When it comes to binoculars there are wide variety of those devices available in the market. I personally have Diamondback 4-12×40 Riflescope. But a month back one of my friend bought Viper HD binoculars of Vortex Optics. Out of inquisitiveness I checked the binocular and found to be of high quality. This is when my friend asked me to write a comparative review on the top rated binoculars from Vortex Optics that are currently up for sale through various websites and authorised dealers.
In the past I have reviewed some of the most sought after products. But comparative studies are liked more by the users, I have found out lately. So, I agreed to my friend’s suggestion and took three top rated devices including Vortex Viper HD, Razor HD, and Talon HD. Comparing all the features are not possible in this limited section. So I’ll compare the major points only. If the readers need more specific information, they should check out the reviews of particular vortex optics (here binoculars). Other than price difference, these products can be compared on the basis of two broad categories: Body and Non-optical Components, on one hand, and Optical Configuration and Performance, on the other. Body and Non-optical Components consists of features such as chassis, diopter adjustment, weight, size, and center focus. Optical configuration and performance includes features such as Field of View, Optical Sweet Spot, Resolution, and Strong Light Viewing.
Now, let us compare the various features of these binoculars spotting scopes.
Price
At the very onset it needs to be mentioned that the concerned Viper costs $150 more than Talon. However, the costliest among these is the Razor HD range, whose price is more than $1000, around $500 to $700 more than the other two Vortex Optics devices.
Chassis
While chassis of Talon HD is made up of aluminium, that of Viper HD is made from polycarbonate. In case of Razor HD magnesium frame is used. Polycarbonate is found to be good even in rough use. Aluminium is lighter than polycarbonate, but not as light as magnesium. So, keep these aspects in mind while buying.
Diopter Adjustment
In both Talon and Viper this adjustment is provided by ring which is located at the right eyepiece. During normal use and handling there remains chance of accidental ‘adjustment’. In case of the Viper HD of Vortex Optics, ring locks are there for reducing any accidental setting changes. Just pull center focus wheel towards the ocular lenses at the back for diopter adjustment at Razor HD. Then by pressing it back it can be locked. Whichever direction you change, it is confirmed with a distinct ‘click’ sound.
Weight and Size
While the former weighs 26.5oz/751g, the latter of the similar binocular weighs 29.5oz/836g. Razor is the heaviest among the three but Viper is the lightest. Smaller objective lens can be used if the shooter faces any weight issue while shooting. Viper HD is the shortest but Talon is the tallest. However, none of them are oversized.
Center Focus
Center Focus arrangement is used in all the models. In case of Talon, 1.75 turns are required for the focus wheel to go from close to infinity focus.1.5 turns are required in Razor as well as Viper. The best center focus is in the Talon.
Field of View and Resolution of Details
6.6° field of view is available at Talon. However, 6.1° is available in that of the similarly priced binoculars. In case of Razor HD it is 6.1° field of view. Resolution of details feature has been found to be more or less similar in all three products. If you ask me to rate then Razor will be at the top, followed by Viper or Talon.
Optical Sweet Spot and Strong Light Viewing
At the center of focused view, optical sweet spot is present in each binocular. This helps in getting best contrast and clearest color. Clear winner in this feature is Razor (having 95% of image radius), followed by Viper (with 87%), and Talon (with 80% clarity). Strong Light Viewing is one of the most important aspects of comparison. While Vortex Optics Viper fared better than that of Talon’s, light control is found to be the best at Razor HD.
If you are thinking of buying a great binocular, you should settle with Viper HD of Vortex Optics, which not only has great features but also affordable price among all the other Vortex optics available for sale.
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