Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
04-13-2003, 09:53 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 46
Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
Hello, I have a set of Bushnell Trophy Hunter binoculars 10x42 they are ok but sometimes I feel after looking through them for awhile my eyes feel strained. I would like some recomendations for some other binoculars in the $250 to $300 dollar range.
Thanks for any info.
Thanks for any info.
04-14-2003, 06:28 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: roulette,pa usa
Posts: 349
RE: Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
I have been looking at binocular in the same price range. The only 2 that I have actually looked through are the leupold windriver and the nikon monarch the nikon seem to be a little clearer to me.
04-15-2003, 03:42 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Munising MI
Posts: 501
RE: Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
I compared the Nikon Monarch to several in it' s price range a few years ago, and they are hard to beat. My Swarovski' s beat em hands down....but are a few more extra dollars! [
] In that price range though, the Monarchs are pretty decent.
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
] In that price range though, the Monarchs are pretty decent.Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
04-16-2003, 03:50 AM
#6
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location:
Posts: 317
RE: Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
At present, I have several pairs of binoculars, ranging from a pair I bought from Kmart way back in the early 1970' s for less than $20 to a Swarovski 8X56 for which I paid more than I should have. The one pair I have that is near your price range which I am the most impressed with is a Zeiss compact 8 X set. For clarity, I can' t beat them, and they are small enough to carry in a belt loop pouch which came with them. I have used them glassing for mule deer in Colorado, and swear by them, not at them.
The Swarovskis got me a nice whitetail in Texas two years ago. It was getting close to dark, and my guide saw a big buck on the edge of a field. He couldn' t tell whether or not it was a good one. I told him I thought it was a shooter and handed him my Swarovski binocs. He took one look and said, " Shoot him. He' s the best so far this year on the ranch." Later, the guide asked me what I paid for the binocs and when I told him, he said that he thought they were cheap because of the buck I had just taken. He bought a pair as soon as he could.
Here is a test you can do. Go to a sporting goods store that sells several brands of binoculars. Get a set of Leica, Zeiss, Swarovski and Steiners to try and pick out a sign or poster at a distance and try to read the fine print. Small letters are a good test of the clarity (resolving power) of binoculars. Power is not as important as is clarity. Buy the set that lets you read the finest print. You can even use an eye chart for this test if you have one.
The Swarovskis got me a nice whitetail in Texas two years ago. It was getting close to dark, and my guide saw a big buck on the edge of a field. He couldn' t tell whether or not it was a good one. I told him I thought it was a shooter and handed him my Swarovski binocs. He took one look and said, " Shoot him. He' s the best so far this year on the ranch." Later, the guide asked me what I paid for the binocs and when I told him, he said that he thought they were cheap because of the buck I had just taken. He bought a pair as soon as he could.
Here is a test you can do. Go to a sporting goods store that sells several brands of binoculars. Get a set of Leica, Zeiss, Swarovski and Steiners to try and pick out a sign or poster at a distance and try to read the fine print. Small letters are a good test of the clarity (resolving power) of binoculars. Power is not as important as is clarity. Buy the set that lets you read the finest print. You can even use an eye chart for this test if you have one.
04-16-2003, 07:00 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Munising MI
Posts: 501
RE: Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
Dakotanut,
Mine are the Swarovski SLC 8x50' s. I' ve used those, the 8x56' sSLC, the 10x,and 12XSLC' s. The 10' s and 12' s are more for open-country with a tripod kind of binos, due to their weight. I wouldn' t buy the 8x56' s over the 8x50' s unless I did a lot of box-blind rifle style hunting. The Swarovski EL 8.5x42' s are slightly brighter than my 8x50SLC' s, but are much lighter in weight and I wonder about their durability considering the few times I' ve dropped my SLC' s. The SLC' s are like tanks. I' ve also used the Lieca' s and Ziess, with Swarovski or Lieca being my top two, followed by Ziess.
I use my bino' s, and others, extensively for tournament archery, where only the brightest matter when you are looking for a 12 ring at 46 yards down a tunnel of trees in the dark shade. Many times we are swapping binos back and forth with a difficult target to see the scroring rings. I' ve never had to swap my SLC 8x50' s, but some guys with the 10 or 12X' s have used mine due to the fact they can' t hold their' s steady enough to find the rings, due to the weight of the larger binos. I don' t have much experience with Steiner, or know many that use them, and most of the tournament archers use Leica or Swarovski, followed by Ziess.
I can say though, that one of the brightest big binos I looked through was a pair of 15x60 Ziess. Extremely heavy and large, but very bright. I didn' t have any other model that size to compare to though, but they were impressive.
One other thing, you get what you pay for. When you get up into those prices, say $1200 to $1500, you aren' t simply paying for a name, you are paying for the best in the world, and you get it.
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
Mine are the Swarovski SLC 8x50' s. I' ve used those, the 8x56' sSLC, the 10x,and 12XSLC' s. The 10' s and 12' s are more for open-country with a tripod kind of binos, due to their weight. I wouldn' t buy the 8x56' s over the 8x50' s unless I did a lot of box-blind rifle style hunting. The Swarovski EL 8.5x42' s are slightly brighter than my 8x50SLC' s, but are much lighter in weight and I wonder about their durability considering the few times I' ve dropped my SLC' s. The SLC' s are like tanks. I' ve also used the Lieca' s and Ziess, with Swarovski or Lieca being my top two, followed by Ziess.
I use my bino' s, and others, extensively for tournament archery, where only the brightest matter when you are looking for a 12 ring at 46 yards down a tunnel of trees in the dark shade. Many times we are swapping binos back and forth with a difficult target to see the scroring rings. I' ve never had to swap my SLC 8x50' s, but some guys with the 10 or 12X' s have used mine due to the fact they can' t hold their' s steady enough to find the rings, due to the weight of the larger binos. I don' t have much experience with Steiner, or know many that use them, and most of the tournament archers use Leica or Swarovski, followed by Ziess.
I can say though, that one of the brightest big binos I looked through was a pair of 15x60 Ziess. Extremely heavy and large, but very bright. I didn' t have any other model that size to compare to though, but they were impressive.
One other thing, you get what you pay for. When you get up into those prices, say $1200 to $1500, you aren' t simply paying for a name, you are paying for the best in the world, and you get it.
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
04-16-2003, 09:15 AM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
RE: Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
Raymond,
In that price range I would Recommend Pentax WP' s which are a extremely good bino and are on clearance at a few sites because they just came out with the SP' s which compare favorably with the high end binos. A good contact would be www.eagleoptics.com and you may inquire about their own brand of binos which are superb and in your price range. That would be my choice if your in that dollar range.
In that price range I would Recommend Pentax WP' s which are a extremely good bino and are on clearance at a few sites because they just came out with the SP' s which compare favorably with the high end binos. A good contact would be www.eagleoptics.com and you may inquire about their own brand of binos which are superb and in your price range. That would be my choice if your in that dollar range.
04-16-2003, 08:57 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: MB.
Posts: 2,984
RE: Best Binoculars in the 250 to 300 dollar range
Patrkyhntr, could tell me the model or a better description of the Zeiss compact binoculars you had mentioned... I' m looking at the 8 x 20mm BT* P* Classic Pocket model. Could this be the set? I have been looking for a set of compact binoculars and the Zeiss interest me..