Vortex diamondback binoculars

[Slaughtermanste]

Hi all I'm hoping for some real advice here, what are the vortex diamondback 8x42 or 10x42 like at last light?
Compared to the major brands such as zeiss and swarovski?

Cheers

Steve

 

[Farmer_J]

I have a pair of 10x50 swaros from the early 90s I also have the diamondbacks in 10x42. I can certainly tell a difference with the contrast and last light capabilities, edge to edge focus etc the swaros being better obviously, but probably not £1k better.
I like the fact that I can literally chuck the vortex’s in the truck, crawl through the crappiest of brush, hedge and mud whilst not worrying too much about the binos. Also the lifetime warranty is perfect for putting the mind at ease if something were to get broken.

 

[Koenig]

I am a long-term user and proponent of Vortex DB’s having had a pair of 10x50’s in continuous use since 2013. They are good binoculars and great value for money. It’s difficult to answer the OP’s question because it depends on use and the individual users eyesight. I shoot mainly 100-150m southern woodland margin deer in the main at first and last light. I would say my DBs are just about good enough for what I do. One thing I am unsure of is how much better the newer HD and even UHD lens covering offerings are over my old (but well looked after pair). All the higher end binos I’ve tried have been better than my DBs but most only very marginally to my eyes anyway.

 

[Slaughtermanste]

Thank you very much guys

 

[nun_hunter]

I have the 8X42 Diamondbacks and I've used the 10X42 Razor HD.

I found the 10X42 HD gave a crisper image on high contrast scenery.(looking at targets, signs, writing etc) but caused me eye strain when using for more than a few minutes. Also I found it harder to focus on more camouflaged items in woodland, especially parts of deer behind foliage etc. I went back to using the cheaper 8X42 Diamondbacks and much prefer them.

Regarding last light performance, they are a vast improvement on the MK1 eyeball. I can think about giving up because I can't see where the field ends and the trees start but then looking through the binos and it's like I've wound the clock back 30 minutes. I'm sure an extra £1k on some Swaros would give me another 10 minutes on this but where my ability and opinion sit is that already with the Diamondback's I can see more than I could with the naked eye and so if a deer runs off I'm pretty stuffed as finding it without thermal/dog would be next to impossible. I've done tracking with a torch and it's not fun especially when the deer turn and run into the woods where it's already much darker.

 

[Andy morton]

Personally can’t fault my 8x42s for what I use them for , superb value for money with a guarantee that’s one of the best there is

 

[sako85708]

I find my 8 x 42 Diamondbacks great at last light and with my welders eyesight no different to a friends swaro's .They seem to be about the same as my S & B 8 x 56 scope and best of all the money I saved over a pair of Swaro's I brought a pulsar thermal !!.

 

[spannulman]

Much the same for me. I have 8x42 diamondbacks and have used a keepers swarovskis on the same outing. The only difference my eyes could tell was the edges of the ‘circle’ you look at.

In my vortex binos if I move my eyes to the outer edge of the field of view it is slightly less focussed and has a purple ish faint tinge. If I do the same with my swaro or S&B scopes the image is sharp all across the field of view.

But for £150 ( I think that’s what I paid) they are great. In practical use I don’t think there’s £1-2000 worth of difference. I’d love a pair of swarovskis, the captive lens covers would be nice which the vortex lack. Bit when I’m using them as a bipod on gravel or mud I am pleased they cost a fraction of the Swarovski.

A friend has the £500 HD vortex with a different rubber coating and better lenses. Those are on a par with fancy glasses and he was sent those when he sent his old pair off for repair after dropping them. Honestly, he dropped and dinged the pair he had, which were the higher level model than diamondbacks but were ten years old perhaps. They sent back a brand new pair of the equivalent model with a khaki ‘binocular bra’ carrying case. You can’t fault the warranty.

 

[Slaughtermanste]

Think my mind is made up thanks all

 

[tattie]

Just got a pair of Vortex Crossfire 12x50s and they are pretty good.

I thought about the 10x50s but these were not much more and are still a reasonable size.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Bonkers value for money

Even at last light they are worth putting against much much more expensive ones

Giving customers a daylight comparison between the DBs and a pair of 8x32 SLCs very few people claimed they could see a difference
Last light will always be where premium glass and advanced coatings come into their own

 

[norcan]

I have the 8X42 Diamondbacks and I've used the 10X42 Razor HD.

I found the 10X42 HD gave a crisper image on high contrast scenery.(looking at targets, signs, writing etc) but caused me eye strain when using for more than a few minutes. Also I found it harder to focus on more camouflaged items in woodland, especially parts of deer behind foliage etc. I went back to using the cheaper 8X42 Diamondbacks and much prefer them.

This makes me suspect that the collimation is a bit off; could be worth checking the barrel alignment and getting it sorted under warranty if that’s the issue.

 

[nun_hunter]

This makes me suspect that the collimation is a bit off; could be worth checking the barrel alignment and getting it sorted under warranty if that’s the issue.

It was the same with multiple pairs (issued at work) but felt like there was almost too much detail so harder to concentrate. Similar when looking at ultra high Def TV compared to the softer image of Hollywood movies.

 

[norcan]

Huh — well I’ll be damned, then.

 

[Steff]

Stalkers are a breed of their own. They spend thousands of pounds on thermals knowing that they'll have obsolete technology in their hands five years ahead. Similarly they are willing to splash out considerable money for Leica and Swaro binons with range finders and ballistic calculators. This in light of the fact that it is not a question of if but when the electronics will fail and a repair will often not be possible, not even for good money.
At the same time they swear by the cheapest of optics for classic binoculars which could potentially last them a lifetime.

My rational is the opposite. I buy the best bins there are but keep my pockets tight on the electronic stuff.

 

[norcan]

Stalkers are a breed of their own. They spend thousands of pounds on thermals knowing that they'll have obsolete technology in their hands five years ahead. Similarly they are willing to splash out considerable money for Leica and Swaro binons with range finders and ballistic calculators. This in light of the fact that it is not a question of if but when the electronics will fail and a repair will often not be possible, not even for good money.
At the same time they swear by the cheapest of optics for classic binoculars which could potentially last them a lifetime.

My rational is the opposite. I buy the best bins there are but keep my pockets tight on the electronic stuff.

Same here; optics are a perfect example of a mature technology that keeps its value over the long term.

I find that money spent on a useful non-electronic item which requires high-quality materials and skilled labour to produce is seldom wasted. Even better if it's low-maintenance and doesn't take up a ton of space.

 

[NickJ]

I find that there is a big difference between the cheaper Vortex i.e. Diamondback and the higher end i.e. Viper models.

I bought a pair 8x30 Diamondback's for Africa and they are pretty crap. I have looked through a pair of Vipers upsides my Swarovski ELs at dawn and they were not far off.

Most modern binos will last a lifetime so I'd rather spend the money on better used than new

 

[Cawdor118]

I had a look through what was basically the whole range of Vortex a few weeks ago in multiple power and objective configurations. Triumph, Crossfire, Diamondback, Viper, Razor and Fury. It will probably come as little surprise that the most expensive offerings were the best, however the Diamondbacks were a real surprise in both clarity and build quality.

I have owned multiple top end optics in Swarovski EL Range, SLC and the newer type Zeiss RFs. Having seen what I seen, if I was to start over again, I would probably go Vortex Razor and a RF hand held... or would I go Fury? I'm actually not 100% sure. They were so good too. Though the Furys are a little cumbersome.

Vortex Warranty - the bloke handed me a molten block of Magnesium from a car fire and the binos had been replaced on that alone. How any company can make money on a £120 pair of binos with an unlimited lifetime warranty is mind blowing. But they do it.

 

[NickJ]

I had a look through what was basically the whole range of Vortex a few weeks ago in multiple power and objective configurations. Triumph, Crossfire, Diamondback, Viper, Razor and Fury. It will probably come as little surprise that the most expensive offerings were the best, however the Diamondbacks were a real surprise in both clarity and build quality.

I have owned multiple top end optics in Swarovski EL Range, SLC and the newer type Zeiss RFs. Having seen what I seen, if I was to start over again, I would probably go Vortex Razor and a RF hand held... or would I go Fury? I'm actually not 100% sure. They were so good too. Though the Furys are a little cumbersome.

Vortex Warranty - the bloke handed me a molten block of Magnesium from a car fire and the binos had been replaced on that alone. How any company can make money on a £120 pair of binos with an unlimited lifetime warranty is mind blowing. But they do it.

If I was to replace my Swaro EL RF I would go Vortex RF for the lifetime warranty, Swaro only 3 years on electrics
I found with RF binos I use the RF the whole time, when I had a separate RF I didn't use it half of the time as didn't have time. But yes, I can see the benefit of having a separate RF albeit with binos, thermal and an RF I'd need full-on Delta Force webbing...

 

[25 Sharps]

I had a look through what was basically the whole range of Vortex a few weeks ago in multiple power and objective configurations. Triumph, Crossfire, Diamondback, Viper, Razor and Fury. It will probably come as little surprise that the most expensive offerings were the best, however the Diamondbacks were a real surprise in both clarity and build quality.

I have owned multiple top end optics in Swarovski EL Range, SLC and the newer type Zeiss RFs. Having seen what I seen, if I was to start over again, I would probably go Vortex Razor and a RF hand held... or would I go Fury? I'm actually not 100% sure. They were so good too. Though the Furys are a little cumbersome.

Vortex Warranty - the bloke handed me a molten block of Magnesium from a car fire and the binos had been replaced on that alone. How any company can make money on a £120 pair of binos with an unlimited lifetime warranty is mind blowing. But they do it.

Melted Magnesium from a car fire ? The same metal they have on flint and steel blocks because it’s is very flammable and burns really hot!

Agree though the warranty is very good, that said the eye cups have come unstuck on both my pairs, first we’re replaced for that reason, second pair I just stuck electrical tape around them to keep them on. Might replace one day