Zeiss did provide me with longer eyecups at no charge for my Conquest hd 8x42. This made them flawless. I would think that vignetting due to somewhat short eyecups was something they had fixed on newer models. This is the only flaw that these had. Thanx for good group tests.
As an eyeglass wearer I look first and foremost at eye relief. I went with Pentax as it ran $700, 21mm eye relief, sharpness across the field was fantastic, nice locking mechanism in the diopter etc. Check them out at some time.
How about mentioning where the binocs are manufactured? Many of us don’t want to touch anything made in China so this would help us in our purchase decisions. Thank you for the great reviews!
Hey there! I personally would take the Athlon overall, but the Tract was better in low light. The Athlon was better in edge to edge clarity though. Thanks for watching!
I strongly urge you to at least look through a Cronus UHD Gen 2 first because they make you feel dizzy and nauseated so be sure to buy from return friendly places
I actually went through 3 Athlon Cronus UHD Gen 2s and kept the one that made me feel the least nauseated but still something's up with their field flatteners that made me feel dizzy looking through them. I'd suggest trying the Vanguard Endeavor ED 2 and ED 4 and buy them both from Amazon and just keep the one you prefer and return the other for refund. I personally really hate chromatic aberration so the Tract Toric is out of the question for me. Also lookup ScoopX UHD they're better than the Cronus and won't Maje you feel dizzy or nauseated and can be bought for as cheap as $100 delivered. I've already compared the ScoopX UHDs to the CRONUS UHDs side by side many times and I was so disappointed in the Cronus based in their typical $399-$499 selling price. Don't let the cheap price if the ScoopX fool you, they're actually pretty close to the Vortex Razor HD and Nikon Monarch HG in optical clarity and clearer than the Viper HD and Monarch M7 and most other Binoculars under $600.
Man these reviews have been great! I'm due for a new pair of binos, as my old Nikon 10x42 Monarchs are beat up from about 20 years of hunting. I really like the Zeiss Conquest, just need to try some out to see if they have sufficient eye relief for my eye glasses.
Thanks man! Appreciate that! Glad they've been helpful. There are so many great options out there these days....it can be tough to figure out what works best. Definitely try to get your hands on some and try them out if possible!
I can understand if you don't want to mention price because it varies from day to day, but the warranty is an important consideration and information would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.
Thanks James! Yeah warranty is a factor as well. I believe all of these have some form of a lifetime warranty, but some are better than others. Is there a particular brand you are wondering about? Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit I’m still going through the process of selection and reviews like your do a lot to help me eliminate some contenders and add some more. Your reviews are a big help. Thanks.
@@thom3321 absolutely James and glad the reviews are helpful! Feel free to drop any questions you have and definitely check out our big review with 26 pairs and all the rankings! Here's the link to that review: backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
I find that when comparing my Meopta Meoprp Air with my Vortex Diamondback (latest model), the Diamondback is at least as good in low light (maybe a little better). The over all image quality of the Meopta is a little better than the Diamond backs. I think that for anyone that needs a light weight and money an issue, get the Diamond backs! Feild of view is noticibly better in the Meopta. On my scale without lense caps Meopta = 28.5 oz, Diamondbacks =21.5 oz. I really like that the Meopta Air has the objective lenses set far back in, gonna take some real bad luck to reach them to reach them for a scratch /damage. And as mentioned the Meopta focusing is top notch/precise. (both 10x42)
El meopta meopro Air es muy superior al vortex diamondback tiene cristal FL y una transmisión de luz del 99"70 % cosa que el vortex Diamond back no llega ni al 85 %😊
@advmotorrad hey! Each of those companies offers a variety of models, so it would depend on the model, but general id probably lean towards the GPO in that $1000 price point. Thanks for watching!
@@406life thanks Matt! Appreciate that! We didn't test that model...tried to keep this test in the 42mm range, so planning to do a 56mm range review in the ear future! Those should definitely be in that review! Thanks!
Just re-watched your review! For the Zeiss Conquest, are you using an older model? Zeiss told me they corrected the short eye cup issue 3 years ago with the newer, extended length eye cups on the Conquest line, so eye relief should no longer be an issue with the Conquest.
The conquest hd has too much eye relief and that's why you have to hold them further away. Not sure if you made a mistake and just said it wrong, just wanted to point that out. Great vid and keep it up!!!
Let me correct a bit: there is no too long eye relief, only too short. If the eye relief feels too long, the problem is that the eyecups are not properly designed.
This was a very good comparison of binoculars, but not including Nikon was a huge omission. Your comparison would have been excellent but excluding Nikon was a huge mistake.
Thanks Chuck. Yeah, there were a number of others we were hoping to include, Nikon being one of them,, but didn't get them all in there. Hopefully next time. Thanks for watching!
I too was really wanting to see the Monarch HG. It’s one of the major players at this price point. I have a pair of them and the Conquest HD. I much prefer the Nikon, but I will concede that the Zeiss gives a slightly brighter image. Under 98% of conditions it’s not even noticeable and that’s probably overstating it. The only time I’ve ever noticed is when I had them both out right at the end of the day and kept going back and forth between them. The Nikon has a much larger FOV, the eye relief issue is not present, edge to edge clarity is comparable (which is an accomplishment given the much larger FOV), and the Nikon has a locking diopter. The Nikon is also a better handling binocular by far (somewhat subjective, I know), and is one of the best looking designs in several years (definitely subjective). The objective lens cover design is quite clever, I think. They’re done in such a way that should please those who require them and those who don’t want them at all. And either way the bino looks sleek and not like the covers were an afterthought.
@@BackwoodsPursuit awesome! I’m thinking of picking up a pair of those or the Zeiss conquest hd’s. Do you think Zeiss are still on top in this price range?
Did the Zeiss Conquest HD binoculars have the new updated extended eye cups? I’ve read that Zeiss extended the length and improved the durability to address previous complaints.
Hey there! We did end up getting some extended eye cups for the Zeiss....and yes, they are much better! You can check out our full detailed review of the Zeiss Conquest here if you'd like: backwoodspursuit.com/zeiss-conquest-hd-10x42-review/ Thanks for watching!
I played with Binos at the store and couldn't find a big enough difference to justify hundreds more between cheaper vortexes to the more expensive Leupolds. I have ordered some Mavens and may try some other because now Im curious. Seems like the improvements are marginal but the margins cost a ton...much like Canon photography lenses. I have a few that were $3k+.
Hey there! Yeah, it is nearly impossible to see the difference between a $500 pair and a $3000 pair in a store. You'll absolutely notice the difference out in the field in low light and glassing for long periods of time and at greater distances though. Thanks for watching!
Most definitely, binos perform tons better outdoors and in the field testing. I have Swarovskis SLCs and bx4 pro guides both seem really crisp indoors but take them outside its just another lvl.
Hmm...probably not. Optically they just didn't quite do as well as others in low light, and edge to edge clarity wasn't nearly as good as some of others unfortunately. That ranking was more of an overall performance, with the most weight put on optical performance. The Trinovids were amazing in color rendition and color contrast though! I'm sure I'll catch grief for saying that, but we had them side by side on tripods for many hours in lots of lighting conditions to come to that conclusion.
@@BackwoodsPursuit Ok, my 10x42 Trinovids do have a small amount of play in the focus wheel, something i normally am sensitive to,guess I subconsiously forgave because of other good qualities.
No locking diopter is good I think. On these expensive binocs it wont move on you. Can make fine adjustments, no inbetween thing, also less to ever go bad.
Yeah, as long as the diopter is stiff enough to not move, I don't mind it not locking. However, there were a few of these that were super loose and moved way too easily (the Zeiss and Leica). Depending on the user, some like the diopter locking, some don't. Thanks for watch!
@@taimurchoudhry. thanks! We actually just completed a huge rangefinder bino review! Here's the link to that one: backwoodspursuit.com/11-best-rangefinder-binoculars-for-hunting/
Question on the article, I noticed in the video the Razor HD is put 3rd ahead of the meopro air but in the article it seems flipped. Which is the true rankings? Also - how do they compare? It seems the meopro air has a lot going for it, especially the almost zero eye strain, edge to edge clarity, and low light performance. Thanks
Hey there and sorry for the confusion. The Meopta Meopro Air scored better than the Razors overall. Some folks prefered the Razors over the Meopta, but the score totals gave the Meopta the edge. Thanks for watching!
Are the newest Meostar B1 Plus 8x42 "HD" (fluoride lenses)? Or not "HD" (no fluoride lenses)? As far as I know, the Meostar B1 Plus 10x42 and higher magnifications yes, they are all "HD". But what about the 8x42?
Hey there! I would need to double check.with Meopta to be sure. Their website doesn't say, so a phone call might be in order to be sure. Thanks for watching!
Can I ask how the meopro air had great eye cup, best edge to edge and towards the top in low light and clarity but was beat by vortex? Serious question not judging.
Hey there Randy! I realized after the video was published that I mistakenly had them out of order in the video. Basically the Meopro Air and the Razor HD should be flip flopped....with the Meopro Air ranking higher than the Razor HD. Here is the full review article for reference with the weighted scoring. Thanks for watching! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
I just re-watched you great, detailed review! I am seriously considering the Kowa Genesis and you are saying the big con is the thicker eyecups than you need to have all the way turned on to get the full view. Of the dozens upon dozens of the online reviews for the Kowa, I cant seem to find any mention at all of too thick eye cups, so I a just wondering what your group is see that others dont.
Hey there! That's for the comment. I can't speak for the other reviews, but we just found that for some of us (not all), we couldn't get a full field of view with the eye cups rolled out because the edges were too thick. That, of course, is dependant on each person's facial structure, so you may or may not have that issue. It wasn't a deal break though either way. The eye cups are very well made though. Thanks for watching!
My Lecia trinivide 10x42 (same model as yours) the diopter adjustment is fine , never move on you. Also the focus wheel on mine has zero play, very precise. Just wish they were about 23 oz instead of 26. Edge to edge on mine seems very good. Bought mine about 4 years ago. I have many binocs and the Lecia to me has no eye strain ,just very very good? Maybe they are going down hill?
I ordered the 10x42 tract UHD and took them hunting, I sent them back the image was good and I didn't notice that great of a edge fall off but I didn't really like them in low light I thought the Leupold bx4 was better in low light and the image quality and sharpness was just as good in the bx4. The tract did do noticably better when looking into the sun, I was surprised how well it controlled the light, the bx4 are really good looking into the sun but the tract was even better. I also had my new pair of 15x56 bx5s with me compared to the tract the bx5 was a tad brighter even with the smaller exit pupil, I'm guessing because of the AK prisms.
@@commonsense5709 absolutely, The only 12 power binocular I've ever looked through is the 12 power BX4s that I owned in the past. I sold them and went on the hunt for a good 10 power. If you have somebody that you could compare binoculars with you can order the tractor and if you're not pleased with it you could send it back but I think it's about $20 if I remember correctly to send them back. If you have the extra funds or if you wanted to save up and you want a smaller pair of binoculars I looked through a pair of Swarovski CL companions they're excellent. Somebody shared them with me one day when we were out hunting and then I believe it was a few months later I found a pair on macari for $800 and I hesitated and they sold before I could buy them I believe brand new there about $1,200 before tax You could find them for, but if you keep looking you might be able to find somebody selling them for cheaper and just be careful not to get scammed. The CL companion requires a scrap mount for the tripod it doesn't have a screw in adaption. But you may be able to find the 12 power BX4 used and those were great for me nice and clear tac sharp at the time when I own them I was running them beside a pair of 20 power kaibabs I ended up selling the 20 power kaibabs and getting the 15 power BX5 so it didn't make sense for me to keep the 12 power BX for it was just too close of a power difference that's why I started looking for a smaller pair.
@@commonsense5709 I now own a pair of 9x45 Maven b2's and run them together with the 15 power BX5, I'm thinking about selling the b2 and purchasing the CL companion, The mavens are great they're just heavy but then again a something like the tractoric 10 power was too light for me and it was shaky the same with the BX4 10x42 that I currently own those are light for me and shaky, so I know the CL companion will be shaky when hand holding but I do most of my glassing off a tripod I only really handhold when I'm walking. The sweet spot for me was really that 12 power BX4 it felt perfect to hold not too heavy not too light. Right now I own the pair of 10x42 BX4s and a pair of 8x42 BX2s and a pair of 10x42 BX2s those three are the pairs that my kids use but they're all great glass. I went down a deep dark binocular rabbit hole.
@@marke.8334 Have an eye out the on the Kowa 554 15-45x lightweight spotting scope. It's really lightweight at only 28oz IIRC and I prefer a variable zoom instead of having to buy several different fixed magnification binoculars and plan to use a tripod anyway.
I watched your video and read the reviews on your website again and have narrowed my choices down to the Meopta Meopro Air and Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42. I was considering the GPO, but the CA and low light brightness are a dealbreaker. Have you continued using these two binoculars I’m considering and if so, what are your final thoughts on the two? I’d appreciate any further information.
Thank you, Arch! I'd say I slight prefer the Zeiss as hey are overall better optically (as long as you get the extended eye cups for them). Although, I much preferred some of the features of the Meopro Air. Optically though, I preferred the Conquest HD. Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit I have a couple of Meopro riflescopes, which are very clear. I like Meopta, but the Conquest HD has been around longer and has more positive comments and reviews. It’s also available nearby at SW. The extended eye cups are a plus as well. Thanks and have a great day!
Have you had the chance to get ahold of the Maven B.2s yet? I ju ya at ordered the B5 12x56s and not sure I made the right choice but due to availability and other reviews decided to try them.
Nice! If you had to choose between the GPO Passion HD and the Meopta MeoPro Air, which would you pick as far as build quality, ergonomics and optical quality? Thanks!
Oh man ..that's a l close one! I'd say the Meopta MeoPro Air has the edge in ergonomic feel, eye cups, and edge to edge clarity. They just feel better in hand. However, the GPO slightly out performed them on our group testing. Here's that full detailed review if interested! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/ If I was picking between the two, I guess I'd have to go with the GPO...but man it's so close. The Meopta have a lot that I like about them better (better in the chromatic aberration, better focus mechanism, better eye cups), but the GPO were a little more crisp optically overall. Can't go wrong either way!
Great question! The Athlon compared quite well against this higher price bracket! I didn't include them in this video to keep with the $1k price point, but here are the results in how they ranked vs the whole field of 26 that we tested! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
I loved this video series you did. I ended up going with the athlon Cronus from the budget video. I think it would be helpful to point out that the Athlon Cronus at $450 beat five of these optics on your overall top to bottom ranking
Thanks for the feedback and glad the series was helpful! That Athlon Cronus is fantastic and tough to beat given its price point. Enjoy and thanks for watching!
Hey there! Maven makes some great optics and are really well built. They stand behind their products as well, and they typically perform very well optically. Not the best in our testing, but they are excellent. Hope that helps!
The Leupold BX 5 is the same binocular as the Zulu 7, both made by Kamakura,they have exactly the same specs, same optical construction,just diferent exterior!
Do you have any actual confirmation of this or are you just comparing specs? I don’t disagree that both are made by Kamakura. But kamakura makes a TON of binoculars for Leupold, sig, maven, etc but the spec builds are different for each. Kamakura makes the bx4 and bx5 - the glass is the same but the build is different which improves contrast, edge to edge clarity etc.
@@thebootbowhunting7413 Im certain of this, i have a binocular store,the binocular is also sold by companies like Opticron the model is DBA VHD and DD Optics HDS series, of course there can be some differences in coating but the optical construction is the same!
Hey there! Yeah, there were several that we didn't get in there unfortunately but wanted to. We tried to include as many as we could, but obviously didn't get them all. Thanks for watching!
Not sure why I'm watching this since I bought the Nikon Monarch HGs last year. They are great. Locking diopter, extremely lightweight, comfortable with a stud for tripod mount. Downside would be edge to edge clarity, not as good as the vortex or the zeiss. I never looked through the GPO so I can't say how they compare. Don't see many hunters using Nikon stuff but I really like them! Awesome content 👍
Interesting how some reviewers see different aberration levels. I wonder sometimes how much is the optics makeup of glass and coatings and the reviewers own eyes and how that optics train effects them. Or is it a unit to unit quality control issue. Through my owning & testing of a few of these my conclusions was different. Tried Trinovids , way to much CA for $1000. I sold my conquest for the GPO, less CA, much better quality feel and eye cups about as good as it gets. On 8x I had conquest in 32, Kowa genesis 33, and Nikon MHG 42. Kept the latter 2, conquest 1st to go. And this is from a former Zeiss fan boy.
@@Paultricounty yeah, it's definitely interesting how different folks point out and rank the same bino differently. Most of the rankings were fairly consistent with our group of volunteers, but sometimes there was quite the variation of opinions on the exact same bino pointed at the exact same object lol!
@@Paultricounty Want ask some: 1. Why are you wanted to sell Conquest HD 8x32? Is it worse than Kowa Genesis 8x33? 2. Nikon Monarch HG 10x42 vs Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42 - which would you buy and why???
@@АндрейГан-к8з all three excellent top of the line upper mid grade binos. Optically all about the same. The Kowa 8x33 is best for CA correction, the Zeiss conquest 42 are the brightest of the three, and are built very tough as is the Kowa. The Nikons have a more elegant build quality to them not necessarily any better end have a warmer image quality to them. The Nikon‘s are one of the lightest 42 mm binoculars on the market. I’d like to add that the one complaint many people have on the Conquest are the eyecups, they are not on the same level of the rest of the Binocular and are the worst in that area of any Binocular down to $500.
Were any Steiner binoculars considered for your review? I have some Steiner AF binoculars but am looking for a 10x42 or a 15x56. The HX series are around 1k. Thanks for the thorough review! Subscribed!
Francis Barton 0 seconds ago SEVERELY DISAPPOINTED IN ATHLON CRONUS UHD G2 . Apparently the G2 are replacing the ones tested and they are supposed to be even better than the ones tested in 500 dollar and under video and if you read the full review they are better than 50%of these binoculars at 1000 and under . I only use binoculars for hunting and the only 2 things that I care about are clarity and low light performance. So how did they compare to my old binoculars the Yukon Gear APX Roof Prism Fully Multi Coat Binoculars at 150 Canadian dollars or approx 120 US dollars . 3 of us tested these while hunting looking at a tree line from 100 yards too 600 yards . During full light and 15mins after legal shooting daylight . 2 of us couldn’t tell any difference and 1 preferred the Yukon’s. So one of 3 things are happening here. 1.Yukon’s are really good? 2 They use the exact same lens ? 3 .There is very little difference between 300 dollar and 1000 dollar and under in performance in these 2 categories? If you read the full review the Athlon Cronus where better than 50% of the binoculars at 1000 and under. My advice to anyone buying binoculars for hunting? If you can’t afford the best then buy the cheap ones because there is probably not much difference between cheap and 1000 and under in clarity and low light performance.
So where would the Athlon cronus G2 binos fit in this lineup? In the $500 video you mentioned that a people were preferring them over some of the binos in this price range.
Hey Brian! Check-out the more detailed review over on the website for all the details and where each of them rank top to bottom. Here's that link for you:. backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/ Thanks for watching!
@@inkandbarrel thanks! Yeah, they ranked well in the overall ranking (including all 26 we tested), which is impressive being that they were in the lowest price category! Thanks for watching!
Hey Joseph! Hmm...that's a great question. I guess that would depend on your budget and how painful that extra $250 is. If it's not a big deal, I think you'd be glad you spent the extra. However, the Leupold are still great binoculars! Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit of course great video! Also I know you guys have a video on spotting scopes but if possible, do you think you can review the gold ring series by Leupold? I can't find quality videos (or any) on the GR 15-60x80 mm scope. Or any other GR series for that matter :/
@@BackwoodsPursuit Hey sorry i have one last request. Think you can compare the also Leupold SX-4 and SX-5? I can't find any descent comparisons on them and idk if the 5 is worth the extra $800 since the 4 seems to be loved for hunting. As for the GR series, I had a chance to check it out and my only issue, which was big in my opinion that you may notice too if you do review them, the focus ring is right in line with the zoom ring and trying to focus was a pain since it moved the scope a bit too much. it felt really stiff if that makes sense. thank you for your time and responses!
@@javarenas unfortunately, I have had the chance to test out the SX-4, so I'm not much help there. So many other spotters to try still lol! I can definitely see the focus ring being too stiff being a problem,. Same thing if the barrel focus is too stiff...moves the optic when fine tuning.
We are currently developing an Abbe Koenig 10x42 pair of binoculars. Let us know if there is anything specific you guys would like to see. Our goal with these is to create Alpha Glass Quality affordable optic for everyone. We already manufactured our first prototype and compared them in the field to the Razor UHDs, and ours are sharper. Further, ours will have the option to add filters onto the objective lens, which will be custom-made and sold separately. And yes, ours will be made in the US.
Hey there! That sounds exciting! Good luck in the developing and testing process with them. If they are meant to compete with the Alpha glass category, they'll need to have near perfect edge to edge clarity, and excellent field of view, phenomenal image resolution, amazing color contrast/rendition, and perform exceptionally well in low light. It's a tall order, but we are looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Keep us posted and thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit Since we will be using an Abbe Koenig Prism with a combination of fluorite, ED, and lanthanum glass, the low-light performance will be phenomenal. Drawings and rendering should be finished in 1-2 months and then we will start our first batch production. Would you be interested to test a unit once we have a presentable unit?
@PYTHON hey there! That's exciting and I be happy to check them out once you get them finished. Hit me up at that point and we'll figure out the details. Thanks!
I have a Conquest 10x42 HD but I don't like it. It's clear and at first glance very sharp, but if you start looking it's like looking through a magnifying glass. The sharpness is weak towards the edges.. I also have a Nikon 10x42 SE and it has perfect natural image quality and is really sharp from the edges ku kraj. I will sell Conquest and buy Meopta Meopro Air 10x42 HD because I saw a video where they compared Swarovski 10x42 EL and it had the same image quality.
I do a lot of deer hunting and you know low light condition is critical, which would you recommend for that, best low light condition and clarity for around $1000?
Absolutely.....low light is so important! The Zeiss Conquest and Meopta Meopro Air tied for the top spot in low light, but the Zeiss we're better in other optical performance areas, so I'd probably lean that way. Really liked the Meopro Air though. The GPO was no slouch either and we're super impressive all the way around. Eye cups of the GPO and Meopta we're both better than the Zeiss. Seems like there's always give and take lol!
@@reygarzajr7761 I haven't had the chance to test the Sig 3000 BDX, so I can't say on that. Typically though, you do give up image resolution and optical performance in rangefinding binos though. I will say, though that the Sig Zulu9s (they are in the next video after this one) were extremely impressive. Very very good pair of binos.
I like that the Leopold tripod screw is at the end of the binos I don’t notice more movement and it keeps yourself farther away the your tripod which is nice.
Fantastic review on binoculars. Thank you for the great content! Just curious if you had a chance to check out the Pentax ZD 10x43 ED? Their new Z series is supposed to be very good. Might be a good one to throw in the mix for a future review video. Pentax spotting scopes with ED glass are quite good so I'd think their binoculars would be too. So many choices in optics these days are great for the consumer but it makes choosing more difficult! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Robert! For sure... so many great options out there! I haven't had a chance to try those Pentax, but might have to. Thanks for the suggestion, and thanks for following the channel!
Yo tengo cinco prismáticos unos fujinon 16x70 unos. Fujinon 8x42 unos steiner Wildlife 8x44 unos vanguard endeivor Iv 10x42 y unos Zeiss victory 8x32 y estoy pensando comprar los meopta meopro Air porque dicen que tienen una transmisión de luz del 99"70 y están a 729 euros los 10x42 y te quería preguntar que tan buenos son los meopta que estoy interesado en comprarme 😊
Hey! the Meopro Air are fantastic! They scored very well in our testing...check out the full results here: backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
Hey there and thanks for watching! The best performers in low light were the Zeiss Conquest and Meopta Meopro Air according to our group of testers and the average rankings. I encourage you to check out our in-depth article with a lot more details over on the website, and you can download the spreadsheet with each binoculars rankings for each category we tested. Here's the link. backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
I just bought the Leupold bx5 10x42 binoculars today for $450 bucks, I am hoping they are better than the Athlon? They should arrive in a few days. Great review.
@@johnnewcomb5162 nice I just purchased a pair of the 15s I had the 12 power bx4s and I sold them I thought that those were just as good as the razors I've looked through a pair of razor uhds so I'm hoping the bx5 will be on that level. I also just recently purchased the old Yellowstone binoculars that Leopold made for Costco I'm assuming they're essentially the bx2 I got a great price for $80 I got them for my kids and they're awesome I could tell a difference between them and the bx4s but if I was on a budget I would definitely buy the bx2 it's a great binocular for the price
@@marke.8334 They are very nice binoculars. We just put out our full review of the Santiam BX-5s, so feel free to check that out for all the details of like a and dislikes! backwoodspursuit.com/bx-5-leupold-santiam-binoculars-review/
I was sold on the Meopta Air until I went to their website. I cant find any warranty info on their website and I don’t think I would take a chance for that amount of money if they don’t clearly show what the warranty is.
Hey there! Meopta offers a 30 year transferable warranty, and you can find the details on their website via this link: www.meopta.com/en/extended-warranty/ Thanks for watching! Those Meopta Air are fantastic binos for sure!
No way the Tracks are 30% drop off at the edges, total BS. I have a pair and I did not noticed any drop offs. You didn't even say that the eye cups are made of steel and what other binos have that? Also they have a locking diopter, didnt say that either. Unreal.
Sorry we didn't cover all those aspects....there are a lot of things about all of them that didn't get touched on in the video, but tried to cover more details over on the website with the full review there. Tried to keep the videos to a reasonable time for folks. Thanks for watching though.
Out of all my binos I’ve had. Ergonomics, feel, looks, glass quality, low light capability when it’s hard to see. The bx-5 Santiam HD’s were the best for me. Comparing these to the Zeiss and the razor hd’s. Leupold all the way!
You think the brightness and color rendition of the picture in the BX 5 is on par with the conquest? I had the bx4s and I thought they were on par with the razor HD. I have a pair of BX 515x56 is on the way but I would like to look into the 10 or 8 power bx5s but people say they're the same thing as a bx4 optically, I don't see how that's possible
@@marke.8334 Hey there Mark! I'd recommend taking a look at our big bino review article where we ranked them all and went over their pros and cons I'm more detail than this video.... backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/ Short answer though is no, we didn't feel like the image of the BX5 was good as the Conquest HD. Thanks for watching!
Awesome thanks, I spoke with J at tract I think I'll try the toric schott UHD. He let me know that they're returnable for 30 days if they're not what I was expecting.
@@marke.8334 You bet Mark! Yeah, Tract makes really good optics! They were in that big review as well if you want to see what our team thought of them vs the field.
Well, there is a lot of work in these videos but nearly for nothing at all! Such a thing as "Best Binoculars under $1000" simply doesn't exist *objectively* (only subjectively). Therefore each consumer interested in a pair of binoculars out of this category should test them himself/herself! What one likes another dislikes and vice versa. It is as individual as buying a pair of shoes! 🤔
Hey there! Yeah, there are certainly some aspects that are very individual like you mentioned, so that's why we took an average value for the rankings, in order to find the most valuable ranking we could for folks. It was definitely interesting going through everyone's rankings and see one one person rank X binocular as #1 in a category while another person ranked the same binocular as, say #3 or #4. However, typically the rankings from each person had some consistency though. Such as,, the Zeiss, Meopta and GPO we're usually near where they ended up ranking in each category, from each reviewer, thus why their average ended up being higher. You can check out all those rankings over on the website if you'd like. backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/ Thanks for watching though!
Zeiss did provide me with longer eyecups at no charge for my Conquest hd 8x42. This made them flawless. I would think that vignetting due to somewhat short eyecups was something they had fixed on newer models. This is the only flaw that these had. Thanx for good group tests.
That's great to know...thanks for sharing!
They did the same for me, for free
did you have to pay for them?
@@sellstuff6701 No. Zeiss did provide me with new longer cups for free. I requested direct from zeiss. Not a store.
As an eyeglass wearer I look first and foremost at eye relief. I went with Pentax as it ran $700, 21mm eye relief, sharpness across the field was fantastic, nice locking mechanism in the diopter etc. Check them out at some time.
Will do and thanks for the recommendation! Thanks for watching!
Meopta is an amazing value!!! Really checks all the boxes!!!
Hey there James! Yeah, they are a great binocular for sure! Thanks for watching!
I would not make to much FUSS about “non locking” diopter!!! For 20 years it has not been a problem for me in real hard field use!
Hey James! Yeah, it's not a big deal as long as the diopter doesn't move too freely. Thanks for watching!
How about mentioning where the binocs are manufactured? Many of us don’t want to touch anything made in China so this would help us in our purchase decisions. Thank you for the great reviews!
Hey there and thanks for the suggestion! I'll make sure to include that going forward. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the time and effort to share your expertise.
Absolutely! Thanks for watching!
Love my GPO 8x42s!
@@GunsAndGrenache those are great binos! Thanks for watching!
I’m looking at the Athlon Cronus or the Tract Toric. Do you think the price difference is worth it?
Hey there! I personally would take the Athlon overall, but the Tract was better in low light. The Athlon was better in edge to edge clarity though. Thanks for watching!
I strongly urge you to at least look through a Cronus UHD Gen 2 first because they make you feel dizzy and nauseated so be sure to buy from return friendly places
I actually went through 3 Athlon Cronus UHD Gen 2s and kept the one that made me feel the least nauseated but still something's up with their field flatteners that made me feel dizzy looking through them.
I'd suggest trying the Vanguard Endeavor ED 2 and ED 4 and buy them both from Amazon and just keep the one you prefer and return the other for refund.
I personally really hate chromatic aberration so the Tract Toric is out of the question for me.
Also lookup ScoopX UHD they're better than the Cronus and won't Maje you feel dizzy or nauseated and can be bought for as cheap as $100 delivered. I've already compared the ScoopX UHDs to the CRONUS UHDs side by side many times and I was so disappointed in the Cronus based in their typical $399-$499 selling price. Don't let the cheap price if the ScoopX fool you, they're actually pretty close to the Vortex Razor HD and Nikon Monarch HG in optical clarity and clearer than the Viper HD and Monarch M7 and most other Binoculars under $600.
Man these reviews have been great! I'm due for a new pair of binos, as my old Nikon 10x42 Monarchs are beat up from about 20 years of hunting. I really like the Zeiss Conquest, just need to try some out to see if they have sufficient eye relief for my eye glasses.
Thanks man! Appreciate that! Glad they've been helpful. There are so many great options out there these days....it can be tough to figure out what works best. Definitely try to get your hands on some and try them out if possible!
I can understand if you don't want to mention price because it varies from day to day, but the warranty is an important consideration and information would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.
Thanks James! Yeah warranty is a factor as well. I believe all of these have some form of a lifetime warranty, but some are better than others. Is there a particular brand you are wondering about? Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit I’m still going through the process of selection and reviews like your do a lot to help me eliminate some contenders and add some more. Your reviews are a big help. Thanks.
@@thom3321 absolutely James and glad the reviews are helpful! Feel free to drop any questions you have and definitely check out our big review with 26 pairs and all the rankings! Here's the link to that review: backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
I find that when comparing my Meopta Meoprp Air with my Vortex Diamondback (latest model), the Diamondback is at least as good in low light (maybe a little better). The over all image quality of the Meopta is a little better than the Diamond backs. I think that for anyone that needs a light weight and money an issue, get the Diamond backs! Feild of view is noticibly better in the Meopta. On my scale without lense caps Meopta = 28.5 oz, Diamondbacks =21.5 oz. I really like that the Meopta Air has the objective lenses set far back in, gonna take some real bad luck to reach them to reach them for a scratch /damage. And as mentioned the Meopta focusing is top notch/precise. (both 10x42)
Thanks for sharing your experience!
El meopta meopro Air es muy superior al vortex diamondback tiene cristal FL y una transmisión de luz del 99"70 % cosa que el vortex Diamond back no llega ni al 85 %😊
Gpo ,meopta ,vortex, element,,, what should i chose
@advmotorrad hey! Each of those companies offers a variety of models, so it would depend on the model, but general id probably lean towards the GPO in that $1000 price point. Thanks for watching!
@BackwoodsPursuit thanks for suggetion will go for GPO thanks
@advmotorrad sounds good! Let me know how you like them!
@BackwoodsPursuit sure i wil
@advmotorrad thanks!
I love my Zeiss binoculars. Especially the victory line
Absolutely! Zeiss makes some great binos for sure!
@@BackwoodsPursuit good stuff on your channel. Did you guys test the king of low light binoculars in my opinion, Zeiss victory ht 10x54?
@@406life thanks Matt! Appreciate that!
We didn't test that model...tried to keep this test in the 42mm range, so planning to do a 56mm range review in the ear future! Those should definitely be in that review! Thanks!
Just re-watched your review! For the Zeiss Conquest, are you using an older model? Zeiss told me they corrected the short eye cup issue 3 years ago with the newer, extended length eye cups on the Conquest line, so eye relief should no longer be an issue with the Conquest.
Hey there! For this one we had the 2021 model, so they should have been the newer ones.
I don't think that is right. If you call Zeiss they will send you free set of extended eyecups. I went through this about a year ago.
Great information thanks
Absolutely! Thanks for watching
The conquest hd has too much eye relief and that's why you have to hold them further away. Not sure if you made a mistake and just said it wrong, just wanted to point that out. Great vid and keep it up!!!
Thanks for the heads up....I may have misspoken lol!
Appreciate that! Definitely a fun project to work on!
Let me correct a bit: there is no too long eye relief, only too short. If the eye relief feels too long, the problem is that the eyecups are not properly designed.
This was a very good comparison of binoculars, but not including Nikon was a huge omission. Your comparison would have been excellent but excluding Nikon was a huge mistake.
Thanks Chuck. Yeah, there were a number of others we were hoping to include, Nikon being one of them,, but didn't get them all in there. Hopefully next time. Thanks for watching!
I too was really wanting to see the Monarch HG. It’s one of the major players at this price point. I have a pair of them and the Conquest HD. I much prefer the Nikon, but I will concede that the Zeiss gives a slightly brighter image. Under 98% of conditions it’s not even noticeable and that’s probably overstating it. The only time I’ve ever noticed is when I had them both out right at the end of the day and kept going back and forth between them. The Nikon has a much larger FOV, the eye relief issue is not present, edge to edge clarity is comparable (which is an accomplishment given the much larger FOV), and the Nikon has a locking diopter. The Nikon is also a better handling binocular by far (somewhat subjective, I know), and is one of the best looking designs in several years (definitely subjective). The objective lens cover design is quite clever, I think. They’re done in such a way that should please those who require them and those who don’t want them at all. And either way the bino looks sleek and not like the covers were an afterthought.
Have you had a chance to check out the maven b1.2 yet?
Hey there! We are testing them now! Review to come after this fall hunting season. Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit awesome! I’m thinking of picking up a pair of those or the Zeiss conquest hd’s. Do you think Zeiss are still on top in this price range?
@noahoakley5894 I'm not sure just yet...I've got one of the team members out testing the B1.2s, so we'll see! Can't go wrong with the Zeiss though!
It's a pity you didn't also test the Nikon Nonarch HG 10x42
Yeah, there are a number of other binos that would have been great to include! Hopefully next time! Thanks for watching.
It probably would have ranked #1
@@commonsense5709 Nikon EDG is better than HG
Did the Zeiss Conquest HD binoculars have the new updated extended eye cups? I’ve read that Zeiss extended the length and improved the durability to address previous complaints.
Hey there! We did end up getting some extended eye cups for the Zeiss....and yes, they are much better! You can check out our full detailed review of the Zeiss Conquest here if you'd like: backwoodspursuit.com/zeiss-conquest-hd-10x42-review/
Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit I’ll visit your website again and reread the review. Thanks for the information and have a great holiday!
@@archstanton9703 thanks Arch and same to you!
I played with Binos at the store and couldn't find a big enough difference to justify hundreds more between cheaper vortexes to the more expensive Leupolds. I have ordered some Mavens and may try some other because now Im curious. Seems like the improvements are marginal but the margins cost a ton...much like Canon photography lenses. I have a few that were $3k+.
Hey there! Yeah, it is nearly impossible to see the difference between a $500 pair and a $3000 pair in a store. You'll absolutely notice the difference out in the field in low light and glassing for long periods of time and at greater distances though. Thanks for watching!
Most definitely, binos perform tons better outdoors and in the field testing. I have Swarovskis SLCs and bx4 pro guides both seem really crisp indoors but take them outside its just another lvl.
@joeversus7113 thanks for the insight!
Any information on the maven b1.2 yet?
Hey there! Not just yet...still working on the review/testing of them. Stay tuned!
Nice video, I'm trying to find out something on the Alpen rainier ed hd. It's hard to find a comparison.
Thanks for watching! Sorry...I don't have any experience with the Alpen Ranier, so can't really comment on that one.
Sounds to me that if you had my specimen of the Lecia Trinavid, it would have be in the top two?
Hmm...probably not. Optically they just didn't quite do as well as others in low light, and edge to edge clarity wasn't nearly as good as some of others unfortunately. That ranking was more of an overall performance, with the most weight put on optical performance. The Trinovids were amazing in color rendition and color contrast though! I'm sure I'll catch grief for saying that, but we had them side by side on tripods for many hours in lots of lighting conditions to come to that conclusion.
@@BackwoodsPursuit Ok, my 10x42 Trinovids do have a small amount of play in the focus wheel, something i normally am sensitive to,guess I subconsiously forgave because of other good qualities.
@@juliusb790 hear ya....that's hard not to do when you really like other parts of the optic!
I'm torn between the Meopta and the GPO, if you had to pick one for general nature use, which would you go with? Thanks
Hey there! I'd probably go with the GPO personally. Very close though. Thanks for watching!
No locking diopter is good I think. On these expensive binocs it wont move on you. Can make fine adjustments, no inbetween thing, also less to ever go bad.
Yeah, as long as the diopter is stiff enough to not move, I don't mind it not locking. However, there were a few of these that were super loose and moved way too easily (the Zeiss and Leica). Depending on the user, some like the diopter locking, some don't. Thanks for watch!
Why O! Why did you not test the Nikon Monarch HG in this bunch? Great Review by the way!
Hey there! We tried to get as many as we could, but obviously didn't get them all in the review. Hopefully next time. Thanks for watching!
Would love to see another review from you on binoculars with rangefinders as well. Thank you for the great content and have a lovely day.
@@taimurchoudhry. thanks! We actually just completed a huge rangefinder bino review! Here's the link to that one: backwoodspursuit.com/11-best-rangefinder-binoculars-for-hunting/
@@BackwoodsPursuit Oh! Great, thank you
@@taimurchoudhry. any time!
Question on the article, I noticed in the video the Razor HD is put 3rd ahead of the meopro air but in the article it seems flipped.
Which is the true rankings?
Also - how do they compare? It seems the meopro air has a lot going for it, especially the almost zero eye strain, edge to edge clarity, and low light performance.
Thanks
Hey there and sorry for the confusion. The Meopta Meopro Air scored better than the Razors overall. Some folks prefered the Razors over the Meopta, but the score totals gave the Meopta the edge. Thanks for watching!
Are the newest Meostar B1 Plus 8x42 "HD" (fluoride lenses)? Or not "HD" (no fluoride lenses)?
As far as I know, the Meostar B1 Plus 10x42 and higher magnifications yes, they are all "HD". But what about the 8x42?
Hey there! I would need to double check.with Meopta to be sure. Their website doesn't say, so a phone call might be in order to be sure. Thanks for watching!
The 8x32 do not have the better lenses.
Very nice and detailed! But looks like you have have the older Maven B.1, NOT the newer B1.2?
Thank you! Yes, the new B1.2 wasn't out yet when we did the testing for this, so we'll have to check those ones out! Thanks for watching!
Can I ask how the meopro air had great eye cup, best edge to edge and towards the top in low light and clarity but was beat by vortex? Serious question not judging.
Hey there Randy! I realized after the video was published that I mistakenly had them out of order in the video. Basically the Meopro Air and the Razor HD should be flip flopped....with the Meopro Air ranking higher than the Razor HD. Here is the full review article for reference with the weighted scoring. Thanks for watching!
backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
I just re-watched you great, detailed review! I am seriously considering the Kowa Genesis and you are saying the big con is the thicker eyecups than you need to have all the way turned on to get the full view. Of the dozens upon dozens of the online reviews for the Kowa, I cant seem to find any mention at all of too thick eye cups, so I a just wondering what your group is see that others dont.
Hey there! That's for the comment. I can't speak for the other reviews, but we just found that for some of us (not all), we couldn't get a full field of view with the eye cups rolled out because the edges were too thick. That, of course, is dependant on each person's facial structure, so you may or may not have that issue. It wasn't a deal break though either way. The eye cups are very well made though. Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit Ok, was just wondering! Thanks!
@@crimsonpearl4686 any time!
My Lecia trinivide 10x42 (same model as yours) the diopter adjustment is fine , never move on you. Also the focus wheel on mine has zero play, very precise. Just wish they were about 23 oz instead of 26. Edge to edge on mine seems very good. Bought mine about 4 years ago. I have many binocs and the Lecia to me has no eye strain ,just very very good? Maybe they are going down hill?
Interesting! I wonder if I just got a "bad" pair or something? Mine were new when I got them. Thanks for watching!
I’m extremely surprised with the ranking of the Leica on here… I would’ve thought they provided the best image out of the lot
@jackstraughan2652 yeah, we were surprised well. Certainly expected the same. Thanks for watching!
I ordered the 10x42 tract UHD and took them hunting, I sent them back the image was good and I didn't notice that great of a edge fall off but I didn't really like them in low light I thought the Leupold bx4 was better in low light and the image quality and sharpness was just as good in the bx4. The tract did do noticably better when looking into the sun, I was surprised how well it controlled the light, the bx4 are really good looking into the sun but the tract was even better. I also had my new pair of 15x56 bx5s with me compared to the tract the bx5 was a tad brighter even with the smaller exit pupil, I'm guessing because of the AK prisms.
Thanks for all the info on your experience! Appreciate you watching as well!
Very interesting to hear. I was actually thinking of buying a Tract Toric 12.5x model but now unsure.
@@commonsense5709 absolutely, The only 12 power binocular I've ever looked through is the 12 power BX4s that I owned in the past. I sold them and went on the hunt for a good 10 power. If you have somebody that you could compare binoculars with you can order the tractor and if you're not pleased with it you could send it back but I think it's about $20 if I remember correctly to send them back. If you have the extra funds or if you wanted to save up and you want a smaller pair of binoculars I looked through a pair of Swarovski CL companions they're excellent. Somebody shared them with me one day when we were out hunting and then I believe it was a few months later I found a pair on macari for $800 and I hesitated and they sold before I could buy them I believe brand new there about $1,200 before tax You could find them for, but if you keep looking you might be able to find somebody selling them for cheaper and just be careful not to get scammed. The CL companion requires a scrap mount for the tripod it doesn't have a screw in adaption. But you may be able to find the 12 power BX4 used and those were great for me nice and clear tac sharp at the time when I own them I was running them beside a pair of 20 power kaibabs I ended up selling the 20 power kaibabs and getting the 15 power BX5 so it didn't make sense for me to keep the 12 power BX for it was just too close of a power difference that's why I started looking for a smaller pair.
@@commonsense5709 I now own a pair of 9x45 Maven b2's and run them together with the 15 power BX5, I'm thinking about selling the b2 and purchasing the CL companion, The mavens are great they're just heavy but then again a something like the tractoric 10 power was too light for me and it was shaky the same with the BX4 10x42 that I currently own those are light for me and shaky, so I know the CL companion will be shaky when hand holding but I do most of my glassing off a tripod I only really handhold when I'm walking. The sweet spot for me was really that 12 power BX4 it felt perfect to hold not too heavy not too light. Right now I own the pair of 10x42 BX4s and a pair of 8x42 BX2s and a pair of 10x42 BX2s those three are the pairs that my kids use but they're all great glass. I went down a deep dark binocular rabbit hole.
@@marke.8334 Have an eye out the on the Kowa 554 15-45x lightweight spotting scope. It's really lightweight at only 28oz IIRC and I prefer a variable zoom instead of having to buy several different fixed magnification binoculars and plan to use a tripod anyway.
I have Conquest HD 8x42. I wear eyeglasses and for that they are great. But I understand the problem with eyecups not properly designed.
Yeah, I hear ya...great binos, but the eye cups could definitely be better!
Where do you think the Nikon Monarch HG would fit into this?
Man, that's one pair I wasn't able to find for this review, so I'm not sure. Sorry I can help with that.
The Nikon Monarch HG would have probably been ranked number one among these.
Is tract bright in low light like zeiss conquest?
Hey there! The Tract are super nice and bright. Not quite as good in low light as the Conquest, but very good. Thanks for watching!
I watched your video and read the reviews on your website again and have narrowed my choices down to the Meopta Meopro Air and Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42. I was considering the GPO, but the CA and low light brightness are a dealbreaker. Have you continued using these two binoculars I’m considering and if so, what are your final thoughts on the two? I’d appreciate any further information.
Thank you, Arch! I'd say I slight prefer the Zeiss as hey are overall better optically (as long as you get the extended eye cups for them). Although, I much preferred some of the features of the Meopro Air. Optically though, I preferred the Conquest HD. Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit I have a couple of Meopro riflescopes, which are very clear. I like Meopta, but the Conquest HD has been around longer and has more positive comments and reviews. It’s also available nearby at SW. The extended eye cups are a plus as well. Thanks and have a great day!
@@archstanton9703 any time Arch! Enjoy!
Que prismáticos son los que crees que son los mejores por calidad y precio😊
@carlosciurana293 hey there! Overall the value of the Athlon Cronus G2 binos is really tough to beat! Thanks for watching!
Yo creo que los vanguard endevor IV que tengo yo y me costaron 385 euros son superiores a los athon que me dices tu😂@@BackwoodsPursuit
@@BackwoodsPursuittienen una luminosidad del 92 % y por la noche se ven de maravilla😂
Have you had the chance to get ahold of the Maven B.2s yet? I ju ya at ordered the B5 12x56s and not sure I made the right choice but due to availability and other reviews decided to try them.
Hey Austin! I haven't had a chance to try the B.2s yet. I definitely need to though. Thanks for watching!
Nice! If you had to choose between the GPO Passion HD and the Meopta MeoPro Air, which would you pick as far as build quality, ergonomics and optical quality? Thanks!
Oh man ..that's a l close one! I'd say the Meopta MeoPro Air has the edge in ergonomic feel, eye cups, and edge to edge clarity. They just feel better in hand. However, the GPO slightly out performed them on our group testing. Here's that full detailed review if interested! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
If I was picking between the two, I guess I'd have to go with the GPO...but man it's so close. The Meopta have a lot that I like about them better (better in the chromatic aberration, better focus mechanism, better eye cups), but the GPO were a little more crisp optically overall. Can't go wrong either way!
@@BackwoodsPursuit Thanks! I think I will pull the trigger on the Meopta and let you know my thoughts!
@@crimsonpearl4686 sounds great! Please do let me know what you think once you get them!
if you dig deep Meopta makes or made ZIess conquest lenses.
Thanks for the info!
Athlon not able to compare to any of these or were they simply just not included to try to compare against these? thanks
Great question! The Athlon compared quite well against this higher price bracket! I didn't include them in this video to keep with the $1k price point, but here are the results in how they ranked vs the whole field of 26 that we tested! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
@@BackwoodsPursuit thanks a lot for the respons
@@jackle842000 absolutely!
I loved this video series you did. I ended up going with the athlon Cronus from the budget video. I think it would be helpful to point out that the Athlon Cronus at $450 beat five of these optics on your overall top to bottom ranking
Thanks for the feedback and glad the series was helpful! That Athlon Cronus is fantastic and tough to beat given its price point. Enjoy and thanks for watching!
ALL Athlon products are made in China- except for one of their rifle scopes. $lave labor is cheap.
What would you say makes Maven a cult favorite? Are they a good overall value? I’ve heard great things about 6x30 and 8x30.
Hey there! Maven makes some great optics and are really well built. They stand behind their products as well, and they typically perform very well optically. Not the best in our testing, but they are excellent. Hope that helps!
The Leupold BX 5 is the same binocular as the Zulu 7, both made by Kamakura,they have exactly the same specs, same optical construction,just diferent exterior!
Thanks for the info!
Do you have any actual confirmation of this or are you just comparing specs? I don’t disagree that both are made by Kamakura. But kamakura makes a TON of binoculars for Leupold, sig, maven, etc but the spec builds are different for each. Kamakura makes the bx4 and bx5 - the glass is the same but the build is different which improves contrast, edge to edge clarity etc.
@@thebootbowhunting7413 Im certain of this, i have a binocular store,the binocular is also sold by companies like Opticron the model is DBA VHD and DD Optics HDS series, of course there can be some differences in coating but the optical construction is the same!
@@ciureadaniel8927 $300 difference between the Zulu7s and BX-5s and the Zulu7 feels like a more well made optic. Thanks!
@@thebootbowhunting7413 You are welcome, i also like the look of the Zulu much better!
Would you recommend the gpo passion or leupold bx-4 for hunting? Thanks
Hey there! Between those, the GPO scored a little better in the testing done by our group. Thanks for watching!
Aren’t GPO’s made in China? Just a German company that outsourced company ?
@@winnon992 from what I can see, they are designed, engineered and do quality management in Germany, but manufactured in Japan.
Oh, Thanks, guess I was thinking about a less expensive model.
@@winnon992 any time!
It would be awesome if you would name the country of manufacture of each product you do videos on. Thanks!
Thanks for the recommendation! Appreciate you watching as well!
I am missing Nikon binoculars. Is there a reason for that? Thanks.
Hey there! Yeah, there were several that we didn't get in there unfortunately but wanted to. We tried to include as many as we could, but obviously didn't get them all. Thanks for watching!
Not sure why I'm watching this since I bought the Nikon Monarch HGs last year. They are great. Locking diopter, extremely lightweight, comfortable with a stud for tripod mount. Downside would be edge to edge clarity, not as good as the vortex or the zeiss. I never looked through the GPO so I can't say how they compare. Don't see many hunters using Nikon stuff but I really like them! Awesome content 👍
Haha...I hear ya.... These reviews can be dangerous lol.
Thanks for watching!
Interesting how some reviewers see different aberration levels. I wonder sometimes how much is the optics makeup of glass and coatings and the reviewers own eyes and how that optics train effects them. Or is it a unit to unit quality control issue. Through my owning & testing of a few of these my conclusions was different. Tried Trinovids , way to much CA for $1000. I sold my conquest for the GPO, less CA, much better quality feel and eye cups about as good as it gets. On 8x I had conquest in 32, Kowa genesis 33, and Nikon MHG 42. Kept the latter 2, conquest 1st to go. And this is from a former Zeiss fan boy.
@@Paultricounty yeah, it's definitely interesting how different folks point out and rank the same bino differently. Most of the rankings were fairly consistent with our group of volunteers, but sometimes there was quite the variation of opinions on the exact same bino pointed at the exact same object lol!
@@Paultricounty Want ask some:
1. Why are you wanted to sell Conquest HD 8x32? Is it worse than Kowa Genesis 8x33?
2. Nikon Monarch HG 10x42 vs Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42 - which would you buy and why???
@@АндрейГан-к8з all three excellent top of the line upper mid grade binos. Optically all about the same. The Kowa 8x33 is best for CA correction, the Zeiss conquest 42 are the brightest of the three, and are built very tough as is the Kowa. The Nikons have a more elegant build quality to them not necessarily any better end have a warmer image quality to them. The Nikon‘s are one of the lightest 42 mm binoculars on the market. I’d like to add that the one complaint many people have on the Conquest are the eyecups, they are not on the same level of the rest of the Binocular and are the worst in that area of any Binocular down to $500.
Were any Steiner binoculars considered for your review? I have some Steiner AF binoculars but am looking for a 10x42 or a 15x56. The HX series are around 1k. Thanks for the thorough review! Subscribed!
Thanks Arch! We tried to get our hands on some Steiner Binos for this project bust wasn't able to unfortunately. Hopefully next time!
@@BackwoodsPursuit I'll be on the lockout if you do. I checked out your website and you did a great job comparing binoculars. Thanks!
@@archstanton9703 thank you! We appreciate that!
Which one of these is the brightest?
I'd say the Zeiss Conquest were the brightest according to our group of testers. Thanks for watching!
Francis Barton
0 seconds ago
SEVERELY DISAPPOINTED IN ATHLON CRONUS UHD G2 .
Apparently the G2 are replacing the ones tested and they are supposed to be even better than the ones tested in 500 dollar and under video and if you read the full review they are better than 50%of these binoculars at 1000 and under .
I only use binoculars for hunting and the only 2 things that I care about are clarity and low light performance.
So how did they compare to my old binoculars the
Yukon Gear APX Roof Prism Fully Multi Coat Binoculars at 150 Canadian dollars or approx 120 US dollars .
3 of us tested these while hunting looking at a tree line from 100 yards too 600 yards .
During full light and 15mins after legal shooting daylight .
2 of us couldn’t tell any difference and 1 preferred the Yukon’s.
So one of 3 things are happening here.
1.Yukon’s are really good?
2 They use the exact same lens ?
3 .There is very little difference between 300 dollar and 1000 dollar and under in performance in these 2 categories?
If you read the full review the Athlon Cronus where better than 50% of the binoculars at 1000 and under.
My advice to anyone buying binoculars for hunting?
If you can’t afford the best then buy the cheap ones because there is probably not much difference between cheap and 1000 and under in clarity and low light performance.
Thanks for sharing your though and experiences!
So where would the Athlon cronus G2 binos fit in this lineup? In the $500 video you mentioned that a people were preferring them over some of the binos in this price range.
Hey Brian! Check-out the more detailed review over on the website for all the details and where each of them rank top to bottom. Here's that link for you:. backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
Thanks for watching!
It ranked 13th... I was looking for the same answer.
@@inkandbarrel thanks! Yeah, they ranked well in the overall ranking (including all 26 we tested), which is impressive being that they were in the lowest price category! Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit high enough that mine arrives tomorrow.
@@inkandbarrel excellent! Let me know how you like them if you think of it!
If I could get the Leupold your under $800, would you still recommend the Zeiss for the extra ~250 with taxes?
Hey Joseph! Hmm...that's a great question. I guess that would depend on your budget and how painful that extra $250 is. If it's not a big deal, I think you'd be glad you spent the extra. However, the Leupold are still great binoculars! Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit of course great video! Also I know you guys have a video on spotting scopes but if possible, do you think you can review the gold ring series by Leupold? I can't find quality videos (or any) on the GR 15-60x80 mm scope. Or any other GR series for that matter :/
@@javarenas thank you! I'll have to see what we can do on a GR series review. Thanks for the heads up!
@@BackwoodsPursuit Hey sorry i have one last request. Think you can compare the also Leupold SX-4 and SX-5? I can't find any descent comparisons on them and idk if the 5 is worth the extra $800 since the 4 seems to be loved for hunting. As for the GR series, I had a chance to check it out and my only issue, which was big in my opinion that you may notice too if you do review them, the focus ring is right in line with the zoom ring and trying to focus was a pain since it moved the scope a bit too much. it felt really stiff if that makes sense. thank you for your time and responses!
@@javarenas unfortunately, I have had the chance to test out the SX-4, so I'm not much help there. So many other spotters to try still lol!
I can definitely see the focus ring being too stiff being a problem,. Same thing if the barrel focus is too stiff...moves the optic when fine tuning.
Best Video I've ever seen Brother !
Thank Billy!
Curious where you would rank the number 1 pick of 500 and under in this category .
Athlon Cronus UHD .
Hey there! Here's a link to the full review with a 1-26 ranking of everything we tested! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
Right on .
They ranked very good .
I bought them based on your review .
They arrive tomorrow!👍
@@francisbarton6101 awesome! Glad to hear and let me know how you like them!
We are currently developing an Abbe Koenig 10x42 pair of binoculars. Let us know if there is anything specific you guys would like to see. Our goal with these is to create Alpha Glass Quality affordable optic for everyone. We already manufactured our first prototype and compared them in the field to the Razor UHDs, and ours are sharper.
Further, ours will have the option to add filters onto the objective lens, which will be custom-made and sold separately. And yes, ours will be made in the US.
Hey there! That sounds exciting! Good luck in the developing and testing process with them. If they are meant to compete with the Alpha glass category, they'll need to have near perfect edge to edge clarity, and excellent field of view, phenomenal image resolution, amazing color contrast/rendition, and perform exceptionally well in low light. It's a tall order, but we are looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Keep us posted and thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit Since we will be using an Abbe Koenig Prism with a combination of fluorite, ED, and lanthanum glass, the low-light performance will be phenomenal. Drawings and rendering should be finished in 1-2 months and then we will start our first batch production. Would you be interested to test a unit once we have a presentable unit?
@PYTHON hey there! That's exciting and I be happy to check them out once you get them finished. Hit me up at that point and we'll figure out the details. Thanks!
I have a Conquest 10x42 HD but I don't like it. It's clear and at first glance very sharp, but if you start looking it's like looking through a magnifying glass. The sharpness is weak towards the edges.. I also have a Nikon 10x42 SE and it has perfect natural image quality and is really sharp from the edges ku kraj. I will sell Conquest and buy Meopta Meopro Air 10x42 HD because I saw a video where they compared Swarovski 10x42 EL and it had the same image quality.
Hey there! Yeah, those Meopro Air are great binos! Thanks for watching!
Jesus. I bought a pair of 60 dollar Bushnell Bino’s online, guess what? They work just fine.
Yeah...you can spend as much or as little as you want on binos, that's for sure!
Don't ever look through premium glass! You'll never go back.
@@stewarthoy7357 that's the truth! Once you've been spoiled with top tier glass, it's tough to use anything else lol!
Image looks like garbage though.
I do a lot of deer hunting and you know low light condition is critical, which would you recommend for that, best low light condition and clarity for around $1000?
Was looking at the sig 3000 bdx but don’t know if they’d be a trade off from range finder to low light condition and clarity
Absolutely.....low light is so important! The Zeiss Conquest and Meopta Meopro Air tied for the top spot in low light, but the Zeiss we're better in other optical performance areas, so I'd probably lean that way. Really liked the Meopro Air though. The GPO was no slouch either and we're super impressive all the way around. Eye cups of the GPO and Meopta we're both better than the Zeiss. Seems like there's always give and take lol!
Thanks, In your opinion, clarity and low light condition from Those 3 you mentioned are way better than sig 3000 bdx ?
@@reygarzajr7761 I haven't had the chance to test the Sig 3000 BDX, so I can't say on that. Typically though, you do give up image resolution and optical performance in rangefinding binos though. I will say, though that the Sig Zulu9s (they are in the next video after this one) were extremely impressive. Very very good pair of binos.
@@reygarzajr7761 those are definitely ones on my list to test and review!
I like that the Leopold tripod screw is at the end of the binos I don’t notice more movement and it keeps yourself farther away the your tripod which is nice.
Yeah, that part is true about the tripod screw being on the end. Thanks for watching!
Sounds like you personally really liked the Meopta offering.
Yeah, I really did. They are very well built and one of my favorites. The Zeiss and GPO were at the top of my list as well. Thanks for watching!
@@BackwoodsPursuit ir really considering Meoptas
@@stanreedy2686 those are impress binos for sure! Really well built and great optics!
@@BackwoodsPursuit they are out of stock what do you know about Doctor binoculars
@@stanreedy2686 bummer! I'm not familiar with Doctor Binos... Haven't tried them.
Fantastic review on binoculars. Thank you for the great content! Just curious if you had a chance to check out the Pentax ZD 10x43 ED? Their new Z series is supposed to be very good. Might be a good one to throw in the mix for a future review video. Pentax spotting scopes with ED glass are quite good so I'd think their binoculars would be too. So many choices in optics these days are great for the consumer but it makes choosing more difficult! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Robert! For sure... so many great options out there! I haven't had a chance to try those Pentax, but might have to. Thanks for the suggestion, and thanks for following the channel!
Oh no this is great thank you I just got done watching your other video I should have not commented before watching this one sorry
No worries! Love the comments/interaction either way!
The Zeiss binos should look nice. It has Meopta lenses in them.
Yeah, Meopta makes lenses for a lot of optics companies! Thanks for watching!
No they do not. Zeiss uses Schott glass. Zeiss owns Schott!
@@chuckg4947 Even Leica uses Schott glass in some of their binoculars! 😍
Meopta uses Schott glass, as does Zeiss who owns Schott, and Steiner, and IOR and Leica.
Yo tengo cinco prismáticos unos fujinon 16x70 unos. Fujinon 8x42 unos steiner Wildlife 8x44 unos vanguard endeivor Iv 10x42 y unos Zeiss victory 8x32 y estoy pensando comprar los meopta meopro Air porque dicen que tienen una transmisión de luz del 99"70 y están a 729 euros los 10x42 y te quería preguntar que tan buenos son los meopta que estoy interesado en comprarme 😊
Hey! the Meopro Air are fantastic! They scored very well in our testing...check out the full results here: backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
Is Leupold the best performer in low light? I am looking for a bino dedicated for night viewing.
Hey there and thanks for watching! The best performers in low light were the Zeiss Conquest and Meopta Meopro Air according to our group of testers and the average rankings. I encourage you to check out our in-depth article with a lot more details over on the website, and you can download the spreadsheet with each binoculars rankings for each category we tested. Here's the link. backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
I just bought the Leupold bx5 10x42 binoculars today for $450 bucks, I am hoping they are better than the Athlon? They should arrive in a few days.
Great review.
Awesome! That's a great biybon those! Enjoy!
I just purchased the BX 5s how do you like them
@@marke.8334 Better than the Razor. Great binoculars. Eyecups could be better , that is the only complaint.
@@johnnewcomb5162 nice I just purchased a pair of the 15s I had the 12 power bx4s and I sold them I thought that those were just as good as the razors I've looked through a pair of razor uhds so I'm hoping the bx5 will be on that level. I also just recently purchased the old Yellowstone binoculars that Leopold made for Costco I'm assuming they're essentially the bx2 I got a great price for $80 I got them for my kids and they're awesome I could tell a difference between them and the bx4s but if I was on a budget I would definitely buy the bx2 it's a great binocular for the price
@@marke.8334 They are very nice binoculars. We just put out our full review of the Santiam BX-5s, so feel free to check that out for all the details of like a and dislikes!
backwoodspursuit.com/bx-5-leupold-santiam-binoculars-review/
I was sold on the Meopta Air until I went to their website. I cant find any warranty info on their website and I don’t think I would take a chance for that amount of money if they don’t clearly show what the warranty is.
Hey there! Meopta offers a 30 year transferable warranty, and you can find the details on their website via this link: www.meopta.com/en/extended-warranty/
Thanks for watching! Those Meopta Air are fantastic binos for sure!
GPO SMOKES the Zeiss......
@@wswillett thanks for watching!
No way the Tracks are 30% drop off at the edges, total BS. I have a pair and I did not noticed any drop offs.
You didn't even say that the eye cups are made of steel and what other binos have that?
Also they have a locking diopter, didnt say that either.
Unreal.
Sorry we didn't cover all those aspects....there are a lot of things about all of them that didn't get touched on in the video, but tried to cover more details over on the website with the full review there. Tried to keep the videos to a reasonable time for folks. Thanks for watching though.
What do you think of your torics? Have you done any personal comparisons?
Out of all my binos I’ve had. Ergonomics, feel, looks, glass quality, low light capability when it’s hard to see. The bx-5 Santiam HD’s were the best for me. Comparing these to the Zeiss and the razor hd’s. Leupold all the way!
Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching!
You think the brightness and color rendition of the picture in the BX 5 is on par with the conquest? I had the bx4s and I thought they were on par with the razor HD. I have a pair of BX 515x56 is on the way but I would like to look into the 10 or 8 power bx5s but people say they're the same thing as a bx4 optically, I don't see how that's possible
@@marke.8334 Hey there Mark! I'd recommend taking a look at our big bino review article where we ranked them all and went over their pros and cons I'm more detail than this video.... backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
Short answer though is no, we didn't feel like the image of the BX5 was good as the Conquest HD. Thanks for watching!
Awesome thanks, I spoke with J at tract I think I'll try the toric schott UHD. He let me know that they're returnable for 30 days if they're not what I was expecting.
@@marke.8334 You bet Mark! Yeah, Tract makes really good optics! They were in that big review as well if you want to see what our team thought of them vs the field.
Wonder Why you didn't mention Bushnell... They are Great even better than some of the ones, showed.. 😇 ✌🏼
Hey there! We covered Bushnell in the other video 😁. Thanks for watching!
Lieca and Leobold and the vortex all better than the Ziss conquest
Those are all great binos!
Not a single Nikon Action EX on the list? those things only cost around $200 & a change & I'm sure they beat these overpriced ones.
Hey there! We tried to get as many as we could, but certainly weren't able to cover every brand out there. Thanks for watching!
The Meopta wins clearly
The Meopta we're awesome! Great binos. Thanks for watching!
Well, there is a lot of work in these videos but nearly for nothing at all! Such a thing as "Best Binoculars under $1000" simply doesn't exist *objectively* (only subjectively).
Therefore each consumer interested in a pair of binoculars out of this category should test them himself/herself! What one likes another dislikes and vice versa. It is as individual as buying a pair of shoes! 🤔
Hey there! Yeah, there are certainly some aspects that are very individual like you mentioned, so that's why we took an average value for the rankings, in order to find the most valuable ranking we could for folks. It was definitely interesting going through everyone's rankings and see one one person rank X binocular as #1 in a category while another person ranked the same binocular as, say #3 or #4. However, typically the rankings from each person had some consistency though. Such as,, the Zeiss, Meopta and GPO we're usually near where they ended up ranking in each category, from each reviewer, thus why their average ended up being higher. You can check out all those rankings over on the website if you'd like. backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/
Thanks for watching though!