Minox BL 8x56 BR binocular review

[addicted]

Here is a review I wrote up on another forum several months ago and I thought it might be usefull here as well. Its a little longer than i expected. Still, i hope you will find my experience informative.

I purchased these binos for use primarily in German tree stand hunting conditions including both day and night hunting. I really wanted some European binos as well as needed something quality that would perform under all light and weather conditions 364 days a year. For this the German standard until about 10 years ago was a 7x50 binocular however these days with the concept of bigger is better many companies are making an 8x56 for these conditions. I wanted European optics not only because I'm in Europe at the moment but also because due year round hunting and a long standing tradition of quality many European companies quite possibly make the best optics in the world. I started with a pair of bushnells which i thought were adequate until i borrowed some euro glass as well as the bushnells crapped out on me going to double vision.

When I began my search for a pair of binos I had lots of options, Zeiss, Sworovski, Docter, Meopta, Steiner Nighthunters, the list goes on. However, all of these had one fatal flaw...... they were out of my budget. I found a few options for used 20 year old zeiss's(still fantastic glass) but nothing that stuck. I eventually came down to a few options that I could fenagel into my(wife's) price range. Steiner ranger's Minox and Nikon. Even though Nikon was not in my primary standing for a pair of binos for hunting germany they did have the qualifications and the price tag to fit. The Steiner's are very popular due to price and the sport focus option which is very handy for night hunting when light conditions may be so poor that it might be hard to tell if you are focusing in or out of your target. The Minox have a good history and great reviews but it was hard to get my hands on a pair for testing.

Just as what usually happens i found a Deal and i went for it. I found a Pair of Minox BL 8x56 BR display model on line for 400 US dollars. Upon arrival and ripping open the shipping packaging like a Christmas story i was absolutely at a loss for words with the feel of the binos as far as weight, grip, and over all quality. I took them outside quick as i could get the dam German backdoor to open and took a look out through the back yard. Now, ya know when your walking through the electronics section and they have transformers playing in HD on some ridiculously priced TV set up,? Well it was like that....... and more. Every thing that simply seemed clear through my other binos now appeared vibrant and three dimensional. I though clear was clear and that was fine, but I was very pleased to be wrong. Not only was the clarity excellent, but the color rendition made the colors more vibrant than ever. Hell, I was so excited I might have even popped a woody.

Before taking them out in the Field i picked up a Bino Harness by Crooked Horn as I did not want to drop my investment out of the stand. (Wife would have killed me if I broke them) On their first few day hunts out in the stand I was further amazed by the pure razor sharpness of the images. Made the little birds, creek, insects, and terrain all look completely new and complex in design compaired to my previous viewing standards.

I also noticed that they were...... i guess you could say auto focusing. Once adjusted to my eyes They quickly become sharp at any distance i could see from 5-500 yards. No focusing adjustments for Distance.

On one of the first few Field uses i sat in a stand about 30 minutes on grown clear cut with plenty of chest high trees and bushes before I reached in my pack and pulled out the binos. After a quick scan i realised that there were 3 deer in the Field in front of me, one of which was only about 40 yards away. Although none of them had moved much since the start of my hunt(not enough movement to move into any bit of a clearing big enough to show a body part.) and there was only small patches of fur showing, each small patch of fur showed up like a flippin sonar ping due to the pure contrast in colors that the binos offered.

On another hunt I pulled the binos off and placed them on the seat next to me while I took off my jacket. While slipping my arm through the jacket i bumped my binos and felt them tip off the bench. MY HEART LITERALLY STOPPED. I heard the thud of them hitting the ground some 12 to 15 feet away. I instantly had visions of my wife never letting me buy anything nice again. As I climbed down the latter one slow rung at a time I could see it in my head. A dislodged lens. Double vision..... as i had never dropped the Bushnell's like that. As I slowly turned away from the ladder and bent to pick up the last expensive toy I would ever get approved through my accountant I wanted to kick myself for not just sweating it out for the sake of my final piece of non tasco glass and just wore the damn jacket into the stand with the perfectly good and brand new Bino system that my wife had suggested I buy(a twist of the knife) to protect my eyeball investment. As I raised my 700$(MSRP) European paperweight to my eyes to see the damage done I......... I ....... I about jumped out of my skivvies. Still in perfect condition. Just as bright and clear if not more than before.

Low light
Once again I was befuddled by the detail that the binos portrayed to my eyeballs. With a quarter moon on a semi cloudy night the only thing I ever owned that came close was the Meopta scope I had purchased for similar reasons. I had felt before that I did not need the binos as much as my (much older) hunting buddies because I still had young good eyes but now I wonder how many animals i had missed that had walked through the shadows nearby.

I have had these side by side with Steiner police 10x50's(kicked the crap out of them). Steiner Ranger 8x56's (easily noticeably clearer)and older zeis 8x56's with the long classic tubes(on par with light transmission and possibly clearer).


Over all, I would give it 5 stars on all accounts. Especially at the price I got them at.

Thanks for reading. Post some questions if I didn't mention anything you wanted to know.

-Josh

[addicted]

I'm trying to upload some photos as well but it keeps telling me that "The extension bmp is not allowed"

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

I'm trying to upload some photos as well but it keeps telling me that "The extension bmp is not allowed"

The easiest solution would be to save them as Jpegs in microsoft "paint" (presuming you're on a pc)

[addicted]

when i hit "save as" do i have to change the format or is just putting jpeg at the end sufficient?

after i typed .jpeg at the end

"Image file type mismatch: expected extension bmp but extension jpeg given."

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Change format (in a drop down box if memory serves)

[addicted]

I think i Have the pics working now. thanks for the technical support.

[addicted]

I wish digiscoping could portray the clarity of optics. That would help with purchases greatly.

[Dom]

I was so impressed with the Minox Spotter MD 62 that I got the more portable MD 50 also. Then picked up the Minox Z5 3-15x42 rifle scope and was a bit disappointed, it is a decent scope but not in the same class with the 'other' Euros. Of course the price was a lot less also so one can't really complain too hard about it. All in all I do like Minox, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to give up my Leica 10x42 BRF or Night Vision Bino's for that matter

What is important is that you are satisfied with what your eyes see, I think the Minox Bino's and Spotters are definately worth their price tag, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[addicted]

I think i might buy a minox compact spotter myself. The are probably the best in their price range.

Waidmannsheil

[thechamp]

Never owned a Minox product but have heard they were of good quality. Your comment about how they made the world look is the way I see looking through a Swarovski scope. It's 'better than real'. Unbelievable how good they can get the glass and the coatings. Nice to hear they withstood the fall without coming apart at least somewhere.

[deerhunter338mag]

They are becoming popular out here as well as people are always looking for a cheaper option than Swarovski. A mate has a set and are very impressive, I think out here there around $800 but he got them from the US for half that. Nice write

[addicted]

. Nice write

thanks.

my buddy tried to contact the same shop where i purchased mine through and was told that the price i got it at was a mistake and they had already lost a bunch of money because of it. lol. he ended up getting the heavier version and still being very satisfied.

[Gamsjagd]

I have the same pair, I bought them in Germany from Living Active.de

I paid about $350-420 for them. I don't remember exactly.