Jim Boyd
Senior Member
Hey Folks,
I have learned that hunters are, in my opinion, at a disadvantage without binoculars.
Some will disagree and I would expect no different – as we are all humans and we all have differing viewpoints.
If you think binos are a waste of time and money, read no further!
I started with binos only about 12 years ago and I went cheap at first. Boy, that hurt. Cost me a few deer, in my estimation.
I quickly began to upgrade my glass (binos and scopes) until only high end stuff would do – Swarovski, Meopta Meostar, Kahles, Zeiss, etc – and took them all the way to 56 mm.
Eventually, I migrated to bow hunting only (if anyone sees a “holier than thou” attitude in that, I would just ask you to get over it) and the binos I used when rifle hunting were just too large and bulky.
I moved from an 8x56 to an 8x43 to an 8x32 and have used the latter pair for archery for the last several years. Along the way, I discovered Zen-Ray and while I am not here to sell anything, I think they are the best mid range cost glass on the planet.
I still felt like what I was using was too heavy / bulky and wanted something lighter and smaller….
I purchased a set of Cabela’s Intensity HD 8x25’s on a whim after being fairly impressed in the store.
So – home they went for the comparison. I placed a white / yellow Corona beer carton (now, that is an unabashed endorsement!) at 75 yards in heavy timber and also added a set of 130 class deer antlers propped up on a semi fallen pine tree – and sat on the back deck as it got dark.
I was comparing Zen-Ray 8x43, Zen-Ray 8x32 and the Cabela’s 8x25’s… (I have a pair of Vortex 12x50 Diamondback for field glassing but could not immediately find them).
The Zen’s are like old friends to me and are very, very good glass – I would estimate they rival the Zeiss Conquest line. In fact, I sold my Zeiss after I bought my first Zen’s…. as I could tell no discernable difference and the cost was less than half.
With that baseline established, I glassed and waited for the gloom to fall.
The first thing I noticed was the crisp, startlingly clear views through the 25's. They are amazing, to say the least.
The controls of the 25’s take some getting used to – as you use your ring finger to adjust with rather than your index finger. I think eventually your brain will train itself – but it is different. Also different is that they articulate in two places rather than in one – so this is part of the learning curve, too. The tiny size really takes some getting used to also – you feel as if you are holding a toy.
The 25’s slide easily into a slash or vest pocket and take virtually no room.
With it still fairly bright – we will use a scale of 100 as full daylight and 0 as full dark – I started at about 75% light… all of the glass was bright and clear. This was expected (and known) regarding the Zen’s – but was a pleasant surprise with the 25’s. I could read the label on the beer box easily with all and could count all 10 tines on the antlers. Hand shake is much more of an issue with the tiny binos, however.
Gloom settled and as we reached about 33%, the larger binos really began to separate themselves from the 25’s. I could still read and count tines with the 25’s – but not with the crispness and clarity of the 32 and 43’s.
At 25%, the differences were even more. I now began to lose the lettering on the box with the 25’s and could tell it was a deer rack out there but could no longer count points. With the 32 and 43's, I could still read the box and count tines.
At 15% - (which is about the time I generally pack it in when hunting) I could still see the box with the 25's but could not read the lettering at all. Since I knew where to look, I could tell there was a deer rack out there but could not make any details out. I do not think, short of movement, you would know a deer was there. When I say 15%, this is a darkness level that would allow you to see, with your eyes, that a deer was within about 30-40 yards but you would not be able to tell if it was a buck or doe (at least with my 60 year old eyes). With the 32 and 43's, I could still see but not read the lettering and could still see the deer rack but could not count points.
What I was stunned by was the fact the that the 32 and 43 Zen's seemed to stay neck and neck as it got dark. That was a pleasant surprise and apparently, I had never made that head to head comparison. Where I do think they would have separated themselves, however, would have been if the comparison were made between the two Zen's across a 150-200 yard field as it got dark.
So - what are the take aways?
Hand shake on the 25's is noticeable.
The glass on the 25's is excellent and offers startling clarity that can keep up with what I consider the "big boys" during good light.
The low light performance of the 25's is never going to be able to keep up with GOOD, LARGER SIZE glass as it gets dark.
The size of the 25's is a remarkable advantage if you are trying to go light and small.
This was not mentioned previously but the lens caps are separate for the 25's and this is not an excellent option.
In my final summary, the Cabela's 8x25 Intensity HD is a very excellent offering, with incredibly precise views. Yes, it is small and has a learning curve but it also drops into a slash or vest pocket effortlessly.
I highly recommend this set of bino's if lightness and compact design are concerns for you.
I intend to use them for my hunting this fall (all archery, no rifle) up to the point that I feel like I am missing something, optically.
If you are still with me, thanks for reading such a long review.
Best -
Jim
I have learned that hunters are, in my opinion, at a disadvantage without binoculars.
Some will disagree and I would expect no different – as we are all humans and we all have differing viewpoints.
If you think binos are a waste of time and money, read no further!
I started with binos only about 12 years ago and I went cheap at first. Boy, that hurt. Cost me a few deer, in my estimation.
I quickly began to upgrade my glass (binos and scopes) until only high end stuff would do – Swarovski, Meopta Meostar, Kahles, Zeiss, etc – and took them all the way to 56 mm.
Eventually, I migrated to bow hunting only (if anyone sees a “holier than thou” attitude in that, I would just ask you to get over it) and the binos I used when rifle hunting were just too large and bulky.
I moved from an 8x56 to an 8x43 to an 8x32 and have used the latter pair for archery for the last several years. Along the way, I discovered Zen-Ray and while I am not here to sell anything, I think they are the best mid range cost glass on the planet.
I still felt like what I was using was too heavy / bulky and wanted something lighter and smaller….
I purchased a set of Cabela’s Intensity HD 8x25’s on a whim after being fairly impressed in the store.
So – home they went for the comparison. I placed a white / yellow Corona beer carton (now, that is an unabashed endorsement!) at 75 yards in heavy timber and also added a set of 130 class deer antlers propped up on a semi fallen pine tree – and sat on the back deck as it got dark.
I was comparing Zen-Ray 8x43, Zen-Ray 8x32 and the Cabela’s 8x25’s… (I have a pair of Vortex 12x50 Diamondback for field glassing but could not immediately find them).
The Zen’s are like old friends to me and are very, very good glass – I would estimate they rival the Zeiss Conquest line. In fact, I sold my Zeiss after I bought my first Zen’s…. as I could tell no discernable difference and the cost was less than half.
With that baseline established, I glassed and waited for the gloom to fall.
The first thing I noticed was the crisp, startlingly clear views through the 25's. They are amazing, to say the least.
The controls of the 25’s take some getting used to – as you use your ring finger to adjust with rather than your index finger. I think eventually your brain will train itself – but it is different. Also different is that they articulate in two places rather than in one – so this is part of the learning curve, too. The tiny size really takes some getting used to also – you feel as if you are holding a toy.
The 25’s slide easily into a slash or vest pocket and take virtually no room.
With it still fairly bright – we will use a scale of 100 as full daylight and 0 as full dark – I started at about 75% light… all of the glass was bright and clear. This was expected (and known) regarding the Zen’s – but was a pleasant surprise with the 25’s. I could read the label on the beer box easily with all and could count all 10 tines on the antlers. Hand shake is much more of an issue with the tiny binos, however.
Gloom settled and as we reached about 33%, the larger binos really began to separate themselves from the 25’s. I could still read and count tines with the 25’s – but not with the crispness and clarity of the 32 and 43’s.
At 25%, the differences were even more. I now began to lose the lettering on the box with the 25’s and could tell it was a deer rack out there but could no longer count points. With the 32 and 43's, I could still read the box and count tines.
At 15% - (which is about the time I generally pack it in when hunting) I could still see the box with the 25's but could not read the lettering at all. Since I knew where to look, I could tell there was a deer rack out there but could not make any details out. I do not think, short of movement, you would know a deer was there. When I say 15%, this is a darkness level that would allow you to see, with your eyes, that a deer was within about 30-40 yards but you would not be able to tell if it was a buck or doe (at least with my 60 year old eyes). With the 32 and 43's, I could still see but not read the lettering and could still see the deer rack but could not count points.
What I was stunned by was the fact the that the 32 and 43 Zen's seemed to stay neck and neck as it got dark. That was a pleasant surprise and apparently, I had never made that head to head comparison. Where I do think they would have separated themselves, however, would have been if the comparison were made between the two Zen's across a 150-200 yard field as it got dark.
So - what are the take aways?
Hand shake on the 25's is noticeable.
The glass on the 25's is excellent and offers startling clarity that can keep up with what I consider the "big boys" during good light.
The low light performance of the 25's is never going to be able to keep up with GOOD, LARGER SIZE glass as it gets dark.
The size of the 25's is a remarkable advantage if you are trying to go light and small.
This was not mentioned previously but the lens caps are separate for the 25's and this is not an excellent option.
In my final summary, the Cabela's 8x25 Intensity HD is a very excellent offering, with incredibly precise views. Yes, it is small and has a learning curve but it also drops into a slash or vest pocket effortlessly.
I highly recommend this set of bino's if lightness and compact design are concerns for you.
I intend to use them for my hunting this fall (all archery, no rifle) up to the point that I feel like I am missing something, optically.
If you are still with me, thanks for reading such a long review.
Best -
Jim
Last edited:
