I don't know maybe I am not sensitive enough but I looked through the almost 1.5-2K Zeiss, Lieca, Swaro bins and I gotta say I do not see the justification for such a mark-up on binoculars. Life pair aside I just do not get it. Do enough birders really pay this for bins? Or is it that their sales have dropped off and need to raise the price in order to compensate for a lack of demand?
I know that they are better then my Eagle Optics Platinums but how much so? These Eagles have served me so well. I have never thought wow I wish I had one of those 1.5-2k bins it really would have made the difference here. When I looked through these 1.5-2K models I thought they looked slightly better then what I had nothing more.
[QUOTE=nightheron28;940115]I don't know maybe I am not sensitive enough but I looked through the almost 1.5-2K Zeiss, Lieca, Swaro bins and I gotta say I do not see the justification for such a mark-up on binoculars. Life pair aside I just do not get it. Do enough birders really pay this for bins? Or is it that their sales have dropped off and need to raise the price in order to compensate for a lack of demand?
I know that they are better then my Eagle Optics Platinums but how much so? These Eagles have served me so well. I have never thought wow I wish I had one of those 1.5-2k bins it really would have made the difference here. When I looked through these 1.5-2K models I thought they looked slightly better then what I had nothing more.[/QUOTE]
Good question.
And a tricky one.
It is in the eye of the beholder.
Is a platinum ring with a diamond better than brass with a polished quartz?
Is it worth one-hundred times as much?
Is a Porsche 911 better than a Toyota when you go at pedestrian's speed in a city?
You have to bear one thing in mind: Binoculars are status-symbols of the birding community. The model and how it is worn tells you about the rank in the pecking order.
Hunters have a penchant for 8x56 models - even if they are too old to make use of the power. They like theirs big and bulky - ever pondered the similiarity to antlers?
Birders like theirs expensive. Full stop.
If you don't need it, you're lucky. You're saving a lot of money.
Stay sober and sensible,
Tom