Zeiss Victory SF (1 Viewer)

NDhunter · Nov 19, 2017

chill6x6 said:
Back in the day, I wanted that Night Owl so badly I couldn't see straight. At the time there was no way I could afford it. I could go on a "trip" out west for the same price as these binoculars. There was a nice, customer service oriented sporting goods store where I lived. They knew my name and me theirs. I'd go in there and when they weren't busy we'd talk binoculars. Chad introduced me to the Swarovski SLC at that time. Of course they WERE less than the Night Owls but still way out of my league price wise. Chad handed me a 10X42 and told me to take it home and try them for a few days, no obligation. Well I did....what a binocular! I brought them back and was like....AWESOME but.... Chad was like..."Have you got $300? If you do, you can pay me 1/3 now, 1/3 in 30 days, and 1/3 in 60 days." I never signed a piece of paper but I was true to my word and Chad his. Probably the single best optic purchase I've ever made. Well you have to know Chad made an impact on me and so did the Swarovski SLC 10x42 as I still have them.

Sorry off topic kinda...well not KINDA!

Hat's off to the independent sporting goods retailer of yesteryear that made so many things possible for I'm sure so many of us!

Chuck:

This thread has drifted all the way off topic. I had the 10x56 DS, and it was proclaimed as the last of the best leaded glass Zeiss binoculars.
That may be true. It had very nice optics, but poor ergos. I also had a
Swarovski 10x50 SLC Neu, at the same time. The SLC was lighter, brighter
and better.

The Zeiss Design Selection binoculars are valued as a collector model.

Jerry

Maljunulo · Nov 19, 2017

WJC said:
Maljunulo:

I assume you are speaking of my comment, as opposed to Jack’s. If so, that gray Fujinon FMTR-SX was Charlie Nemoto’s idea as a special offering to celebrate the 1992 America’s Cup race. From what I heard, my shop was not the only one in which they didn’t sell well and Charlie didn’t win any brownie points for the idea. :cat:

Bill

Sorry, Bill.

It was a straight-up question.

I thought the price was a bit high, so I was curious.

NDhunter · Nov 19, 2017

Troubador said:
Jerry

It is indeed irritating when what you consider to be important attributes of a bino get dismissed or go unmentioned by someone who appears to have spent hardly any time with it. But we all have different priorities and tastes and sometimes folks don't get the opportunity to try binos out in decent circumstances. Even the British Bird Fair doesn't always provide good conditions for trialling binos especially on the busiest days when folks are crowding around you while you try to hold a new model of binos steady.

And there is nothing wrong with being thin-skinned if it motivates you to post how your experience and assessment of a bino differs from someone else's, all it takes is to always assume that folks have the best of intentions and to word your replies to them accordingly.

Did you notice that Dennis came up with a great observation? He was talking about SF but it applies to all binos and he said we should appreciate them for what they are and not get obsessed with what they aren't. This is sage advice because for sure, no bino is perfect.

Lee

Lee:

My words speak for themselves. I don't want or need you to be a moderator of my posts.

I acknowledge the post that was quoted from Dennis, and I agree with it. I only read it, as it was quoted by another member.

The ignore feature is useful.

Jerry

WJC · Nov 19, 2017

Maljunulo said:
Sorry, Bill.

It was a straight-up question.

I thought the price was a bit high, so I was curious.

You are not the only one, my friend. It is a sad situation for those who think they have to have a new bino every month. What I have will last me a lifetime. I see no need for the expensive "shell game." :cat:

Bill

NDhunter · Nov 19, 2017

sbb said:
Lee,
And that is the one thing I love with people like Jerry who have heaps of experience vs us young ones. They stuff the political “niceties”. They just get straight to the point. So that allows one self to spend more time birding, discussing the best bino, watching Sir David Attenbrough or what ever tickle ones fancy.

I guess that is a fault of mine, but it is useful in many ways. I have been
involved in many things in my community, some elected positions, and there is no wondering about where I stand on some issues.

Politically correct is not a strong point of mine.

I like the forum, and I can do better, to be more tolerant of others. :girl:

In order to help myself maintain that, I have added another one to my
ignore list. I don't have high blood pressure, but this should help.

My wife has told me, I have lots of patience, as I have never used any....

Jerry

Torview · Nov 19, 2017

Hi MacHector,

you write that you`re on the cusp of buying an SF, you may have by now, obviously you like the view so I would`nt be overly concerned over comments about build quality, its a Zeiss flagship, its a G Dobler creation, its going to be just fine for some serious use.

On a personal note, and I do not own an SF, plus I have only spent time with the grey model, if I may express an opinion about the material quality or the luxuriousness of some of the materials used, then for me it perhaps doesn`t "feel" quite as premium as the SVFP and NV in the hand. But this is nothing to do with the build quality and a lot to do with our own expectations when spending £2k on a binocular.

I`d buy one in a heartbeat along with a NV if I could get away with owning both plus my SVFP !

John.

Maljunulo · Nov 19, 2017

Torview said:
Hi MacHector,
I`d buy one in a heartbeat along with a NV if I could get away with owning both plus my SVFP !John.

As would I, had I an unlimited budget, but alas .............

I guess I'll struggle along with my EL SV 10X42 supplemented by my Fujinon FMT-SX 16X70. |:S|

chill6x6 · Nov 22, 2017

Jack Speer said:
I really enjoyed reading that Chuck. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks Jack!

Loud Green Man · Nov 22, 2017

WJC said:
Zeiss: It’s one of our newest and best products. What do you see that we don’t. It has our best optics.

Bill: Oh, I think your optics are superb—Zeiss all the way. It’s the mechanics that concern me. You drive a desk; and I drive 5 display cases visited by real live customers who often share their observations.

It is too heavy, it lacks balance, the focus mechanisms are atrocious and ... it’s ugly. Aunt Myrtle the retired birdwatcher likes lightweight and ... pretty.

The foremost focus wheel is not bad. However, the one most frequently used is hard to actuate—your finger often slides over the top with little movement. And, if you need gloves ... forget it.

Bill

Well it's a funny ol' world as I rather like my 8x56's aesthetic and never notice the weight until I remove them at the end of the day!

I'm pleased you conceed the engineering of the primary focusing wheel is reasonable as my pair exhibit exelent smoothness and uniform resistance. Something I value highly in any set of bins. Focusing with thick winter gloves poses a challenge as you rightly observe but as my cold weather gloves have a hunter' s trigger finger detail I've managed just fine.

The Night Owls may be a collectors instrument but they remain my go-to bin and in consequence are exposed all but daily to the vageries of British Weather and not a display cabinet.

I'm sure the SF is an exelent binocular.

LGM

MacHector · Nov 23, 2017

Thanks to everyone for their (usually) useful responses to my question. I have learnt a lot, including the surprising amount of passion that can be evoked by eyecups!

I'll let you know how things work out.

MacHector

Troubador · Nov 23, 2017

MacHector said:
Thanks to everyone for their (usually) useful responses to my question. I have learnt a lot, including the surprising amount of passion that can be evoked by eyecups!

I'll let you know how things work out.

MacHector

They say that 'eyes are the window to the soul' but this due to a typographic error, the correct rendition is 'eyecups are the window to the soul'.

Lee

Chosun Juan · Nov 23, 2017

MacHector said:
Thanks to everyone for their (usually) useful responses to my question. I have learnt a lot, including the surprising amount of passion that can be evoked by eyecups!

I'll let you know how things work out.

Troubador said:
They say that 'eyes are the window to the soul' but this due to a typographic error, the correct rendition is 'eyecups are the window to the soul'.

Well - the eyecups are certainly the window to the binocular!

o

:cat: 3

Chosun :gh:

Stephen Mark · Nov 24, 2017

I'm not quite sure why Zeiss seems to have trouble with eyecups. People complained about some of the FL's we all remember the Conquest HD unto problems with eye relief and the first version of the SF's. In fact the only model I don't remember hearing about problems with was the HT's. The HT's by the way are the most solidly built bin I have ever spent time with except my Kowa Genesis which ae built like a tank. Yes Lee I know they weigh as much as a tank so I'll save you the trouble.LOL
Stev

Troubador · Nov 24, 2017

Stephen Mark said:
I'm not quite sure why Zeiss seems to have trouble with eyecups. People complained about some of the FL's we all remember the Conquest HD unto problems with eye relief and the first version of the SF's. In fact the only model I don't remember hearing about problems with was the HT's. The HT's by the way are the most solidly built bin I have ever spent time with except my Kowa Genesis which ae built like a tank. Yes Lee I know they weigh as much as a tank so I'll save you the trouble.LOL
Stev

Dagnabbit Steve I've been saving that little quip for months :-O, but the Genesis binos are all gems.

Zeiss must not treat eyecups as a priority item and seem content to use a similar 3-component moulded plastic design all the way up to and including their flagship SF. And I can see the logic of giving a higher priority to optics and focus system but if GPO can do wonderfully precise machined aluminium eyecups at their price points I do wonder why Zeiss can't.

Lee

ceasar · Nov 24, 2017

Stephen Mark said:
I'm not quite sure why Zeiss seems to have trouble with eyecups. People complained about some of the FL's we all remember the Conquest HD unto problems with eye relief and the first version of the SF's. In fact the only model I don't remember hearing about problems with was the HT's. The HT's by the way are the most solidly built bin I have ever spent time with except my Kowa Genesis which ae built like a tank. Yes Lee I know they weigh as much as a tank so I'll save you the trouble.LOL
Stev

I never heard of any problems with the eye cups on the Victory FLs. In fact I think that the eye cups on my Zeiss Victory 7x42 T* FL have the best, most comfortable eye cups I have had the pleasure of using! Additionally they are easy to remove when cleaning the oculars and they lock very precisely into their positions.

Bob

Patudo · Nov 24, 2017

WJC said:
Nope. I am talking about the model that SOLD for 6 years; there's a difference.

Bill

It was, though, on the market for more than two years?

WJC said:
Bill: Two years.

Zeiss: What do you mean “two years”?

Bill: That’s about as much time as I will give it on the market.

WJC · Nov 25, 2017

Patudo said:
It was, though, on the market for more than two years?

Hi, Patudo:

As George Bernard Shaw said: “England and America are two countries separated by the same Language”—Patton misquote notwithstanding. Hopefully not, but I get the impression you are trying to prove a point at my expense. That’s certainly well and good, if you can pull it off. But, while I came to this forum a dozen years ago, and have been disputed a number of times (thank you, Optics_Nut), through all my many posts you will not find one in which I intentionally lied or spouted something to hear my head rattle ... although it is a rather mellifluous sound. I’m afraid I will have to let my comment stand, as I am prone to do.

I was speaking of the time the Night Owl was a viable instrument IN PRODUCTION and being actively MARKETED, as verified by a national representative of ZEISS.

As I see it, the “market” you speak of is the one that took place after production stopped and Zeiss was trying to offload surplus inventory that didn’t sell as they had anticipated. To me that's a matter of SALES ADVERTISING rather than MARKETING.

As a Zeiss dealer at the time, I view those two “markets” differently.

But, if you must have the last word, be my guest; I don’t have a pony in the show. :cat:

Cheers,

Bill

PS The Night Owl did have a cameo on the dash of Dr. Jonas Miller’s (Cary Elwes’) vehicle in the 1996 movie, Twister.

PYRTLE · Nov 26, 2017

Can you guys cease being pedantic and a little petty about a subject now way of the thread heading please?
Thank you.

I'm fortunate to own the following Zeiss models which demonstrate how designs and materials move on. I'm confident the SF will not let me down.
7 x 42 T*P Classic Dialyt / 8 x32 FL (non Lotutec) / 8 x 42 black SF.

Pat

Troubador · Nov 26, 2017

PYRTLE said:
Can you guys cease being pedantic and a little petty about a subject now way of the thread heading please?
Thank you.

I'm fortunate to own the following Zeiss models which demonstrate how designs and materials move on. I'm confident the SF will not let me down.
7 x 42 T*P Classic Dialyt / 8 x32 FL (non Lotutec) / 8 x 42 black SF.

Pat

A very nice group of binos Pat which would cover almost all situations. The only thing missing is a 10x but perhaps like me you consider those a bit specialist. I do have a 10x but only take it out to particular places. However you have got some big open spaces on the Wash and north coast in Norfolk where a bit more magnification might be handy from time to time.

Lee

Maljunulo · Nov 26, 2017

I am a fan of 10X binoculars, as I would rather see the small bits better that I would see a wider area.

So far I'm not too old to hold them pretty steady.

Not sure how much longer that will last, but for now all is well with 10X.

Zeiss Victory SF (1 Viewer)

Experienced observer

Well-known member

Experienced observer

Well-known member

Experienced observer

Well-known member

Well-known member

Registered User

Well-known member

Well-known member

Moderator

Given to Fly

Well-known member

Moderator

Well-known member

sub-200 birding aspirant

Well-known member

Old Berkshire Boy

Moderator

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread