Zeiss 8x30 Dialyt

[Leif]

Anyone used the above? I am curious how they perform. I recently tried a pair of 30 year old ones and was amazed at the lack of chromatic aberration. How do the recent ones compare?

(I see serious chromatic aberration in all top grade bins and it annoys me. Even the Leica 8x42 have some - though less than most bins.)

[chartwell99]

The recent ones (6 years old in my case) are great - wide field, very bright and very contrasty, with no noticeable chromatic aberration. The negatives are: no internal focus and not waterproof (dispite the Zeiss warranty), poor close focus, stiff focus, terrible stiff rubber eyecups. Bottom line - if you like the Zeiss 10 x 40 Dialyts, you'll like these (I do).

[Tim Allwood]

Hi Leif

I've mentioned these bins in the recent past.....a friend of mine used a pair in the late 80s and 90s and I always thought they were great and I would have had a pair had I not already bought 7 x 42s. They are very small and light but never caught on like the very similar Leica 8 x 32s did.
Perhaps a little ahead of their time.....

[mcdowella]

Have you tried porros, such as Nikon E or Swift Audubon porro? From memory, the BWD article on the Nikon Superior E said that some optical problems were easier with porros than roofs.

[deboo]

I borrowed some 'red leica 8x32's'......not impressed...
I spent all the time refocusing....poor depth of field...
I did like the 8x42 Nikons....but bought some used 8x42 Leica BA's...much cheaper...
At the end of the day...it's all down to personal preference...just get some decent bins and enjoy the birds.....

Dave.

[scampo]

(I see serious chromatic aberration in all top grade bins and it annoys me. Even the Leica 8x42 have some - though less than most bins.)
I have noticed chromatic aberration with many top binos - but not in mid-day type light. As the light's colour temperature changes, say towards dusk, it would, I suspect, be very difficult for a single fixed lens structure to focus such light onto a single plane.

[Leif]

I have noticed chromatic aberration with many top binos - but not in mid-day type light. As the light's colour temperature changes, say towards dusk, it would, I suspect, be very difficult for a single fixed lens structure to focus such light onto a single plane.

I find it most pronounced in bright sunlight and least in low flat light. Funny how different people often have completely opposite takes on the same thing!