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Message: <blockquote data-quote="denco@comcast.n" data-source="post: 3324675" data-attributes="member: 25300"><p>I just read your post. I also ordered a Maven B3 except in the 8x30 configuration and I had to laugh at all your remarks because it mirrored my experience exactly. I experienced glare problems and I had a similar problem with the diopter. I didn't like the focus or the feel of the focus wheel either. When I first started using the Maven the focus wheel was fairly responsive then after using it for about an hour it suddenly developed this "dead spot' in it where it wouldn't change the focus for about an 1/8 of an inch and then it would start responding. Not good for birding. Almost every midrange binocular I have had either had some problems when I tried them or they developed problems later. Maybe I am just unlucky. At the same time I had the Maven B3 I also had the Leica Trinovid BA 8x32 and I am in total agreement with you in that it beat the Maven in most areas except a few and it is 15 years old. You have to remember that the Trinovid WAS an alpha in it's day and sold for alpha level prices so chances are even though there have been advances in optics it had build quality and optics that are hard to match with a midrange modern binocular even though the modern binocular may be better at say controlling CA because of ED glass for example. I have given up on midrange binoculars myself and now I only own two alpha's. I think it because I have owned alpha binoculars and as I said in an old thread "Once you have Alpha it is hard to go Backa." In other words once you use a top tier binocular and you try to go to a midlevel or less expensive binocular you are constantly comparing it to that Swaro or Zeiss that you had before and it comes up a little short. A $500 or even $1000 binocular is not going to match a $2000 binocular in all respects. There is no way. That is not to say that a midlevel binocular is not perfectly usable for most people and it is all a lot of people need but I do understand your frustrations with them. On the other hand I don't consider a person a snob if they buy an alpha binocular to use for birding and they keep it a long time and get a lot of use out of it and they can afford it with out sacrificing too much. You do know Zeiss, Leica and Swarovski will probably still be around in 20 years to honor your warranty. There has been a lot of cases where Swarovski rebuilt somebodies old 20 year pair of binoculars for no charge. Will Maven be around in twenty years? Would they rebuild your old binocular? Is the manufacturer being there when you need them worth $2000? I don't know. You have to decide that for yourself.</p></blockquote><p></p>

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