$459 for McKinley 8x42 (1 Viewer)

Looking at picking up a pair

Still searching for a pair based on advice you gave me as fledgling birder.

Can pick up a pair of monarch 7 at local store for similar price to compare.

Others on my list still include EO Ranger HD and ZR3

Gave up on zeiss terra - blackouts

Deal is at BHP

The McKinley HD along with the Meostar HD are, in my opinion, the two best values on any binocular currently on the market. I chose the McKinley as it was available in the 8x42 configuration that the Meostar HD currently does not have.

I am not sure of BHP's return policy, but I'd check to make sure they have a good one, as the occular lenses of the McKinley do not work with all people's facial geometry. I will say that the view provided by these binoculars is better than any other in this price segment (aside from the Meostar), and easily comparable to the Razor HD and Conquest HD, which are also very similar to the ~$2000 alpha models; I would take the McKinley HD over my Swarovski WB EL (original) any time. I've heard the ZR ED3 is also very nice, and it comes in the 7x43 configuration which provides very relaxed and easy views with great depth of field and a true field of view even larger than the McKinley HD.

Happy birding,
Justin

yankeeflipper said:

Looking at picking up a pair

Still searching for a pair based on advice you gave me as fledgling birder.

Can pick up a pair of monarch 7 at local store for similar price to compare.

Others on my list still include EO Ranger HD and ZR3

Gave up on zeiss terra - blackouts

Deal is at BHP

Click to expand...

YF,

There are at least three Cabela's stores in TX - Buda, Fort Worth and Allen. Not sure if any of those are within driving distance,

Nikon 8x42 M7

From all accounts I've read, the 8x32 model seems to be better than the 8x42. However, there was a quality control problem with the 8x32 model, so if you do try a pair, take them outside and test them for flare. Also check inside the objective tube to see if there are rings that are bare metal. If so, I would reject the pair. Some of said that most people won't notice, but nobody wants to be looking for birds and have their view blotted out by flare particularly when it lowers contrast. There are good samples out there, and @ $300, the 8x32 M7 represents one of the best buys today in optics (bested only by the 833 post and counting BF thread 8x32 Sightron II Blue Sky).

BP

Midway has a better deal. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/899308/leupold-bx-4-mckinley-hd-binocular-8x-42mm-roof-prism-armored-black

yankeeflipper said:

Looking at picking up a pair

Still searching for a pair based on advice you gave me as fledgling birder.

Can pick up a pair of monarch 7 at local store for similar price to compare.

Others on my list still include EO Ranger HD and ZR3

Gave up on zeiss terra - blackouts

Deal is at BHP

Click to expand...

I wonder is if you buy a pair sight unseen if there is a way to distinguish the revised from the original version, particularly since that even Leupold has been spotty in posting the correct photos on their website, stores may just use the photos they already have.

Does the revised edition carry a new product number? Perhaps our Loopy expert Steve C. can tell us.

Brock

I believe the diopter is built into the focus knob on the new model.

brocknroller said:

I wonder is if you buy a pair sight unseen if there is a way to distinguish the revised from the original version, particularly since that even Leupold has been spotty in posting the correct photos on their website, stores may just use the photos they already have.

Does the revised edition carry a new product number? Perhaps our Loopy expert Steve C. can tell us.

Brock

Click to expand...

bh46118 said:

I believe the diopter is built into the focus knob on the new model.

Click to expand...

BH,

Yes, you can tell them apart if you saw them in person side by side, but as I pointed out in this post below in response to David's postings of McKinley photos in the "BX-4 McKinley HD, new version" thread, Leupold mixes photos of the old and new versions in its online descriptions:

Ball of Cornfusion

You often see this same thing on store websites where they fail to update the photos of the new version of a bin. So unless you called the store and asked if the sample you are buying has the diopter on the focuser, and they took it out of the box and checked (which they might not want to do, because that makes it an open box demo), you wouldn't know if the bin you were ordering online was the new or old version.

Users who were bothered or like me were concerned about being bothered by the oversized eyecups and fat body on the original (hard to tell for sure, but it looks like the barrels on the new McKinley are slimmer) would want a positive way to make sure the bins they were ordering are the new version. A change in product number would make that easier.

Brock

Per Leupold's website, the new McKinley does had a different product number.

The new BX-4 Product #119282

The previous model was Product #117790

The above are for the 10 x 42 size. John

brocknroller;2977434 Yes said:

Ball of Cornfusion[/URL]

You often see this same thing on store websites where they fail to update the photos of the new version of a bin. So unless you called the store and asked if the sample you are buying has the diopter on the focuser, and they took it out of the box and checked (which they might not want to do, because that makes it an open box demo), you wouldn't know if the bin you were ordering online was the new or old version.

Users who were bothered or like me were concerned about being bothered by the oversized eyecups and fat body on the original (hard to tell for sure, but it looks like the barrels on the new McKinley are slimmer) would want a positive way to make sure the bins they were ordering are the new version. A change in product number would make that easier.

Brock

Click to expand...

jdavis37 said:

Per Leupold's website, the new McKinley does had a different product number.

The new BX-4 Product #119282

The previous model was Product #117790

The above are for the 10 x 42 size. John

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll bookmark that for future reference. The eyecups are my main concern. I have difficulty with wide diameter and/or deep eyecups, but the new model seems to have shallower eyecups, and they also appear to taper in a bit from the width of the barrels, so there's hope. Still, the Nikon 8x30 M7 is so lightweight and it has an "open hinge" design, I think it would be my first preference. In the winter, though, an 8x42 might be better.

Brock