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Higher Companion Magnification To The 8X42 NL Pure - 12X42 NL Pure? (1 Viewer)

As we prepare to go to the Alaskan wilderness May 1 on six wheelers for nature viewing, I am kicking around the purchase of 12X42 NL's to accompany the 8X42 NL's I already have for the extra reach. I've looked at the 15X56, and for the 12X stability (especially with the forehead stamp), optics, and smaller size of the NL's, I think the 12's may be the way to go for me. I was just viewing a nesting bald eagle yesterday, and 12X would of been much better.

So my question is, is the 4X gain significant enough for the 12X, or does the 15X just make more sense?

UPDATE: Thanks. Going with the NL Pure 12X42. A lot of factors as well as a re-read of the AllBinos and Roger Vines review conclusions.

View attachment 1377028 View attachment 1377029
Comparing Swarovski 12x42 vs 15x56. NL 12x42 with the FHR is ok to handle by hand. 15x56 definitely needs a tripod.
 
Dwever, looks like you’re selling the scope in classifieds? Going back to higher powerish binocular?
1. I should have traveled to Anchorage Bass Pro and seen the 115 in person. The 115 is substantial.
2. I primarily bought this for September when I’m 8 days in the Alaskan wilderness.
3. Thing is, combined with the carbon fiber Gitzo, it about weighs as much as the high-powered 338 WinMag I carry for protection.
4. However, I’m having a fantastic time with this amazing light-catcher around Alaska. The images are just unthinkably gorgeous.
5. I may just buy a 65mm or 85mm for my pack-in backcountry trips, and keep the 115mm like in the picture for it’s breathtaking imaging the rest of the time.
6. Whatever I end up doing, this scope has given me images I’ll never forget. And, I’ve been to Sonic everyday but one to visit a nesting bald eagle 212 yards away at 70X magnification. She’s there every time and I guess incubating eggs as she’s in the exact spot in the nest each time. See post # 24.
8B4204FF-A636-47AD-83F8-8C4E5AC3F5C5.jpeg
 
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I just finished reading Roger Vine's review of the NL 12 X 42. He found, that with the wider view and the ergonomics of the NL design, that using the 12 X 42's for birding is not the issue it is for other binos. He did not use the forehead rest but one would expect even better stability.

What have others experienced?
 
1. I should have traveled to Anchorage Bass Pro and seen the 115 in person. The 115 is substantial.
2. I primarily bought this for September when I’m 8 days in the Alaskan wilderness.
3. Thing is, combined with the carbon fiber Gitzo, it about weighs as much as the high-powered 338 WinMag I carry for protection.
4. However, I’m having a fantastic time with this amazing light-catcher around Alaska. The images are just unthinkably gorgeous.
5. I may just buy a 65mm or 85mm for my pack-in backcountry trips, and keep the 115mm like in the picture for it’s breathtaking imaging the rest of the time.
6. Whatever I end up doing, this scope has given me images I’ll never forget. And, I’ve been to Sonic everyday but one to visit a nesting bald eagle 212 yards away at 70X magnification. She’s there every time and I guess incubating eggs as she’s in the exact spot in the nest each time. See post # 24.
View attachment 1384946
Beautiful spot. The north slope is on my bucket list. I have been lucky to have spent a fair amount of time in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories on canoe trips over the years. On my first trip, (Thelon River), I brought a spotting scope. Frankly, that experience left me thinking that spotting scopes and canoe trips do not mix real well. Its too rough an environment, and its too much of a production to get a scope set up. The arctic/subarctic is a rough environment. Since then I have been bringing my trusty Nikon Venturer 8x32s on trips like that. They are small to pack and very very rugged. Never failed me. I've enjoyed seeing Grizzly Bears, Wolves, Caribou, Fox, Muskox etc. with those little binos. Lots of arctic birds as well. But, I am starting to think that a pair of NL Pure 12x42s would be easy to pack and give me a bit more viewing pleasure. Thinking on it. I don't see myself bringing a scope up to that country. Here is a spot in the Yukon.
 

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Update:

Like dwever I ended up with a scope instead of a higher power binos. I now have a Kowa 883 scope, NL 8x42 binos, and Nikon Premier 8x32 binos. I still think a pair of higher powered binos is in my future. But, my bank account needs some time to fill back up! I LOVE the scope. I feel lucky to have these wonderful optics.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a link to my friend John Lazenby's web site where he has a number of shots taken by him during our Wind River canoe trip in the Werneke Mountains in the Yukon a few years back. Big country, a lot like parts of Alaska:

 
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Thanks! Turns out as you pointed out on another sub-forum, it is the PTH head. As a previous user of spotters and not an owner, I have so much to learn. But I can already tell this will be an incredible partner to the 8X42 NL Pures, and I can't think of a better place for these instrument partners than Alaska where so often you find yourself on one ridge pointed towards another as evidenced by the picture below and any one of hundreds I could of posted.

When I purchased: I was using a warehouse store's 95mm ATX and I was looking from about 75 meters from inside a Sportsman's warehouse aiming to the outside out of a large door. I just marveled that the scope was beautifully resolving tiny mist rain drops out doors. I then refocused about maybe 2/10's of a mile away and I was looking inside the window of an Amish furniture store. I pulled out my phone and called the 115 ATX owner on the spot to ask if it was still available. I Paypalled him within twenty minutes. It is on the FedEx as of this morning.

Thanks as always Jan. I hope that all you do on here results in sales and blessings somehow.

Thanks again
You've got some steam!!
 
As we prepare to go to the Alaskan wilderness May 1 on six wheelers for nature viewing, I am kicking around the purchase of 12X42 NL's to accompany the 8X42 NL's I already have for the extra reach. I've looked at the 15X56, and for the 12X stability (especially with the forehead stamp), optics, and smaller size of the NL's, I think the 12's may be the way to go for me. I was just viewing a nesting bald eagle yesterday, and 12X would have been much better.

So my question is, is the 4X gain significant enough for the 12X, or does the 15X just make more sense?

UPDATE: Thanks. Going with the NL Pure 12X42. A lot of factors as well as a re-read of the AllBinos and Roger Vines review conclusions.

View attachment 1377028 View attachment 1377029
I have looked through every single model of NL Pure back to back to back. The best is the 8x42. The image is the brightest, the colors are the richest, and the field of view is the largest. The 12 x 42s are amazing, but the image is duller and appears foggier or whiter than with lesser magnifications. The 10 x 42s outperform the 12 x 42s when it comes to color and brightness, but the 8 x 42s are so bright and so contrasty that in most cases the same detail is still seen even with two less power. Only when looking at objects +500y away do you really notice a major difference in detail that you can spot between the 8 x42s and the 10s or 12s. The 8 x 42s perform the best in low light situations, the field of view at 477' is enormous, and the colors are the brightest and best compared to the other binos. When looking through them the colors pop the most compared to the 10s and the 12s. The difference in apparent field of view between 71 degrees with the 12s and 69 degrees with the 8s is a non factor. The difference in image quality makes up for minute FOV Apparent advantages.
 
I have looked through every single model of NL Pure back to back to back. The best is the 8x42. The image is the brightest, the colors are the richest, and the field of view is the largest. The 12 x 42s are amazing, but the image is duller and appears foggier or whiter than with lesser magnifications. The 10 x 42s outperform the 12 x 42s when it comes to color and brightness, but the 8 x 42s are so bright and so contrasty that in most cases the same detail is still seen even with two less power. Only when looking at objects +500y away do you really notice a major difference in detail that you can spot between the 8 x42s and the 10s or 12s. The 8 x 42s perform the best in low light situations, the field of view at 477' is enormous, and the colors are the brightest and best compared to the other binos. When looking through them the colors pop the most compared to the 10s and the 12s. The difference in apparent field of view between 71 degrees with the 12s and 69 degrees with the 8s is a non factor. The difference in image quality makes up for minute FOV Apparent advantages.
Certainly your experience may differ from mine and others regarding image quality between the different NLs. However, I actually own both the 8x 42 and the 12 x 42NL and spend a lot of time with each. Although the FOV is less with 12x, I actually enjoy getting closer to the action, which translates to me as being more immersive with the 12x.
A few notable on-line reviewers have commented that they also preferred the 12x over the 8x. If there was any difference in color, or contrast, they seemed also to prefer the 12x, although personally, I don't see a difference. To me, both the 8x and 12xNL are equally bright. (Any difference, might be better appreciated at sunrise or sunset, which I haven't tested). As far as sharpness is concerned, reviewers have commented that the 12xNL is very sharp, edge to edge, with none of the softening at the far periphery of the FOV that they saw with the 8x. I would agree, although I don't have an issue, in that regard, because the FOV is much larger with the 8x making it harder to take in the entire FOV where that softening might be apparent.

I use the 8x NL when trying to take in more of the landscape, or when walking in the woods, where at closer distances, the extra depth of field is helpful, and the extra magnification isn't needed so much. Otherwise, I always reach for my 12x.

I have not tried the 10xNL. I would imagine, however, not seeing much of difference stepping between the 3 magnifications, as there is when jumping from the 8x to 12x.
 
I have looked through every single model of NL Pure back to back to back. The best is the 8x42. The image is the brightest, the colors are the richest, and the field of view is the largest. The 12 x 42s are amazing, but the image is duller and appears foggier or whiter than with lesser magnifications. The 10 x 42s outperform the 12 x 42s when it comes to color and brightness, but the 8 x 42s are so bright and so contrasty that in most cases the same detail is still seen even with two less power. Only when looking at objects +500y away do you really notice a major difference in detail that you can spot between the 8 x42s and the 10s or 12s. The 8 x 42s perform the best in low light situations, the field of view at 477' is enormous, and the colors are the brightest and best compared to the other binos. When looking through them the colors pop the most compared to the 10s and the 12s. The difference in apparent field of view between 71 degrees with the 12s and 69 degrees with the 8s is a non factor. The difference in image quality makes up for minute FOV Apparent advantages.
The 12x42's are for real men only!!
Pete.
 
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