15x binos?
 

With my eyes, my 10x binos just don't do it anymore. It's time to upgrade.I want 15x but can't find any worth buying for less than $500. Is the jump down to 12x that big of a difference? They are about half the price. I have looked through both, but only in stores. Just looking for ideas.

If you have any links to good ones, please post them up!!

TIA

when you get up above 10X, it starts to get tricky to find good glass that doesn't end up straining your eye's after long amounts of use, and you loose a lot of low light viewing!
so heads up
and this is why much of the higher power bino's and such get costly,., and why the good one's tend to have much larger Objective lens, its need to get more correct eye relief/less eye strain and help compinsate for better use in low light conditions!


I have not looked at any recently, but yrs back when I sold optic's
there were some bino's that offered some ZOOM, meaning they had adjustable power , like a variable scope does
you could say go from 8x to 20x, they were fairly cheap too, and showed it in quality, but for simple viewing of things, they did what they said
the issue was again glass quality, and size of pupil's, /objective lens as to Eye lens, the ratio is what matters on eye strain (to a point)
and light gathering and eye strain from it
but if you look about you might find a cheaper pair, but if you do a LOT of looking thru binoculars at a time, your going to want to sva eup and BUY good one's, your eye's will thank you as will NOT getting migraines !

I used a cheaper pair of Nikon zoom binoculars on a deer hunt in Utah once. I was not impressed at all. For the OP, are you going to use those 15X binoculars as a spotter like they do when hunting Coues deer down in Arizona, etc.? If so, you'll want to upgrade to better glass to avoid a lot of eye strain and headaches. If you're just using the glass to verify something you spot with your eyes but not as spotting glass, you might get away with less expensive glass.

Thanks Gents.

My plan is to use them. Not trying to be sarcastic, but I use my 10x to glass, verify, etc. It's just getting to the point that 10x are not powerful enough. My eyes are not exactly 21 years old anymore.

I understand you plan to use them LOL
But the point is, do you look thru them for hours at a time, or just scan now and then, its a BIG difference in how much eye strain your going to get when you get into larger power optic's
as to get closer to proper eye relief and light, you need to get into LARGER sized lens and housing on the binocular's and that tends to add up to costs, making finding GOOD 10+ power binoculars on the higher end of the cost factor!
its the nature of the beast in glass and quality, and lesser quality glass and proper len's size, you end up with migraines and headaches if you use them a LOT
this is why I said what I said, and gather why the post below me also stated the same thing!
it comes down to HOW much use your going to use them, if, all you do again is scan now and then, OK<> cheaper one's and designs can be tolerated
if your going to spend 15-30 minutes or more at a time looking thru off and on all day, , your NOT going to be happy with most of the cheaper binoculars in the higher power range your looking for!
ask any professional guide that uses a spotting scope or binoculars a LOT, and you will get the same honest answer, you get what you pay for and if you use it often, its worth every penny to have the higher end glass

I do NOT Know how you plan to use them, , as you have not stated so?
we all use things differently at times, so, one size diesn't fit all, but GOOD glass is never going to be a BAD to own if you can afford it!
but cheap glass, can be wasted money pending your intended use!
buy once cry once comes to mind!

I don't know about you guys but I can not use anything over 10X unless it is on a tripod or some other form of rest. Any little vibration makes the image fuzzy for me at the higher magnifications. 12X is not too bad but I absolutely can not use 15X unless it is bolted down.

This, buy good glass and 10X is more than plenty!
RR

2004 I bought a pair of 15x45 Zeiss Conquest binos. I had a speedgoat and mulie hunt coming up in WY that fall is partially the reason I bought them. I also knew I'd use them for long range deer hunting that I used to do on several properties back in those days. I still have them and they've been wonderful glasses, even taken them on vacation several times out west since. When summertime scouting long range and the 2-3 standsites I have that feature shots over 300yds, I still gladly use them. But I wouldn't want to use them for general, everyday deer hunting, especially in the woods! If most of your hunting is on fields, utility easements etc where views and shots are regularly over 300yds then you'll have purpose enough for that much magnification. If you think you'll be using them to "count points" at 40yds through heavy brush then I doubt you'll be satisfied. To "count points" with a 15x optic you'll want them mounted or at least have a windowsill/shooting rail to sit them on to steady them during use.

Even as good of quality glass as my Zeiss are they leave alot to be desired in low light conditions. To see well in dark conditions the human eye needs optics that deliver an exit pupil of at least 4mm. A 15x45 binocular only has an exit pupil of 3mm (45 divided by 5 = 3) and obviously the less quality the binocular the less clarity and image with that 3mm. For comparison a 10x40 has an exit pupil of 4mm, a 8x40= 5mm etc.... For a 15x bino to have a 4mm exit pupil the objective lenses will need to be at least 60mm (60 div 15 = 4). A 15x60 pair of binocs will be large, heavy and if they are any decent quality they will be VERY EXPEN$IVE!!!

I'd recommend you borrowing a pair of 12s and 15s from a bud and trying them first to see what they do for you before you spend the cash to find out you don't like them for several reasons!

Great idea to borrow some. I might try that.

I use my binos to glass mostly. I live and hunt in Wyoming, so long distance shots are the norm. Also,I look for the game, then plan a stalk often. I need to see them a good ways off regularly to make that happen.

I may just settle for a 12X. Not sure. I just know that the 10x route isn't working for me as well as I need it to.

Age can be a bugger.

you might want to look at these, having a 230% off sale right now too?
be mid road on glass, but a tad more power than 10 for you and a 50 mm lens should help SOME in lower light?

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...wPOQ&gclsrc=ds

these ain;t bad either

https://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold...inoculars.html

My basic rule is clarity beats magnification any day. Meaning, for a set amount of $$, you are better off spending on quality optics at 10X rather than going up to 15x magnification. The higher magnifications require better glass. My personal example is having a crappy 60x spotting scope that would not show bullet holes in paper at 100 yards that I could see through my quality 9x rifle scope. That and the above noted need for a solid tripod. Maybe you can find a sweet spot of 12X and good quality glass within your budget.

^^^ Lot of wisdom right there. I started with a cheaper spotting scope that went up to 60x and the optics sucked. I took it back to the gun store and ordered a Leupold gold Ring spotter from 12-40x and haven't looked back since (no pun intended). As I get older, I've found that there really is no substitute for good glass. Easier on the eyes and you see more with it. I hunt mostly local with much shorter distances (usually under 300 yards) but am very curious about what it's like hunting in Wyoming and what works well there.

For the OP, let us know what you decide on and how well it works. From your description above, it sounds like you're doing something similar to the Coues deer hunters. Here's a link to an older article (2015) that discusses the differences and advantages of 12x versus 15x for spotting and hunting animals at longer distances.

https://gilavalleyoutdoor.com/1215-h...ging-the-game/

Just my.02. My sons ,gson and I hunted Mt. again this year and the middle boy had Nikon 8x56 glasses and I was really impressed with the clarity and ease of them in comparison to my 10x42 Sigs. I'd switchif the rangefinder wasn't in the binos I have.

DJfan, let us know what you decide and how well it works out. This is an interesting topic for sure.

I'm a super senior(80+)and can relate to your problem. Early on I used 7x, then later went to 8x, then went to 10x, all were quality binoculars. I'm still using my 10x but last year I bought a pair of Vortex Kaibab's in 20x which I use on a tripod or window mount. I really like them and I use them instead of a spotting scope and sometimes use them instead of my 10x power binoculars. They are very clear and don't seem to tire my eyes out and gives me a lot better field of view than my spotting scope. It sounds as if this might be over your budget, they're about $1100, unless you have some connections. If you do you could get them for about $800. I've had them for over a year now and I can honestly say it was money well spent, even though my wife doesn't think so.

Awesome story. I scaled down and found some Vortex 12 x 50s I got. Saw them for 60% off, so I pulled the trigger. We'll see how long they last for my eyes.

I hope they work out for you,
and thank you, as I am glad you came back with a follow up to things on what you went with!

and hope you do again after some hours behind the new Bino's and tell us more how you like, dis like anything on them!

its always nice to have follow up to things for other to learn from!

I personally favor 15x binos. I have used 7x LRF’s for a long time, such having a 10x bino simply isn’t a huge step up. Each time I have bought a pair of 10x or 12x binos, I have ended up leaving them behind and eventually selling them. 15’s bring the right view which is a significant step up over what I can see with my LRF. So if I feel I need to carry anything more than my LRF, I step all the way to the 15’s.

I lucked into a set of 15x56mm Swarovski SLC’s a couple years ago, and absolutely love them. I have used Vortex Vultures as well, at a much friendlier price point, but these Swaro’s can’t be beat. I mount them on a tripod for precision rifle matches, where I can look through them for 8+ hours per day without strain or headaches. I also haul them in a chest harness while packing up mountain. The size and weight is naturally more than a smaller 10x set, but in a proper harness, it’s still a very comfortable size and weight for me.