Zeiss Conquest 8x30T* rising prices? (1 Viewer)

James Bean said:

Brock: "Trust Winston to taste good...".

Click to expand...

..."like a cigarette should!"

Before Joe Camel, there was Fred and Barney hawking Winston:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZvHiiWFbBU

Half a year down the pike and it would appear the bottom has fallen out and maybe they're being discontinued. Surely it isn't the economy.

Conquest 8x30B T for 400 clams, 10x40 dipped to 750 simoleons whilst the 8x42 holds the precarious perch of 800 greenbacks.

Demo 15x45 @ 800 as well if you can hold a 21 oz 15x steady.

Have the Conquest prices been conquered?

Will, While They Last signs gather dust?

Are even deeper cuts in order?

Will chaos prevail over Gotham City?

Does dastardly diabolical delusion denote dipping dollars?

Will scheme intervene whilst wallets wander wantonly?

Tune in six months hence.

Same Zeiss time, same Zeiss channel.

Zeiss 8 X 30 Classic

Does anyone here still prefer the 8 X 30 Classic B/GA T*P* to the newer Zeiss 8 X 30 compacts?

Not many people seem to like the Zeiss 8 x 30 Conquest. It has been replaced with a new 8 x 42 which is just coming on the market. The 8 x 30 ClassiC has been discontinued for a while but there are still some people here who use it, like Jay:

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2398905&postcount=16

I think they are getting hard to find.

If you like 8 x 30 have you looked into the new Swarovski 8 x 30 CL? It comes in 3 colors too. http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/swarovski/swarovski-cl-companion-8x30-binocular-sand

And then there is the Nikon 8 x 30 EII, a porro prism which is not waterproof and no longer sold in the USA but is one of the greatest binoculars in history! Just scroll through the Nikon Forum here for reports on it.

Bob

Raising the prices on the old conquest? folks will forget this model when they see the new hd- it is better in everyway. "I paid more, it must be better" sounds like good ole cognitive dissonance theory at work here. Or maybe the out of contol inflation.

ceasar said:

.... And then there is the Nikon 8 x 30 EII, a porro prism which is not waterproof and no longer sold in the USA but is one of the greatest binoculars in history! Just scroll through the Nikon Forum here for reports on it.

Bob

Click to expand...

All hail Caesar! (even if he spells his name wrong

In fact, the EII is the greatest binocular in the entire solar system, though Venusians have reported problems with the "rubber" armoring bubbling (and occasionally vaporizing), and Martians find the focus is hard to turn @ at average surface temperature of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Europans, who have eyes on the sides of their heads, find the IPD too narrow.

So you can't please everyone, but to me, they are the greatest for close-in birding, particularly in dense brush.

Did anyone ask Gary if Zeiss plans on expanding the HD line to include an 8x30 model? If it follows the design of the full sized HD, it should blow away the old Conquest 8x30.

Klaatu

Four months cruising on das autobahn shows the 8x30B T* 17.46 oz CL priced @ 670 w/demo pushing 575 simoleons. After running @ 4 1/2 for months these dipped to a black Friday low of 4 bills.

Meanwhile, back at the Batcave, the 8/10x40 T* ABK 29 oz is holding steady @ 700 clams. That price is within 50 bucks since before X-mas.

The 8x30B T* is portly compared to the slender Blue sky 8x32, yet many prefer the additional rubber girth mimicking a fuller sized bin. Being one that is bothered by excessive PC I can say that the Little/not so little Conquest is very well behaved in horizontal pan, as was the Blue sky, and more importantly the vertical scan, which the SIIBL failed to replicate to me.

Also, you have resale value which I allot a C-note to one slightly used & 2 1/2-3 for the other.

I would disagree w/Bob that the 8x42HD replaces the 8x30. If anything the 8/10x42HD replaces the 8/10x40 ABK.

Just look at the prices on the Conquest 8/10x50 ABK & 8/10X56 ABK. Zeiss had to remove the ABK prisms out of the entry level 40's. Hence the 8/10x42HD and that also helps preserve the lofty status/price in the remaining line of ABK prisms that aren't Victory.

I find the 8x30 Conquest easy on the eyes, easy to hold, fairly light & well worth the price I paid. Likewise I consider the discontinued 10x40 ABK a value in comparison to the remaining Conquest line HD inclusive.

2012 Price List:

Conquest HD Models
With Carl Zeiss T* multi-coating. Includes rubber rain guard, neoprene carrying strap and cordura bag with belt loop.
MSRP
Conquest HD
Black
52 42 11 new 8x42 T* $ 1,055.54
52 42 12 new 10x42 T* $ 1,111.10
Conquest Models
With Carl Zeiss T* multi-coating. Includes rubber rain guard, neoprene carrying strap and cordura bag with belt loop.
MSRP
Conquest
Black
52 32 08 8x30 T* $ 744.43
52 32 10 10x30 T* $ 777.77
52 45 12 12x45 T* $ 1,222.21
52 45 15 15x45 T* $ 1,277.77
52 50 08 8x50 T* $ 1,555.54
52 50 10 10x50 T* $ 1,611.10
52 50 12 8x56 T* $ 1,666.66
52 50 14 10x56 T* $ 1,722.21
Conquest Compact Models
With Carl Zeiss T* multi-coating. Includes carrying strap and leather pouch.
MSRP
Conquest Compact
Black
52 20 73 8x20 T* $ 533.32
52 20 74 10x25 T* $ 588.88

I was under the impression that Zeiss was getting rid of the 8 x 30 and 10 x 30 conquests. I guess not. So one still has the option of buying these small binoculars with Schmidt/Pechan prisms, eye relief on the short side and rather narrow FOVs (quite narrow in the 10 x 30!) for about $700.00. Some of the remaining larger Conquests (not all) still have Abbe/Konig prisms.

Bob

They could very well have intended on dumping/replacing the 8/10x30, but @ this juncture it appears only the 8/10x40 ABK has been axed.

I was surprised by the size of the 8x30 wondering why not 32 considering it's footprint. Originally, not being familiar, I expected a smaller size. I noticed w/eyecups that anything inside of the fully extended would produce kidney bean/blackout, so for me they're dead on the money. The difference betwixt collapsed & extended is 10mm.

I'm at a loss for the sustained CL price of $670 w/demo @ $575 when for months last year the 8x30 was available for $450. Maybe Zeiss was going to scrap them, but decided they had too many in stock or perhaps they use these older models to help temporarily prop up the new HD line.

Regardless of how nice the new 8/10x32 HD line $949/$999 it would be a hard sale to me if the 8x30 was $400-450. The 8/10x40 ABK @ $700 places the new HD @ 1.5X it's price ever so roughly along w/30 dollar cheaper 8/10x30.

I can only conclude that the price of the 8/10x30 Conquest is being manipulated beyond current value as a marketing scheme. A brazen attempt possibly to justify entry level HD @ a not so entry price of a grand.

Behold, the cries of manufactured in Deutschland have been answered; jawohl, Das Lied der Deutschen brings joy.