New Kahles HELIA 42 Rangefinder Binoculars -The Firearm Blog

Those who have never used high-quality binoculars are missing out. Over ten years ago, I bought my own first pair. They took a substantial bite out of my pocket, but the optical quality still amazes me and I never regret the purchase. Mine also has an integrated laser rangefinder, just like the new Kahles HELIA 42 Rangefinder. This makes the product so much more versatile, as you can laser “common hunting targets” out to 1500 meters or just short of a mile.

With the long-range function, Kahles claims that you can range “easy to detect targets” up to 4500 meters. That’s almost 3 miles! You also get the temperature and air pressure displayed on the OLED.

Here’s what Kahles has to say about their new HELIA 42.

COMFORTABLY EASY AND RELIABLE

The lightweight and ergonomic HELIA 42 Rangefinder (RF) perfectly combines brilliant optics with reliable targeting up to 1,500m on common hunting targets (Deer, Tree, etc.). It stands out for intuitive simple handling and useful hunting features like patented EAC (Enhanced Angle Compensation) and scan mode.

With the new HELIA 42 RF, KAHLES presents an optimised updated version of the successful HELIA RF. Accurate measuring of hunting-related targets up to 1,500 meters – an increase of 50% – when directly compared to its predecessor, is enabled by improved distance measurement technology.

The latest lens technology of the HELIA Rangefinder binoculars enables bright, sharp images with high detail and natural contrast. An easy intuitive use/menu navigation enables fading/switching to the patented KAHLES EAC function for angle compensation, the Long-Range (LR) function for the measurement of simple targets up to 4,500 metres as well as to the display of ambient temperature and air pressure. The scan mode that enables continuous measurement of moving targets complements the hunting-relevant range of functions, together with the high-quality clear OLED display, an even more precise target marker for aiming at hunting targets.

In addition to the standard distance measurement (linear), the more precise and patented KAHLES EAC function (Enhanced Angle Compensation) – based on the classic Rifleman’s Rule – can be calculated and shown, to obtain the most precise hits when shooting at an angle. While the Rifleman’s Rule only provides the slant range based on pure mathematics, the EAC function also considers the different ballistics to provide a more relevant basis.

The five manual and easily adjustable brightness levels – without extra menu access -, offer a quick and focused adjustment of the display to the given lighting conditions (preventing unintentional/automatic changes). Energy management has been refined and now offers an extra long battery lifetime of ~ 4,000 measurements.

The ergonomically designed arrangement of the function buttons and the easy pressure point of the Rangefinder function ensure simultaneous viewing and measuring. The protective coating of the device and the different operating controls have been designed for practical use, and provide, together with waterproof and robust aluminium casing, optimal protection in the most adverse conditions and a pleasant, non-slip feel.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

.:. Easy and reliable targeting up to 1,500 m on common hunting targets
.:. Intuitive simple menu navigation
.:. Patented EAC-function (Enhanced Angle Compensation) for angle correction
.:. Long-range (LR) function for ranging easy to detect targets up to 4,500 m
.:. Premium-quality OLED display with five manual brightness settings and display in meter or yards
.:. Scan Mode, temperature and air pressure display
.:. Extra long battery lifetime ~ 4,000 measurements

Complementing the existing HELIA binocular product family, the new HELIA 42 RF is available as of July in two practical magnifications (8×42/10×42) at €1,700 each at specialized dealers.

I’m quite tempted to try this one out. Long range lasering out to 4500 meters sounds pretty interesting. It makes me think of the Safran Vectronix Terrapin X Laser Rangefinder TFB recently reviewed.

You can find more information about the Helia 42 here: https://www.kahles.at/en/hunt/binoculars

New Kahles HELIA 42 Rangefinder Binoculars

Eric B