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Binocular Experience???

wtroper
I am evaulating the purchase of new binoculars. At this time I am trying to choose between Zeiss Conquest ABK (either 8x42 or 10x42) and Cabela's EuroBinoculars. Anyone here had any personal experience with the Cabela's Euros? Outward appearance of them resemble the Swarovskis. Would appreciate any experiences that you have had.
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Comments

31 comments

Date Votes
  • jpwolf
    My brother bought a Cabelas spotting scope. It was just under 2 years old and you could hardly see through it, just cloudy blurry and useless.

    If you want optics that will never disappoint, Nikon.
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  • mateomasfeo
    quote:Originally posted by jpwolf
    My brother bought a Cabelas spotting scope. It was just under 2 years old and you could hardly see through it, just cloudy blurry and useless.

    If you want optics that will never disappoint, Nikon.


    My Nikons are great.
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  • elkoholic
    They weren't on your list but stay away from the Burris binoculars. After my elk hunt this season my Burris binocs had water in them. Sent them back and they told be to jump in a lake and just buy a new pair. I'm trying to determine if I am mad enough to take the Burris scopes off of 5 rifles.
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  • wtroper
    Have been using Nikon Monarchs for several years. Guide this year had Zeiss. Could count points long before I could see the animal. Mine are OK during the daylight. But very very early or very late there was no comparison.

    I think that the quality of "Cabelas" optics varies a lot, depending upon which item you select.
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  • jpwolf
    Well I chose my nikon mountaineers by process of eliminatio. Cabelas has eyecharts all over the store, at least in Sydney. I had get out near 20 pairs of binocs and spent the next 45 mins. weeding them out. Everything from $60 to $800. The $200 bucks I spent on the Nikons was great because they were easily the best! I would've spent the $800, but they were simply not even close to as good as was the case on all the more expensive pairs.
    If you can do it that way, go down to Cabelas and weed 'em out yourself. They don't make mine anymore, and maybe there some better, but I doubt it.
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  • wtroper
    Good suggestion JP. I will be near a Cabelas store in about a month -- 500+ miles from here. None close around here. Might just wait & check them out.
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  • dheffley
    I have two sets of Zeiss. They are great!
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  • Ray Boone
    I'm not familiar with the Zeiss Conquest, but I've had a pair of Zeiss Dialyt (Classic) 10x40s and I know of none better.
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  • FEENIX
    For less than half the price of Zeiss and Swavarowskis I like the Steiner Predator line ...

    http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/binoculars/predator/documents/STEINERPredatorC5InfoSheet2007_000.pdf
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  • jptatum
    I have a pentax 7X50 that I like a lot. They weigh a ton but I have no complaints.
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  • elkoholic
    quote:Originally posted by FEENIX
    For less than half the price of Zeiss and Swavarowskis I like the Steiner Predator line ...

    http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/binoculars/predator/documents/STEINERPredatorC5InfoSheet2007_000.pdf



    These are the ones I'm looking at now.
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  • Permanently deleted user
    quote:Originally posted by elkoholic
    quote:Originally posted by FEENIX
    For less than half the price of Zeiss and Swavarowskis I like the Steiner Predator line ...

    http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/binoculars/predator/documents/STEINERPredatorC5InfoSheet2007_000.pdf



    These are the ones I'm looking at now.


    I don't think you can hardly go wrong with Steiner...they are not the best on the market, but they are certainly a high quality optic and are very durable.
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  • bobinwis
    Here in Wisconsin, one does not have to see pimples on a deer's butt at very long distances. Several years ago I purchased a set of Steiner 8x22 Predator glasses. Lightweight, fold up and fit in a shirt pocket, do not pull my head down when wearing them around the neck, have had no problems, and I think they have very good optics. I had previously had a similar set fom Tasco. A prism came loose so sent them in. They sent a new set. About a year later, same thing.....no more Tasco's. I also have a couple of good 7x50's but they are too big and heavy for hunting unless you are sitting in a stand and can set them down. Cabela's has the Steiners for $169 in their fall book. If you live out west and hunt the open spaces your needs and magnification power may be different. As JPWolf suggested, try every set in the store.............Post your decision, quite often someone asks the same question and we can always learn something new.

    Regards, Bob
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  • LesWVa
    I second the comment made by Bob.
    Try them before you lay down good money for a set.

    That is one thing I will not order from anyone. Rifle Scopes and binoculars. I want to see how clear they are. Not read about them or have some asz who gets paid to say good things about a product try to tell me they are better than sliced bread.

    My choice.

    Nikon
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  • He Dog
    This might help, it is done by very serious birders whose binocular use far exceeds that of most hunters.

    http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/LivingBird/Winter2005/Age_Binos.html
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  • Boomerang
    I like my Leica Trinovid. Especially good for us that have to wear eye glasses to see.
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  • HandLoad
    I lika my Leicas
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  • Nwcid
    quote:Originally posted by FEENIX
    For less than half the price of Zeiss and Swavarowskis I like the Steiner Predator line ...

    http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/binoculars/predator/documents/STEINERPredatorC5InfoSheet2007_000.pdf





    +10

    I have a set of the 8x32 and really like them. I have had mine for about 10 years now. If I was going to buy again I would step up to the 10 x (50 I think) ones. They are not much bigger but I feel my 8x32 are not quite enough sometimes.
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  • mond
    i got these, saves all the messing when time is an essance..
    crystal clear & well priced..

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180168453815&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=008
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  • 41 nut
    I bought a pair of Steiner this spring and really like them. Even my wife is impressed with the quality and clairty of them.
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  • dakotashooter2
    DO NOT...repeat... DO NOT make your final decision on binoculars until you (and a salesman) take them OUTSIDE and look through them. You CAN NOT geta good comparison indoors under artificial light. I like to do this on either an overcast day or late afternoon/evening when light gets low. As mentioned, that is when you will really see the difference. Zeiss are hard to beat. Stieners are not bad either but they are still a ways below the Zeiss.
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  • He Dog
    Remember that the binoculars I or anyone else thought were great ten or even three years ago are now not the same as they were then. Models change every year or two and "the best" change from year to year. The link I posted rates current models and also offers tips on buying optics. Dakota shooters suggestion to get them outdoors in poor light is a good one. Also check columation, i.e. be sure each barrel is looking at exactly the same image. If they don't an hour of useing them will give you one of the most spectacular headaches you ever had. Good luck, it is a lot of money, so you want to get it right. Best for you may not be the same best for anyone else, so take your time.
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  • wtroper
    Thanks He Dog for the link. Interesting discussion about a variety of binoculars. The one issue that is important to hunters (at least to me) that was not really addressed in this comparison is the ability to see very early or very late. This is where my Nikon Monarchs fell far short of the quides Zeiss binos. It is also very difficult to assess these qualities when comparing them at the store.

    While I tend not to put too much confidence in product reviews that following one from Cabelas on the Zeiss binocular caught my eye.

    " 4 out of 5

    Great but not the best, November 21, 2006
    By ontariohunter from French River, Ontario


    "We got two sets of binoculars on the single order and science we try to save and buy hunting gear from ?the upper shelve? we got Zeiss ABK 10X40 and Cabelas Euro?. Previously we bought Swarovski New SLC 10X50.

    Comparing the above to the Swarovski and Cabelas Euro? it is definitely the worst out of three. Don?t get me wrong. It is very good set, but not as good as the Cabelas or Swarovski. It is build as one solid piece of equipment with excellent depth of field and good low light and detail. At the end of the legal hunt time (1/2 hour after sunset in Ontario) the Swarovski and Cabelas had visibly way better light and detail. Comparing to the Bushnell Discover 10X42 it was by far better than Bushnell.
    Great ergonomics and superior glass makes this one a good buy.

    The major drawback of the product is that, it doesn?t come with the proper set of protective lens cups. A 2 dollar piece of rubber wouldn?t make a big dent on product cost, but it is very important for the consumer."

    Decisions, decisions. If it were guns, the answer would be obvious --- BUY BOTH. [:p][:p][:p]
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  • He Dog
    It is difficult to access the light transmission of a binocular mid-day in a shop. I hunt with Eagle Optics Rangers 8x42, and the better half birds with Leica 8x42. I have stacked them sunrise and sunset and compared in identical light. She gets about 4-5 minutes at the edges of the day that I cannot see any longer. Not so critical for birding, but could make the difference between getting an elk or not. John Barsness has also looked at that and written a fair amount on it http://www.24hourcampfire.com/binoculars.html I will be looking at buying a top end binocular at the first of the year for birding 10x?? so I am certainly sympathetic to your situation. Best of luck!!
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  • Odawgp
    quote:Originally posted by elkoholic
    They weren't on your list but stay away from the Burris binoculars. After my elk hunt this season my Burris binocs had water in them. Sent them back and they told be to jump in a lake and just buy a new pair. I'm trying to determine if I am mad enough to take the Burris scopes off of 5 rifles.


    I just sent a 5yrs old pair back via gene taylors, I thought that they where going to tell me the same thing but they sent a brand new pair. gene taylors says they have a foreve warranty.
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  • elkoholic
    quote:Originally posted by Odawgp
    quote:Originally posted by elkoholic
    They weren't on your list but stay away from the Burris binoculars. After my elk hunt this season my Burris binocs had water in them. Sent them back and they told be to jump in a lake and just buy a new pair. I'm trying to determine if I am mad enough to take the Burris scopes off of 5 rifles.


    I just sent a 5yrs old pair back via gene taylors, I thought that they where going to tell me the same thing but they sent a brand new pair. gene taylors says they have a foreve warranty.


    Mine were the Fullfield line. Apparently only a 5 year warranty. I assumed they had the the same warranty as the scopes. Nope. I wouldn't be so angry if I had done something to damage them but I didn't. I figured they would replace them because they had moisture in them. Big negatory. Would have been nice if, after discussing what was wrong with them with customer service, they would have said, "These are out of warranty, we won't replace them." It would have saved me the price of shipping them back. I've never had to send a scope back but I've heard nothing but good things about the warranty and service until I needed something done. Yep, apparently I'm still pissed.
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  • He Dog
    Elkoholic if they are roof prism binos they should indeed be water proof. If Porro prisms they are not and cannot be, though they should be pretty water resistent.
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  • elkoholic
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Elkoholic if they are roof prism binos they should indeed be water proof. If Porro prisms they are not and cannot be, though they should be pretty water resistent.

    BaK4 prisms I think. They were around my neck but under my rain gear during a thunderstorm. I didn't expect them to be water proof but they should be able to handle everything but a prolonged submersion.
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  • He Dog
    Bak4 is the glass used. Roof prisms have straight barrels, no dog leg and should be sealed and waterproof. Porro prisms are the old fashioned ones with the dogleg where the prisms set, and are more difficult to seal and make waterproof. The best are pretty darn water resistent, but not perfect. I have used porro prisms for several days of rain under the brim of a hat. They certainly should take being under a poncho on a rainy day.
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  • elkoholic
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Bak4 is the glass used. Roof prisms have straight barrels, no dog leg and should be sealed and waterproof. Porro prisms are the old fashioned ones with the dogleg where the prisms set, and are more difficult to seal and make waterproof. The best are pretty darn water resistent, but not perfect. I have used porro prisms for several days of rain under the brim of a hat. They certainly should take being under a poncho on a rainy day.


    These were definitely straight barrels.

    troper...sorry to take over the thread.
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