Tell me about Kahles binoculars

[Newtosavage]

I have owned or spent time looking through 100's of pairs of binoculars. I am a bit of a binocular junkie. But I can't say I've ever handled a pair of Kahles (older style, not the newer Helia models). They seem very familiar to me though. If some of the reports I've read are true, that they are actually made in Japan, then I think they may be the same or very similar to a couple pairs of MIJ Cabelas bins I've had over the years.

If you've owned a pair (or still own a pair), where would you rank them among other well known models. For example, are they in the Vortex Viper HD class, or the Razor HD class, or the Zeiss Conquest HD class? Or, none of the above.

Also, what about their warranty/service? Can they be repaired if something happens to them?

Thanks.

 

[100percent]

Alpha glass! I don't own a pair but, have several friends who do. Little contrast, if any, between Swaro and Leica of that era. My friends are still using theirs after 10ish years and find no reason to upgrade. We had another friend that was the regional sales for kahles, who got us all interested in the brand. Basically, pre Swaro vision glass (if he was telling it right)! I have several of the scopes and they compare with similar Swaro models.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have a pair of their 10x42's and a pair of their 8x32's and both were made in Austria. I've never once used them and thought "man, I wish I had better bino's". I didn't even know they were still making bino's.

 

[Newtosavage]

I have a pair of their 10x42's and a pair of their 8x32's and both were made in Austria. I've never once used them and thought "man, I wish I had better bino's". I didn't even know they were still making bino's.

Yea, I think their new stuff is the Helia line, but that could have been the name for the older gear too. The newer stuff looks quite a bit different.

 

[Newtosavage]

My curiosity is going to get me in trouble someday. I couldn't stand it and I bought a used pair of Kahles 8x42 so I can see for myself. I'll be sure to post a review. These are showing up on the used market now below $500.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I have a pair of their 8 powers. I also have vortex viper, vortex talon, and Swaro slc. I’d put the kahles almost on par with The slcs the only gripe is they were Camo binoculars and the Camo tape on them flakes off. I have kind of made a hobby of using pine needles to pick at the flaky camo when I’m bored waiting for critters to move. I digress. Excellent quality binoculars. I lent them to a friend for a trip to Africa and damn near had to fight him to get them back

 

[Newtosavage]

I have a pair of their 8 powers. I also have vortex viper, vortex talon, and Swaro slc. I’d put the kahles almost on par with The slcs the only gripe is they were Camo binoculars and the Camo tape on them flakes off. I have kind of made a hobby of using pine needles to pick at the flaky camo when I’m bored waiting for critters to move. I digress. Excellent quality binoculars. I lent them to a friend for a trip to Africa and damn near had to fight him to get them back

That's encouraging. Thanks. The ones I bought are the regular green and also 8x. I have a great pair of 10's but there are times I want 8's when it's low light and close cover.

 

[Newtosavage]

Welp, I got them in. Well used and somewhat abused unfortunately. But I can at least get some impressions from them. The optics seem very good quality. Size, hinge tension, and basic ergonomics are very good. Slightly heavy feel for their size - the same that you often get with top tier bins. Focus wheel is sublime. So nice.

That's the good...

Now the bad - the FOV might be the narrowest of any 8x42 I've ever looked through. These things make the Maven C1's look wide! Holy cow they are narrow. Super "toilet paper tube" view. Unreal for a bin that cost as much as these did new.

I would put the optics on par or slightly above Viper HD's and C1's. The build quality and ergonomics is definitely alpha quality. But darn that field of view. What a disappointment.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

I just read ur review but my impression using them for a minute side by side looking for Tahr is they are vortex vipers HD With bomber build.

mirrors your impressions.

 

[5MilesBack]

Wow, I hated the Vortex Viper HD's, but love both of my Kahles. But my eyes have never liked Vortex glass in anything I've tried from them. When I bought my Kahles 10x42's I compared them to Swaro EL's (pre-swarovision) for about a week, and still came away with the Kahles. I've never really paid much attention to the FOV. I point them and scan. Too bad you got a beat up pair.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

I spent enough timE with them to comment that they are below meopta’s meostar and Zeiss conquest HD

In Every major Category.. color fringing/CA

veiling glare harsh lighting

resolution

depth of field

pin cushion distortion

color rendition.

FOV

While they are perfectly adequate binoculars they are solidly mid tier binoculars.

OP have you tried Swarovski habicht 8x32’s??

Or the 7x42?

 

[5MilesBack]

I spent enough timE with them to comment that they are below meopta’s meostar and Zeiss conquest HD

Whatever works. I've sold my Meostar's, Swaro spotter, and S2 spotter, but I still have both of my Kahles binos. 15 years with my 10x42's and 12 years with my 8x32's. Still haven't found anything I like better. But then again, I liked the S2 spotter over the Swaro as well.

 

[notradame]

They are highly underrated.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Whatever works. I've sold my Meostar's, Swaro spotter, and S2 spotter, but I still have both of my Kahles binos. 15 years with my 10x42's and 12 years with my 8x32's. Still haven't found anything I like better. But then again, I liked the S2 spotter over the Swaro as well.

I like that sayin I recently heard Broz say. “there’s an ass for every seat.

Obviously what we ask optics to do can change our perceptions.

there was a wee mob of Tahr climbing up a spine at about 2k roughly. Grey animals on a grey slope Occasionally skylined.

The 3 of us all could distinguish they were nannies with the meostars.

no way with the kahles.

that’s across 3 sets of eyes including the owner.

 

[Newtosavage]

Just like there's an ass for every seat, it's also pointless to try and convince anyone that one pair of binoculars is better for them, than another. All we can say with authority is that they are better for us.

IMO the optics on the Kahles are better than the Viper HD's. Just like 5miles, I always get some kind of weird, hard to describe feeling when looking through Vipers. Initially they look great, but after hours of continual use, my eyes begin to protest.

It is a shame I got such a beat up pair because I would have liked more time with them for a more through review. But I can tell you that FOV was a deal breaker for me, just like it was on the C1's I had for a few weeks. I just can't get used the the "paper tube" effect, no matter how good the optics are.

Ndbowhunter, I've not tried the Swaros you mention, but I'm sure eventually I'll get there. LOL At this pace, I'm probably going to try them all at some point. It's a sickness.

 

[Kscamoninja]

I owned a pair of 10x42 with the grey body. Excellent glass for sure. There was a rumor Sworovski made them so I asked a rep at Swaro. He wouldnt say either way but did say " the two talk" and sent me some Kahles lense cleaners. Very close to my EL's in both twilight and clarity with EL having the edge.

 

[Newtosavage]

I did contact the CS dept. before I decided to return them to the seller, and they told me it would be 6 weeks or so since they had to go to Austria for repair, but they could definitely repair them. Couldn't tell me how much, and I wasn't interested in putting any more money into them because of the FOV, so I returned them.

Adding those to the list of "owned for less than a day" binoculars, which continues to grow. So far, bins I've owned less than a day include:

Meopta Meopro (8x42 and 10x42)
Zen-Ray Prime (10x42)
Sightron Blue Sky II (8x42 and 10x42)
Bushnell Engage 10x42
Swarovski SLC 8x30
Celestron Granite 9x33
Vortex Viper HD 10x42
Cabelas/Meopta Meostar (newest) HD 10x42

and probably a few others I've forgotten