargain. They've been used hard, dropped, got soaked and froze and all of them are still working like the day they were new. Never had a single headache looking thru any of them and they've always done their job.

Buy the best you can afford and you'll only make the investment once. Zeiss can give you fits with warranty stuff Swaro is easy to work with and Leica are built like a tank.

Foremans right buy once cry once and you'll be happier in the end. The 8X30 Swarovski's are still a great buy and they'll work on the majority of hunts you make and they have the top of the line coating on them and most of you won't get rid of them once you buy them. 10 years from today you'll look back on what they cost and say you still made a good buy and that's quality and value for your $$$. The other brands have made up ground and there are some other mid priced brands that are very good and well made at lower price points but will you still have them 20 years from today? If the answer is yes you made a good buy.
 
>I am still attending school. not
>much money for optics. I
>wil not look for anything
>above $500

I know they aren't what the high end ones are but if you are wanting to spend under 500 I would go with Zen Ray. I have the 8x43 ED2 and have been good for me. I am in the same boat as you, one day I would like to have one of the big 3 but for now the ZR seem to work pretty good.
 
Thank you everybody for your help. I just found a deal on some zeiss 10x42 fl that seems to good to be true. I ordered them, they should be here Tuesday. I am smiling like a school girl. I hope when they show up they are what the store said they are. It was a huge step for me, but I am pumped!

Rub some dirt on it, ya sissy!
 
They better be legit, I got them at sportsmans warehouse, $1320, best I could find anywhere else was $2299

Rub some dirt on it, ya sissy!
 
Shouldn't be any issue buying from Sportsman's Warehouse. I was afraid you were going to say you bought them of the 'net from Indonesia or somewhere. I'm sure you'll love 'em!
 
You will love them-good choice.

As far as warranty service goes I have always heard that Leica is by far the hardest to deal with. Nothing but good from Swarovski-(even if you are not the original owner) and Zeiss with their lifetime transferrable warranty.

For anybody looking for Zeiss Victory FL's, two good places to look for reduced price like new show demos are.

cameralandny.com
natchezss.com
 

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