Vortex Sidewinder

[Otto McDiesel]

I had a look at three pairs of Vortex Sidewinder 8x42 yesterday - the $190 ones.

The image seemed about equal to Nikon Monarch, maybe even slightly sharper and "cleaner" (due to less color fringing?). There was quite a bit of flare and ghosting. Oddly, the crescent shaped flare was always in the lower left hand of the field of view, and there was too much of it.

The binoculars were practically unusable due to extremely stiff focuser. I tried to focus them with my index on top and my thumb below, but this was awkward because of their oversized neckstrap lugs. I mean really stiff and unuseable, not just "firm" or "will break in" or else.

The store guy who pulled them out of the box said that many of his customers walk away from this model because of the stiff focuser.

Don’t waste your money, this is junk. You would be better served by a $100 porro prism model.

[Lewie]

That is no good. I have heard of other persons complaining about the stiffness of some Vortex binos. I believe I heard that they are changing the manufacturing process.

I have a Vortex Viper 10X42. The focus wheel has about the right amount of stiffness. The wheel is not as smooth as my Premier LXl 8X32, but smoother than any Leica, Zeiss, or Swarovski I have ever tried. All in all, I am very pleased with the Viper. And it provides a fantastic view. I must say, however, that the Zeiss give the best and brightest view I have ever seen in a pair of bins. Makes me itchy for a Zeiss. But if I buy another pair of bins I will have to move to a bigger house.

Lew

[Ozz]

Wow, I have heard a few people mention the "stiff" focus unit on the vortex binocs.....I bought a pair of Sidewinder 8x42's back during the summer, and I don't find the focus stiff at all.... it DOES seem to "crackle" a bit at times when I'm turning it...but it doesn't seem to effect the performance, so I opted not to return them (I DID mention the fact in an email to Vortex, and they assured me that if it ever DID become an issue, that they would take care of it)

But, I would not call the focuser stiff....I also haven't had the ghosting you mentioned. Maybe I actually had some GOOD luck for a change! ;)