Re: Geovids or Swaro Range Finder?
Geovids,
I did the high end binocs and leica rangefinder for a few years and it works fine. This year I got a set of Geovid HD's and never looked back. They are faster in the field, you don't have to mess with digging out a rangefinder if time is a factor hunting. It's one less thing to put on your belt or hang from your neck.
Yes they are heavier than binoculars, but not heavier than a binocular and rangefinder combo. One less thing to carry, keep track of, and find a place for. If the rangefinder dies the binoculars still work so it's no different than if your dedicated rangefinder dies in the field. Price is higher, but no worse than high end binoculars and a high end rangefinder combined.
If it's not for hunting use, and time may not be critical, then I don't think it matters much which way you go.
As someone else said the normal geovids are a slight step below the best binoculars for optics. My geovid HD's are so close to my EL's that even swapping back and forth it's tough to say there's any real difference.
Once you spend a few days in the field being able to range things at will whenever you are glassing you'll never go back to using the combo. Frankly I'd even take the hit in optical quality of the plain geovid's and be pleased as punch being able to range instantly and not having to dig a range finder off my belt compared to my EL/leica 1200 combo.