Vulture HD 15x56 (1 Viewer)

Other than the weight and being rated more towards the bottom than top shelf the only other bin I see is the Minox German BL 15x56. Which at eight bills is twice the price. If someone had them in stock w/discount at $640 then perhaps I could swing 1 1/2X price.

There isn't anything else in the 15X56 range that I could find on a budget. Vortex appears to have a good warranty/CS if needed. I use differing 12X bins and wanted to ease up to a 15X. Nikon at 16X is too expensive.

I'm not so concerned w/edges or FOV. Hand held the edges are only there to help locate a target. As long as the center is OK I'm good. For me 1950 eyes 3.73 EP should be plenty of light vs magnification. Of course the same would go for the Minox which has slightly larger FOV, 234/226 and weighs in less, 38.1/43.6.

Five and half ounces difference would be more of a factor than the fourteen feet at a 1000'. Eye relief of 17.4 matters not as the Vulture w/15mm is plenty for me.

They should be here by end of day and I have a while to evaluate if the "new" Vulture HD will be a fit for me. Kind of curious what other thought one way or the other.

There is a recent review on New 15X binoculars on Outdoor life. The review seems well done
and it includes the Vortex Vulture. The Nikon 16x56 Monarch 5 is rated very well, and I
agree, I have been using one for a couple of weeks.

You may want to search the used market, and include some Minox models, also the Docter
Nobilem porros and the Nikon. You can find them in the $5-600 range.

Binomania has tested the Docter Noblilem 15x60 against the best from Swaro. and Zeiss,
and it does very well.

Good luck with your search.
Jerry

The Vulture HD came in and I'm quite pleased. Focus is two turns, but the difference in 10' minimum focus and 35' is around 1/4. As well focused on the moon at 10:00 leaves the runout going until 8:00. So, the focus now is more than 1 1/4. but less than 1 1/2 turns. I found the focus smooth and percise.
The barrels are big around and w/short fat fingers I adopted a right hand posture that used me middle finger for focus. I slide the left hand towards the objective in a staggered approach. They were quick to mount w/low flying fast birds. I do not know their name. They're black w/long neck and beak, short wings that come out at 90* and they are always low, quick and fly straight as a bullet. I cannot get glass sitting on a tripod on those birds.

Comparing them to me 12x45 Conquest, that were discontinued pre-HD/ED w/3.75 EP, they do well. Yes, they are heavier, but birds that are silhouettes w/old Conquest are pulled in w/more noticeable detail even hand held. Colours are compariable as well. In fact even before the sun went down I was seeing better colour on cardinals at 40-150'. This could be in part to the extra 3X as the EP is basically the same though the Vultures are sportin' 56mm objectives compared to the Conquest 45mm. When the sun dipped though still orange glow from the west the Cardinals popped as a plasma TV.

Two-three years ago I paid seven bills for the budget Zeiss. Under four bills for the Vulture HD is a deal in my eyes. All I'm seeing is hand held and they hold their own against the Pre-ED 12x45 Conquests. Plus after glassing w/Vultures the Conquests feel light as a feather. CL was lightning fast w/shipping.
I'm not going to mount these to a tripod and dissect the view. I will not use them on a tripod rendering the point moot. I didn't see a lot of pincushion/distortion and that's probably due in part to the narrow FOV and the 15X. I considered the view very pleasant and uneventful.

I'm not about to blow smoke up your skirt and claim these are as good as more expensive glass in 15X. I will challenge you to hand hold the expensive glass vs these and then tell me how much difference you see.

I can guarantee it will be considerably less than tripod mounted. So, it depends on the application to a point. At this price point, hand held there's quite a bit of dividend for me. YMMV.

The only other contender close to this price is the Minox German BL 15X56. Perhaps an open box could be had at 1 1/2X the cost of the Vulture. Around 4.7 ounces lighter would be noticeable. And though others have claimed the Minox superiority I'm not sure how much of that I would see hand held.

Still, I'd like to give them a go. I'm keeping the Vultures, so I'd run the risk of not being able to part w/Minox as well.

Oh well, not exactly a fate worse than death.

Good to hear you like your new binoculars, and that is the important thing.

Do consider tripod mounting them, you will really get the most out of them that way.
I am wondering if they come with a mount? There are some users who can replace a
scope with the 15X binoculars, as 2 eyes are better than one.

Happy birding.

Jerry

First off ND apologies as I hadn't refreshed the page on me second post completely missing your original post.
Yes, they come w/adapter and I have a spare tripod that contraire to the others is not currently holding any glass.
I fully agree that a tripod brings out the best and if your target is moving a quality panning head to minimize vibration whilst stabilizing the glass is handy. At higher power it is a necessity for smooth panning and maintaining a clear picture.

I use a Manfrotto 516 w/Barska 100mm bino telescope at 20x/40x. Of course lighter bins wouldn't require the weight capacity of the 516, 22lb load limit, though could be used as one size head fits all. However, the 516 is healthy in its own right and requires a substantial tripod to support its weight.

I saw the article on 15X in the Outdoor Life write up. A short article that touched base w/several models w/o going into great detail. It came down to the more expensive were better than the cheaper options. I kinda chuckled when I read how appalled the gent feigned w/Vulture close focus merely being 10'[specs say 15' I can only muster 12.5']. Perhaps that's the reason for no mini Minox BL 15x56 review. Its close focus is 23', but weighs in at 38.09 oz[4.7oz lighter than the Vulture.
I have read individuals compare the Vulture w/Minox preferring the Minox. At MSRP roughly twice as much that's understandable.

If the Kaibab is a nine and the Vulture a four on a tripod, then I feel hand held that perhaps the Kaibab might be a seven and the Vulture a five. It takes so much concentration, for me, to hand hold that I've no time or energy, mentally or physically, to look for anything save centerview. Now, were I spending a lot of time scanning long distances then I would want a steady mount and the better glass would be much more obvious.

Personally, I would pick 14X as the best highest power for handheld. Life's a compromise. As much as I would like to own the Nikon 16X is too much. What I find amusing is all the stabilized images using 14X. Being on the later end of the 50s 3 3/4 EP works out fine for me. I could see a 14X53. Surely there's plenty of 56mm glass that came up a wee bit short.

A 13X isn't much of a jump/separation from 12X. You'd think w/8X & 10X being so popular and 12X for stretching a bit further that 14X would follow suit. Still, I would own a 13x56 if the price was right. Same goes for the 15x56. Well, so much for ramblin'.

The Vulture 15x56 w/harness for under four bills provides a lot of punch in an easy looking glass for me. The only award it would be in the running for is the ordinary/average Joe trophy. It's a niche bin though the price now is very appealing for the performance delivered.

That price leaves me just enough to seek out another bargain bin.