Looking for some information on the above binoculars.
Good point & bad.
Need to get my self a new pair of binos & have been looking at these on line.
Thanks
John
I've had the old Leica HDs & Zeiss RFs and now Leica HD-Bs. The only range finding bins I haven't owned are the Swaros
Positives
Excellent optics.. as good if not better than anything else out there with a rangefinder built in
Built in ballistics computer and data is the best and most technologically advanced in the industry.
measures temp and barometric pressure and throws that into the ballistics output too
'advertised' 2,000 yard rangefinding (the longest of all the non military kit)
very comfortable in the hand
Incredible depth of field, You can go from 50 yards to 500 yards without touching the focus wheel, your own eyes can adjust.. I only use the focus wheel for fine adjustments and don't need to use the dioptre
ranging button is on the right side like the zeiss.. far better than the left side as is the swaros
The negatives
They are quite big and heavy in the hand but you sort of need to accept that with RF binos**
Advertised ranging ability is tosh... Whilst I have had them range beyond 2,000 yards when deliberately going for it on a very reflective target, real world 'first time' ranging is well under 1,000 yards.. up to 700 yards they don't miss anything, beyond that it can get a bit iffy.. I regularly get reading errors at 800 yards and beyond... find it normally impossible to get a reading beyond 11/1200 yards... that never happened right up to the abilities of the zeiss I had, they always worked 1st time. BUT.. I have put that little niggle to the back of my mind as I don't really need to range beyond what... 500! Just really irks me when things don't do what they are advertised as doing.
The ranging is a 2 press affair.. 1st press to activate, then press again to read, reading appears instantly but you have to wait a couple of seconds before the ballistics info appears.... a couple of seconds too long? Zeiss and swaro is press down to activate, release button to get a reading... better but not a deal breaker
Do you really need the ballistics computer? The angle compensation is fantastic and I suppose the fact it takes temp and humidity into account is a bonus but As I have an ASV+ turret on my scope, all I need to know is the adjusted range rather than MOA/MIL/Clicks etc... you might be different... do you need it at all over UK hunting ranges or do you just need an angle compensated distance?
**After having handled the Swaros at the shooting show now that I own the HD-Bs, the swaros feel much, much more compact in the hand and as such therefore 'feel' lighter, still don't like the lumpy bits on the bottom of the barrels though.. the ballistics computer is a bit slow and once you release the ranging button you have to wait a second before you see anything..
If I had my time over again I think I would have a hard time deciding between the Leicas and the Swaros..... Would I sell my Leicas to buy the Swaros.... No..
Not much more can be said