shortpants Report post Posted May 5, 2007 Casey, Just remember my motto when ever you find yourself in a situation like this. ''BUY WHAT YOU WANT THE FIRST TIME, IT'S ALWAYS CHEAPER!'' I know what it feels like to worry about a few hundred bucks but I have found that when I do spend the extra cash I never regret it. I believe since both of these deals are so close in price you should buy the pair that you truly believe are the better pair. Two years from now you'll never pull your binos out and say '' dang, I wished I'd bought the Leica's and saved a few bucks!'' If you think the Leica's are better then buy 'em but not because their a little cheaper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhunter Report post Posted May 5, 2007 Amen! Little bear!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted May 6, 2007 Wow, shortpants hit it right on the antler. DON'T BUY ONE OVER THE OTHER BECAUSE OF PRICE! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
El Fuego Report post Posted May 6, 2007 Casey, Good luck on your purchase! Based on your options, you cannot go wrong, regardless of your choice. I sent you a PM. Todd Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
El Fuego Report post Posted May 6, 2007 Does anyone have feedback related to the Leica Geovid line? If so, and your knowledge can also provide a comparison with Swarovski optics in general, please do so. What is everyones choice for: A smaller carry binocular ranging in 7 - 10x? A larger glass at 15x? Spotting scope? Rangefinder? Thanks and I hope this also helps Casey with decision. Todd Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronaldo Report post Posted May 6, 2007 Where are you guys seeing these 15X56 swaros for the best price? I am in the market for some possibly. I am tired of trying to win the set of them in the sheep drawings and such. I bet Ive got 1/3 of the cost of a pair of new ones in the tickets Ive bought over the years. I would like to see a pair for around 1400-1600 bucks. I already own 10x42s and wouldnt trade them for anything. On a tripod they are the best, but I need something alittle stronger, like the 15s. If somebody could post a link it would be great!! Thanks Ron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Diamondbackaz Report post Posted May 6, 2007 Where are you guys seeing these 15X56 swaros for the best price? I am in the market for some possibly. I am tired of trying to win the set of them in the sheep drawings and such. I bet Ive got 1/3 of the cost of a pair of new ones in the tickets Ive bought over the years. I would like to see a pair for around 1400-1600 bucks. I already own 10x42s and wouldnt trade them for anything. On a tripod they are the best, but I need something alittle stronger, like the 15s. If somebody could post a link it would be great!! Thanks Ron Don't look for discounted Swarovkis from an authorized Swaro dealer. The way I understand it, Swaro dealers are obligated by rules by Swaro that they will not discount. If you find a discounted price such as "hot buys", these are grey market dealers. The way you can save is to buy from Doug at Cameraland or Eagle opics where you can save $160.00+ on sales tax that you would get charged at Sportsmans. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youngbuck Report post Posted May 6, 2007 My dad has a pair of the geovids in 10x and has a pair of swaro 15s. i think brightness is comparable between the geos and the swaros. I do think the clarity is a little better in the leicas though. My uncle has the geos in 15 and switched to them from the swaros before the swaros he had the zeiss 15-60's. He says the clarity is best in the geos. ive never had a chance to look through the geos in 15, but ive had the zeiss 15s, swaro 15s, and leica geo 10's side by side lots of times. Color contrast, for me, is best in the zeiss. I try to look at prickly pear pads against rocky background or single tree branches against more solid colors. The zeiss make these items stand out a little better. The leicas clarity in the 10's does seem to be a little better than the swaro 15. I havent ever had a problem seeing something in the geo10's that i could in the swaro 15's or viceversa. When i have my choice i prefer the swaro 15s soley based on power. If i glass closer stuff i use the leica's. I would definately look into the leica geo 15's. i was really impressed with their geovid line What is everyones choice for: A smaller carry binocular ranging in 7 - 10x? in this order leica geo 10's. zeiss classic 10-40, nikon monarch 10-42 A larger glass at 15x? swaro or zeiss but want to get a good look out of leica 15's Spotting scope? don't carry one Rangefinder? leica geovids or i like the nikon 600 cuz its little Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted May 6, 2007 Casey, I compared the swaro 15s and the leica 10-15xs before I bought my swaro's. Like others have posted here, I had trouble making them fit my eyes well. I think it was the smaller exit pupil. Your head has to be in just the right position for the leicas to work well. I just didn't like them and by using both I was able to make a hard decision much easier. So make sure you try out the duovids first before deciding on them. I rented a pair for ross outdoors or I am sure you can go to outdoorsmans and try them out there. Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
El Fuego Report post Posted May 6, 2007 Casey, You can take my 10x-15x Duovids and try them out for a short period of time, just send me a PM and we'll get together. What does everyone think of the following all around optics and ranging package: Leica 8x42 Geovids Leica 15x Geovids Leica APO 77 Straight Spotter ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted May 7, 2007 i liked the leicas! El fuego, i called you and left a message, call me back! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted May 7, 2007 Casey, Elkhunter and I spent the evening from 6:30 to dark down at the meadow at Kachina Village comparing the Swaro 15x56 to the Leica 10+15 Duovids. Also had my Cabelas spotter and Jim White tripler. Binos were set on two tripods and were side by side, an inch apart. I tried resting/stacking one atop the other, but the top rested boino was too unsteady to make a valid comparison. My impression was that the Leica was sharper by just a very tiny amount, judged by looking at pine needles, license plates, dead limbs under trees from about 400-600 yards away. At dusk, the Swaro was a little brighter, but not enough to make a difference in a hunting situation that you would spot a buck 1/2 mile away across a canyon and have enough time to move and get in a shooting position. The brightness factor is probably just a couple of minutes at first/last light. The Swaros had just a very slight blueish tint. Edge to edge sharpness seemed comparable, and both showed some curvature to the field of view when a poweer line was passed from the top to the bottom of the field of view. The tripler aligned up with the center of the Swaro eyepiece better than on the Leica, as the Swaro has a smaller outside diameter of the eyepiece. The tripler would help judge a distant buck in daylight hours better than 15x binos alone, but the spotter was definitely brighter and sharper than the tripler on a bino. The tripler would save weight and space over a spotter, but if one is really needing to judge a trophy to the nearest inch, the spotter would be the better way to go. My conclusion is that the Leica Duovids would be a better way to go rather than a pair of quality 10x and Swaro 15s, if one needs to carry both powers on a hunt like coues or open country muley. This opinion is based on nearly identical sharpness, no significant loss of brightness, savings of a couple of pounds and only having to carry one pair of binos, not having to switch back and forth between two separate binos on a tripod (just turn the dial). I also liked Elkhunter's Manfrotto 770 fluid head. Doug~RR Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted May 7, 2007 Not trying to steal this thread but trying to add beef to the discussion... Does one brand mount to a tri-pod any better than the other??? thanks Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcouesandelk Report post Posted May 7, 2007 Not trying to steal this thread but trying to add beef to the discussion... Does one brand mount to a tri-pod any better than the other??? thanks Jason No not at all. It all depends on the adapter you get for your binos to attatch to the plate which will slide or clamp onto your tripod. Go with the outdoorsman adapter! It is machined aluminum and is a universal attatchment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter4life Report post Posted May 7, 2007 RedRabbit, Thanks for posting your impressions on a side-by-side comparison. The results were pretty much what I would have expected based on prior experience with both brands, but it is nice to have confirmation of this. Casey, I think you will be pleased with your choice of the Leicas. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
