German Precision Optics RANGEGUIDE 8x50mm Rangefinding Roof Prism Binocular

1 review for German Precision Optics RANGEGUIDE 8x50mm Rangefinding Roof Prism Binocular

1. 

   Adam – August 18, 2024

   My vision sucks without my glasses, so I longed and waited for a an 8x rangefinding bino with excessive eye relief and good glass. Nobody else makes one, except maybe Steiner with their 7x laser model, and for years I’ve put up with peering into the dark tunnel that all optics look like to me with a clear crisp center with a lot of dark and wasted outer field of view. I’ve carried a combo of Vortex Viper HD 8×42 binos and the original Sig Kilo 2000 on a cumbersome retractable tether for all of my hunting for the past few years because I wasn’t impressed by any of the 10x rangefinding binos I’d held at the big box stores. Then I found this little gem and gave it a try. It’s the first optic I’ve ever handled which I can see the entire field of view with my glasses on. Bout durn time. I was also stunned by how clear the glass is; if it isn’t crisp, keep running the focus knob until you’re impressed and it’ll probably get even more clear from there. I’m not a chromatic aberration snob, but I haven’t noticed any and the colors seem true and crisp. The rangefinder is also true to it’s label: I can routinely get ranges on rocks and trees out to 3000 yds in direct mid-day sunlight in a stiff wind in both continuous and momentary ranging modes – all handheld. I haven’t put it on a tripod yet. I also like that the angle slope indicator is displayed right under the range. I don’t care about the temperature feature, and neither will anyone else who uses a Kestrel for atmospherics. The lens caps stayed put during a long backpacking trip I just did in rugged terrain. Now for the cons: The display is dim and difficult to see in direct sunlight, even on it’s maximum brightness setting. It’s still useable, but would be nice to have more brightness for the blinding sunlight above 10,000 feet in the American west. There is no threaded receiver for tripod mounts, because the batttery goes there. I know the battery has to go somewhere, but without being able to use the sleek low-profile tripod mounts out there, this will add bulk and weight to an optics system that is already hefty and there are streamlined mounts out there that plug right into common tripods. Maybe GPO should just make the outer surface of the battery cap the 1/4” threaded receiver or whatever size is standard. To conclude, I had not previously imagined myself as being able to afford binos like this, but they’re the most clear and functional pair I’ve ever used with my glasses on, the rangefinder is amazing and simplifies my hunting kit by negating the need to carry a separate rangefinder, and overall I’m very pleased with the purchase and excited to use them this season. As the most effective modern hunters say: good glass costs nothing and also weighs nothing.