Alexis Powell
Natural history enthusiast
Since my own regular use of binoculars is similar to what you describe, I've got to ask, why not the Zeiss 8x32 FL rather than the Conquest?
--AP
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Death Of The Alpha? (1 Viewer)
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Since my own regular use of binoculars is similar to what you describe, I've got to ask, why not the Zeiss 8x32 FL rather than the Conquest?
--AP
Interesting. I never knew the Conquest HD had a faster focus. I had forgotten your other posts. Very good point.
Den
There is a farm across the valley from where we live and I have checked this distance on several maps and it is 2.5 miles / 4 km away. Focused on this farm it takes an SF about one complete turn to focus on a point 2 metres from why computer. The Conquest HD 8x32 does this in about 1/2 turn, so its an ideal companion to a slower focusing 42mm for a nature observer and its a benefit too when the nearby stuff is unfamiliar warblers whizzing from bush to bush in between distant views of hawks and eagles. You should have one Dennis.
Lee
marinemaster
Well-known member
I am going to highjack this thread to ask why the 6x and 7x binos are practically dead ? I get bad blackout with the Leica Ultravid 7x and I have not tried the Zeiss 7x yet because is too long way too long of a bino. I also tried the 6x Vortex and 6x Opticron but also getting blackout. That is pretty much all that is offered in the market today so with what 4 models or so in the 6x and 7x power these are rate these days. The 7x porro Nikon I have is a pleasure to use and view as the 7x platform is very steady. As far as the 9x that is comical why are they even made ? I cannot keep steady a 8x let alone 9x and 10x not for me maybe for these that have a steady hands. I would hope that there is a niche market for the 6x and 7x but unfortunately I think it will never happen I think is close to dead.
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MM
Please tell us whether you wear spectacles or not and whether you have the eyecups of the binoculars you have tried screwed all the way down or all the way up.
As far as 7x bins are concerned, at the British Bird Fair which is our biggest event that bins and scope makers exhibit at, if you ask almost any of the manufacturers they all say that everyone loves 7x but nobody buys them.
Lee
Iceberg slim
Fly by night
How many Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, owners could be gathered giving an appraisal on their own fave model, a real critique of the performance of the Alphas in all their guises because most are Brand loyal, i float between 2, what would it prove, only thousands love their Alphas, getting someone to say they help me in their profession, doesn't cut it, if you're a carpenter, you would't use a blunt saw or a Glass hammer....
Steve C
Well-known member
Steve C
Well-known member
Lee,
Just my opinion here. Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, and Nikon can get away with more than Kamakura can. For instance, when the Swarovski SV was first introduced, there it was in black and white right in plain sight a statement that the resolution specs for the 42 mm SV binoculars was 2.0-2.2 arc seconds. I thought that was pretty good. Initially I took it at face value. That lasted until I finally listened to that little voice whispering...Dawes Limit... in the ear of my sub-conscience. Now did Swarovski just make a perfectly normal, simple mistake, or did the think they could get away with it due to their stature? I have no idea and I am not casting stones. But the firestorm did not erupt there as it would have if Kamakura had made the same (lets assume that is what it was) mistake.
Kamakura is probably pretty proud of their history, experience, and expertise. Go to Kamakura (I have not been there, but know some who have) and you will find yourself dealing with intelligent, educated optical and mechanical engineers, many of who are patent holders, working alongside various other folks working in a nice facility with everything needed to make binoculars. Kind of the same general description of what you would find at Nikon, Leica, Swarovski, or Zeiss. I am not saying all facilities or
innovative abilities are equal, just there. Anybody thinking Kamakura can do nothing but clone other peoples stuff needs a large reality check.
So Kamakura has chosen a more conservative track. They seem to think nobody will complain about finding out the fov of their binocular is understated. The reverse would not be true. It is entirely possible I am way off base here. As I have said before, I find this kind of curious.
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I count Seven different 7x models in the Nikon catalogue alone, mostly 7x50 porro and one roof.
Add in Fujinon and others and the available models must be vast !
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I actually like the 9x45 Maven B.2 because I can hold it steadier than a 10x and I get more detail than an 8x. But that is a personal thing. I know not many manufacturers make a good 7x anymore. Since I am recommending Maven's I might mention that Maven does make a nice 7x45 with an AK prism and great light transmission of 93.7%. The FOV of 388 might be seem small on paper but according to some members it is understated. I haven't personally tried it but Maven does have a demo program where you can try any of their binoculars and if you don't like them it is easy to return them. In fact they even send you a return label for shipping. I would highly recommend the company for service and the personal attention they give you. Here is a link to the Maven B.2 7x45.
http://mavenbuilt.myshopify.com/collections/stock-optics/products/b-2-gray-black
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Death of the Alpha
The death of the Alpah binoculars and infact most binoculars and scopes will be the drone.
With the price dropping why should someone get out of a nice warm car, house or building and use binoculars when they can see it all from an image stabilized drone on their wide screen tv or hi res computer screen?
Really, binoculars of any kind are so, so 20th Century.
Come on people this the 21st Century, lets get with the tech.
Art
The death of the Alpah binoculars and infact most binoculars and scopes will be the drone.
With the price dropping why should someone get out of a nice warm car, house or building and use binoculars when they can see it all from an image stabilized drone on their wide screen tv or hi res computer screen?
Really, binoculars of any kind are so, so 20th Century.
Come on people this the 21st Century, lets get with the tech.
Art
The big 7x50's are mostly for astronomy though. That is not saying they could not be used for birding.
Interesting idea but how would you sneak up on the bird with the camera drone? Maybe if you had a drone that looked like a bird. Here is one on Youtube. Also, they use "Bird Drones" to keep birds off of airport runways. Check the link.:-O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE3EhGgza4c
https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/07/is-it-a-bird-is-it-a-plane-well-it-is-a-drone-actually/
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I did have a Zeiss Conquest 8x32 HD and a Zeiss Conquest 8x42 HD. The Tract's Toric 8x42 really have me spoiled with their 5mm exit pupil for easy eye placement so I don't think I would buy a 32mm again. I know, I know 4mm is a pretty big exit pupil but sorry it ISN'T as comfortable 5mm. I compared the Tract's to the Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 and I personally liked the Tract's ergonomics and optics better. The Tract is slimmer than the Conquest HD and it fits my hands better and to me the view was superior through the Tract. I believe jgraider said the Tract Toric had better optics than the Conquest HD also so it isn't me just blowing smoke.
Alexis Powell
Natural history enthusiast
What makes you think that binocular owners are brand loyal? I've only rarely encountered that. One of the great joys of binoculars as compared to spotting scopes or cameras is that they stand alone and so brand loyalty is not "enforced" with proprietary lens mounts. Brand loyalty in bins makes no sense, so one is free to choose the best tool for the job according to one's tastes. My favorite set: Leica 8x20 Ultravid BL, Zeiss 8x32 FL, Swarovski 8.5x42 SV EL nonFP, and Pentax 6.5x21 Papilio II. If I were going to add another it would be Canon 10x42 IS.
On another topic, looking at that list of my favorite bins, I am reminded of a point that others have made in various ways already in this long thread, which is that you won't find many alpha owners who will dismiss the advantages such bins provide, even though most of us will agree that those advantages are very small, because IF WE DIDN'T VALUE THOSE SMALL GAINS we wouldn't have purchased the alphas in the first place, and (for those of us to whom this applies) we certainly wouldn't have upgraded from previous alphas. To illustrate, my current favorite set is listed below, along with my previous (often much older) bins that they replaced. How much better is the current set? Not much, but I really appreciate the small advantages in specs and usability that they provide because I regularly push my bins up against the limits of those specs and features. If I didn't make regular use of my bins to the limits of their abilities (e.g. close focus), I wouldn't regard those small differences as significant and I might stick with my old alphas or use new choices like the Tract and Maven bins which would be suitable for my, in that case, less demanding uses. Some might argue that instead of using the word "less" I should use the word "different". I say less because I feel there are many functional equivalents among second tier and old alphas. Some new alphas are functionally equivalent to the particular models I own, but no old alphas or non-alphas offer the same set of specs.
Leica 8x20 Ultravid BL--replaces B&L 7x26 Custom
Zeiss 8x32 FL--replaces Leica 8x32 BA for birds and replaces B&L 8x42 Elite (waterproof) for butterflies
Swarovski 8.5x42 SV EL nonFP--replaces Swarovski 8.5x42 EL and Leica 8x42 Ultravid and Zeiss 7x42 BGATP
Pentax 6.5x21 Papilio II--replaces Pentax 6.5x21 Papilio (and before that there was nothing comparable that I owned).
--AP
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Get the Canon 10x42 IS-L while the price is low before the new Canon 10x42 IS-L II comes out. Speculation maybe.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co...ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876,92051678642,&Q=&A=details
marinemaster
Well-known member
I do not wear glasses and the eyecups are extended all the way up. I cant really look for birds with a 7x50 porro even if Nikon has a bunch of models.
And while Fujinon may have their excellent 7x glass is difficult to carry around a 7x50 looking for birds. The 7x Nikon roof makes is $2200 so expensive, I cant afford it. So really only few choices out there that I see.
And while Fujinon may have their excellent 7x glass is difficult to carry around a 7x50 looking for birds. The 7x Nikon roof makes is $2200 so expensive, I cant afford it. So really only few choices out there that I see.
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M. M.
How about this 7x36 from Opticron? One of their best. It is very good. I have one. Long 19mm ER and 7.2º FOV.
You can order it through Eagle Optics. $549.00
http://www.opticronusa.com/Pages/bga_classic.html
It has a good review attached.
Bob
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opticsplanet.com has the Opticron 7x36 for $439.19 with Free Shipping.
http://shop.opticsplanet.com/opticr...CFhy7wqOKMT5Zt0r7FM3eZiuUXenpUKQYMaAspy8P8HAQ
MM
The Zeiss 7x42 Victory FL is only 6 inches long and it weighs about 26 ounces. It was recently discontinued but don't let that bother you if you run across a good used one for sale at a good price. It is a great binocular! It has 16mm ER and a very wide 450' FOV @ 1000 yards. I use mine almost every day.
Bob
