Maven c1 vs leupold bx-4 10x42

[chad1926]

Hmm... Give me a few weeks with them. But they very well could be.

I haven't spent time with the Meostar HD's, so those could be a contender since you can routinely get them for under $1K

But I gotta tell ya, the only fault I can find with these BX-4 Pro Guides is the slightly narrow field of view. That's it. 24 oz. is lighter than the Conquest HD's by 4 oz. They are as compact as the Viper HD's, which is saying something. They have the open bridge design, which is fantastic in the hands. They have some of the best eyecups I've experienced. And IMO they are as bright as any 10x42 I've ever put to my eyes, including SLC's and Conquest HD's. A 10x42 that is as bright as a Monarch 7 8x42? That's damn impressive. And the resolving power is as good as my eyes can see.

definitely going to have to check out the bx-4 again sure sounds they would be a very nice set with those or the vipers!

 

[ChrisAU]

Hit the "e-mail for price" button on here, I am very tempted...bought a Loopy scope from them for my grouse gun a couple weeks ago and was impressed with the turn around time and definitely the price.

https://lockedloaded.com/product/le...hd-10x-42mm-326-ft-@-1000-yds-fov-shadow-gray

 

[chad1926]

Hit the "e-mail for price" button on here, I am very tempted...bought a Loopy scope from them for my grouse gun a couple weeks ago and was impressed with the turn around time and definitely the price.

https://lockedloaded.com/product/le...hd-10x-42mm-326-ft-@-1000-yds-fov-shadow-gray

wow that is a very good price on them I didn’t expect it to drop that much, I am very tempted on these also for sure!

 

[Newtosavage]

Spent the day in the woods with my new 10x42 BX-4 Pro Guides. The resolution and brightness is no joke. As sharp and bright as any 10x42 I've ever used, period. Fairly narrow FOV is there, but it's not annoying. The focus wheel is a bit chalky feeling - reminds me of the Swaro SLC somewhat. I hope it smooths out. It's not hard to turn once you get it moving, but it's tough to get moving, if that makes sense. There is no free play in it however, which is nice. That's a deal breaker for me - a focus wheel with free play or overtravel. No thanks. This one is accurate, but like I said, a bit sticky or chalky feeling. If it smooths out in time, then the only thing I'll have to complain about if I feel like complaining, is the field of view.

Loving the open bridge design in the woods. Like a slightly larger and much better version of my Sightron Blue Sky's, which handled beautifully.

 

[chad1926]

Spent the day in the woods with my new 10x42 BX-4 Pro Guides. The resolution and brightness is no joke. As sharp and bright as any 10x42 I've ever used, period. Fairly narrow FOV is there, but it's not annoying. The focus wheel is a bit chalky feeling - reminds me of the Swaro SLC somewhat. I hope it smooths out. It's not hard to turn once you get it moving, but it's tough to get moving, if that makes sense. There is no free play in it however, which is nice. That's a deal breaker for me - a focus wheel with free play or overtravel. No thanks. This one is accurate, but like I said, a bit sticky or chalky feeling. If it smooths out in time, then the only thing I'll have to complain about if I feel like complaining, is the field of view.

Loving the open bridge design in the woods. Like a slightly larger and much better version of my Sightron Blue Sky's, which handled beautifully.

what is it about the fov that bothers you on the mavens but not the bx-4 with their close fov rating?

 

[Newtosavage]

what is it about the fov that bothers you on the mavens but not the bx-4 with their close fov rating?

They are close - you are correct about that. The Mavens gave me the toilet paper tube effect. Very pronounced. The BX-4's are just wide enough that they don't really bother me as much. Wider still would be great, but they aren't any worse than my Conquest HD's are, regardless of the specs that Zeiss has for those bins (I don't buy their published FOV).

The Maven C1's just felt "cheap" to me. Focus wheel had some play, the armoring was slick with seams showing, and the eyecups wouldn't stay put. The BX-4's have none of those issues. But the C1's are a good poor-man's BX-4 or Conquest HD, no doubt.

I'd love to see the C1's side by side with the BX-4's now, because I am pretty confident the BX-4's would beat them on pure image quality. But again, they are a much more expensive binocular, so they should.

I had hours to glass the woods with my BX-4's yesterday, in good light, fading light and nearly no light. I could find no fault with the image quality whatsoever. I could easily see the whiskers on squirrels over 100 yards away. Optically, they are as near perfect as I've seen. Only room for improvement would be a little better sharpness in the edges, but to get that you would probably have to have field flatteners which give me the dreaded "rolling ball" effect - and that makes my stomach turn after a while. So I'll live with the edges not perfectly sharp in exchange for a nice calm relaxed view.

Having owned C1's, Leupy BX-4 Pro Guides, Conquest HD's and Swaro SLC's now, if I had to do it all over again, the BX-4's would win for my money. Image quality as good as the Conquest HD's and SLC's in a more ergonomic, compact and lightweight package while still being incredibly well built with a warranty second to none.

Man it feels good to be able to recommend a Leupold binocular, particularly (or maybe because) it's made in Japan.

 

[idahohikker]

This thread is one knowledgeable guy sharing extensively why he likes a particular bino. I’m confident that the majority would not go for the Leupolds in any price range. The great part is you can demo Mavens, find some other binos in a store, and let your own eyes decide. Lots of variation in bino and eye marriage. I do find consistently well reviewed binos to be quality.

 

[Fatcamp]

Spent the day in the woods with my new 10x42 BX-4 Pro Guides. The resolution and brightness is no joke. As sharp and bright as any 10x42 I've ever used, period. Fairly narrow FOV is there, but it's not annoying. The focus wheel is a bit chalky feeling - reminds me of the Swaro SLC somewhat. I hope it smooths out. It's not hard to turn once you get it moving, but it's tough to get moving, if that makes sense. There is no free play in it however, which is nice. That's a deal breaker for me - a focus wheel with free play or overtravel. No thanks. This one is accurate, but like I said, a bit sticky or chalky feeling. If it smooths out in time, then the only thing I'll have to complain about if I feel like complaining, is the field of view.

Loving the open bridge design in the woods. Like a slightly larger and much better version of my Sightron Blue Sky's, which handled beautifully.

So now the question is 10X42 or 8X42?

I really want a wider fov, but just don't know if I will miss the magnification.

 

[vermeire]

So now the question is 10X42 or 8X42?

I really want a wider fov, but just don't know if I will miss the magnification.

The problem with that question, from what I've read, is that some bino lines are better in certain magnifications than others. You may find that another brand/model fit you better at 10x than the Leupolds do. I haven't stared demoing binos extensively yet but have heard accounts of someone liking a certain line in 8x and hating them at 10x or 12x. Unfortunately there is a certain subjectivity to how "good" a pair of binoculars are.

 

[Newtosavage]

This thread is one knowledgeable guy sharing extensively why he likes a particular bino. I’m confident that the majority would not go for the Leupolds in any price range. The great part is you can demo Mavens, find some other binos in a store, and let your own eyes decide. Lots of variation in bino and eye marriage. I do find consistently well reviewed binos to be quality.

Idaho is consistently pushing Mavens, and that's fine. Not sure if he has a relationship with the company, is part owner or what, but if there is one consistent theme in the optics forum here, it's Idaho pushing Mavens.

I have no brand loyalties whatsoever, as evidenced by the fact that my main pair of bins for the past 4 years has been an old, inexpensive Cabelas Outfitter HD's. I call them like I see them. I was as surprised as anyone that the BX-4 Pro Guides were as good as they are. I had zero expectation of walking out of Bass Pro with them in my hands, but there was no denying what my eyes were telling me.

Whatever you decide, keep your mind open and objective. Don't take anyone else's word for it because they don't own your eyeballs, or your fingers, or your personal preferences.

 

[Newtosavage]

So now the question is 10X42 or 8X42?

I really want a wider fov, but just don't know if I will miss the magnification.

I own both and it really comes down to how much light you have to work with on a typical hunt. Out West, I've used both 8's and 10's and never felt handicapped by either. This past October in Colorado, I had a pair of 8x42's and 10x42's both on tripod adapters, glassing a huge basin for the last few hours of daylight. I did this multiple days. Both pairs of bins were top shelf bins, and my final conclusion was that I didn't miss anything with the 8's that I could see with the 10's. The 10's went back in their case for the rest of the trip, but I could have used either.

Back East, where I hunt around home, 8's really are a better choice. There are places like where I hunted earlier this week where you just aren't going to see anything more than 200 yards away, and typically not more than 100 yards. And because of the canopy cover, things start getting dark long before sundown so the added light gathering by the 8's is really helpful.

So if I had to choose only one, it would be 8's. But I can legally own more than one pair, so I have 8's and 10's in both x32 and x42 and I take the ones that I think are best suited for the job at hand.

 

[idahohikker]

Idaho is consistently pushing Mavens, and that's fine. Not sure if he has a relationship with the company, is part owner or what, but if there is one consistent theme in the optics forum here, it's Idaho pushing Mavens.

I have no brand loyalties whatsoever, as evidenced by the fact that my main pair of bins for the past 4 years has been an old, inexpensive Cabelas Outfitter HD's. I call them like I see them. I was as surprised as anyone that the BX-4 Pro Guides were as good as they are. I had zero expectation of walking out of Bass Pro with them in my hands, but there was no denying what my eyes were telling me.

Whatever you decide, keep your mind open and objective. Don't take anyone else's word for it because they don't own your eyeballs, or your fingers, or your personal preferences.

I have no connection to the company. I think they’re a great buy. The Vortex Diamondbacks are a good value buy as well. I also think the Athlon Ares is a great spotter. I think what you say about the Mavens doesn’t make a lot of sense based on my experience with them on a weekly basis.

You love pushing obscure brands and describing how you’ve handled 1000 binos. And your favorite is the Leupolds which is interesting but everyone’s eyes are different. Let’s just agree to disagree.

 

[Newtosavage]

I have no connection to the company. I think they’re a great buy. The Vortex Diamondbacks are a good value buy as well. I also think the Athlon Ares is a great spotter. I think what you say about the Mavens doesn’t make a lot of sense based on my experience with them on a weekly basis.

You love pushing obscure brands and describing how you’ve handled 1000 binos. And your favorite is the Leupolds which is interesting but everyone’s eyes are different. Let’s just agree to disagree.

No reason to exaggerate .

Glad you like your Mavens. Lots of folks do. I liked the image but the rest of the bin reminds me of cheap Chinese-built binoculars and I definitely prefer MIJ or MI Europe optics for all the intangible reasons.

As for the "pushing" obscure brands, I like to shine the light on good quality affordable glass for forum members who don't have thousands of dollars to spend on optics. I don't know anyone who doesn't like a bargain.

 

[ChrisAU]

After having both side by side, I would never trade a pair of Viper HD's for the BX-4 Leupys. Image quality of the Leupolds is next-level. The field of view is barely narrower than the Vipers. The image the Leupolds deliver is so good, that I didn't really notice the narrower field of view that much. It bothered me on the C1's (along with other annoyances) but the Leupolds are just darn good instruments. I forgot how much I liked the open bridge design. I loved it with my original Mojave's years ago, and again with my Sightron Blue Sky II 8x32's. For a hunting binocular, an open hinge design is very useful because you often have gloves and need something to hang on to.

After just one evening in the deer blind, I have no doubt I made the right choice today.

This particular deer blind I sat in tonight may as well be my "optics lab." I have used it to test about a dozen pairs of binoculars side-by-side now, because I have so many targets to choose from, with so many textures, colors and distances. Everything from fine grass and barbed wire fencing, to big fat oak leaves and red berries and radio towers in the distance. And on an evening like tonight, with clear dry winter light, the resolution was on full display.

I've tested Conquest HD's, Swaro SLC's, Nikon M7's and HG's, Maven C1's, Cabelas Outfitter HD's, Bushnell Legends, Legend M's, Leupold BX-3's, Mojaves, Alpens, Opticrons and others I have since forgotten from that same blind. I have nice 2x4 windowsills to rest them on, so I don't need a tripod. It's a great real-world testing ground.

Aside from the extremely high resolution (as good as anything I've owned, including Conquest HD's and SLC's), the light gathering is what really impressed me. Easily as bright as any 10x42 I've ever looked through. I could see barbs on a barbed-wire fence a measured 200 yards away, a full 30 minutes after sunset. With my naked eyes, I couldn't even see the fenceposts. That's some serious light gathering for a 10x42.

I was looking at the BX-4's side by side with two pairs of Monarch 7's today in the store. The 10x42 BX-4's were much brighter than the 10x42 M7's, and to my surprise, were brighter even than the 8x42 M7's. That's when I knew I had to give them a try in the real world. And the delivered.

Curious if you've tried the Meopta Meopro HD's? Been looking for a pair of good 8x42's for whitetail (and maybe all use) and ordered those today over some BX-4's. Wish I could get them both for a side by side in the field.

 

[Fatcamp]

Curious if you've tried the Meopta Meopro HD's? Been looking for a pair of good 8x42's for whitetail (and maybe all use) and ordered those today over some BX-4's. Wish I could get them both for a side by side in the field.

Making a change to 8X for general hunting myself and went with the same binoculars. Been using BX-3 Leupolds for awhile, but really wanted a wider field of view and better glass. Fingers crossed.

Also, your picture would have gotten my vote in the elk picture contest if I had seen it in time. Lots of feels in that image.

 

[Newtosavage]

Curious if you've tried the Meopta Meopro HD's? Been looking for a pair of good 8x42's for whitetail (and maybe all use) and ordered those today over some BX-4's. Wish I could get them both for a side by side in the field.

I owned two pairs of Meopro HD's at the same time - 8x42's and 10x42's. Both brand new. I returned both of them the next day. I couldn't tolerate the amount of distortion they have. They were bright and sharp in the center, but unfortunately they had that strange, almost unexplainable distortion that I have seen with numerous made in China binoculars. They reminded me a lot of several pairs of Zen-Ray bins I used to own actually. Probably made in the same plant. The handling was top shelf. I liked the design, the eyecups, the focus wheel, etc. but the optics just didn't agree with my eyes at all.

The Meostar HD's on the other hand, are superb. Just too bulky and heavy for me.

At least to my eyes, the BX-4's are a much better binocular than the Meopros. I still cannot get over how razor sharp and bright these BX-4's are. This morning was particularly clear, still and bright with low RH's for our part of the world, and I could see tires on a farm implement over 2 miles away just as plain as day. I don't think my eyes are capable of resolving any more detail than the BX-4's can provide.

 

[ChrisAU]

I owned two pairs of Meopro HD's at the same time - 8x42's and 10x42's. Both brand new. I returned both of them the next day. I couldn't tolerate the amount of distortion they have. They were bright and sharp in the center, but unfortunately they had that strange, almost unexplainable distortion that I have seen with numerous made in China binoculars. They reminded me a lot of several pairs of Zen-Ray bins I used to own actually. Probably made in the same plant. The handling was top shelf. I liked the design, the eyecups, the focus wheel, etc. but the optics just didn't agree with my eyes at all.

The Meostar HD's on the other hand, are superb. Just too bulky and heavy for me.

At least to my eyes, the BX-4's are a much better binocular than the Meopros. I still cannot get over how razor sharp and bright these BX-4's are. This morning was particularly clear, still and bright with low RH's for our part of the world, and I could see tires on a farm implement over 2 miles away just as plain as day. I don't think my eyes are capable of resolving any more detail than the BX-4's can provide.

Hmm the ones I've been able to find actual pictures of say Assembled in the USA, and google machine says Czech components assembled in the USA. If they don't live up to expectations I'll definitely give the BX-4's a try.

 

[Newtosavage]

Hmm the ones I've been able to find actual pictures of say Assembled in the USA, and google machine says Czech components assembled in the USA. If they don't live up to expectations I'll definitely give the BX-4's a try.

I really wanted to like the Meopro's. It took me a few hours of looking through both pairs to finally figure out why my eyeballs were not happy with me. From bright sunshine to dusk to dark, I went back and forth between them and my Conquest HD's, Cabelas Outfitter HD's and my wife's Legend M's before it became clear that the amount of distortion in the Meopros was just throwing me off. If I didn't have my eyes positioned perfectly behind the lenses, the image would shift a bit. When I would hit the sweet spot, things looked fine, but then I would move my head position slightly and the image would be blurry then sharp again. Hard to explain but I couldn't deny it after I finally figured out what was going on.

That's the trouble with having multiple pairs of binoculars to test against. LOL There is always something you like/don't like about each pair, so it's a never-ending quest.

Blessed is the man who owns one pair of binoculars they are satisfied with.

 

[ChrisAU]

I really wanted to like the Meopro's. It took me a few hours of looking through both pairs to finally figure out why my eyeballs were not happy with me. From bright sunshine to dusk to dark, I went back and forth between them and my Conquest HD's, Cabelas Outfitter HD's and my wife's Legend M's before it became clear that the amount of distortion in the Meopros was just throwing me off. If I didn't have my eyes positioned perfectly behind the lenses, the image would shift a bit. When I would hit the sweet spot, things looked fine, but then I would move my head position slightly and the image would be blurry then sharp again. Hard to explain but I couldn't deny it after I finally figured out what was going on.

That's the trouble with having multiple pairs of binoculars to test against. LOL There is always something you like/don't like about each pair, so it's a never-ending quest.

Blessed is the man who owns one pair of binoculars they are satisfied with.

Well now I’m going to be looking for that. I’m already looking for new-er binos when my new binos haven’t shipped

 

[Newtosavage]

Well now I’m going to be looking for that. I’m already looking for new-er binos when my new binos haven’t shipped

Well I didn't want to be the only person afflicted with this disease you know.