Vortex Diamondback 8.5x50 - the Vulture Replacement (1 Viewer)

In my post on the 8.5x50 Vulture, I stated that Vortex was sending me a new Diamondback to replace the Vulture.

It arrived today!

There are a few photos on the bottom of the post and here's a link to the rest of the photos.

Here's the Specifications:

Magnification 8.5 x
Objective Lens Diameter 50 mm
Eye Relief 21.5 mm
Exit Pupil 5.88 mm
Linear Field of View 283 feet/1000 yards
Angular Field Of View 5.4 degrees
Close Focus 9 feet
Interpupillary Distance 61-74 mm
Height 6.9 inches
Width 5.6 inches
Weight 31 ounces

My first impressions are that it's really much nicer than the Vulture was. First of all it's a gark green instead of the Coyote Brown.

The case is now a rectangular soft case instead of the fitted hard case. I will miss the hard case. This is just a plain case for holding the binoculars. It's not really padded so I doubt it will protect much from damage or a fall. It's just more of a storage case.

In the case is the bins, the bin strap, a booklet and a cleaning cloth.

First thing I checked after taking the bins out, is to see if the caps stay on. This was a problem with the Vulture I had. The upper rain guard stays in place and is a much better fit than the Vulture was. The lower caps are just a little tighter than the Vulture was, but I still would not trust them in the field. I think they still need to be more snug to keep from working off the barrels.

The coatings are now the same color from left to right. Both the objective coatings and the eyepiece coatings seem to be very well done this time.

The eyepiece cups are still the same in the fact that they stick up about 5mm from the eyepiece with the cup down, but I can see the whole field of view with my glasses on, so it's ok. The cups are a 1/4 turn from full down to full up and there are no positive stops along the way. Either all the way up or all the way down and if you prefer in between, the cups will move down with pressure. I think there should have been stops.

The interpupillary hinge on this one is stiff enough to stay in place when adjusted and it is smooth in it's travel. The focus wheel turns 2 1/4 turns from close focus to the end of it's travel, which is beyond infinity. I find that it is 2 full turns from close focus to my version of infinity (as far as I will need for terrestrial viewing). The focus wheel turns smoothly and I feel no play in it. It is not too stiff and not too loose (for me) and I'm satisfied with it so far. The Diopter adjustment is very stiff and it will stay in place once it is adjusted, so that's a good thing.

I have only a short time before work, so I will just give my first impressions of the view.

Very nice! I see a "sweet spot" of 85-90% of the field of view. Very clear and very bright! The fade off in the last 10-15% of the field of view is so subtle that I didn't really notice untill I tried real hard to see it. I see some CA as in all optics, but there is really very little and even on backlit objects CA is not noticeable and would not bother me. In other words it's easily acceptable or better than most bins I have seen. In looking at some different signs (large and small print) around the area, I see good resolution. Everything was very sharp. I also see that there is a good depth of field. Much better than the Vulture was. Better than the Bushnell Legend was also.

I will have to do some resolution tests and DOF tests another day, but these are very nice binoculars! I'm impressed with them so far. I like the weight, as it seems to help stabilize me.

Overall fit and finish is very good, better than the Vulture. I imagine this bin was closely looked at before shipping it out, but all I can say is, it's a night and day difference from the Coyote Brown Vulture I got last week!

Vortex, you have my appreciation. You made a bad deal into a great deal and that's a big plus in my book! I would recommend Vortex for great service and customer response!

When I have more time, I will try to give more details. I will be going to High Island this week-end and the Diamondbacks will be going too.......

Sounds pretty good. I would be happy with Diamondbacks at 8, 8.5x and 9x. At 10x nos so sure.

Good luck with them. Cheack all parts, diopter range etc.

I had some time today so I did some more testing with the Diamondback. It really is a very nice bin. The resolution checks I did showed it to be excellent. Better than the Bushnell Legend, which was the best I have tried so far. Color is perfect as far as I'm concerned. I have found no color difference from what my eyes normally see and from what I see through the bins. None at all and I've looked at grass, trees, buildings, cars, flowers, birds, people and a color standard test with them. That's really amazing and the other amazing thing is just how bright these bins are. I have found them to be just great with my older eyes. It feels like the view through the bins is actually brighter than just with my eyes. I know that's just an illusion, but that's how bright they are.

The problem I have is that apparently not only am I narrow minded, but also my IPD, interpupillary distance is narrow as well. I have to close the bins all the way down (even removing the objective cap retainers from the barrels), till the barrels touch, to get a single round view and then it's "just at the point" where it needs to go a touch more, but there's no more adjustment, since the barrels are touching........ I can't use the caps now, since the barrels are touching.

I imagine they will end up going back to Vortex or if they don't want to take them, I will sell them for what I got in them. They are great bins, but the fact that I am at minimum setting on the IPD and need just a bit more, I won't want to keep them.


I don't feel I can send them to cameraland, since I did the deal with Vortex to go from the Vulture to the Diamondback, so hopefully Vortex will take them, but I don't how or why they would, since the original money went to cameraland, not Vortex........

It's a bit of a mess really........... But, that's normal for me.:-O

Sell them here. Someone will be interested. I have too many right now, 7.

I am going to try to sell them here, before I turn to eBay.

I will sell them for what they cost me and see if a member wants them.

I wish I could keep them, since they are really excellent, but that's how it goes..........

Well, Vortex exceeded my expectations once again. They are taking back the Vortex Diamondback and they have worked it out with cameralandNY to get me my refund as well!! Absolutely amazing and better than I probably deserve!

Thank You Vortex!

I'm out of the Binocular market as of now. Too many models, too much trouble. Way beyond my feeble brain.................. I need a rest.:-O