Mark
Ed
Look for an adapter and a tripod and you'll be good to go for 90%+ of glassing
Would probably go to 10s for open country. 12s for me would be too shaky unless I practically set them on a tri-pod, in which case a spotting scope gives more range.
Most important thing is to not get something too big to bother carrying. Sort of like a side-arm... The best one is the one that you will have with you when it's needed.
Besides a few cheaper pairs that quit on me, LOL, I worked for years with a pair of Steiner 10x50's and a set of pocket 8x20 Zeiss's. Both excellent tools for different applications.
Well, this year I figured it was time for something new (for my personal pleasure), so I did a lot of research, read many reviews, and talked to some friends that are still in the outfitting business.
Since I never had problems with the 10x50's being "over powered", I had the inclination to go up a wee bit more.
I narrowed my choice down to the Swarovski 12x50's and then after sleeping on it for a while, finally took the plunge (I'm not a rich guy, LOL!).
When I received them I was shocked at how relatively small they are, especially in comparison to a variety of older 12x50's I had seen through the years.
And, I don't really find them any more "shaky" than my 10x50's.
I often glass with some sort of support - be it a rock, a tree, etc. but if I am standing "freestyle", then I rest my elbows against my chest and hold the top of the rims of the binoculars against my eyebrows - works well for me... but then we are all built differently.
Anyhow, I am extremely pleased with my choice.
When I was hunting Coues deer in AZ and mexico, even the 10x42 on a tripod provided many more sightings that when hand held.
My best, Paul
Up to 400 yards: 8x42 400-600: 10x42 beyond 600: 12x
Then I went to 12x50's
I really like the 12's
I think they are the best of both worlds. Bigger than 10 but not as big as 15's (that you can't freehand)
With the 12's i Can free hand and use on tripod.
I think I find more animals with them
I own Zeiss 10x42 and am very happy with them.
TBB
I finally got to the point I was ready to buy some top end binos
Initially I really thought that was going to be the 10x42 slc hd swaro's
I spent some time behind a lot of glass ended up I just preferred the El's over the SLC HD
but I also got to spend sometime with the 15x56 swaro's
I left my hunt this year thinking I was going to need both 10's and 15's but I didn't want to spend the money
I did a lot of talking and researching and kept coming across positive comments about the el 12x50's
On whim I ordered a set from Euro Optic I think they are $1999 shipped right now.
let me just say I am very impressed, I was scared to death like mentioned above that you can't handhold these etc. and being a long time 8x user I wasn't going to be happy with narrow fov and hard to hold etc
For me these are the binos to own, I am going to send them to outdoorsmans for a tripod mount, I think even a set of 10's should be on a tripod for extended viewing, im new to the concept but its a game changer for me this year.
but these 12's handhold way easier than I thought, I've spent a lot of time behind them the past 2 weeks and even compared my old 8's and some 8x42 vortex HD
I still think there is a place for a set of 8x30's or 8x32 for light and fast or bowhunting for whitetails but for a go to set the 12x50 el's are tough to beat
I have been using 8's, with a range finder built in, for general spot and stalk, while using my 15's on a tripod for long sits and locating game. I take both with me when I spot and stalk hunt. I can’t hand hold the 15’s, they have to be on a tripod.
In my old age, next year I'm going to switch from the 8's to the 10's, also with a range finder. I'll continue to take the 15's too. In a few weeks I'll take the 10's with me on my Coues deer hunt in AZ. Because I sit in a treestand the whole time, I won't take the 15's to Coues deer hunt.
I like 8s (or technically 8.5) for actually hunting. In most cases I'm not handicapped much for most offhand glassing and they are invaluable on a stalk. I can use them one handed, use them in the wind, etc.
I've used 10s but in so many hunting situations they were nearly useless, windy, windED, close stalks in thicker bush, just better and more useful overall in the actual hunt/stalk. Perfect conditions, yeah, power has an edge but a good percentage of hunting is not under perfect conditions. Many times the edge becomes a liability.
I have looked through friends 12x50 before and I think its too much for handheld. Now with the tripod for real glassing, I think it would be great.
