I'm sorry but I cannot see how this is relevant to anything on this thread? To my mind it is nothing other than typical N. American over-the-top sales talk, the only person responsible for that is some overpaid advertising man who has never even looked through the product.
As for Steve Ingraham's position at Zeiss, I was under the impression it was strictly in a consultative manner and that it wouldn't restrict him from expressing his own opinions, although stepping down from BVD. In many cases this 'independance' could be taken with a pinch of salt but with someone like Steve it is genuine and deeply seated in his character. That is why I say it could be a risky business for Zeiss to have him 'on their books', so to speak.
As for reviewing, panel testing with experienced birders is still the best way. Yes, brand loyalty does effect a number of birders but this is usually of minimal impact with a good team and an impartial compiler.
Sandy
