Biggest WOW binoculars you have ever looked through? (1 Viewer)

[paddy7]

In Dennis' defence - i quite like the way his contributions often 'blow the bridge' and force threads off into new and interesting directions, often consisting of 'Dennis vs Rest of World!'
The sudden discovery of a second tier bin that is preferred to the alphas so vociferously backed in many other threads however....when often that alpha was championed over the second tier binocular that someone else had found...Road to Damascus? (although not a route i'd recommend at the moment.....)

 

[BruceH]

How many people would be interested? Maybe I will talk to a publisher.

Sounds good, especially if the publisher insists on the use of paragraphs!

Dennis is only critical after he has sold a binocular - until that time they are the best in the world. Big difference as his hyperbole might be used as a basis for someone to buy something he touts.

Rather than a book, maybe Dennis could come out with a sales catalog!

 

[[email protected]]

Dennis is only critical after he has sold a binocular - until that time they are the best in the world. Big difference as his hyperbole might be used as a basis for someone to buy something he touts.

I commented on the SV 8x32's glare and focus problems while I owned them. To be honest though you don't want to be too critical about a binocular you might intend to sell. That is just common sense, right? I am not throwing the SV 8x32's to the curb. I still think they are one of the best 8x32's made. The Toric's just worked better for me. They may not for you.

 

[kabsetz]

Dennis,

The one above is one of your more forthright posts. Thank you for being honest.

The trouble is, you cannot have your cake and eat it, too. You cannot both be a reliable source of opinions on binoculars and a potential seller who doesn't want to be too critical about a binocular they might (sometimes very soon) sell. You may think that it is possible to don one hat now and another hat the next day, but it does not work that way.

I'm afraid that for most of us on this forum by now, you are predominantly seen as a potential seller.

Kimmo

 

[[email protected]]

Dennis,

The one above is one of your more forthright posts. Thank you for being honest.

The trouble is, you cannot have your cake and eat it, too. You cannot both be a reliable source of opinions on binoculars and a potential seller who doesn't want to be too critical about a binocular they might (sometimes very soon) sell. You may think that it is possible to don one hat now and another hat the next day, but it does not work that way.

I'm afraid that for most of us on this forum by now, you are predominantly seen as a potential seller.

Kimmo

I had the Trac Toric's 8x42 out this morning and I still can't believe how sharp and contrasty they are. They are as sharp on-axis as anything I have seen. And the focus smoothness and speed are just perfect. They are a very enjoyable binocular to use and easy. Part of the reason I like them better than the SV 8x32's is the bigger exit pupil. Your eye placement is just easier. Once some of you guys try them I think you will change your tune and realize they are one of the best bargains you are ever going to get in binoculars.

 

[[email protected]]

Dennis,

The one above is one of your more forthright posts. Thank you for being honest.

The trouble is, you cannot have your cake and eat it, too. You cannot both be a reliable source of opinions on binoculars and a potential seller who doesn't want to be too critical about a binocular they might (sometimes very soon) sell. You may think that it is possible to don one hat now and another hat the next day, but it does not work that way.

I'm afraid that for most of us on this forum by now, you are predominantly seen as a potential seller.

Kimmo

Kimmo. I have complained about the lousy ergonomics on the Canon 10x42 IS-L and I have bought and sold about three of them. So often times I am critical of a binocular that I am going to sell. But I keep coming back to them because there is nothing else like them. Same way with the Swarovski 10x50 SV. Two big WOW binoculars. The Trac would be a WOW also because I couldn't believe how good it is.

 

[ceasar]

If I were Toric, or Maven, I'd tell you it's none of your business. Gather up your money and go to Kamakura and find out.

The obvious point is that with a direct to consumer model you can sell them much cheaper than you can through a retailer.

It can't be that easy.

At this time we are celebrating the success of Mavin and Tract and how great their binoculars are but if we go over to the Zen-Ray thread people are wondering what happened to them. It wasn't long ago that they were the latest and the greatest.

 

[NDhunter]

No, that's not why. Lots of folks on here constantly change their minds and are trading up bins and nobody cares about what others do with their own money. Most of us swap bins out here and there and change our minds.

It was the arrogance, obnoxious bragging and telling everyone else they need to buy "the greatest birding bin...and be done with it"..."only buy Swaro or an alpha..." Ad nauseum for a very long time. He dismissed "lesser" bins and was insulting. Now a total reversal and that's why people are teasing Dennis. I'm not sure how you missed all of that?!

I don't blame you for trying to defend him. He's getting beat up here, but people obviously didn't forget the obnoxious past behavior. I'm going easy on him now after teasing him a little bit. I try not to take any discussion here in the forum too seriously anymore.

You are right on with your post, I agree with every word.
Well said.

Jerry

 

[james holdsworth]

To be honest though you don't want to be too critical about a binocular you might intend to sell. That is just common sense, right?

10 years of posting distilled down to a few, choice words.

 

[[email protected]]

It can't be that easy.

At this time we are celebrating the success of Mavin and Tract and how great their binoculars are but if we go over to the Zen-Ray thread people are wondering what happened to them. It wasn't long ago that they were the latest and the greatest.

I had a few Zen Rays in the past and honestly I was never very impressed with the build quality compared to the more expensive binoculars. I think we are dealing with a different animal in the Trac and Maven. These are Japanese built to very high quality standards by Kamakura. They are not built in China like a Zenray. I personally just have had bad experiences with binoculars coming out of China with a lot of inconsistent quality control problems. I haven't had a lot of experience with Maven's outside of a Maven B3 8x30 that didn't work for me because of eye relief and eye cup issues but it did seem built well. The Trac Toric build quality honestly reminds me of a high end Nikon like an EDG and Oudoor Life's review said that also. The focus is smooth and the tension is just right. The eye cups on the Trac work like an alpha binocular and better than some in other words like a fine watch. The armour on the Trac again looks and feels like an alpha binocular and I never felt that with a Zenray. I think Trac and Maven will be around for a long time because they are offering a really high quality product at a fantastic price with their direct marketing approach which is also different than Zenray. When you pick the Trac's up you can tell they are quality and I haven't had one problem with mine.

 

[etudiant]

Dennis,

The one above is one of your more forthright posts. Thank you for being honest.

The trouble is, you cannot have your cake and eat it, too. You cannot both be a reliable source of opinions on binoculars and a potential seller who doesn't want to be too critical about a binocular they might (sometimes very soon) sell. You may think that it is possible to don one hat now and another hat the next day, but it does not work that way.

I'm afraid that for most of us on this forum by now, you are predominantly seen as a potential seller.

Kimmo

Denco's summary comments would be just fine, as they would include both why he bought as well as why he sold.
He has the benefit of having owned most popular binoculars, but now in his summary he is not selling anything except his assessments.

 

[jgraider]

It can't be that easy.

At this time we are celebrating the success of Mavin and Tract and how great their binoculars are but if we go over to the Zen-Ray thread people are wondering what happened to them. It wasn't long ago that they were the latest and the greatest.

Well then just keep quarterbacking from the stands then. Doesn't matter to me one iota. FWIW I had the Zen ED2 and though it had great glass surrounded by cheapasss build quality. Zen Ray shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence with Tract.

 

[Vespobuteo]

I had the Trac Toric's 8x42 out this morning and I still can't believe how sharp and contrasty they are. They are as sharp on-axis as anything I have seen. And the focus smoothness and speed are just perfect. They are a very enjoyable binocular to use and easy. Part of the reason I like them better than the SV 8x32's is the bigger exit pupil. Your eye placement is just easier. Once some of you guys try them I think you will change your tune and realize they are one of the best bargains you are ever going to get in binoculars.

Are you selling them already?
8-P

 

[Binastro]

Never mind the quality, feel the glowing words.

 

[[email protected]]

Let's get back on Trac. Does 3D affect how much WOW a binocular has? For example, do porro's have more WOW than roof's?

 

[Sancho]

Let's get back on Trac. Does 3D affect how much WOW a binocular has? For example, do porro's have more WOW than roof's?

For me, generally speaking, and up to about 300m, yes.

 

[[email protected]]

For me, generally speaking, and up to about 300m, yes.

Sancho. What porro's for you are WOW?

 

[Sancho]

Sancho. What porro's for you are WOW?

The ones I know best are SE 8x and 10x, and their EII equivalents. The most impressive, IMHO, was the SE 10x42. Truly magnificent. But I prefer 8x as an 'all-rounder'. The Habicht 8x30 is also wow-inducing, but the occasional flare is unbearable. I've never seen the uber-porros like Swift Audubons or the Fuji FMXT (or whatever it's called). My first ever bino, at age twelve in 1974, was a Copitar 7x50 porro. It was probably crap, but I loved it and treated it like a new puppy.

 

[Pileatus]

The ones I know best are SE 8x and 10x, and their EII equivalents. The most impressive, IMHO, was the SE 10x42. Truly magnificent. But I prefer 8x as an 'all-rounder'. The Habicht 8x30 is also wow-inducing, but the occasional flare is unbearable. I've never seen the uber-porros like Swift Audubons or the Fuji FMXT (or whatever it's called). My first ever bino, at age twelve in 1974, was a Copitar 7x50 porro. It was probably crap, but I loved it and treated it like a new puppy.

Fuji overrated for daytime use, Swift had lousy eye relief and the Habicht is absolutely superb if you can handle an impossible focus, low eye relief and GLARE.

The SE 8X32 had the eye placement problem but I still own a few. Never did like the 10X42 SE (the prism is truly optimized for the 8X32 model). IMHO, the 8X32 SE is the best birding porro available.

Dennis struck again. Changed his mind and generated more posts than any one could ask for. Bravo!

 

[[email protected]]

Fuji overrated for daytime use, Swift had lousy eye relief and the Habicht is absolutely superb if you can handle an impossible focus, low eye relief and GLARE.

The SE 8X32 had the eye placement problem but I still own a few. Never did like the 10X42 SE (the prism is truly optimized for the 8X32 model). IMHO, the 8X32 SE is the best birding porro available.

Dennis struck again. Changed his mind and generated more posts than any one could ask for. Bravo!

I agree about the glare in the Habicht 8x30 W. I thought they were superb also until I tried to see some mountain goats in Rocky Mountain National Park. The glare obscured the whole FOV. I sold them a couple of days later. I agree about Nikon 8x32 SE. It is the best birding porro available but eye placement is a little finicky. I also agree about the 10x42 SE. I never liked it either. We agree most of the time.