Binoculars - what to look at?

Leica Geovid Pro - Green
O

Omega

Well-Known Member
Hi,
I currently use very cheap (£20) compact Silva (Swedish compass company) binoculars for deer hunting and wonder if I should upgrade. So far, I would say I suspect my experience is likely to improve if I get something more decent, but do not know what I should get
My club offers me 20% off any Swarovski binoculars and I wonder if I should but one. I currently do 1 every 1-2 months deer hunt, but probably will increase stalking in the next 2-3 years. I read several years ago that Japanese optics got some technological breakthrough. Should I buy Swarovski or get something cheaper? I only can get 20% off from Swarovski range, so will pay full price from any other brand. I was previously recommended going for 7X50 binoculars, but not sure if I need going for this now as I will have thermal spotter. Getting closer to 50s, so my eyes are not fantastic. Do not think I want 10X for stability, but not sure if military style 8x35 is good enough for me (I wanted Swiss Army Leica from 70s for a long time, remember them selling quite cheap 15 years ago on eBay, but do not know if they worth buying for hunting as the technology might have moved)
And should I get as well harness, binoculars with range finder or keep range finder on thermal spotter?
Many thanks
 
I would recommend finding a well stocked shop near you and go try a few types. Can also try the local camera shops as they have a few too.
I was thinking of a set of Swaro then tried the Vortex Diamondbacks and well figured save myself a fortune as I love the vortex and comes with harness and case and their warranty.
 
Clarity and brightness is what matters with bins. Not magnification. In most situations you want bins with magnification that matches, or is less than, that of your scope, so you have a very similar view when you switch from binoculars to scope. Otherwise you'll have trouble locating in the scope the target you've just identified through the bins. Zooming in really close doesn't help. It's disorientating.

I wouldn't go above 8 power with bins (I use 7x50). Just get the brightest, crispest glass you can afford.
And I wouldn't pay a premium for range-finder bins. Most stalkers who aren't professional cullers rarely, if ever, shoot deer beyond 250 yards. You're better off ranging your terrain before the shot presents itself, so you develop a sense of where your target fits within that landscape, rather than pinging every individual target in isolation. And for that, all your need is a pocket range finder.

At least, that's how I do to it..
 
It's all down to budget.

My go to are Opticron DB which are fantastic, but at the less expensive end of the scale I was recently girted Carson RD's and they are quite frankly superb for the money,(that other people pay for them obv)

Money no object ? spunk 3k on swaro's and be done with it.
 
Repost alert:


Almost two decades ago, a stupid domestic tiff with the wife. I know what will prove that I am master of this house. I will drive to Wales and buy stuff. Lots of stuff.

So. Launching myself into the world of shooting I find myself (unsupervised) in Newport, South Wales, buying my first .243 and .22. and spending money I did not have.

The guy fitting the scopes said (in a south Welsh accent - obviously):-

"Now then. What about a pair of binoculars?"

Over his shoulder was the free-standing Swarovski display cabinet. Financially I was already in way too deep.

"Just something cheap and cheerful please". I replied in a (slightly too high) English accent.

The Welsh lad did not look up from his work.

"Well now sir. The thing about deer is; if you can't see 'em, you can't shoot 'em. And if you buy a cheap pair of binoculars you will be back here in three months to buy a proper pair".

Fu*k it. I may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.

"Pair of Swarovski 10x42 please".

May as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb....funny that. On the drive home, the further north I got on the M4, the more ovine I became...
 
Hmmm. Helmet on, chin strap tightened, deep breath, right, here we go, gulp!
Err, I my friend says that he would not buy expensive bins, rather he would go for the excellent mid-priced Hawke range and in addition buy a thermal spotter for pretty much the same total outlay - the spotter will find more deer and if required the Hawke will identify them for you.
You will thank me him in the deers years to come….
🦊🦊
 
Binoculars to match your scope is always good advice. Field of view decreases as magnification increases, more magnification is not always better. Find a pair that suit your eyes and facial features and that you can handle quickly and easily. Look and compare the specifications of your favoured models, and keep in mind that some manufacturers don't offer a repair warranty they simply offer a replacement warranty and bin all the duds they have made.
 
Usual consensus on binocular power is that if you do a lot of hill work then about 10x should be go to go, lot of woodland then 8x as you get a larger field of view and you are generally closer to what you are observing.
I personally bought a pair of 8.5x42 Swarovski binoculars second hand from Macleods of Tain, Swarovski customer service is excellent, I do have a vortex scope but have not had to use their warranty thankfully.
 
Not sure about the Swiss Army Leicas, but you used to be able to pick up the Checkpoint Charlie Zeiss Jena 7x42 NVA "fixed focus" binoculars pretty cheaply on eBay, though I notice they have gone up in price over the years. They are what I used when I started out on deer stalking, and I only changed them when I could afford to upgrade to a pair of EL 8.5x42's. That was back in 2003, and they are still going strong. If I work out the cost for each time I've looked through those Swaro's, it will be in the fractions of a penny. They were, for me at least, a very worthwhile investment.

That said, there are a number of factors to consider when investing in quality optics, including initial outlay, build quality, optical quality, post-sales service, resale value, ergonomics, etc. The importance given to each of those factors will vary from one individual to another, so don't expect there to be a consensus on what binoculars you should buy. It is, of course, easy to say "buy a pair from Zeiss, Swaro or Leica". You won't go wrong if you do, but there may well be other binos out there that are a better match to your specific criteria.

The most important advice given above is to try out as many different makes as you can, ideally under "stalking conditions", and go for what feels best to you. By "stalking conditions" I mean try not to judge optics during regular hours on a bright sunny day, as even the worst pair of binos will likely appear to offer fantastic performance. Instead try them at dawn and dusk, and in miserable weather conditions, as that's far more representative of what you're likely to face when out stalking. That's not always easy to do, but it is likely to yield the best results in the long term.
 
Have a look around on ebay and here. Can pick up a pair of swarovski slc for 500-600 second hand.

I've had them 5 years and wouldn't want to buy anything else. They are 7x45 and brilliant for scanning fields and sexing animals at distance ase the clarity is there.

I've had a play with others but they don't seem a scratch on the swarovskis!
 
I always used to think that 7x50 was the one to go for, but 10x50 might suit older people if, as they say, older eyes don't open up to the 7mm that they once did.
 
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