RangeFinding Bino's
Equipment
What are you carrying, or what you'd like to be carrying if you were to choose a pair...?!?
I have a pair of older style Leica Geovid 10x42s with the rangefinding button on the left side. I absolutely love them. I'm left handed and they work great for me. Great glass in them. They have since switched the button to right side on the newer models. They are a little heavy but I much prefer having the rangefinder built into the binos vs carrying both a rangefinder and binos.
I agree with Troy the Leicas are awesome but very expensive. Check into the new Fury 10x42 with built in rangefinder from Vortex. They just introduced them at the ATA show and should be available in stores by mid year. They will sell for $1199 and come with the Vortex VIP lifetime warranty.
Maxrack, thats news I've been waiting a long time to hear. Tired if carrying both.
I really, really like my Swarovski 10x42 EL Range.
Don't think you can go wrong any of the good options out there today though.
I've been toting a pair of Bushnell Fusions for the last five years and have been very pleased with them. (My wallet's been happy as well!)
Swarovski makes great optics. However, isn't the minimum range that the Swarovski 10x42 EL Range is capable of set at 30yds?
Apparently the new Fury 10x42 with built in rangefinder from Vortex has a min. range of 10yds. This new range finder is great news, and what I've been waiting for:-)
Sweet, some great ideas, will look at the Fury for sure...Interesting!
Leica if you can swing them. I once saw a hunter I was guiding range a flying duck at 100+ yards, twice. Optics aren't to bad either.
I have the Leica Geovid hd-b and really like them. They are a little bigger than a normal pair of 10x42 but only having to carry 1 piece of equipment makes up for it. I believe the swaros are a little smaller but do not range below 33 yds. I bought mine a few months ago when cabelas had them marked 30% off. I saw them listed on camofire yesterday for around 1800. At that price, you can buy them just for the top notch glass and get the rangefinder for free. Another factor is resale value. The "big 3" do not lose much value over time.
The Leica Geovid are on Camofire often
The fury's have a range of 11 yards out to 1600 yards, i asked them 2 days ago. The VIP warranty also covers the electronics, something i was worried about.
I think some other brands the electronics aren't warrantied as long as the glass, could be wrong though
Moose,
You are correct on that. That is what stopped me from buying the Leica's. I am considering the Vortex Fury. LIFETIME- No Exceptions!
Scar.
I'm going to have to agree with ohiohunter. When I'm close (archery) range, it's much easier to get a quick reading with small rangefinder than to move binos up & down.
Combining units doesn't save any overall weight so the only question is whether it's more convenient to have binos and rangefinder combined.
I'm happy with my current setup of separate binos & rangefinder. Disclaimer...I've never used a combined unit.
I am very intrigued by the new Vortex mentioned though. Given their quality of glass, pricepoint and warranty, they would be at the top of my list to consider.
Someone needs to do a side by side comparison of different brands, soft vs hard targets, rain etc. IMO for the $, you'd better get a solid 1000 yards, and the glass better hold it's own too or you're just straining most of the time. I can see pluses and minuses for both - it's easier to get a RF out of the way when it's up-close time than a much larger binocular, but one set is less to have to mess around with, have tethered around your neck, etc.
If it is going to be a combo unit, the glass has to be excellent. I'm not going to sacrifice my high dollar glass just so that I don't have to carry a seperate RF. A part of me would be worried about ranging an animal when it is in closer (even though I don't normally do that) because you now have both eyes in use? I like that I can have one eye open on the animal behaviour as I am using the RF pulling it up and pulling it down. Those minute movements in close can get you busted if you're not aware.
How about rangefinding compact 8x mono with great glass.
About $800 bux about what u spend for rangfinder and binos if bought separately and these are top end.
I have the Leica Geovid BRF R series which has the angle compensating binocular rangefinder..........awesome combo!
Roy is that the split barrel model?
Pete, the Swaro's don't have 'angle comp' do they?
Found this site when I started looking at different options...
No....they look exactly like the original Geovids........but have angle compensating
No angle on swarvo but mathematically insignificant. The marketing people tell u it is but math shows you it is not. I assume you mean from a tree stand. No significant difference from say a 20 ft stand a 20 or 30 yards. Marketing tool only and a grade school geometry student can show you why. Simply put the hypontenuse of a right angle is not sigificantly different than the horizontal. Therefore point of impact is almost identical. You cant shoot that good. Formula in feet at 30 yards is 20 x 60 = hypotenuse squared or square root of 1200 or 34. A lot less difference at 20. Not worth extra money for grade school math.
Up to 30 yards eith todays bows just aim center mass and shoot and quit thinkin.
Petedrummond,
I think the swaro's you posted woukd be great for a treestand guy, but for western hunting I can't imagine using those for anything but rangefinding. What is the field of view?
I currently use 10x42 Swarovski binocs and a Nikon RF. I was planning to buy the Swaro EL Range 10x42, but am now leaning towards the Vortex Fury to save a few bucks. I'm looking for something I can actually do some glassing with.
no way I'd buy anything but top-end euro glass without doing a side by side comp with the euro in a big cabelas or equivalent store with an acuity chart on the far wall. Worked like a charm last binos I bought - those spiraling decreasing E's really tell the story.
Leica Geovid 10x42's on camofire now for $1,749
That is a great price for the Geovid but the warrantee is only for five years ! Just sayin.
I looked through the New Geovids and a old pair of Swarovski SCLs side by side on a picnic table last september in northern quebec at camp. The swarovski's were significantly brighter and more clear. The geovids sure did have a cool rangefinder though and we easily ranged 1600 yards and over. After looking through the geovids, I would not own a pair.
I personally prefer separate units for the reasons Smarba articulated.
Pete Drummond:
Have you ever hunted above timberline where the animal is 53 actual yards but you actually shoot for 31 yards? I have. NO bow is going to make up that difference.
If I simply hunted from a tree stand I'd probably never need it. Out west in the high country.....a person will.
As for the 5 year warranty on the Geovids.....I have two pairs, one of which is over 11 years old now. NEVER any issues....."just saying"! :)
Bo - why didn't you range him at 53 actual yards??
Pete Drummond:
Have you ever hunted above timberline where the animal is 53 actual yards but you actually shoot for 31 yards? I have. NO bow is going to make up that difference.
If I simply hunted from a tree stand I'd probably never need it. Out west in the high country.....a person will.
As for the 5 year warranty on the Geovids.....I have two pairs, one of which is over 11 years old now. NEVER any issues....."just saying"! :)
Nikon introduced a 10x42 called the LaserForce at SHOT show. Delivery is April 2017. 1900 non-reflective. Lifetime no-fault warranty including electronics
My Leicas fell out of my truck and knocked something electronically out of whack. It cost me around $500 to get it repaired.
