For those who shop as I do (Performance vs Dollar Value), read on. If price is no objection, and "Best is the Best" at any cost, you may find the below comments irrelevant!
Leupolds past top-of-line McKinley BX-4's have been dropped from Leupold's Binocular line up. According to the US Tech Product Line Mng., their QC Production Source in China was too inconsistent, creating operational and functional problems. I myself purchased then returned both the 1st production (#117790) and 2nd production (#119282) models due to issues, mostly not being able to achieve a Tack-Sharp image! Through all of these trials, I kept returning to my tried and true sharp, bright, edge to edge clarity with excellent 3-D DOF sweet Mojave BX-3's!
Now, Leupold has introduced a new top-of-line product edition to their very successful BX-3 Mojave line up, the BX-3 "Pro Guide HD". They added Calcium Fluorite Extra low Dispersion glass, a neat Kryptek camo finish and $200 to the retail pricing. Having used and loved their original 10x42 BX-3's (#111768) for the past year, I was very curious if these newest "HD" BX-3's could be a step up in overall glassing performance. As their appearance hasn't made it to local retailers, I purchased these 10x42's (#120906) from Midway USA in early March 2015, the first on line distributor to list the newest BX-3 HD's.
In direct comparison to my old faithful BX-3, I find colors are rendered more accurately (pop) and flare, edge and color aberrations are non existent with the updated HD BX-3's. Resolution and sharpness are a small step up from my original Mojaves (which are great) while maintaining an excellent 3-D DOF and a wide\flat FOV image presentation. Their low light capabilities and weight are about equal, so overall they are an improvement on an already great optic.
At Cabelas, direct BX-3 HD in-store and outside daylight \ dusk comparisons to 10x42 V. Razors, Z. Conquest and S. SLC was Very Favorable. Colors are equally accurate (pop), edge aberrations are absent, FOV is very wide and resolution\sharpness are Very Close. The above tested three competitors are "Razor-Sharp", the BX-3 being "Tack-Sharp". This non-razor sharpness was most noticeable in extreme low light at a darkened\black wooded tree line 400 yds away (back lit from street lights 100 yds near woods), but outside day light and in store resolution differences were hard to detect. However, at 1\2 to 1\4 the price, I am well pleased with their optical prowess and feel these new BX-3's will be keepers in my range and hunting bags.
Not sure where their overall binocular offerings are heading, but a re-introduction of their "Gold Ring Alpha Glass" line up would be really sweet!
Ted
Leupolds past top-of-line McKinley BX-4's have been dropped from Leupold's Binocular line up. According to the US Tech Product Line Mng., their QC Production Source in China was too inconsistent, creating operational and functional problems. I myself purchased then returned both the 1st production (#117790) and 2nd production (#119282) models due to issues, mostly not being able to achieve a Tack-Sharp image! Through all of these trials, I kept returning to my tried and true sharp, bright, edge to edge clarity with excellent 3-D DOF sweet Mojave BX-3's!
Now, Leupold has introduced a new top-of-line product edition to their very successful BX-3 Mojave line up, the BX-3 "Pro Guide HD". They added Calcium Fluorite Extra low Dispersion glass, a neat Kryptek camo finish and $200 to the retail pricing. Having used and loved their original 10x42 BX-3's (#111768) for the past year, I was very curious if these newest "HD" BX-3's could be a step up in overall glassing performance. As their appearance hasn't made it to local retailers, I purchased these 10x42's (#120906) from Midway USA in early March 2015, the first on line distributor to list the newest BX-3 HD's.
In direct comparison to my old faithful BX-3, I find colors are rendered more accurately (pop) and flare, edge and color aberrations are non existent with the updated HD BX-3's. Resolution and sharpness are a small step up from my original Mojaves (which are great) while maintaining an excellent 3-D DOF and a wide\flat FOV image presentation. Their low light capabilities and weight are about equal, so overall they are an improvement on an already great optic.
At Cabelas, direct BX-3 HD in-store and outside daylight \ dusk comparisons to 10x42 V. Razors, Z. Conquest and S. SLC was Very Favorable. Colors are equally accurate (pop), edge aberrations are absent, FOV is very wide and resolution\sharpness are Very Close. The above tested three competitors are "Razor-Sharp", the BX-3 being "Tack-Sharp". This non-razor sharpness was most noticeable in extreme low light at a darkened\black wooded tree line 400 yds away (back lit from street lights 100 yds near woods), but outside day light and in store resolution differences were hard to detect. However, at 1\2 to 1\4 the price, I am well pleased with their optical prowess and feel these new BX-3's will be keepers in my range and hunting bags.
Not sure where their overall binocular offerings are heading, but a re-introduction of their "Gold Ring Alpha Glass" line up would be really sweet!
Ted
