• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Is a $600 pair of binos worth it?

S

sanman28

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 22, 2013
67
0
Is there anything worthwhile in the 5-$600 range for binos? Hopefully 10x.
 
I have a a pair of Zeiss 10x25's for sale in the classifieds for $400. But just bought a pair of Zeiss 10x42HT's which is the best binocular money can buy in that catagory. I gotta tell you those 10x25's are much much closer than I thought they'd be in a side by side comparison, they are that good!

Oh and BTW for $600 someone can buy a host of Bino's that are unbelievably lacking. Shop wisely!
 
Only place I don't use them is in one of my hunting places that's pretty much bow only.Because of the thickness of underbrush and timber even a 4x would be too much in there. There is also an 8x42 version in the Viper HD line.
 
sanman28 said:
Too much magnification for any scenarios?
Click to expand...

Yeah, any low-light scenario. The 4.2mm exit pupil is very limiting. If low-light is something you consider important, stick with something that gives you a 6-7mm exit pupil. Hell, even a 5mm pupil would be better

7 x 42 (6mm)
8 x 42 (5.25mm)
6.5 x 32 (5mm)
7 x 50 (7mm)
8 x 56 (7mm)
10 x 50 (5mm)
 
So a 7 or 8x with a large objective is about a perfect compromise?
 
sanman28 said:
So a 7 or 8x with a large objective is about a perfect compromise?
Click to expand...

IMO, absolutely. Just don't go too large with the objective unless you don't mind the extra weight.

I run a pair of Meopta 7x42s after sampling about a dozen different options.
 
I bought open box Minox HG 8x33 MIG (made in Germany) binos from Cameraland NY for half of the $1300 list price.
The box looked a little beat up but the binos looked like they'd never been out of the box, in perfect condition.
Schott glass, single turn focusing mechanism (some dislike it, I like it), locking diopter, twist up eyecups, neutral color and contrast (the way I like it) and bright for a 33mm bino. The only annoyance is it's hard to get the included case closed with the eyecups completely extended (which is how I use them).
It's a lot of bino for the money and I'm very happy with mine.
Minox - Camera Land NY

Joe

*edit* the CLNY website states the included case is genuine leather, but it's not.
 
Last edited:
scudzuki said:
I bought open box Minox HG 8x33 MIG (made in Germany) binos from Cameraland NY for half of the $1300 list price.
The box looked a little beat up but the binos looked like they'd never been out of the box, in perfect condition.
Schott glass, single turn focusing mechanism (some dislike it, I like it), locking diopter, twist up eyecups, neutral color and contrast (the way I like it) and bright for a 33mm bino. The only annoyance is it's hard to get the included case closed with the eyecups completely extended (which is how I use them).
It's a lot of bino for the money and I'm very happy with mine.
Minox - Camera Land NY

Joe

*edit* the CLNY website states the included case is genuine leather, but it's not.
Click to expand...

Interesting
 
i've ddoptics 8.5x50 @ around 700 euro. we have zeiss and swaro in house (8x40 swaro and 8x56 zeiss) and I can't see a difference. While swaro for sure has a good service history, for the difference in price (factor of 3) I can buy a new pair of binos every 10 years and still be better of. some ph in our area saw the spotting scopes we bougth from ddoptics are and considering to buy those instead of swaro. here, the ph did not see a difference in quality that would warrant (again) a factor of 3 in price
 
Depending on what you'll use 'em for and what you want out of 'em...

I have a pair of Fuji-non's. You can get surplus M24's and others around here for $125 and under. Best bang for buck, and it'll have the reticle if you want that too.
 
There are many good 8 power binos in your price range. Getting a good 10 power bino in your price range is very difficult, i don't know of one. More power raises more problems that only more money can fix. In your price range stick to 8 power.
 
Go to cabelas, bass pro, big sporting good store near you. Try every one under said price. Pick the one you really like, write down model number go home. Just keep watching ebay, amozon, Craigslist till you get a awesome deal! This is what I did and was suprized at my findings. I tested a lot of binos in that price. I have owned Leicas and sworaskis. But they have so many lenses in them by the end of the day my neck hurt, ALOT! I sold both!! I ended up with Leupold Pinnacles 10x and to my eyes they don't give up much?. Price new was 499$? I got a demo pair out of AZ on ebay for just over 300$..... Good luck ill never part with my pinnicals best clarity, weight binos for the price!
 
Bubb said:
Go to cabelas, bass pro, big sporting good store near you. Try every one under said price. Pick the one you really like, write down model number go home. Just keep watching ebay, amozon, Craigslist till you get a awesome deal!
Click to expand...

Good suggestion, Bubb...That is what I did also! To the original OP, store viewing\comparisons are tough due to so much light. However, distant (in store) dark shaded spots will be brighter with higher quality optical binos, rendering sharper details and clearer resolution\colors. If you have the opportunity, an evening test carried outside the store would reveal even more visual differences in varying price point optics.

Good Luck,

Ted
 
I was lucky, I went to cabelas and the guys at the optics desk said he was a optics hore.... We did just as stated above looked way across the store. To a fake porch roof which had some map under it. Was a perfect test for optics and looking into shadows. We did every set in the case three where left at the top for our test. Swaroski, Stiners, both full size and the mid sized Leupold Pinnicales. Way less in price, I mean enough I could tell the wife about them. And even more in weight lose. If you do it this way you will know what your getting and wait for the price your happy with.... Can't loose.
 
Flat Tire said:
No, they aren't worth it. When you buy that cheap stuff you are just throwing money away.
Click to expand...

FT,

Any $$$ investment in Any top tier product can be the "best there is", period. However, that does not make anything of lesser value, "Cheap". Certainly it is cheaper, meaning a lesser $$$ investment. If a cheaper product provides performance that say runs 90 to 99% of the -Top Tier- product, most people will find and appreciate a -better dollar value- for their hard earned money!

To me, only when a product cannot provide an "individuals expected performance" for the asking price does it become, "cheap stuff that you are just throwing money away"! I believe most of the responses (if not all) to the, "Is a $600 pair of binos worth it?" title question is a Resounding...YES! All you have to do is Shop Wisely!
 
I have some Leica 10x42's but this year I bought my wife a set up Vortex Viper HD's in the same power. I used the Viper's some to compare the two and I was very impressed by them. Not once was I thinking that the image was substandard and I had to look through the Leica's to get a better view, they really held their own and are a great value.

Vortex is a great company, great service, excellent value.
 
jasonk said:
I have some Leica 10x42's but this year I bought my wife a set up Vortex Viper HD's in the same power. I used the Viper's some to compare the two and I was very impressed by them. Not once was I thinking that the image was substandard and I had to look through the Leica's to get a better view, they really held their own and are a great value.
Click to expand...

Jason,

Trinovids or Ultravids?
 
i've the ddoptics 8x50. they cost about 600 ... for me, way better than the 8x56 zeiss dialyt that i'd have access to. and outperforms some of the zeiss/swaro group that i've seen
 
Lots of good info above. Keep in mind that, just as in rifle scopes, more power isn't always a good thing. I hunted in South Africa in 2012; taking a pair of Leica 10x42 utravids and pair of Vortex 6x32 HD, I spent most of my time with the 6X binos, they simply had a wider field of view, which is immensely valuable in scanning for game.
Good glass is a great thing, but keep magnification in mind too. If glassing from a fixed, solid position, 10X is quite nice; however, if moving and glassing on the move, I prefer less mag.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Pocket
Spotters 12x binos?
Replies
18
Views
498
RTH1800
R
T
Zeiss or Razor UHD bino’s
Replies
3
Views
189
psharon78
P
J
Spotters Looking for AB rangefinder/ Bino Recommendations
Replies
24
Views
566
Burdy
Burdy
eboggs
Spotters Looking for a mid-level 18x pair of Binos.
Replies
3
Views
170
Glassaholic
Glassaholic
S
Leica 3200.com to kestrel
Replies
3
Views
156
smokinbobf4
S
Top Bottom
Back