Bino/rangefinder combo for hunting and shooting. Zeiss vs Swaro

[Technologist]

I have the opportunity to get a bino/rangefinder combo. I've been looking hard at the Swarovski EL Range, availible in 8x42 and 10x42. I also love having great light gathering binos, so I've looked at the Zeiss Victory RF in 8x56. I know Leica has a very good bino/rangefinder but where I live, it's even more expensive than either the zeiss or the swaro. Don't know why.

First question: Is it practical to have these two functions in the same device? I'm sure they're good binos, but are they also good rangefinders?

Second question: Is it silly to combine a x56 binos with a rangefinder? I'm thinking that Bino/RF are optimal for stalking in open country. Mobile hunting is usually done daytime, so it's better to have slightly lighter binos rather than the extra light gathering capabilities.

Third question: Any experience with either of these two devices? How practical are they in the field? I don't expect to be able to use the pre-programmed ballistic data functions in either device - I just want to know the angle corrected shooting distance, and I don't want to fuss about to get it.

 

[WildRose]

I have the opportunity to get a bino/rangefinder combo. I've been looking hard at the Swarovski EL Range, availible in 8x42 and 10x42. I also love having great light gathering binos, so I've looked at the Zeiss Victory RF in 8x56. I know Leica has a very good bino/rangefinder but where I live, it's even more expensive than either the zeiss or the swaro. Don't know why.

First question: Is it practical to have these two functions in the same device? I'm sure they're good binos, but are they also good rangefinders?

Second question: Is it silly to combine a x56 binos with a rangefinder? I'm thinking that Bino/RF are optimal for stalking in open country. Mobile hunting is usually done daytime, so it's better to have slightly lighter binos rather than the extra light gathering capabilities.

Third question: Any experience with either of these two devices? How practical are they in the field? I don't expect to be able to use the pre-programmed ballistic data functions in either device - I just want to know the angle corrected shooting distance, and I don't want to fuss about to get it.

I wouldln't consider it silly at all myself.

Spend some time in Africa and you'll see virtually all of the pro's using Swaro bino/rangefinder combos.

Why is it so important to them? If even a drop of blood is found, you bought the animal.

Dangerous game, is well, dangerous and they want to see exactly where every bullet impacts and be able to find brushed up animals like Hippo and Buffalo or big cats that when wounded can disappear into the brush just long enough for you to get close enough for them to kill.

Also, when it comes to judging trophy quality shooting one that isn't on the quota sheet by just a few inches or pounds could cost the outfitter a concession or thousands in penalty fees. It could also cost them a hundred thousand dollar a year or more customer.

If you're really serious about it, I'd look at the Swarovsky.

 

[Technologist]

Thank you for your input!

What I meant by silly is the combination of the larger objective and heavier weight of the x56 binos with the rangefinder. I associate larger binoculars with hunting from a blind at dusk, not with walk and stalk style hunting. The latter is where I expect I'll make the most use of the rangefinder.

Or maybe I should just get the biggest and baddest binos I can get and hit the rowing machine until the weight of the larger binos cease to be a problem.

 

[Technologist]

Oh and another thing: I've seen in the Swarovski manual that the Swarovski shows both the actual distance and the angle corrected/horizontal distance at the same time. This seems like a good solution.

I have never looked through the Zeiss, but according to the manual, you can set it to show both actual distance and horizontal distance. How is this shown? Does it work in a practical and smooth manner?

 

[OhYtD]

LEICA is very good, but the most powerful is Vectronix

 

[Technologist]

I've never had high end binos with large 56 mm objective lenses. Is there a large difference compared to a pair of ~40 mm objective lenses, regarding low light conditions?

 

[WildBillG]

Yes the 56's will be brighter in low light like dusk and dawn. The down side is they will be heavier.

 

[swe123]

IMHO the Leica cost more because they are worth it. Once you get Leica everything else looks dull.

 

[Sauer 150]

I'll chim in some, based on personal experiance.

ON our side we're allowed to hunt as late at night or as early in the morning you like, as long as you can see.

High end optics is obviously highly popular.

With the dusk/dawn performance being so important only Leica and Zeiss builds large objective LRF bino's.

I've had 8x45/10x45 and 8x56 Zeiss bino's. I've also carried past gen Leica 10x42.
Swaro EL's might be as good or Even better if you can tolerate the loooooong travel on the focusing knob. I personally cannot, I feel it makes them way too slow in pratical use.

Last year I misplaced my old and trusted 8x56 Zeiss RF and replaced it with the last gen Zeiss RF 8x54. Didn't like it. Optically a bit better, but the location on the RF button is WAY off for normal handplacement, you would have to range with your pinky.
Leica introduced their LRB 3000's at Shot - 18 (I believe).
In pratical testing It's the most impressive LRF bino I've ever tested and used. You can range at branches well past 1k, livestock at close to a mile. Only RF I have tried almost mirroring its performance is the Sig Sauer 2400ABS, and Vectronix Terrapin. Both being mono's

Save up some, buy the Leica if you're in need of the best combo low light/long range RF out there.

 

[Technologist]

Thank you all for your input. This thread is now a few weeks old, but I'd rather not leave it without some feedback from the OP.

I got the Swarovski 8x42 EL Range. I've never tried the Leica or the Zeiss mentioned in this thread, but this is an amazing piece of gear. Main motivations for this choice:

- 8x more practical than 10x. I'm never going to mount this on a tripod and it's way easier to observe something if I don't have to focus on holding the binos steady as a rifle.

- 42mm objectives are probably plenty. I haven't tested it yet but I presume these will have more light at nighttime than the (also European) 56 mm scope I have on my rifle. It doesn't help to see a target if I can't aim at it.

- The Swarovski simply displays range and ballistically corrected range simultaneously, and does not have any unnecessary ballistic features. I don't need to integrate my ballistic computer with my binos. Rangefinder is quite enough.

It won out against the Leica on Price and against the Zeiss on features. I really love these binos. Will have to pick a good harness for it.

 

[Braunschweiger]

I was doing a search on the same subject. Came upon this. I was going to ask about some of the higher end bino's and whether or not the double-functionality was worth the cost. First glance, i would think yes... going out west next year and I'd like to upgrade my current Vortex Diamondback 10x42's for something a little better for the extended ranges I'll be glassing. The vortex diamondbacks work just fine for 500 yards and in for whitetail in Missouri, however. When heading up the mountain it would be nice to combine two pieces of kit into one to save on weight.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

I've used Swarovski el ranges. I own Swarovski SLCs. Bino and rangefinder separate for me.

 

[Technologist]

For me combining the two is mainly a matter of ease of use and quickness in crucial moments. Why would you want to divide the functions into two different pieces of equipment? Is it just that you specifically want to be able to use the optical quality of the SLC rather than the EL Range?

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Because I found the el range to be bulky and provide limited use as a rangefinder. I also prefer 8x binos, I like to be able to pop them up off hand off my chest and look around and I just think a nice 8x42 bino that's sole purpose is to be a bino fit me better.

I think it's nice that you get to have both options, and I definitely felt the el ranges were good kit it just wasn't for me.