Thread: range finder binos

when i was out on the hill today i had a thought that it might be a good idea to have binos with a range finder function aswell. what makes are good but arent going to cost an arm and a leg? or is it better to just fork out and get a decent set?

When I looked into this 18months ago I came to the conclusion that to get a unit that did both jobs well was going to cost a arm and a leg.

Probably not helped by the thought that if I was going to spend $ I wanted to improve on the function of what I already have a separate units- both middle of the road price wise.

I didn't end up doing it, but I will one day when I have the $ to buy a top of line unit.

If you don't already have functional separate items it would be a lot easier to justify.

I've got leica hd model find them fantastic great glass great ranging (this is the model without ballistic read out and angle of shot) I compared bushnel And decided the glass on the hds was better aleast to my eyes and forked out extra money for them ,in saying that the bushnel fusion unit had more functions so In short I bort leica for the glass quality

leica end of story.Best after sales there is.It is a one of purchase for the rest of your life.

Been very happy with the s/hand Bushnells I got off R93 a few years ago. A little on the heavy side but they didn't cost an arm and a leg either.

Buy once cry once.

Looked into it also. Options:

1. Cut off arm and leg + lug a ton of weight around (none of the good ones are light).
2. Cut off arm only and buy a good rangefinder + still carry some decent bino's. Weight can still be less than option 1 except you've got 2 pieces of kit (annoying).
3. Cut off arm only and buy a good rangefinder - ditch the bino's. Very light and one piece of kit but not as good for glassing.

I went with option 3, and the Leica's are pretty damn good for glassing so I leave the bino's at home or in the car now. I like having them around my neck and then zipped in my breast pocket. Those ranging bino's are so enormous and heavy it put me off more than the cost.

I personally just use the one eye piece Swaro rangefinder as a spotter when weight is an issue. When it isn't, I tend to borrow my old mans Ziess bino-rangefinders.. The glass on those things man! That as well as scanning with two eyes open as to one eye makes a hell of a difference over a long period of time..

yeah wouldn't mind a pair of those swaro bino/rangefinders or having a look through the new leicas with same compatibility.

I thought the leica rangefinders binos only had a warranty of 2yrs, and the Swaro EL range of 5yrs.

Bushnell fushions ate the best value for money combo. Decent glass ranges better then the leica I've seen with my own eyes. But the euro glass is far Superior.

Originally Posted by deepsouthaussie

Bushnell fushions ate the best value for money combo. Decent glass ranges better then the leica I've seen with my own eyes. But the euro glass is far Superior.

To put it simply i own the zeiss rfb but advise people to buy the bushnell.
Why you ask? Yes the glass is superior but the zeiss ballistic engine is next to useless as has a very basic program for drop with out the angle support and as far as the range finder goes the bushnell was marginally better but both read out past 1600.
As far as last light quality goes the zeiss edged them out but only by two minutes on dark.
my mates and myself have side by side compared the swaro the latest leica and old model along with my zeiss with the first model bushnell thrown in.
The concensus was that the more expensive glass was better but not by much.
I have used the latest bushys and they have lost the blue tint and have a better ballistic engine than the first model for a
Approx a third the price from our local man.
It all boils down to the money you want and can afford to spend but the reality is the bushys do the job well.

That bushy blue tint was terrible, glad its mostly gone

What are people paying for the bushnells now without the blue tint?

I spent a day behind the new bushies looking for sika in high country tussock, was so glad to leave them with the farmer at the end of the day

Leica all the way for me ---for countless reasons