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Joined: Feb 2007
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4 point
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4 point
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443 |
I've been struggling with the same cheap compact binoculars for almost 15 years. Can't see anything with them for the last 30 minutes of daylight. Ready for an upgrade. I plan to keep for a long time, so I don't mind spending a few bucks on a good set, but I'm also tight with my money. I may spend up to $800 or at most. Suggestions?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 15,080 Likes: 93
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 15,080 Likes: 93 |
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 27,515 Likes: 29
Talking Turkey
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Talking Turkey
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 27,515 Likes: 29 |
X2. Great low light glass for the money. Someone had a set of Nikon Monarchs for $165 in the classifieds. If I didn't have a set I would be all over that.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89
spike
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spike
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89 |
i`ve had steiners leupolds and now meoptas. i like the steiners because of the autofocus and they were great at low light. I didn`t much care for the leupold mohave. The meoptas i have now are nice but the focus is very very sensitive. If i glass for a few minutes in the stand and then grab them 10 minutes later i have to refocus them all over again.
One thing to becareful of with a good set of binoculars is they can get you in trouble. I have seen some bucks within 100 yards low/no light that i would not have seen with a crap pair of binocs. No i didn`t pull the trigger but i dang sure thought about it.
if you bite the bullet and get a good quality pair you will kick yourself for not doing it 15 years ago. You will see deer that you would never have seen. Alot of times you will see deer long before they step out into the opening. I have friends that don`t understand why i won`t hunt without them. They will never understand until they try it. They and anyone else that doesn`t use good optics mis out on more than they will ever know.
for now steiner with auto focus gets my vote. i may go back to them next year. A little heavy but well worth it.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 895
6 point
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6 point
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 895 |
You should go by Marks one day and look through every pair in your price range and then decide. Bass Pro is dang near sold out from the Christmas rush.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443
4 point
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4 point
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443 |
Bass Pro is dang near sold out from the Christmas rush. Took the baby for pictures with Santa before Christmas. Went to look at binoculars when we finished. No one around to unlock the case. Never understood a store that won't let you give them your money.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443
4 point
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4 point
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443 |
The meoptas i have now are nice but the focus is very very sensitive. What model? Cabela's shows a Meostar and MeoPro line. Big price difference.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 12,567 Likes: 8
Doesn’t Know His Code
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Doesn’t Know His Code
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 12,567 Likes: 8 |
For $800 or so, either Zeiss, Meopta, or a used pair of Swarovski.
Buy a set of 10x42 or something close to that size and don't be scared to buy a used set. Any good glasses will have a lifetime guarantee.
If you are willing to spend $800 on a pair, spend $800. Don't drop down to a $500 set to save $300. If you kept a P.O.S. pair for 15 years lets assume you will keep a good set that long too. Eight hundred divided by 15 is $53.33. Will you get $53.33 of use out of a set of glasses per year? If you answered yes, go ahead and spend $800.
IKNOWMYPHUCKINGCODEDAMMITYOUDICKHEAD!!!
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89
spike
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spike
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89 |
i agree with big game hunter. If anything throw in a little extra if you can. Don`t go below what you have decided on.
i have the meopta meopros in a 10x42. the meopta meostars in a 10x50 i believe was $950.00, thats a little steep for me this year.
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 27,515 Likes: 29
Talking Turkey
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Talking Turkey
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 27,515 Likes: 29 |
i agree with big game hunter. If anything throw in a little extra if you can. Don`t go below what you have decided on.
i have the meopta meopros in a 10x42. the meopta meostars in a 10x50 i believe was $950.00, thats a little steep for me this year. Agree also. I had a pair of Steiner Merlins I got at Marks and loved those bino's, till I lost them. Didn't have the funds to buy another high end pair so I looked and compared and settled on the Pentax. I have been very happy so far, but still would like to have a pair of Leica, Zeiss or Swarov. One day I'll get some, maybe when I hit the lottery.
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,684
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,684 |
For $800 or so, either Zeiss, Meopta, or a used pair of Swarovski.
Buy a set of 10x42 or something close to that size and don't be scared to buy a used set. Any good glasses will have a lifetime guarantee.
If you are willing to spend $800 on a pair, spend $800. Don't drop down to a $500 set to save $300. If you kept a P.O.S. pair for 15 years lets assume you will keep a good set that long too. Eight hundred divided by 15 is $53.33. Will you get $53.33 of use out of a set of glasses per year? If you answered yes, go ahead and spend $800. REALLY good advise right here. You can get some Swarovski 10x42 or 8's on ebay for 800. I have had my pair for 25 years and I sent them back one time to have the armor reglued and they put new lenses, new armor, new everything on em free. Don't "cheap out" on glasses. They are the most important thing you carry hunting. If you can't see it, you can't shoot it.
"Few things in life are worse than being unarmed or afoot. I have been both."
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443
4 point
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4 point
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443 |
Leaning towards Meopta MeoStar B1 8x42. Found some online for ~$840. Any other thoughts, suggestiongs, etc before I place an order?
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89
spike
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spike
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89 |
if the 10x42 isn`t much more, i would go for it. Do you have a sporting goods store in your area that carries meopta?
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 25,190 Likes: 161
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 25,190 Likes: 161 |
8x42 will be better in low light
" I do view Jim Waltz as a really good Presidential candidate"
Bama_Earl
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89
spike
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spike
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89 |
for another $200.00 you can get the 10x50 meostars. now that is a low light optic. i wish i could.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443
4 point
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4 point
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 443 |
Or Zeiss Conquest ABK 8X40 for $949.99?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!! AAGGHHHHH!!!
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89
spike
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spike
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 89 |
if you are wanting low light performance i wouldn`t go any smaller than a 42 mm. the biger the objective lens the more light they let in. I know anything made by zeiss is nice.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 15,080 Likes: 93
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 15,080 Likes: 93 |
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,041 Likes: 54
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,041 Likes: 54 |
Nikon Monarch X are a good set to take a look at without going near your $800 limit. They sell for around $500 and are as good of glass as you will ever need for hunting during legal hunting hours. I have a set of Leica Ultravids and have learned that today alot of midrange price glass will serve you just as well as the top of the line glass during legal hunting hours for alot less $$$.
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life".
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,764 Likes: 29
8 point
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8 point
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,764 Likes: 29 |
Swarovski , Leica, or Zeiss but you will have to search for a used pair in the price range you stated. I bought a pair of Leica 10x50 trinovid's from samplelist.com for 800 a few years ago. They were demos that were 1600 new. I can see all the way to dark thirty with them and the clarity is unreal.
Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the one with deep ruts,hills and mud.It may be bumpy but WHAT A RIDE!
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