I spent a few days searching the Internet for comparisons of these two optics. While many gave a fairly good comparison none really answered my questions so I bought them both. I've spent a day or two at the house looking at 100 and 1600 yards and 4-9.5 miles with both. I was in SE New Mexico this past weekend and compared them both at 150 yards to 5 miles and all distances in between on a 500 foot bluff. My stepson was with me and we kept looking at both back and forth. He doesn't know optics well so his feedback is as a newbie.
If anyone else has comparisons to add to the thread please do so. I'd like to have a good comparison here for folks searching Rokslide in the future.
All our 'testing' was done off a tripod head. One was window mounted and the other on a tripod.
Stepson:
He liked the FOV of the 9x45 Mavens best (which I've been keeping as a truck bino). "I can see a lot more" was his statement. Of course, that was up close, within a few hundred yards. He said he could see a little more at long distance with the 15's but he liked the 12's better because there was less mirage. He liked the ergonomics of the 15's better.
Me:
There were a couple times where I'd spot something with the 12's and grab the 15's to see if I could see more details. Sometimes I could tell it wasn't a deer with the 15's and sometimes not. In most cases I went to the spotter to confirm.
The 15's definitely had more mirage than the 12's.
As for brightness, at times one would seem brighter than the other and the reverse was true at other times. No huge difference between the two here.
As for detail at moderate ranges (500-1500), it's a toss up. Neither of us could really say one was better than the other.
My take on both is this.
If anyone else has comparisons to add to the thread please do so. I'd like to have a good comparison here for folks searching Rokslide in the future.
All our 'testing' was done off a tripod head. One was window mounted and the other on a tripod.
Stepson:
He liked the FOV of the 9x45 Mavens best (which I've been keeping as a truck bino). "I can see a lot more" was his statement. Of course, that was up close, within a few hundred yards. He said he could see a little more at long distance with the 15's but he liked the 12's better because there was less mirage. He liked the ergonomics of the 15's better.
Me:
There were a couple times where I'd spot something with the 12's and grab the 15's to see if I could see more details. Sometimes I could tell it wasn't a deer with the 15's and sometimes not. In most cases I went to the spotter to confirm.
The 15's definitely had more mirage than the 12's.
As for brightness, at times one would seem brighter than the other and the reverse was true at other times. No huge difference between the two here.
As for detail at moderate ranges (500-1500), it's a toss up. Neither of us could really say one was better than the other.
My take on both is this.
- You can't go wrong with either optic.
- Neither can take the place of spotter. In nearly every circumstance, I needed to go to a spotter to get a better look. If you need the spotter with the 12's you'll it need with the 15's.
- If you plan to carry a smaller optic, plus the 12/15 and a spotter, go with the 15's.
- If you plan to carry one bino and a spotter go with the 12's.
- The 12's are noticeably lighter and more compact.
- I have 8x32 ELs and quit carrying 10's for offhand use. I just shake too much. The 12's can be used offhand for a quick look but not for long.
- I like the 12's for the FOV, ergonomics and weight/compactness.
- I'm not planning on carrying smaller binos, 12/15's and a spotter. I'm a wuss when it comes to carrying extra weight.
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