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Message: <blockquote data-quote="surfoptik" data-source="post: 3268121" data-attributes="member: 32232">I think that the NightOwl series is the best bang for the buck on the current used high-end binoculars market. There are newer models which cost in the low to upper 2000's -or more- but the visual improvement is minor IMHO. I am of the mind that at this point, new binoculars models are reaching diminishing returns  with a lot more money buying slight improvements in performance.I like the night owls for a couple reasons: clarity and color in the sweet spot of the image are outstanding. Resolution falls off slightly towards the edges, but you kind of need to look for it. There can be slight color fringing off the sweet spot as well but in the center of the image I think color is excellent. Sharpness is exemplary as one of the advantages of zeiss glass. Unlike the current SF and HT versions, you get aspects of both - AbbeKonig prisms for light transmission, and APO correction, and all the fun lens coatings plus rockin lead glass. The polycarbonate design has proved to be fairly stable and tough over time and looks well. Once broken in, barrel tubes move easily as does focus, without being loose. The one drawback that everyone mentions is the weight. They are heavy but it's not that bad, and you can definitely build up to it, especially when the binos are only lifted to the eyes occasionally, as on a hunt. If anyone has An unused pair in the box they want to sell, just let me know so I can get a pair for my grandmother. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />In truth, the 10x56 night owls are amazing. They are very stable and bright compared to most 10x binocs. I think the weight adds to the stability. The 8x56 night owls are also very good, especially in terms of brightness and resolution, but are the heaviest. I know little about the 7x45's.For the price, I think these are best buys. You can probably get quality used ones for between $1000 and $1200 right now, which is about half the price of the newer models from the big three but with 90+% of performance. They've pretty much held their value since the 90's and it seems demand is at least stable, if not slowly increasing so maybe their value will continue to hold or slowly rise in more time as they get harder to find. If you are in the market for high end bins, I recommend checking one of these out if you get a chance, especially so you can decide if paying a lot more is worth a little better performance than the already excellent optics in the night owl series.</blockquote>

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