Post by: GEARHEAD on October 23, 2011, 12:11:26 PM
Post by: Knocker of rocks on October 23, 2011, 12:20:35 PM
Post by: dreamunelk on October 23, 2011, 12:38:50 PM
Post by: CplRaines on October 23, 2011, 12:44:50 PM
Steiner
Leupold
in that order.... after Swarovski.
Post by: Bigtine96 on October 23, 2011, 12:47:47 PM
When you spend as much time as I do behind the glass buying anything other than the best is a waist of time.
Post by: nwwanderer on October 23, 2011, 05:20:53 PM
Post by: Knocker of rocks on October 23, 2011, 06:33:31 PM
Spent more than a year comparing, bought the top of the line KOWA. All of the good ones are amazing.
And about the same price. All $2000 spotting scopes are going to be really good.
Post by: jjhunter on October 23, 2011, 06:58:17 PM
I am currently packing a pair a Zeiss RF 10x45, a Swaro HD 80 spotter, and a pair of Swaro 15x56s. Since $$ is not an option when it comes to my glass, I obviously feel that this is the best glass for my style of hunting. I am purchasing a pair of 12x50 Swarovision before Colorado and will try them out on a tripod as a possible replacement for my 15s.
If I were to purchase one pair of binoculars, it would probably be the 10x42 Swarovision.
Post by: deerslyr on October 24, 2011, 01:34:48 PM
Post by: Knocker of rocks on October 24, 2011, 01:55:17 PM
I am currently packing a pair a Zeiss RF 10x45, a Swaro HD 80 spotter, and a pair of Swaro 15x56s
Sounds like a ghetto set up :chuckle:
Post by: deerslyr on October 24, 2011, 06:12:43 PM
Post by: thinkingman on October 25, 2011, 10:02:05 AM
I love Swarovski...I think their coatings have the best balance between brightness and natural color.
Leica is extremely bright....almost synthetic....loss of color at the expense of brightness.
I do not have enough experience with Zeiss to form an opinion.
Meopta makes excellent glass and I believe their construction is like a tank...and weighs like one, too.
Steiner has a rep as a euro military vendor....I have not been impressed with their glass, but construction is very solid.
Nikon is a very advanced manufacturer and their products have an excellent reputation and their EDG line is competing with the Alphas. Nikon Premier SE's have been around for a while and are still the reference glass in the porro prism market....once you look through them, you're spoiled for life.
There is a pair on CL right now in Kirkland.
I have a pair of Nikon Premier LX's that have the widest field of view I've ever encountered....once you get used to it, it's hard to go to a narrower view.
I have demo'd Vortex Razors and they didn't work for me....can't quite identify why.
I would love to have ZenRays for a month or so..they have a great rep.
I've never been impressed with Leupold glass, nothing compelling there.
Post by: jjhunter on October 30, 2011, 03:42:34 PM
I am currently packing a pair a Zeiss RF 10x45, a Swaro HD 80 spotter, and a pair of Swaro 15x56s
Sounds like a ghetto set up :chuckle:
I know....working on getting those Zeiss out of the line-up. :chuckle: Got the 12x50 Swarovision on Thursday - AMAZING!
Post by: Greg30-06 on October 30, 2011, 06:12:04 PM
Post by: deleted BGS on October 30, 2011, 06:55:22 PM
Post by: got2hunt on November 22, 2011, 01:08:04 PM
Post by: predatorpro on November 22, 2011, 01:18:27 PM
Post by: boneaddict on November 22, 2011, 01:45:14 PM
Post by: high country on December 13, 2011, 11:32:40 AM
Post by: deerslyr on December 13, 2011, 11:49:09 AM
yeh...i cant tell a diferrence from swarovski to my $150 pair of nikons,,,, i actually liked my nikons better than my friends $1500 pair of swarovski
lol
Post by: Knocker of rocks on December 13, 2011, 05:48:27 PM
yeh...i cant tell a diferrence from swarovski to my $150 pair of nikons,,,, i actually liked my nikons better than my friends $1500 pair of swarovski
lol
:yeah:
Post by: MuleySniper on December 13, 2011, 06:07:01 PM
yeh...i cant tell a diferrence from swarovski to my $150 pair of nikons,,,, i actually liked my nikons better than my friends $1500 pair of swarovski
they might look good side by side in a department store but i guarantee that early morning or right at dusk there is no comparison how much better the swarovskis in the field. :twocents:
Post by: columbiaman on December 17, 2011, 04:10:36 PM
http://www.zen-ray.com/shop/spottingscopes/zenspotter82-angled.html
Post by: summit creek on December 18, 2011, 04:12:17 PM
Post by: coachcw on December 18, 2011, 09:31:46 PM
Post by: Big Horn on January 06, 2012, 08:57:10 AM
If I were to purchase one pair of binoculars, it would probably be the 10x42 Swarovision.
:yeah: Are far the best I have used, they fit awesome in the badlands bino case.
The new leupold gold rings in a 10x42 are great, a little cheaper than the swarovski's just my :twocents:
Post by: Bob33 on January 06, 2012, 08:53:46 PM
For spotters, kowa tsn deserves a serious look. Probably the best ever made. I tend to prefer Leica binos but carry 15x56 swaros. I have bashed on NIKON for a long time due to blowing up their scopes with alarming regularity, but their edg binos are unreal. I sold off my others and don't feel there is anything better to my eye today. Once a person steps up to alpha optics, it is all opinions anyways. We all see slightly differently.Stole my thoughts. Many consider the Kowa Prominar scopes to have no equal: better than Swaro, Zeiss, Leica, etc. They dont have the name so you dont hear as much about them. Go read some reviews on birding sites. They aren't cheap: the 88mm with eyepiece is $3000.
When you get into the very best optics, differences are subtle. What looks best to one person may not to another. If you are spending money on alpha glass, compare several. Swaro is good but you may well find something else more pleasing. I have an older pair of Nikon Premier binos that I prefer over my friend's Swaros.