15x Bino- New HD budget or Used European

[j3564wost]

Looking for a dedicated 15x bino with a budget of <$500. I'm finding used decade old Minox, Meopta and Ziess that meet the budget, but how do they compare to the new 15x Diamondbacks, Athlons, Maven C4, ect....

 

[willfrye027]

I would keep saving. You can find meopta, used maven B series, and similar tier for around $1000.

With 15x you are really magnifying the imperfections and weakness in the glass.

The cheaper 15s I've used have been disappointing and induce eye strain. The 1000-1500 range have been almost as good as the top tier swarovski HD.

Sorry if that doesn't answer your question..

 

[ramsdude47]

I'm curious what 15x56 Zeiss/Meopta modes you're finding for <$500. I would imagine those are significantly better than the cheap Vortex/Athlon options.

 

[j3564wost]

I'm curious what 15x56 Zeiss/Meopta modes you're finding for <$500. I would imagine those are significantly better than the cheap Vortex/Athlon options.

There have been a couple well loved pairs on ebay.

 

[ramsdude47]

What will your usage look like? I would want to save a bit more if I was going to be glassing 4-6 hours a day looking for Coues deer.

Used 10 year old Binos that retailed for $1,000 will be better than the Vortex or Athlon options. One of my go to resources to look up models is BirdForum, those guys know their optics.

 

[airborneescouter]

You can find some good deals on refurbished vortex from A&A optics periodically https://aaoptics.com/