1000 Euro segment binocular reviews

The winner of this group test, in the subjective evaluation, is the Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42, with the Minox HG 8x43 a close second and the Leica 8x42 Trinovid third; a bit farther back we can find the Docter Optik 8x42 ED and, very close, the Leupold 8x42 McKinley HD. The Meopta Meostar B1 8x42 follows, while the Nikon 8x42 Monarch 7 closes this test, ending last.
 
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 review

Zeiss once again proved their lead with the Conquest HD, and this time the German manufacturer did so with a very competitively priced instrument that actually impressed our tester beyond the lab numbers (among these, the Conquest HD features the best daytime light transmission of all tested binoculars), specifically because of an excellent balance among all features: the best "bang for the buck", in a nutshell.

We also believe that they are the best looking instrument of the group, both the Leica and Minox coming a close second, in our very personal opinion.

Full review here Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 - Optics - Optics - Articles - all4shooters.com
 
Minox HG 8x43 review

Minox has been a very pleasant surprise, with an outstanding and very balanced overall performance: the Minox HG 8x43 features one of the best light transmission measured figures of the whole test batch, second only to Zeiss, and the veiling glare figures are also the best of the batch ex-aequo with the Leicas, in this case Zeiss comes second.

Full review here Minox HG 8x43 - Optics - Optics - Articles - all4shooters.com
 
I've noticed that the enthusiasm for optics reviews on this site is in inverse proportion to the number of facts and measurements contained in the review in question :)
 
No Swarovski 8x30 CL in that price range line up?

They are quality gear and will be hard to beat with after market service.
 
As far as I'm aware, Swaro don't tend to provide products for comparison tests. They wouldn't for the 'double blind' riflescope tests or rangefinder binocular tests previously discussed on here.

The only reviews of the Swaro CL that I've seen weren't particularly favourable as I recall, but it's not a product I have paid much attention to to be fair...
 
Don't really read bin reviews. Have a nice pair of Zeiss 7 x 42 from before the reunification of Germany. Still take a lot of beating and will see me out.

David.
 
Don't really read bin reviews.

I think what all this and other, similar, threads serve to highlight is that the vast majority of them are simply not worth reading, and I suspect the same applies to scopes, as they are basically nothing more than repetition of the marketing material supplied to the journalist by the maker. Next month the same journalist will be reviewing washing machines for "What Washing Machine Weekly."

You are right to stick with Zeiss though, any serious reviews that I've seen (and these probably number about 3) where actual measurements were made always put Zeiss ahead of the pack for glass. I think Nickel are up there as well and they did have a scope in a "real" review that was done in one of the Scandi countries and I think it came second for measured optics performance after Zeiss.

Currently there is no question that if you have to have the best glass then Zeiss is the place to look (I have an S&B scope and Minox binos just to avoid claims of bias towards stuff I own) and I suspect some manufacturers would be left with very red faces indeed if there was to be a good test done of the optics generally used by stalkers.

I really think it would be of value to stalkers to have optics performance actually measured as opposed to just believing what it says in the magazine adverts. However, for many manufacturers the adverts and what, basically, amount to "paid" reviews in magazines are the only info available when a stalker comes to chose binos or a scope. Now, my experience has been that the big Euro names all make gear which is adequate for UK stalking use but that doesn't help you if you absolutely must have the best, or if you want to get value for money performance.
 
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