$1000 binos

[gabenzeke]

So now I'm looking at upgrading glass and plan to budget roughly a grand for new binos. Originally, I was really leaning toward vortex, but have heard the glass can be hit or miss. What is the consensus on Leica trinovid or Zeiss conquest? What about maven? I know these aren't swaros, but that's just not in the cards at this point. Is it better to just stick with my $300 junkers for now until I can get swaros, or is the glass on some of the models I listed worth looking into? Looking at 10x42s, mostly for western hunts off a tripod.

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[MuleyFever]

IMO $1000 is kind of a weird price point. You can get good "B" glass for less used. Meopta would be a good option. For a little more you can pick up some used Swaro or Leica.

Do a search. Many "best $1000 bino" threads.

 

[gabenzeke]

IMO $1000 is kind of a weird price point. You can get good "B" glass for less used. Meopta would be a good option. For a little more you can pick up some used Swaro or Leica.

This is what I'm finding. I really want to upgrade, but I'm worried that there is a significant jump from one to two grand...ish. but then the jump from a few hundred to a grand isn't as big a jump. Should I just wait and get swaros or some other top of the line? Maybe get a tripod for my junkers for now so I've got that set up by the time I upgrade? Any other thoughts?

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[MuleyFever]

Its all personal once you get to that price. I just sold some Meopta HD B1s and got the Leica Geovid. I don't really see the difference yet. Maybe at dusk/dawn. Maybe in edge to edge performance. Question is, is that worth the money to you. Bino performance could be the definition of diminishing return on investment.

 

[Mosby]

I am looking for new binoculars around $1000 myself. A graduation gift for my son and because its a gift, I am not going to buy used. I have read that there is less than a 5% difference between the high end and $1000 glass but I don't know how accurate that is. He is going to have to live with the difference until he can buy his own regardless. I use an old pair of Leica Trinovid and although a bit heavy, I have never felt I needed better glass or had them cost me an animal, the way I hunt.

I went to Cabela's today and looked at the Leica Trinovid, Zeiss Conquest, Cabela's Meopta and Nikon HG. Not much difference in price. The Meopta were really nice glass but heavy. The Nikon's were light and seemed brighter in the store to my eyes than the Leica or Zeiss but not by much. I am now going to find out which will work with the Outdoorsman's tripod stud and take some time to compare warranties, as well. I would be happy with any of them based upon feel and looking at them in the store but I will get it down to the one or at most two.

I am going to go back this week an hour before closing and they are going to let me take a couple pair outside to compare. I am hoping to find a difference in low light and make a decision off of that. Low light performance is important to me.

Like MF said, it is personal at that price. I would find a place that has some in stock, pick them up and see what you like before making a decision.

 

[Vaultman]

I am converting all my scopes to zeiss as I LOVE their glass and clarity. Have ever since my first conquest scope about 12 years ago.
I have not changed to their binos yet as I am holding out for RF ones. If I wasn't I would go for the 10x42 Conquests in a heartbeat, for just under $1K.
The RF ones are VERY costly (all of the big 3 are: Zeiss, Swaro, or Leica), which may take me 10 years, but it is worth it to me. I have other smaller hunting priorities first.

 

[100percent]

Better off finding a pair of good condition used Swaros or leicas on here or someplace. Lifetime transferable warranty. Worst case, I had a pair of abused 10x42EL's totally reconditioned for like $300 bucks. They look and function fantastic after 15 years of everyday use.

 

[TomM]

I am in the same boat. Last time at Cabelas I looked through there Meopta, the Conquest, monarch HD, and whatever the Vortex 1K equivalent is (viper?). Anyway, prior to looking through them I was pretty hot to trot over the nikon’s based on reviews; however my eyes didn’t like them. I liked the cabelas meopta, though they were heavy, and the conquest. I really like the clarity, ethos, and focus wheel of the conquest. Needless to say, I’m saving for a pair of conquest.

 

[Brian Fahs]

Get the meopta meostar 10x42 hds.

Call doug at cameraland for best pricing.

My nephew picked up a set and they are fantastic. We compared them several times to my swaro slc hds and my swaro el swarovisions. I'm talking real world hunting conditions. Usually on a tripod in low light conditions. They are very close in comparison to the swaros and a whole lot cheaper. To me they are head and shoulders above the competition at that price point. Resale value is excellent if you decide to ever sell.

Used swaros come up for around that price but most are older models which I feel are no better view than the meopta meostar hds.

Another outstanding value glass is the older leica trinovid BA and BN series. They are built like a tank and offer incredible quality and view. I ran a set of 10x 42 BN leicas for 10 years and loved them. I think I ended up selling them for more than I paid for them when I got the swaro bug.

 

[willfrye027]

I think the $1000 glass is the perfect price point. You have to spend double to get a slight bump in performance, but you get a nice jump in performance compared to the cheaper stuff.

I owned conquest 10x42s for a long time and I still believe they provide the best image in that price range. The ergonomics are hit or miss for some guys because the focus wheel is on the fast side. The FOV, edge to edge clarity, resolution, and apparent brightness/contrast are excellent. To accomplish that there is a trade off in depth of field which you would notice comparing them to a trinovid or something else with less FOV. Now I’m running duovid 10-15x50 which is apparently ultravid glass, but the Zeiss was still a lot better at 10x in many ways. The switch power was worth it for a trade off but that’s another story.

Recently I did a comparison between conquests and mavens in the 8x30 format. The images were very close, Zeiss had a slight edge, but the mavens had better ergonomics for me. I would look at mavens and Zeiss in your price range and not look back.

 

[Steve O]

At that price point I would go with the Leica Trinovids every time. If you look around you can find them a bit cheaper. They tested very well against my Ultravids/ELs.

 

[stevevan]

At that price point I would go with the Leica Trinovids every time. If you look around you can find them a bit cheaper. They tested very well against my Ultravids/ELs.

Check the classifieds or Ebay and look for pre-owned alpha glass the likes of Zeiss or Swarovski. You can buy used in great condition in the price point you mention and will get far better binos than anything offered for $1000 new. I bought used and sent off to Swaro and Zeiss for cleaning/inspection. Both came back cleaned/adjusted/minor corrections with no charge.

 

[kcm2]

You can find Kahles binos at your price point, or near it. Also, you can pick up used, in great shape, Swarovski 8x30's in the $500 range on ebay. I bought a pair there, and have been quite pleased with them. I have the 10x42 Kahles and they are magnificent.

 

[manitou1]

I recommend the Meopta Meostars 10x42hd... fron Doug @Cameraland, take what is left of your $1k and get a good bino harness and pocket the change. This is my opinion.
I too have compared the Meostar HDs side x side with Swaro SLCs in real conditions out hunting the West. I actually preferred the Meoptas. Both are fine optics. One can be had for $1.7k, the other for less than $900.00. Less if you are military, LEO etc.
Everybody's eyes and preferences are different, but time and again you will read posts/reviews where the Meoptas stand up identical or nearly so to the SLCs.
The Meoptas really aren't heavier, or by much. They have a hefty feel due to their build design, which to me is unnoticeable once using them in the field. They feel very durable IMO.
If purchasing used, keep in mind the non-HD SLCs will probably be bested by the Meostar HDs.

 

[Tsarbomba]

Check out steiner hx 8x42

 

[gr8fuldoug]

It would be my pleasure to discuss the options in this price range with you.
There's many very good choices:
Leica Trinovid HD
Meopta MeoStar
Steiner HX
Nikon HG
Zeiss Conquest HD

I am in all day Monday if you'd like to discuss what would be best for you

Happy Easter

 

[Newtosavage]

Lots of great choices in the $1K range and they are all good. Key is to try a bunch and find the ones you like the best, regardless of brand name or what anyone else thinks.

$1K is a sweet spot in the bino market IMO. 98% of the performance of the elite glass for 1/2-1/3 the cost.

 

[lundellhunting7]

1K you can get a lot of pretty good optics. Meopta, Maven, Zeiss and Tract would be what I would be looking at the most if I was going the new route. Followed by Trinovids and Nikon HG. But..... Get on ebay or watch here and you can pick up some SLC's or some Zeiss Victory T* FLs for the same price or just a hair more. But will both optically be superior to the others mentioned above. I know what I would be doing if it was me and that's going the used route.

 

[tdhanses]

This is what I'm finding. I really want to upgrade, but I'm worried that there is a significant jump from one to two grand...ish. but then the jump from a few hundred to a grand isn't as big a jump. Should I just wait and get swaros or some other top of the line? Maybe get a tripod for my junkers for now so I've got that set up by the time I upgrade? Any other thoughts?

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I think the jump in difference is bigger from the low to mid range. Some great glass in the $1000 range.

 

[wind gypsy]

Had conquest HDs in 10x42, bought Geovid's for rifle season to glass/range/dope in one fluid motion but 2 different geovid samples proved to be unreliable for ranging in cold weather. After getting used to the great depth of field in the geovids I couldn't go back to the very shallow depth of field on the Conquests. As far as I could discern, I found my Conquests to be as sharp as Swaro SLC's off a tripod but more sensitive to eye location and shallower depth of focus. As you grid out ground I had to constantly roll the focus to get a sharp image. I replaced the conquests with Monarch HG's because of this but haven't used the Nikons enough to give a fair review and primarily used EL 12x50's last year.

On glass alone I'd be a big fan of Meopta but the ergo's and weight ruled them out.