Post by: polyanskiyalex on March 29, 2012, 03:53:00 PM
Post by: scottfrick on March 29, 2012, 03:56:35 PM
Post by: jrebel on March 29, 2012, 04:11:49 PM
Post by: Dan-o on March 29, 2012, 04:23:28 PM
I'm no expert, but to my eyes they are MUCH BETTER than cheaper binocs and then I just personally can't see the difference when I go up to the mega-$$$ binocs.
They are also advertizing 8 X 42 for $229, I think.
Post by: KNOPHISH on March 29, 2012, 04:27:53 PM
Post by: scottfrick on March 29, 2012, 04:32:05 PM
Vortex 10 X 50 for $249 at Sportsmans Wharehouse. I love my pair... and Vortex has a genuine no questions asked replacement guarantee. All you need is the old binocs... no other proof.:yeah:
I'm no expert, but to my eyes they are MUCH BETTER than cheaper binocs and then I just personally can't see the difference when I go up to the mega-$$$ binocs.
They are also advertizing 8 X 42 for $229, I think.
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on March 29, 2012, 04:41:33 PM
Post by: fillthefreezer on March 29, 2012, 04:52:46 PM
Post by: washelkhunter on March 29, 2012, 04:53:20 PM
Just checked out e-bay. nikon monarchs atb's in camo for $200.
Post by: Swiftkid on March 29, 2012, 05:11:14 PM
Post by: Steve C on March 30, 2012, 10:01:36 AM
When your looking for good glass you really get what you pay for...$250 can buy decent bino's but your not going to get Zen Ray quality optics, and when it comes to taking them in the field your going to probaly wish you'd spent that little extra....seems thats the way it always works out :twocents:
If you want Zen Ray optics for less than $250, get Zen Ray optics. Its called the ZRS HD. They are very compact for full size 42 mm glass and one of the very best in their price range. Vortex has none at that price that good, it takes the more expensive Viper to get there. The Theron Wapiti LT series, particularly the 8x32 ,is very good too. The Bushnell legend Ultra HD as mentioned CAN be pretty decent. These have a lot of field curvature and CAN in "some specimens" have very small sweet spots and distracting distortion quite far away from the edge of the field. I've owned a couple and they didn't last very long.
Aside from the lack of ED glass, the ZRS HD is very close optically to the ZEN ED series of binoculars. Unless you are pretty sensitive to chromatic aberration, you will likely never know the ZRS is a non ED glass binocular. The HD is for HD glass in the objective which is part of a field flattening design in the ZRS HD eye piece.
Today's lower mid price are every bit as good as binoculars of even five years ago that cost 2x that level.
Post by: BuckHunter23 on March 30, 2012, 10:30:03 AM
Post by: SemperFidelis97 on March 30, 2012, 09:25:01 PM
Post by: Goldeneye on March 30, 2012, 09:40:53 PM
Post by: Miles on March 30, 2012, 10:56:28 PM
Post by: GreyWolf on March 30, 2012, 11:21:08 PM
I own a few Nikon Monarch scopes so I originally thought I would get the Monarch Binos. Checked them out side by side with some Bushnells in the same class & I liked the Vortex best, + the price, $229 (Opticplanet, no tax & free shipping) & warranty is a bonus!
Post by: polyanskiyalex on March 31, 2012, 08:31:12 PM
Post by: SkookumHntr on March 31, 2012, 08:34:12 PM
Post by: Bigshooter on April 01, 2012, 05:49:42 PM
Post by: ZRS-8x42 on April 01, 2012, 10:34:21 PM
thanks guys.... i was looking into the vortex ones.... ive heard good things about them.. to tell you the truth im stuck between nikon and leupold, but its still open for me.....
Hi polyanskiyalex,
We just released the last sets of 8x43 ZEN ED2 on demo sale for $285.
http://www.zen-ray.com/shop/demo/zened2-8x43-demo.html
Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with.
Post by: columbiaman on April 02, 2012, 09:41:33 AM
When your looking for good glass you really get what you pay for...$250 can buy decent bino's but your not going to get Zen Ray quality optics, and when it comes to taking them in the field your going to probaly wish you'd spent that little extra....seems thats the way it always works out :twocents:
If you want Zen Ray optics for less than $250, get Zen Ray optics. Its called the ZRS HD. They are very compact for full size 42 mm glass and one of the very best in their price range. Vortex has none at that price that good, it takes the more expensive Viper to get there. The Theron Wapiti LT series, particularly the 8x32 ,is very good too. The Bushnell legend Ultra HD as mentioned CAN be pretty decent. These have a lot of field curvature and CAN in "some specimens" have very small sweet spots and distracting distortion quite far away from the edge of the field. I've owned a couple and they didn't last very long.
Aside from the lack of ED glass, the ZRS HD is very close optically to the ZEN ED series of binoculars. Unless you are pretty sensitive to chromatic aberration, you will likely never know the ZRS is a non ED glass binocular. The HD is for HD glass in the objective which is part of a field flattening design in the ZRS HD eye piece.
Today's lower mid price are every bit as good as binoculars of even five years ago that cost 2x that level.
I am also quite impressed by the ZRS HD binoculars. It's way better than Vortex Diamondback, similar to Viper.
-CM
Post by: passing-thru on April 02, 2012, 09:10:54 PM
$149 compared to reg $399. Good deal in my book
Post by: cem3434 on April 02, 2012, 09:46:16 PM
thanks guys.... i was looking into the vortex ones.... ive heard good things about them.. to tell you the truth im stuck between nikon and leupold, but its still open for me.....
Hands down, Vortex are better than comparable Leupold or Nikon glass. I have Zeiss binos that I use in ths field, but my wife has a pair of Vortex and I keep an extra pair in my truck just in case I need them. They are the best bang for the buck in my opinion and have a great warran :twocents:ty.
Post by: pope on April 02, 2012, 10:44:56 PM
Post by: summit creek on April 04, 2012, 07:21:45 PM
Post by: Snopczynski on April 05, 2012, 08:12:50 AM
Post by: cem3434 on April 05, 2012, 02:50:21 PM
Someone should take the top recommended models and set up a poll for people to vote on for the best under $250 in their opinion.:yeah:
Post by: rsarkks on April 07, 2012, 08:12:46 AM
Post by: royalbull on April 08, 2012, 01:15:23 PM
Post by: bobcat on April 08, 2012, 02:07:44 PM
Look at these Pentax demo models for $130 at camera land:
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/pentax.pl?page=pentax65807
Post by: b.roberts on April 09, 2012, 05:45:29 PM
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk
Post by: Brownie28 on April 09, 2012, 05:54:46 PM
Post by: youngbuckslayer on April 09, 2012, 06:24:07 PM
Post by: jamesjett on April 10, 2012, 05:18:43 PM
Post by: Cap.Silver on April 10, 2012, 07:29:28 PM
Post by: bigbullshedhunter on April 12, 2012, 06:19:32 PM
Post by: Deep Forks on April 14, 2012, 01:59:57 AM
Post by: MikeWalking on April 14, 2012, 02:38:06 AM
Bought them in a local camera shop. Then saw some 10x50's at Cabela's with phase correction for $165+Shipping...
Still very happy with mine.
Post by: windygorge on April 14, 2012, 07:10:27 AM
Post by: windygorge on April 14, 2012, 07:12:17 AM
http://www.zen-ray.com/shop/binoculars/zened2-8x43-demo.html