Upgrading optics

[400bull]

I'm thinking about upgrading my optics this year before the hunts roll around. The problem that I'm having is deciding if I should upgrade my binos or my spotter. If money was not a factor I would upgrade them both. Which ever one I decide to upgrade I will be faced with a $900 budget. I currently have a pair of Leupold 10x42 Cascades binos and a Bushnell Space master 15x45x50 spotter. Which of the two optics would you recommend upgrading and why?

Thanks

400bull

 

[Foreman4x4]

Binos, 'cause you use them 10x more.

 

[Fortis]

I agree.....binos. Specifically you can get the Zen Ray ED2 for around $400 that'll get you a view that will compete with anything out there at any price. I can assure you (I've done it) that you won't see things through a Swaro EL that you can't see just as well with the ED2. I've beat mine up for 5 months and they've held up great (except for the cheesy objective covers, which like to fall off too easily). Customer service is super.

 

[fatherofthree]

I don't know anything about the ED whatevers mentioned above. I'm a swarovski man myself and probably will be till I die unless I find a killer deal on some 10x42 leica geovids because of the bino rangefinder combo.

I think you could updgrade both, PM me or email me if you want my take as I may be able to help you out.

 

[Foreman4x4]

$1,299.99 for NIB 10x42 Leica Geovids was a killer deal.

 

[RACKMASTER]

BINO'S 1ST....

rackmaster

 

[G_Goutfitters]

I also agree. upgrade the binos. if your lookin into gettin some swaro get the 8x42 alot more wider field of view then the 10' s. havent realy heard to much in those D2?? but i'm gonna check them out now especially if that guy says they can compete. well good luck to you in the upcoming season


-G&G

 

[G_Goutfitters]

400BULL DELAY MY LAST!!! I LOOKED INTO THOSE ZEN RAY ED'S. AND NOW I'M ACTUALLY PURCHASING A PAIR TOMMORROW. NOTHIN BUT EXCELLENT REVIEWS RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER. THEY DEF. COMPETE WITH THE "BIG THREE" IN FACT THE NEED TO CALL IT THE "BIG FOUR" WITH ED IN THE MIX NOW. HAPPY HUNTIN



-G&G

 

[400bull]

Where in Utah, preferably Utah County can get my hands on a pair of Zen Ray Binos? If they are truly as good as everyone is saying the are I may end up going that way. I don't want to purchase them with out first looking through them. I herd similar stories with the Vortex Razor binos. Without a dought they were nice binos but I did not like them nearly as much as I did other binos I was comparing them too (Swarovski, Cabela?s Euro, and Lica's).

400bull

 

[Foreman4x4]

Doubt you're gonna find anyone locally who carries them. Nice binos, but Swarovski, Leica, Zeiss they ain't! They do have a 30-day money back guarantee, so your not out anything if you order a pair online and don't like them.

 

[vichris]

>Doubt you're gonna find anyone locally
>who carries them. Nice binos,
>but Swarovski, Leica, Zeiss they
>ain't! They do have a
>30-day money back guarantee, so
>your not out anything if
>you order a pair online
>and don't like them.


They aint zeiswaroleic but so damn close that it doesnt matter much. The Zen Ray EDII are without any doubt the best deal in optics on the market today.

Yes order them and check them out for a month. If you don't like them send them back for a full refund. Most likely though you won't be sending them back. They are that good.

Order them here........
http://www.zen-ray.com/store/index....id=250&zenid=dbb86a45b520fe5f9b605c6e33ec805b

 

[NJS]

There is no doubt the image quality is good in the Z-R's - the real proof of the pudding is in the mechanical reliability. I have heard some good and some not so good about the Zen's... A lifetime warranty doesn't mean much when you're out in the field and there is a problem... My Leica binos have served me well for 22 years, never a problem, and are as good today as then I bought them. That is reliability... Buy once - cry once. NJS

 

[MuddyBoots]

The choice would be easy for me. The Minox HG 10x52 BR. Cameraland has them on sale now for $600, regularly $1100. They are great binos. I believe Doug got them before they switched to the new German made ones that will be $1600 now. It would leave some extra $$$ for when you decide to get a spotter too. Much better than the like of Vortex Vipers, Nikon Monarchs, and other comparable binos IMO.

 

[vichris]

The Zen Rays far outperform those 22 year old Leicas. Those trinovids ( or are they even older) are ancient technology. NJS you might want to look at a calender its 2010 not 1988.

 

[Frontier]

I decided to buy a pair of the Zen Ray ED2's. For the price you can't go wrong. Under hunting conditions they will see everything that any other binocular out there will and they are a joy to look through. Had I bought a pair of $2000 swaro's and then looked through the ED2's, I wouldn't have slept nights afterwards.

 

[NJS]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-13-10 AT 03:30PM (MST)[p]Yes vichris I know it's 2010... and I know optics have improved since I bought my Leica in 1988. But that was not the point.

My Leica's have given me 22 years of perfect service on different continents and on numerous hunts. I have not babied them and they have NEVER failed me or needed to be serviced.

If they did need service, Leica can still service them, and still has parts for them. That is the test of a quality product in any field, not just optics.

Leica manufactures products... Zen orders products from companies in China and has their name put on them... so does Promaster and others. You have no way of knowing if in 3, 5, 7, 10 or even 1 year after you purchase a Zen if any parts or service will be available... Of if the marketing company will still be in business. I realize Leica could go under too... but at least they have over a 100 year old track record... How long has Zen been in business? Has the ink dried on their paperwork yet? <just kidding>

I respect and defend your right to have your opinion, just do the same for me and don't confuse optical clarity for long term proven product and company reliability... there is a huge difference. NJS

 

[muleymaster]

I dont know if your not sat. with your cabelas binos but i have the Cabelas XT 10x42 and they work really well for 300bucks. depending on how much you want to spend Leupold gold ring, cabelas euros, and lieca are pretty good as well

 

[400bull]

Muleymaster,

I currently have a pair of Leupold Casecade binos. They have been a great pair of optics for the 7-8 years that I have had them. Then reason why I'm looking to upgrade my optics is because my oldest boy will be oldenough to go hunting with me this year. I think that I going to hand down my Leupolds to him an take a step up in my next bino purchase.

I have compaired the Swarovski SLC/EL's, Cabelas Euros, and Leupolds Gold rings in the Lehi Cabelas store. All the above meantioned binos are clearly a step above what I currently have. For optical clearity I would have to rank them in this order Swarovski EL, Swarovski SCL, Cabela's Euros, then Leupold gold rings. I also did not like the fact that the Leupold Gold rings did not have a way to mount the bino to a tripode. For some reason Leupold decide to replace the screw where the tripode usualy mounts to with a device to lock the binos in place so that you would not have to adjust them to fit your eyes everytime you looked through them. I think the idea is good just a poor location and it does not work very well.

400bull

 

[Fortis]

>LAST EDITED ON Feb-13-10
>AT 03:30?PM (MST)
>
>Yes vichris I know it's 2010...
>and I know optics have
>improved since I bought my
>Leica in 1988. But
>that was not the point.
>
>
>My Leica's have given me 22
>years of perfect service on
>different continents and on numerous
>hunts. I have not
>babied them and they have
>NEVER failed me or needed
>to be serviced.
>
>If they did need service, Leica
>can still service them, and
>still has parts for them.
> That is the test
>of a quality product in
>any field, not just optics.
>
>
>Leica manufactures products... Zen orders products from companies in China and has their name put on them... so does Promaster and others. You have no way of knowing if in 3, 5, 7, 10 or even 1 year after you purchase a Zen if any parts or service will be available... Of if the marketing company will still be in business. I realize Leica could go under too... but at least they have over a 100 year old track record... How long has Zen been in business? Has the ink dried on their paperwork yet? <just kidding>
>
>I respect and defend your right
>to have your opinion, just
>do the same for me
>and don't confuse optical clarity
>for long term proven product
>and company reliability... there is
>a huge difference. NJS
>

I'm a Leica user also, among others. Remember, Leica has been bankrupt once already. No guarantees about them being around forever either.

 

[Fortis]

It's funny how everyone's eyes are different. I just bought a pair of Gold Ring HD's in 10x. They are every bit the equal optically of the 10x SLC's and my 10x Trinovids. My 10x Zen ED2 is slightly better than all of them.

 

[alaska_lanche]

>It's funny how everyone's eyes are
>different. I just bought
>a pair of Gold Ring
>HD's in 10x. They
>are every bit the equal
>optically of the 10x SLC's
>and my 10x Trinovids.
>My 10x Zen ED2 is
>slightly better than all of
>them.

Why don't ya sell your other glass and keep your Zens?? I'm looking at doing this same thing.

 

[vichris]

>LAST EDITED ON Feb-13-10
>AT 03:30?PM (MST)
>
>Yes vichris I know it's 2010...
>and I know optics have
>improved since I bought my
>Leica in 1988. But
>that was not the point.
>
>
>My Leica's have given me 22
>years of perfect service on
>different continents and on numerous
>hunts. I have not
>babied them and they have
>NEVER failed me or needed
>to be serviced.
>
>If they did need service, Leica
>can still service them, and
>still has parts for them.
> That is the test
>of a quality product in
>any field, not just optics.
>
>
>Leica manufactures products... Zen orders products from companies in China and has their name put on them... so does Promaster and others. You have no way of knowing if in 3, 5, 7, 10 or even 1 year after you purchase a Zen if any parts or service will be available... Of if the marketing company will still be in business. I realize Leica could go under too... but at least they have over a 100 year old track record... How long has Zen been in business? Has the ink dried on their paperwork yet? <just kidding>
>
>I respect and defend your right
>to have your opinion, just
>do the same for me
>and don't confuse optical clarity
>for long term proven product
>and company reliability... there is
>a huge difference. NJS
>

NJS,....You act like mechnical quality and Mfging optics is some kind of old school mystery. Its not.
I also have an older pair of binos that I bought back in 1986. That would make them 24 years old. Leopold Gold Ring 9x35 porro prisms. They went back to the factory last summer for new eyecups. They came back completely refurbished. It only cost me the shipping to get them there.
The ONLY optics company I have ever had warrenty or quality issues is Burris. I don't even consider them anymore. Bottom line is Leica is just one of many optical house who stand behind their product. Kudos to them but Leica is in no way unique.

Unfortunately your little "buy once cry once" saying is being turned back on you as we speak. European optics are losing value as we speak. Those of you who have Euro=optics from the big three might want to sell them to recoup some of your money before it becomes common knowledge. They are no longer the investment they once were.

 

[cabinfever]

Sorry to ressuerect this post but I have to chime in. I have owned swarovski, leica, nikon, pentax, bushnell, minox, vortex and have tried just about everything else.I agree that companies like vortex and zen ray are producing some very impressive glass for a very modest price, but when compared to the euro's they are simply not as durable. My brother has had 2 vortex spotting scopes literally break in half inside his pack. Thats because the scope is a two piece scope that is connected by a plastic shroud....yes, thats right a plastic shroud. Too vortex credit and awesome customer service they replaced both scopes with no questions asked and in an expedited manner. Nevertheless, I have serious issue with any equipment that fails me in the field. My leicas and swaro's have rolled down mountains, been tipped over on tripods, and have bounced around in bacpacks and pack saddles and they have never failed me.The glass may be very comparable but the construction and durability is not.

 

[Fortis]

That's too bad on Vortex. You put Zen Ray in there too as being not very durable. How about some examples, not just hearsay. BTW, I believe my Trinovids to be the toughest bino ever made.

 

[cohntr6]

I have had the 12x45 ZEISS conquest for the last several years and really like them. I went from a $120 pair of nikon action 10x50 that I bought 14 years ago (I put them through heck!) to these. I use the Zeiss as carry binos and on a tripod. Paid $620 or so brand new on a ebay auction. I think I got a pretty good deal seeing as they are $850+ every where else still.
SO i WOULD GO WITH BINOS
Jeff