I'm trying to decide which 8x42 I'll really hunt down used now that I've got a better pair of compacts. Seems like in the price range I can tolerate, I'm looking at the following 3. Is one of these so clearly better than the other two?
Nikon Monarch
Vortex Diamondback
Eagle Optics Ranger SRT or Platinum Ranger
As another aside, I've got a pair of Bushnell 8x42s that worked for about a month, then somewhere between home and a beach in Baja Sur, they started seeing double (accompanied obviously with a splitting headache). Has anyone had any experience getting their Bushnell's repaired, and is it even worth the costs their repair services charge?
[QUOTE=Bosque;1487689]I'm trying to decide which 8x42 I'll really hunt down used now that I've got a better pair of compacts. Seems like in the price range I can tolerate, I'm looking at the following 3. Is one of these so clearly better than the other two?
Nikon Monarch
Vortex Diamondback
Eagle Optics Ranger SRT or Platinum Ranger
As another aside, I've got a pair of Bushnell 8x42s that worked for about a month, then somewhere between home and a beach in Baja Sur, they started seeing double (accompanied obviously with a splitting headache). Has anyone had any experience getting their Bushnell's repaired, and is it even worth the costs their repair services charge?[/QUOTE]
You are going to get a lot of recommendations for the Zen-Ray ED. You'll probably want an aftermarket strap and objective covers, but they're distinctly better than any of the models you list optically, IMO.
Dunno about the Bushnells, but I'm sure someone will.
I directly compared those to the Zen-ray, and came away with the Zen-ray without any hesitation. I've been thoroughly impressed so far. I did really like the monarch's - their image quality is certainly good enough, but clearly behind the zen-ray ED. The ergonomics are totally different - both appealing but in nearly opposite ways. The Monarchs are very light - almost effortless to hold, but I felt a bit shaky using them. The ZR's are quite a bit heavier, and that combined with the open-bridge hold made them much more stable for me. Ergonomics are super-personal though, and I could certainly see someone choosing the Monarch for purely ergonomic reasons. I didn't care much for the Ranger SRT, but I did like the Diamondback. To be honest, though, I spent more time looking at the Viper and Razor from the Vortex line... and still came away thinking the Zen-Ray ED was the best both from a purely optics standpoint, and certainly the best when value per dollar spent was taken into consideration.