OpticsNerd1
Member
It is clearly one step down maybe even two considering it is Made in Japan (higher labor $?).
All leupold bx- binoculars are Chinese, they have a deal with a Chinese firm to produce everything.
IIRC the last Leupold binos made in Japan were by light optical and the Pinnacles and Katmai. They also made the Cabela's Alaskan Guide which I thought was nice when I looked at it, like a Vortex Viper, but not as nice as the Cabelas branded Meostars which are brilliant binoculars.
edit: this does not mean that Chinese binos are junk just point of fact. A lot of optics companies are outsourcing to China now, even Zeiss has jumped on the bandwagon.
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