Leica Geovid BFR 10x42???

[Big Sky]

Is there any reason I shouldn't buy these? I use my current 10x42's constantly. It seems like it would be real nice to have a rangefinder built right in. (One less thing to carry.) Besides price is there any reason a guy shouldn't buy these? I mean like are the Swarovski's or Leica compact rangefinders better or more handy? I need a range finder that will consistantly range antelope, deer, prairie dogs out to 500 to 1000 yards. Anyway I'm very near to taking the plunge and want to be as sure as possible I'm spending my money wisely.

 

[victor]

Greetings Big Sky,

I was in the same place as you last season. I have a pair of Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL's and love them. I also have a Leica 1200 range finder.
While hunting deer this last season,In cold foul weather, I found it to be a great pain to lift up my coat and try to quietly and with out much motion, to pull out my range finder and get a reading on a buck 350 yards away.

I thought, boy it sure would be nice to have that Leica BR unit. I thought hard about selling my EL's and purchasing the BR's for (over 2k). On my way home from WY, I stopped in Utah to see what all the hype was about at these fancy Cabela's stores.
Well, let me tell you, now I know what all the fuss is about. That store is more like a fine museum, with all the life size mounts, fish tanks, boy scout tours and all. I thought is was great and even decided to contribute some of my money to them right then and there (mostly gifts for the family).
I did stop in the Bargain cave and noticed a pair of Lieca BR 10x binoculars, a pair of Swarovski 10X EL's, and a pair of 10x Euro Optics (made by Meopata).

I viewed these 3 brands side by side, looking at a ram mount about 50 yards distant in a dark area of the building.

I looked thru the EL's first and it looked as i expected. I then put up the Leica's and was very surprised to see how dark they seemed. Not at all what I expected. Having looked thru the old style Leica's several years ago when I was purchasing my EL's, the Leica's seemed comparable to the EL's. But I liked the lines of the EL,s better and the price was not that far, so I opted for the EL's at the time. But these BR Lieca's were lacking in brightness and clarity. I then tried the Euro Optics and Wow! They were almost as good as the EL's. And for $849.00, If I had it to do over, I would own the Meopata binoculars. http://www.swfa.com/c-1135-meopta-binoculars.aspx

Now I must clarify that I was in the bargain cave and all the binoculars I was comparing were returned items. But still, the glass should not be affected. They were not out of alignment or anything, just very poor brightness in my opinion.

After that comparison, I decided to just keep my EL's and will just have to get used to reaching under my jacket to access the Lieca range finder, which works just great for me.

I hope this helps some.
Regards,
Vic

 

[threethreeeight]

Hi there to you guys.
I have just purchased a pair of Leica BRF 10x42,they are simply fantastic for extended glassing on game at long range.The clarity is stunning and late evening viewing has to be their forte.
I realise they are "up there" in terms of price and they are somewhat heavier than Swarovski EL models.But to have a combination bino and rangefinder is fantastic,it is so easy to use.With no swapping to use a rangie,The receptor for the laser is so quick compared to stand alone rangefinders.
I am a hunter based in the South Island of New Zealand
We shoot alpine animals at ultra long range with a Blaser LRS Tactical 2 in 338 Lapua Magnum and I must admit we have already passed the 1200 metres rangefinding capability of this unit.
As an aside you can specify yards ( which is sure to satisfy U.S. customers )or metres,but not both,but that is not going to spoil the use of this fantastic product.
Happy glassing whichever you pick.

 

[JCFORD]

BigSky, I have a pair and I am not sure I would do it again. I have a pair of Swaro SLC 15 x 56, and I would much rather glass with them. One of the things I dislike about my Leica's is the range button is on the left side and I cannot hold my bow in my left hand and hold my binoculars in my right and range when game is close. Which is one of the reasons I bought them. They are good quality glass and a good range finder, but I do not know if the are worth what they want for them. I had a friend that has a Bushnell Elite and it would get range readings further than my Leica everytime. It is nice having them in one package and I carry mine quite a bit and will carry them on a NWT sheep hunt in August, I just do not know if I would buy them again. Good Luck in your search!!!

 

[Just Learnin]

Big Sky, I bought one a while back and had difficulty getting it to range. I sent it back to Leica for inspection and they said it was damaged, consistent with impact (dropping them apparently). Short story - I had to pay $400 for a replacement pair and it literally took six months to get the new ones. I do like having both in one unit and I am pleased with the quality of my new binocs. Hopefully my warranty difficulty is just limited to me but I don't know, and it has certainly soured me personally to leica products. Good luck with your decision; it's never an easy one with that much money on the table. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Lapua Hunter]

I have had the 10X BRF for a year or so and really like it! Pricey, but hard to beat performance wise....