Keep my new Victory 8x32 FL or get something less expensive? (1 Viewer)

gcole said:

Gilmore Girl said:

Hi Gunnar,

I just bought an FL 8x32 as well and received it yesterday.
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I'll give it more time. Overall, I'm very pleased with the FL and glad I grabbed one before their impending extinction.

Surprisingly, I'm able to see the full FOV with my glasses. The ER specs state 15.5mm or 16mm (depending on the website) which is usually a bit too short for me with other bins. I was unable to see the full FOV with the Euro HD 8x32 which has the same listed ER (15.5mm).

Gilmore Girl , I tried the FL 8x32 about 2 years ago and was also quite impressed and that experience left me wanting one. Now with my recent purchase of a pair of Cabelas Euro Instinct 8x32 HD binoculars that arrived with no issues what so ever ...... I can see the full field of view with my glasses, the view is exceptionally sharp/crisp to my eyes and the focus wheel tension/speed is perfect for me. When I tried the FL 8x32 I had the same experienced that I had with the Cabelas Euro but with the FL 8x32 feeling to be more robust in construction. Having said this, I now no longer feel the desire to purchase the FL 8x32. Going from memory the view optically was so similar. With the cost of the FL 8x32 now being over a $1,000 more than what I paid for the Cabelas Euro 8x32 on sale I am glad I waited. If your experience had been the same as I had with the Cabelas Euro 8x32 HD. Arriving with no issues. With the eye relief/ tension focus being to your liking. Would you have been so quick to have purchased the FL 8x32 ?

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Hi Gwen,

If I was able to see the whole FOV with the Euro I may have kept it, but it's hard to say. At around the same time I bought the Viper HD 6x32. I decided I liked the comfortable view of the 6x32 better and got rid of the Meopta. Initially, I thought ok only a small part of the view is cut off in the Euro and told myself it's no biggie. But, it did begin to bother me after awhile since I paid several hundred dollars for it new (back then).

I think the current discounted price for the Euro HD is incredible and I can't blame you at all for sticking with it when it works so well for you.

I agree the FL is better built and I do like the FL's over-sized focus wheel and focus action better than the Euro HD (which was a bit stiff as well), but I remember liking the very simple and easy to use diopter on the Euro.

I don't remember too much about the Euro optics/view. I was more impressed with the excellent handling/ergonomics which fit like a glove. I think the FL handling/fit for me is fine, but it could be improved with some thumb indents like on the Euro.

I don't remember being as impressed with the optics of the Euro (vs FL). I remember thinking gee this Meopta bin is very nice and the view very nice too, but with the FL I had a stronger reaction and it generally made a bigger impression. Since I don't have these two to compare directly I can only go by my recollection of my initial thoughts and general feelings with each separately.

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Gilmore Girl said:

Hi Gunnar,

I just bought an FL 8x32 as well and received it yesterday.

I got to try an old green model recently (about 12yrs old) for about 3+ hours and was very impressed with it. I liked the small size, super smooth focus, over-sized focus wheel and the clean , sharp image. The CA control is superb and the best I've ever seen.


The brand new FL I have now has a stiffer focus compared to the old green model I tried. It's not terribly stiff and not stiff enough to warrant returning the binocular. It's just a bit tighter than I would prefer. I don't think it's as stiff as your unit out of the box based on your initial description of the focus action.

I think the focus tension is indeed something a hunter would be pleased with, but for birding you need easy and fluid focus action since you're moving the focus constantly and need to get on those quick birds.
Normally, I don't prefer a very fast focus, but I got along very well with the FL's faster focus (compared to my Ultravid). Lee told me to give it some time and send it to Zeiss to adjust if it doesn't loosen up enough to my liking.

I'll give it more time. Overall, I'm very pleased with the FL and glad I grabbed one before their impending extinction.

Surprisingly, I'm able to see the full FOV with my glasses. The ER specs state 15.5mm or 16mm (depending on the website) which is usually a bit too short for me with other bins. I was unable to see the full FOV with the Euro HD 8x32 which has the same listed ER (15.5mm).

I sold my Viper HD 6x32 and also my Zeiss Jenoptem 8x30 to help pay for the FL. These were difficult to see go since I liked them both quite a bit, but the FL is just SO good I know I'll forget about the others soon enough.

Two 'living legends' : Ultravid+ 7x42 and Victory FL 8x32, classic and venerated designs which are fortunately still available to purchase ... for now.

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Jack Speer said:

Congrats on the new bino Beth. I have yet to try that one, but I do like the design. It has more of an old school look than the current crop of binoculars, even though the FL's aren't too old. I also like that it is a fully closed bridge design than the trend of two barrels connected by a thin bridge at the top (like the new swaro CL). I have trouble with those designs and like having a larger surface area to wrap my hands around in the smaller binoculars. I hope the focuser on yours sorts itself out. Please keep us posted on your thoughts about it.

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Dr Owl said:

The British Red Deer and the North American Elk would seem to be the same species, according to the experience of a North American wildlife park (whose reference I have lost). The two subspecies interbred enthusiastically, resulting in fertile offspring.

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paddy7 said:

Yeah, 'connecting well' with the FL was what happened to me, and it's still my fave bin for practical walking and birding.
With the focus wheel - perhaps before you bought it, it was sitting around for a while, or hasn't been used seriously for a time (if ever, if new).
It might be worth just slowly, gently turning it from near to infinity for a while, perhaps while doing something else. It could just be the grease needs a bit of warming up and getting a bit more spread about, or whatever grease likes to do....
The only bin i liked nearly as much was the Kowa (8x33 i think), which was close for CA control. I would have liked the Swaro, but comparing side-by-side with the FL, definitely had more CA than the Zeiss. I'd be interested to see an 8x32 SF if it ever happens, but it would have to be really something to tempt me to 'upgrade,' if that's what it turns out to be.

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