At $253 shipped New what's not to like ? I can not name one thing, except the cheezy soft case which I would take anytime for a binocular that performs like the 7x42 Hawthorne. I don't have any other 7x42's at this time & my pre-order 7x36 ED2 has not arrived yet but I will say I like this Leupold a lot better than the Zen Ray ED 7x43 I owned. I don't know what glass Leupold's uses but the handling & view of the Leupold's impressed me more then the 7x43 ED Zen Ray. I still remember how much I liked the 7x36ED2. I would assume the revised Zen Ray 7x36 ED2 would be slightly better optically but after handling & looking thru the Leupold I am not so sure now ED glass or not http://www.birdforum.net/images/icons/icon5.gif ....... gwen
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Leupold 7x42 Hawthornes Gets a A+ ! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter gcole
- Start date
Gwen,
Given your opinion that these outperform the 7x43 (I'm assuming ED3), I was wondering in what areas you believed this to be the case? Also, how do you believe these performed against the McKinley and Viper HD, both in optical quality and build quality? These Hawthornes at the least seem to be a great value.
Given your opinion that these outperform the 7x43 (I'm assuming ED3), I was wondering in what areas you believed this to be the case? Also, how do you believe these performed against the McKinley and Viper HD, both in optical quality and build quality? These Hawthornes at the least seem to be a great value.
Coin Hound
Member
Glad you like them!
I can't wait to get mine out tonight and see the red headed woodys
I can't wait to get mine out tonight and see the red headed woodys
First of all " Physically " I will say the Hawthornes have that Japan quality ... feel & look. The Zen Ray still look Chinese. When compared to the vipers physically, I would say equal with the Zen Ray last. Now the McKinley's are in a league of their own .... they have a much thicker rubber armor, with a feel of substance, that gives me the sense that if I were to toss them out of a 2nd story building landing on the ground( not concrete pavement) there would be very little damage if at all. To sum it up ... All three look Japanese made except the Zen Ray, excellent build quality with the McKinley's having the look of a binocular on steroids. If I still hunted I would want the McKinley hanging off my neck , they are built like a tank. Now optically, the Hawthornes/Vipers are so close with 7x leupold's closing the gap not needing ED glass with the winner going to the " McKinley " having the largest eye oculars/giving that wow picture window look . The Zen Ray ED3 7x43 comes in last , just did not feel or look good thru my eyes. Having said all this, if I did not need a binocular that would take some possible rough handling or worse I would buy the 7x42 Leupold Hawthornes save a bunch of money & be very happy ...gwen / DISCLAIMER: As seen thru a 62 yr old, results could diifer if you are younger
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Forgot to mention : Purchased from Black Bear Sporting Goods/Florida....New in sealed box ....gwen
Gwen,
With my 8x42 Mojave I get a "tunnel vision" effect that is difficult to describe. They have a field of view well within the range is consider decent, but it just seems as though I'm looking through a pinhole between a couple black tubes. Do you notice anything to that effect with the Hawthorne? Also, forgetting about price for a second, how would you overall rate the Hawthorne in comparison to your other binocs such as the McKinley, Viper HD, and Verano BGA HD? Obviously as a value buy they rate very highly, but I'm wondering how they just flat out compare to one another if price were not a factor.
Many thanks,
Justin
With my 8x42 Mojave I get a "tunnel vision" effect that is difficult to describe. They have a field of view well within the range is consider decent, but it just seems as though I'm looking through a pinhole between a couple black tubes. Do you notice anything to that effect with the Hawthorne? Also, forgetting about price for a second, how would you overall rate the Hawthorne in comparison to your other binocs such as the McKinley, Viper HD, and Verano BGA HD? Obviously as a value buy they rate very highly, but I'm wondering how they just flat out compare to one another if price were not a factor.
Many thanks,
Justin
Hi Justin .... Your tunnel vision could be the way you perceive your view thru your eyes with this one binocular because as stated by many here we all do not see things a like. Having said this, the 7x42 Hawthorne has around 390' FOV so I would not compare it to the 8x42 version. The build quality should be the same but the handling / optical view is going to be different. Of all the power's the 7x is my favorite & if I were to keep just one pair it would be a 7x. Now to answer your first question .... no way, the 7x gives a very relaxing wide view, Not as wide as the McKinley but nice. Of all of the binoculars you mention the 7x version Leupold for me is just an easier, relaxing, user friendly binocular to use. To answer your last question .... The McKinley wins hands down for being more rugged out in the field, if that was not really a issue I would buy the Leupold Hawthorne 7x42. .... gwen
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Coin Hound
Member
The McKinley wins hands down for being more rugged out in the field, if that was not really a issue I would buy the Leupold Hawthorne 7x42. ....
The Hawthorne's are pretty robust--plus Leupold's warranty is just about the best there is if you did have a mishap--really thinking about a pair of McKinley's though!
The Hawthorne's are pretty robust--plus Leupold's warranty is just about the best there is if you did have a mishap--really thinking about a pair of McKinley's though!
Gwen,
Thanks for the continued Q/A session, haha. I find it interesting that the Chinese made McKinley feature a build as good as or superior to the Japanese made Hawthorne and Viper - it just goes to show that not all China bins are poorly constructed. I'm finding it a tough decision between the Hawthorne at a cheaper price point and 7x mag and the McKinley with its impressive specifications and occular designs resulting in a generously wide flat field. How does the focus on the two compare? I'm a big fan of the way the Viper focuses as it is not loose enough to easily overshoot but is also not so stiff it is impossible to turn.
Thanks for the continued Q/A session, haha. I find it interesting that the Chinese made McKinley feature a build as good as or superior to the Japanese made Hawthorne and Viper - it just goes to show that not all China bins are poorly constructed. I'm finding it a tough decision between the Hawthorne at a cheaper price point and 7x mag and the McKinley with its impressive specifications and occular designs resulting in a generously wide flat field. How does the focus on the two compare? I'm a big fan of the way the Viper focuses as it is not loose enough to easily overshoot but is also not so stiff it is impossible to turn.
Comparing the McKinley's focus to the Hawthorne is based on these two basically being still new, I have not had the chance to use either much so they have not loosened up any. Now the McKinley a little tighter then the 7x42 Hawthorne with both having a tension that is very smooth, with the focus speed on both just right for me . Its hard to explain but with the McKinley you would expect & maybe want the tension as it is if you were a hunter. The Leupold Hawthorne tension is what you would expect from a fine birding binocular given its design. I have not had a problem over shooting the focus & both do not have a problem with them being to stiff. ..gwen
Wow!
Just received my Hawthornes (7x42). The view is very nice. I'll post more after I've taken them out in the field, but I'm impressed. Does anyone know whether the 10x are this good?
BTW, an early review noted that the eyecups don't quite cover the eyepiece ends when all the way down, and I was concerned about scratched gasses, but the eyepieces seem to be plastic, so no worries even if they do contact your glasses lenses, although mine don'e seem to quite touch.
EDIT: Took them out on a short hike this morning, in familiar territory. They're an amazing binocular for the $253 I paid (thanks, Gwen!). Fairly bright, very sharp in the big (at least 60% of the FOV) sweet spot and only minor CA in the sweet spot (more purple fringing at the outside of the FOV). Very comfortable viewing.
Just received my Hawthornes (7x42). The view is very nice. I'll post more after I've taken them out in the field, but I'm impressed. Does anyone know whether the 10x are this good?
BTW, an early review noted that the eyecups don't quite cover the eyepiece ends when all the way down, and I was concerned about scratched gasses, but the eyepieces seem to be plastic, so no worries even if they do contact your glasses lenses, although mine don'e seem to quite touch.
EDIT: Took them out on a short hike this morning, in familiar territory. They're an amazing binocular for the $253 I paid (thanks, Gwen!). Fairly bright, very sharp in the big (at least 60% of the FOV) sweet spot and only minor CA in the sweet spot (more purple fringing at the outside of the FOV). Very comfortable viewing.
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I guess I can't edit the above post at this date, but I took the Hawthornes up a local canyon today and they were equally good at scanning for fall game at 1/2 mile to a mile and for quickly zeroing in on a group of juncos in the oaks at about 100'. The group snapped easily into focus. Great all around binocular.
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I'm going to go so far as to say these are future classics. They're well made, with great optics, made in Japan and by a well known company. What's not to like? They aren't as glamorous as some bins but then neither were the 8x30E or 8x32 SE when they were widely available.
I got the Hawthorne 7x42 2 days ago and it is not a keeper. The build quality is okay but not impressive, it is not on par with my bushnell Elite ED 8x42. Focus is a little tight. Optically it looks obviously yellower in the day light and quite high CA at the 30% edge compare to Bushnell Elite ED or even Zen-Ray ZRS. It is a pity that 7x42 has been the ideal spec for me.
I doubt that. Don`t get me wrong, it still looks pretty good, just not best the Bushnell Elite ED and Zenray ZRS in my case. But I think very few $250 bin can beat these two. The hawthorne doesn`t have ED glass so more CA is possible. Also it is in the enry to middle line up in the Leupold family so not really much to ask for build quality. I think the build quality is not even better than many made in china bins.
The 7 x 42 Hawthorne is an upgrade of the 7 x 42 BX-2 Cascade, which I have and which is a solidly constructed binocular with good optics for the price. They are both made in Japan and have construction very similar to that of the Japanese made Swift 8.5 x 44 HHS Audubon roof prism using the same focus wheel/diopter mechanism. They do not have the heavy, crude, cheaper construction of the Chinese made Vortex 8 x 42 Diamondback and it's clone the Zen Ray 8 x 42 Vista, both of which I own.
The difference is that the Hawthorne is FMC and the Cascade is MC. The change in the housing is cosmetic only on the exterior to distinguish between them. Other than that they are the same binocular. Look at the pictures of the 8 x 42 Cascade BX-2 and the 7 x 42 Hawthorne shown on the Eagle Optics website here:
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/leupold?page=2&sort=best-selling&specials=all
Bob
The difference is that the Hawthorne is FMC and the Cascade is MC. The change in the housing is cosmetic only on the exterior to distinguish between them. Other than that they are the same binocular. Look at the pictures of the 8 x 42 Cascade BX-2 and the 7 x 42 Hawthorne shown on the Eagle Optics website here:
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/leupold?page=2&sort=best-selling&specials=all
Bob
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Its amazing how far binocular quality both physically & optically have improved since the 1970's, when in 1971 I purchased my first pair of Nikon binoculars. I think I paid $29 & thought I had super vision every time I used them. Compared to the binoculars of today, even the binoculars made in China would have made much of the optics back then look like junk. So I say unless it falls apart when picked up its all still just personal preference .... gwen
The general build quality seems to wax and wane. My top shelf for used/cleaned
is from about 1950 to 1970. The 70s stuff was really slushy. The chassis's got better
on average in the 80s but that lame fast focuser ruined the sharpness of some
otherwise very nice designs. Amber coating ruined more (with time).
I have a pedestrian "Consort" 7x35 from 1949. Only a 7 degree field, but in sharpness
and contrast it trounces some modern gear. Very sobering. Nothing beats
a sand-blasted, deep conical iris with painted lampblack and precision machined
running gear.
is from about 1950 to 1970. The 70s stuff was really slushy. The chassis's got better
on average in the 80s but that lame fast focuser ruined the sharpness of some
otherwise very nice designs. Amber coating ruined more (with time).
I have a pedestrian "Consort" 7x35 from 1949. Only a 7 degree field, but in sharpness
and contrast it trounces some modern gear. Very sobering. Nothing beats
a sand-blasted, deep conical iris with painted lampblack and precision machined
running gear.
