There is a world of difference in carrying weight of the NL Pure and the EL Range bins you have narrowed your choice down to.
Different people have different attitudes toward ‘pleasure’ and ‘pain’ of course; I note too your hunting is done mostly in woodland conditions, not distant peaks for chamois, etc.
I have used and owned LRF binoculars (3 different pairs, Kahles, Swarovski, Leica), and there is no doubt but they are good binoculars, but heavy for their optical performance, which in the case of the first two is compromised by the internal design. Though I liked the Leica glasses, their bulk and additional weight did not endear them to me, so I sold them on.
You mention the ‘slight’ optical advantage in terms of wider field of view of the NL Pure - quite an understatement - everyone I’ve lent my 10x32 NL Pure glasses have been greatly impressed by the immersive and step change in greater field of view. I chose 10x over 8x because,
a) the NL glasses have
such a superior wide field of view that the user is not compromising this important aspect, and
b) I’m in the habit of using a thermal image unit (as it happens with built in LRF) which can direct the user’s curiosity in the direction of any heat source to be identified, etc.
This choice of the larger magnification was somewhat counterintuitive to someone who has hitherto used 7x magnification binoculars (Zeiss Classic 7/42 and Swarovski SLC 7x30) for most of my summer stalking/guiding for the past thirty five years, primarily because of that wider field of view, and to some extent their superior depth of field, though this latter aspect is certainly the secondary consideration. Another important consideration in my choice was the ability to hold steadily the 7x and view for extended periods (whiles over 30 minutes at a stretch) scanning Heather moorland and wooded glade alike for as little as an ear or an antler of a roe. This aspect is addressed by the use of the head rest gizmo on the NL Pure glasses, and it works every bit as well as the same solution on the Swaro BTX binocular telescope. It works!
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Head rests - very helpful, in the view of this contributor.
For winter work I’ve used 8/42 Leica Trinovid in the mornings/daytime, and the Zeiss Classic 8/56 for afternoon to dusk work, when my livelihood depended upon bringing home the ‘bacon’ for my market stall customers in due course. As such, I’ve always been a great believer in using the best glass available to get the job done, and 90% of that job was/is finding the deer in its habitat, and ageing/sexing it correctly.
Upon receiving my NL Pure glasses, I checked them on a late summer evening back to back with all my other glasses (9 pairs); the colour rendition of the Zeiss 8/56 was marginally better when viewing the roe doe I’d been viewing at 800yards became impossible due to the fading light, well beyond the time (1030) when most would have already been back at the vehicle, and five minutes before I would have been still able to clearly discern the deer‘s orientation and attitude (head up or down) with the 10x32 NL Pure glasses.
Having had something of an interest in good optical performance both professionally and recreationally over my adult life, I have taken every opportunity to look through as many pairs of glasses as possible over the years as they’ve arisen, with guests and friends as well as others. As such I’ve been very fortunate, but I’ve not been easily impressed. Swarovski’s 8.5x42 EL were an eye opener, though I’ve never owned a pair; the same company’s 10x42 EL range were frankly something of a disappointment optically, though I’m sure the LRF was useful for many, to myself the deterioration in optical performance detracted from the pleasure in their using; the Leica glasses (new shape) overcame this, but at the cost of increased bulk and that incessant weight. Many others merit honourable mention, it is sure, but for me, personally speaking, your dilemma comes down to this: which colour to choose…
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His & hers, the only remaining conundrum!
