GPO Passion HD (German Precision Optics) (1 Viewer)

[Paultricounty]

I bought one of these passion HD 10x42 binoculars last spring and am very pleased. IMO the optics and build quality together exceed they’re $1000 price point. This company is an upstart about 5 years old I believe. The owner is a former long time employee of Zeiss, which can been seen in his optical design. They are made in Japan.

Would love to hear other opinions on these binoculars.

Thank you
Paul

 

[dries1]

I have been curious about these 10X42s myself. There was a review on Cloudy nights as of recent. How is the focus performance, any issues?

 

[Steve C]

The founders of German Precision Optics are Richard Schmidt, former president of Zeiss Sports Optics and Mike Jensen who worked at Zeiss for some years. Mike also has experience working for Swarovski. I had a GPO Passion HD 8x42 for review just after they became available. It is a solid binocular and will NOT be forced to hang its head in shame by nothing currently on the market. Nothing from a new company ever introduced to the market will ever achieve the panache and elite status enjoyed by Swarovski, Leica or Zeiss. That is simply a given and will remain in place despite how good a newcomer may be.

The GPO HD was very hard to find any fault with. Except for the fact (there is always something to be found in any binocular) that it could stand a wider fov. It is a solidly built, well balanced, bright, sharp and contrasty binocular.

 

[Paultricounty]

I have been curious about these 10X42s myself. There was a review on Cloudy nights as of recent. How is the focus performance, any issues?

There are not to many reviews on these out there. BBR did a real good review and rated them best binocular in 2019 and best binoculars at $1000 in 2021. But there’s also another review out there that wasn’t that kind. I wonder if it’s sample to sample issue.

The one I have replaced a conquest after a week of side by side comparison. Optics to me are step up from conquest, Nikon HG, and Kowa Genesis. I’d put them in Swaro SLC range. Not a very crowded field. The focuser is very smooth, light and fast (fast like conquest) snaps into focus, central diopter, magnesium body, barrels have a hard rubber wrap or inlay ( see photos). CA well controlled , they’re bright and sharp. FOV is 335ft.

I spoke with the owner directly before my purchase. Mike Jensen challenged me that I would like them better than what I was comparing them to, the three I mentioned. The HD is they’re premier line.

I’m wondering if some others had a similar experience.

 

[Paultricounty]

The founders of German Precision Optics are Richard Schmidt, former president of Zeiss Sports Optics and Mike Jensen who worked at Zeiss for some years. Mike also has experience working for Swarovski. I had a GPO Passion HD 8x42 for review just after they became available. It is a solid binocular and will be forced to hang its head in shame by nothing currently on the market. Nothing from a new company ever introduced to the market will ever achieve the panache and elite status enjoyed by Swarovski, Leica or Zeiss. That is simply a given and will remain in place despite how good a newcomer may be.

The GPO HD was very hard to find any fault with. Except for the fact (there is always something to be found in any binocular) that it could stand a wider fov. It is a solidly built, well balanced, bright, sharp and contrasty binocular.

You brought some new info to the discussion, Thank you. You said it will be forced to hang its head in shame by nothing currently on the market? Can you elaborate as to where you feel these $1000 Binoculars fit?

Dont quote me please , but there was something said that these are designed by GPO-USA, optics made in Germany but manufactured in Japan?

 

[Steve C]

OH lord the mistakes we make that are not caught by spell checkers. I found it to be the equal of pretty nearly anything and superior to many. I have edited my mistake. To be clear the GPO Passion HD is a superior binocular.

The head office of GPO is in fact in Germany, where I was told is where design is done. The USA office is headed by Mike Jensen, who is not, as far as I know an optical engineer., When Richard Schmidt left Zeiss some designers and engineers stayed with him. The design and development work is done there. Just because the binocular design is contracted to an OEM like Kamakura for final production, does not mean the company selling the binocular was tied to preexisting designs.

 

[Paultricounty]

OH lord the mistakes we make that are not caught by spell checkers. I found it to be the equal of pretty nearly anything and superior to many. I have edited my mistake. To be clear the GPO Passion HD is a superior binocular.

The head office of GPO is in fact in Germany, where I was told is where design is done. The USA office is headed by Mike Jensen, who is not, as far as I know an optical engineer., When Richard Schmidt left Zeiss some designers and engineers stayed with him. The design and development work is done there. Just because the binocular design is contracted to an OEM like Kamakura for final production, does not mean the company selling the binocular was tied to preexisting designs.

i’m quite surprised that these binoculars are not taking off with the birding and hunting community. As per some of these reviews they’re placing these clearly in the alpha category. I can understand the general binocular buying public who are not buying Binoculars at $1000 or over. But people like us who were discussing every nuance pro and con with almost any good, very good or top of the line Binoculars.

as stated here they’re designed in Germany by people who know what they’re doing, they’re put together in Japan and they’re in the thousand dollar category for an extremely well constructed optic.

Anybody else have these or had them and would like to comment on their experience?

Thank you

 

[yarrellii]

Regarding GPO Passion HD, lately I've been seeing a brand named "Geco" selling an extremely similar model, the "Gold". They show up every now and then in German classified ads. Have a look:

And here's the model at Geco's website:

Products

geco-ammunition.com

And here GPO Passion HD specs:

PASSION™ HD 10×42 – German Precision Optics

gp-optics.com

Pretty much identical. Reading GECO's info you can see that it has a German address and it's part of a larger group called Ruag.
The Geco "Gold" series seems to be a rebranded GPO Passion HD and its "Black" series the Passion ED. I guess same origin.

 

[Paultricounty]

Regarding GPO Passion HD, lately I've been seeing a brand named "Geco" selling an extremely similar model, the "Gold". They show up every now and then in German classified ads. Have a look:

And here's the model at Geco's website:

Products

geco-ammunition.com

And here GPO Passion HD specs:

PASSION™ HD 10×42 – German Precision Optics

gp-optics.com

Pretty much identical. Reading GECO's info you can see that it has a German address and it's part of a larger group called Ruag.
The Geco "Gold" series seems to be a rebranded GPO Passion HD and its "Black" series the Passion ED. I guess same origin.

Wow , that’s interesting. There’s no prices. i wonder what’s the reasoning of it and if the same product/glass.

 

[lmans66]

I think GPO needs to get into the '32x' objective in the Passion series,....their top of the line. Currently GPO has two lines of products 'under' the Passion series and they sell for roughly the same price-point of sub $500 US. By broadening the line to include a 32x, it might help.

Also....when you go the Website, they list GPO as an American Company and while it might be based in Germany, it is an American Company and perhaps not trusted as much so 'in quality' as one who is based in Germany? Just a thought. Just tossing in a name that has Germany in the title, doesn't make imply the same strength of company connection to Germany / Austria as the big three have.

Also...This goes back to another thread where the debate of where the product is made, where the company is based etc.... There are a lot of people who can't accept the fact that a company who might produce the product one place and then perform 'quality control' in another country (such as GPO states) is actually the same as producing / and quality control, all within one country. Or, at least it could be. For me, it isn't so much where it is produced but the quality behind 'quality control'.

 

[jgraider]

GPO.....an American company, with a "German" name, products made in Japan and China. The "Passion" name is utterly ridiculous as well, IMO.

 

[Ontario]

GPO new product release … GPO Introduces Its 8x32 and 10x32 RANGEGUIDE

“They are the most compact high-quality premium rangefinding binoculars in the world.”

About GPO USA

German Precision Optics was founded on the premise that design, engineering and quality management is 100 percent controlled in Germany to its strictest standards, yet products can be produced at some of the largest production facilities around the world. This unique corporate structure allows GPO to offer the highest quality products with better features at a significantly better price. The company is 100-percent confident that all of its products will not only function perfectly but will exceed all expectations. Therefore, GPO, USA has created an industry-leading Spectacular Lifetime Warranty™. With outstanding professional service, GPO USA will take care of its products before, during, and after the purchase at no charge—EVER. Founded in 2016, GPO has its US headquarters in Richmond, Va. For more information on GPO US visit www.gpo-usa.com or call 844-MY BINOS (844-692-4667.)

 

[jgraider]

Electronics are for 5 years only. At least that's the way it is on their current models.

 

[Troubador]

GPO.....an American company, with a "German" name, products made in Japan and China. The "Passion" name is utterly ridiculous as well, IMO.

There are two GPOs. There is GPO based near Munich in Germany and run by ex-Zeiss Richard Scmidt. There is also GPO USA based near Richmond VA, run by ex-Zeiss USA Mike Jensen.

Lee

 

[Paultricounty]

There are two GPOs. There is GPO based near Munich in Germany and run by ex-Zeiss Richard Scmidt. There is also GPO USA based near Richmond VA, run by ex-Zeiss USA Mike Jensen.

Lee

I believe they are one in the same. The two people mentioned are partners as I’ve been told.

 

[lmans66]

I believe they are one in the same. The two people mentioned are partners as I’ve been told.

Well, they picked their name wisely, in either case. German Precision Optics sounds better than United States Precision Optics. They know their marketing. I wonder though if GPO is more geared towards hunters than birders although might be true of many brands, jim

 

[Paultricounty]

Well, they picked their name wisely, in either case. German Precision Optics sounds better than United States Precision Optics. They know their marketing. I wonder though if GPO is more geared towards hunters than birders although might be true of many brands, jim

I think a lot of people like to hear German optics, but if it was American made, and it was as good or better than let’s say optics made by Leupold or some of the old Bausch & Lomb of the past. Then I think they’d be a huge market.

I think calling it German precision Optics is applicable if the designers worked at Zeiss for decades and are using German craftsman to make the optics. In either event I think it’s great marketing. Unless it’s completely untrue, which at some point I think we’ll find out.

I believe GPO gears more to hunters , they have a good amount of high quality hunting rifle scopes, range finders and tactical scopes as well.

 

[Troubador]

I believe they are one in the same. The two people mentioned are partners as I’ve been told.

They might as well be the same but GPO USA is incorporated separately so legally they are different but obviously they are intimately connected.
Lee

 

[jgraider]

There are two GPOs. There is GPO based near Munich in Germany and run by ex-Zeiss Richard Scmidt. There is also GPO USA based near Richmond VA, run by ex-Zeiss USA Mike Jensen.

Lee

They're one in the same. GPO is misleading, and that's putting it nicely. It's almost laughable.

 

[Paultricounty]

They're one in the same. GPO is misleading, and that's putting it nicely. It's almost laughable.

That’s not putting it nicely. I really don’t see it that way. I see more of a shift in how companies can bring products (quality products in this example) to the market place, and I believe you’ll see more of this in the future. Their open about the arrangement and are not hiding anything. I’m not laughing. I spoke to these people and some other customers before I bought and they are above board about everything.

Are you ok with Zeiss and Nikon that are supposed to be German and Japanese companies contracting out to slave labor China, that’s better? Yeah let’s buy more of those Tera’s and Monarch 3, 5 and 7’s among others. As long as we get cheap goods, And we’re concerned about GPO giving us high quality optics at lower prices than other name brand companies.

I’d suggest you do some research before accusing a company of is misleading the public.
thx