edge clarity in binos

[twoSevenO]

After buying a Razor spotting scope this year i realized how much of an improvement i need to make in my binos. I've been using Vortex Diamondbacks since 2009. They've served me well, but want something better for next year.

Leica Trinovid hd, Zeiss Conquest HD, Vortex Viper/Razor are some of the ones on the short list so i went to check them out at Wholesale.

I was surprised to see that the edge sharpness of all of them was really not as good as i had expected from binos that are $1000+. I put them up and read letters on the label of a propane bottle. But when i moved the binos up to read the label using the edge of the glass i couldn't make out the letters on any of the binos. The razor did seem a little better than the rest.

One of the biggest improvements i noticed in my new Razor HD spotting scope was the clarity of image at the edges ... so i had hoped to see the same in these binoculars as well.

Am I being unreasonable?

[Blockcaver]

That is where Swaro EL HD Swarovision (10 x 42 in my case) are tops as they are clear right to the edge with their field flattner lenses. My 13 yr old ELs are not as good near the edge......more like what you are experiencing in tyhe binos you mention. They are also expensive.....by a factor of 2X over your stated binos.

[sako79]

X2 on the Swarovski. But mine are 10x32 el swarovisions. So glad I bought these brand new for $1,300

[HarryToolips]

I'm happy with my Zeiss Conquests...

[knothead]

I'm also happy with my Conquests, slightly better I think than the Vortex though they were a little more money new, I bought mine on Clist for a grand.
Well worth the money in my opinion.

[twoSevenO]

they were all head and shoulders above my diamondbacks, there's no question about that. It's just that i expected the edges to be clearer on a pair of binos that were above $1000. Perhaps im expecting much. I should have compared Leica Ultravids or the Zeiss Victory to the group listed above. I may go back and do that comparison to see.

[Sharpish]

Remember $1000 bins are barely even mid-grade. Swarovision and the like are alpha glass and cost 2-3 times as much.

[ljalberta]

If you get a chance, try out a pair of the Meopta Meostar HD or if you can still find them, the rebranded Cabela's version - Cabela's Euro HD. They're right around the $1200 mark usually I believe, and pretty tough to beat the glass in that price range. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised.

[twoSevenO]

Remember $1000 bins are barely even mid-grade. Swarovision and the like are alpha glass and cost 2-3 times as much.

It's funny that we live in a world where $1000 is considered childs play for a pair of binoculars.

Anyways, you're right .... but i'd still expect the $1000 pair to blow my $300 diamondbacks out of the water in every aspect, including edge clarity. But honestly, they didn't. The edge clarity was really not that much better than my diamondbacks. I have to say, i was rather disappointed.

[Weatherby Fan]

It's funny that we live in a world where $1000 is considered childs play for a pair of binoculars.

Anyways, you're right .... but i'd still expect the $1000 pair to blow my $300 diamondbacks out of the water in every aspect, including edge clarity. But honestly, they didn't. The edge clarity was really not that much better than my diamondbacks. I have to say, i was rather disappointed.

Optic quality today is amazing even in some lower line models, I had bought a cpl pairs of MINOX BL 10x42 (made in Germany model) binoculars and surprisingly great optics for $250 cdn

I use a pair of 10x42 Leicas and by all accounts looking through both by day you couldn't tell them apart, but glassing a bedded doe one evening as it got dark the Minox lost that deer and you could see it no problem with the Leicas well into dusk !
The other thing will be the quality in the build which we don't see from the outside, and finally extended viewing time you don't get eyestrain or headaches ........go with the Leica or the Zeiss