Looking to decide on a new binocular (1 Viewer)

[Peregrine Took]

I am curious as to what made the Olympus a better binocular at a fraction of the price of a Monarch HG ? Neil English reviewed the Olympus EXPS and did not recommend it .

Product Review: Olympus EXPS I 10 x 42. | Neil English.net

I found none of the issues Neil English found in the two pairs he tested. Mine are 20 years old - maybe I got lucky, or maybe standards at Olympus have dropped. As an upgrade, the Monarchs just didn't do enough in comparison.

For some, the financial proponent will decide. On that list based on my experience the Nikon or the Meopta wins hands down, secondly a used Leica if a good sample is available from a reputable seller.

My reasoning had nothing to do with price, as I returned the Monarchs and ended up with a pair of more expensive Zeiss Conquests.
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[Sky2goflying]

https://www.birdforum.net/threads/leica-7x42hd.450454/unread-since-last-visit

 

[RepresoR]

Because the Ultravid suggested above can not be sent to Eu countries (sellers decision) I will have to rely on other options available.

I found some offers that are intriguing:
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 at 850 euro new
Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 at 1000 euro
or I should stick to the initial Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 which is 1100 euro ?

 

[exup]

Because the Ultravid suggested above can not be sent to Eu countries (sellers decision) I will have to rely on other options available.

I found some offers that are intriguing:
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 at 850 euro new
Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 at 1000 euro
or I should stick to the initial Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 which is 1100 euro ?

Here are some professional birders who make some comments about Conquest's.....

Maybe something to consider, before you buy.

First impresion of the operation of GPO 10x42 HD

First impression of the operation of GPO 10x42 HD binoculars as related to Leica Ultravid 10x42, Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, Swarovski 8x30 EL, Swarovski 10x42 EL, Zeiss Conquest 10x42 and Bynolyt Tern 8x45 DCF. As an ornithologist, when I look at comparisons between binoculars, I like to look at...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Viraj]

Because the Ultravid suggested above can not be sent to Eu countries (sellers decision) I will have to rely on other options available.

I found some offers that are intriguing:
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 at 850 euro new
Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 at 1000 euro
or I should stick to the initial Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 which is 1100 euro ?

I found Conquest HD 8x32 for 705 euros (with a cash-back offer) on a German website. Please see the link below. I hope it might be of some use to you.

Best,
Viraj

Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 schwarz

Das Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 eignet sich besonders gut als leichtes Fernglas bei Wanderungen, auf Reisen oder zur Tierbeobachtung.

www.foto-gregor.de

 

[Peregrine Took]

I found Conquest HD 8x32 for 705 euros (with a cash-back offer) on a German website. Please see the link below. I hope it might be of some use to you.

Do you mean you actually bought them, or just found a deal?

If you bought them, that's a good price and welcome to the club! I hope you like them as much as I do (as others obviously do too).
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[Viraj]

Do you mean you actually bought them, or just found a deal?

If you bought them, that's a good price and welcome to the club! I hope you like them as much as I do (as others obviously do too).
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I just found it on the internet. The website I found it is also a reputable website in Germany. It is certainly a very good deal for a new pair. I was also tempted to buy one, however, considering the less-solid financial situation and the other good binoculars I have the temptation has faded away.

There is no doubt that the Conquest 8x32 is a solid pair and I checked it out a few times in a shop. The first time I checked it was when I was searching for my first serious pair of binoculars. In the end, I bought Monarch 7 8x30 instead basically due to the two times of the price difference.

 

[RepresoR]

thanks for the good intention, it would have been an interesting offer but unfortunately they deliver only to Germany and Austria.

@exup
the GPO Passion HD were in my initial list, I'm sure they are great, it was just that people did'nt knew much about GPO as a company being new on the market ... I for one think that a new company must make a product better than the competition and keep at least at the same price to be able to compete with the big guys. It's still a high consideration for me, in the end they are a german company.

 

[exup]

thanks for the good intention, it would have been an interesting offer but unfortunately they deliver only to Germany and Austria.

@exup
the GPO Passion HD were in my initial list, I'm sure they are great, it was just that people did'nt knew much about GPO as a company being new on the market ... I for one think that a new company must make a product better than the competition and keep at least at the same price to be able to compete with the big guys. It's still a high consideration for me, in the end they are a german company.

@RepresoR
Understood.
For info GPO are not 'new' ...... Started in 2015 by Richard Schmidt who was the Head of Development CEO for Zeiss ..... On the Terra, Conquest and SF models!

As far as I can determine from my research so far, the GPO HDs are closer to the SFs .... and thus the next level up from the Conquests. Whoever says otherwise, ask them what they personally have compared them to.
I am yet to buy myself.

 

[tenex]

in the end they are a german company

As Maven is an "American company", whose actual optics are made in Japan. The better GPO models also are, the cheaper ones ("ED") in China. This is how one can just "start" making binoculars. But Kamakura is a good maker, used also by Zeiss, and one hears good things about GPOs... although not this good:

the GPO HDs are closer to the SFs