Old Binos

Kodiak":psnozu70 said:
Nikon Monarch 5s, 10x42, ED glass, etc, $325. Have a pair, carry in the truck all the time. Dropped out the door, to the floor, etc, nice. It always pays to upgrade anytime you can!

Jim

That's what I'm saving for..... Looks really good to me. CL
 
I think Bushnell Legend Ultra HD's are some of the best in the under $300 category. I'm not sure if they're still making them but the 10x42's are available on amazon for $250. I only have experience with the 8x42's but it is really pretty impressive glass for the price tag.

I'm not saying not to spend more on a higher end bino if possible but I wouldn't feel terribly crippled with the Legend Ultras.
 
You can get some really decent binos these days for $300. I picked up some Vortex 10x42 Talons in a demo sale for $325 a couple years ago- great glass. Something in the 8x42 or 10x42range is perfect.

Keep in mind, we are coming in to SHOT and other shows and many vendors will be selling off demo pieces. Check SWFA, Cameraland and Europtic for their listings and be ready to pull the trigger.

I've bought several nice optics this way and saved hundreds- you can "buy up" to the next performance class like this. They all came open box but didn't have a scratch on them and had a full warranty.
 
While I have more expensive binds (Swarovskis and Liecas), my wife's first pair of bios are Minox base model 8x42's ($190 CDN), and have to say that I have been very impressed with them. I plan on getting my daughter a pair of the next step up in 10x42's. (About $300 USD) I think that you would be very happy with them, and they are within your budget.

If I had to replace my SLC's, I would seriously consider the top of the line Minox in 10x42's. Awesome glass, lightweight and good value for the money.
 
Blkram":5srxzhba said:
While I have more expensive binds (Swarovskis and Liecas), my wife's first pair of bios are Minox base model 8x42's ($190 CDN), and have to say that I have been very impressed with them. I plan on getting my daughter a pair of the next step up in 10x42's. (About $300 USD) I think that you would be very happy with them, and they are within your budget.

If I had to replace my SLC's, I would seriously consider the top of the line Minox in 10x42's. Awesome glass, lightweight and good value for the money.
Thanks Gil, are the 10X42s that much better than the 8X42s for glassing areas? I've read where the higher magnification is harder to hold steady and need to be supported.
 
Rodger,

I like eight power for shoot and scoot, and ten power for extended glassing. Ten power is just about an ideal all-around compromise for binos.
 
There is sleeping bag religion,
tent religion,
off road tire religion and
optics religion.

They all have one thing in common: You spend more constantly making small upgrades and still experiencing failures until you fully understand "you get what you pay for." At that point you also realize you have spent more than if you had acquired the best you could afford at the start.

This is why I sleep in a Western Mountaineering down bag inside an Cabela's Alaskan Guide tent, drive on GoodYear MTRs and use Leupold, Swarovski and Leica optics. It took me years and thousands of dollars to get here and created a pile of obsolete gear. However, I sleep warm, don't get flats (still I carry 2 spares) and have seen amazing things through my optics.

Take everyone's advice and get the best you possibly can. You will not regret it and will actually save money in the end.
 
Whitesheep":2uhj6lp2 said:
There is sleeping bag religion,
tent religion,
off road tire religion and
optics religion.

The all have one thing in common: You spend more constantly making small upgrades and still experiencing failures until you fully understand "you get what you pay for." At that point you also realize you have spent more than if you had acquired the best you could afford at the start.

This is why I sleep in a Western Mountaineering down bag inside an Cabela's Alaskan Guide tent, drive on GoodYear MTRs and use Leupold, Swarovski and Leica optics. It took me years and thousands of dollars to get here and created a pile of obsolete gear. However, I sleep warm, don't get flats (still I carry 2) and have seen amazing things through my optics.

Take everyone's advice and get the best you possibly can. You will not regret it and will actually save money in the end.
Thanks for commenting and I'm really trying to do what you've suggested I really don't go cheap and do buy the best I can afford when it comes on sale.
Threw my inquiries and reading I have learned a lot about the knew Optics that are available and I have learned that Leica owns Minox so I might be able to get higher quality glass for less by keeping my eyes open.
 
Rodger, unless you are consistently in the thick stuff, you will find that you will appreciate the 10 power optics when out in more open country. Yes, the higher the magnification, the more shake you will observe in your viewing, but this really shows up at 12 power, and is not that bad at 10 power. Also, you will be surprised what a difference the 10 power optics can make in defining detail (counting points) at close range, even back in the thick stuff!

If you are glassine large open areas for extended periods of time, supporting your elbows on your knees, or some other stable surface will lessen the shake considerably, and you will hardly notice it.

Now that we can use 10 power optics in archery competition, where ranges do not exceed 50 yards, I wouldn't even consider going back to 8 power binos.

Get the 10's; you won't regret it!
 
As I've learned more about glassing, mostly as a result of having better glass, I've become a better Hunter. An elk looks pretty big at 300 yards standing on a ridge with the sun behind you.
Put that elk 300 yards in the shadows, down an 80% slope, in the timber. Perspective to the naked eye is all screwed up to begin with because he is 400 feet below you. This is an elk you probably don't see without optics, but very shootable.
I use my binos a lot when I'm still hunting the timber. First to look for ears and eyeballs alerted to my size 12 boots, second to plan my route as much as I can to avoid real nasty stuff. I don't like hunting across ground I need something to hang onto or scree slopes.
I like 10x for this work. For most of the day it's enough to determine a legal bull or buck out to 400 or more. I can hold them steady enough standing for a quick scan and at the end of the day they let enough light in I can see enough detail to determine if I need to go after those" elk in the morning.


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Well I'm considering a pair of Minox BV 10X42 which is right in the middle of their line up and run around $300 but have found a pair for less. They have the BAK4 roof prism, M* lens coating and water proof to 3m with an unconditional full warranty.
 
Roger, send me a Pm. I might have a deal for you. I need to look in a box that is probably in another box under a big box in the barn. Pretty sure I have an old Leupold 600 range finder. I won't be home till later tonight.


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Roger,
You wont go wrong with a 10x42mm bino. I use mine all the time, even in the thick stuff and do not have any trouble with a shaking image.

JD338
 
There is one thing I'm curious about and there has been several references to lenses smaller than 42mm here such as 8X20 and so on. When looking at different models in the different brands I see offerings in 10X32 which are considerably smaller than the 10X42s so just how much advantage doe the 42mm glass have over the 32mm glass?
 
The larger glass is better in low light situations.
FWIW, my Meopta 10x42 is pretty darn good in low light.

JD338
 
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