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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Not a bad binocular in the lot... (1 Viewer)

chill6x6

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I've never started a post with a picture, today I thought I would. The above constitutes the binoculars I use….for the time being. :eek!: They are from back to front, left to right: Swar SLC 10X42(circa 1997), Swar 10x42 EL SV, Zeiss Victory HT 10x42, Zeiss Victory FL T* 8x32, Vortex Viper HD 8x32, and Cabela's /Meopta Euro HD 8x32. Of note in absentia is a Swar SLC 7x42 and a Leica 10x42 Geovid.

My first observation of all the listed binoculars IS…quality never goes out of style. The Swarovski SLC 10X42 is the oldest binocular here. They were an excellent binocular when I purchased them new…they still are. Never had one issue from them and yes they really ARE built like a tank! Have been on many, MANY hunting trips from Saskatoon, SK south. Excellent at birding too… Very good optically but yes the Geovid is as good or better optically….and being a hunter as well as a birder, the range finding ability is super. The SLCs are the binocular my girlfriend who is a naturalist uses. HUGE step up from the Vortex Diamondbacks she was used to. Her naturalist co-workers won't even LOOK thru the SLCs for fear of contracting THE DISEASE!

Of course the 10x42 EL SV and the 10x42 Victory HT are better binoculars than the above two…slightly. Really…they do everything better….slightly. They weigh less, focus faster with more precision, and of course they are brighter/crisper. One outing I'll think the EL SV is superior and the next I'll swear the Victory HT is the cat's meow. Truth is…one really COULD flip a coin! And YES you could be a cheerleader for either and be certainly within your right! Both work great with eyeglasses or without. Both are great for those with eyes closer together or not, too. Specs of the two are just as close…so is price. Conclusion? Honestly, Ashee and I fight over the HTs when we go birding together. We just like 'em. But just the very fact that I still have BOTH means I can't decide!

The 8x32s are more interesting. I have used the Euro HDs and the Viper HDs a LOT….a WHOLE lot! For one they have both been on a Mexican Riviera cruise with me where I observed everything from other ships, land, fishing, swimming mammals, and yes BIRDS! I took them with me on this cruise mainly because of one very important fact…WARRANTY. Vortex and Cabelas's probably do the warranty thing about as well as anyone does anywhere! So…at least in my opinion when one does a lot of traveling…this could be HUGE. Another plus in there favor is PRICE. Let's face it…$560 to $800….these days that's pretty middle of the road. I would cry much, MUCH less if I would have dropped either into the Sea of Cortez…. Cry I would…but MUCH less than if they were $2500 optics. Right now…both are the binoculars I use the most. Most cases I don't need 10X this time of year so 8X gets the nod. Feeder watching, GBH viewing, or warbler guessing…. I pick one of these up…sometimes both. Thoughts? That Vortex Viper HD is good….REAL good. Feature-wise…if your eyes are closer together…the Euro HDs RULE. But if closer to the norm…no doubt the Viper HDs are more comfortable….unless you wear eyeglasses. There is less distance from the end of the eyepiece to the actual LENS with the Euro HDs…very user friendly for eyeglass wearers. Specs-all very close… Vortex focuses closer but the Cabela's HD has slightly more FOV. BUT… at almost half again as much as the Vortex Viper HD…the Cabela's Euro HD just isn't worth it. It's not. In fact, the Vortex Viper HD is the biggest optical surprise I've had in a long time. So where does the Zeiss Victory FL T* come in? Well the Vortex Viper HD is good…REAL good!

Chuck
 
Hi Chuck,

A very nice collection there... I'm quite jealous. One of these days I'll finally get to try the Zeiss Victory HT. I'm setting my sights for a Leica 8x42 UVHD+ model here shortly.

I'm also a Vortex guy and most of their stuff is top-notch. I was quite disappointed with my recent Viper HD 6x32 purchase. That being said, if you really want to give your wife a nice gift then try a pair of the Vortex Razor HD in 8x42 or perhaps 10x50. The 50mm are very lightweight and shouldn't be a problem. I have them both in 8x42 and 12x50 and while the 8x42 is much more compact, I still find myself reaching for the 12x50 when I want the "best" view from any binocular that I currently own. They are very high resolution and have a very high build quality.

The Zeiss Terra ED 8x32 are my 'in-the-truck' binocular and while they're super comfortable to use they definitely lack the resolution of the Viper HD.


Cheers,
-Nick
 
Great lineup of glass there, and I enjoyed reading your report very much. I was hoping you'd say more about the 8x32 Zeiss and how it compares to the other two? I had the 8x32 Viper HD, but the kidney bean/blackouts killed the deal for me. I guess it was an eye relief issue, as I don't wear glasses. I also felt the build quality was just average. I do own and use, alot, the 8x32 Euro HD. I beefed up the eyecups a bit, and have taken them to Africa 3 times on hunting safari, and use them quite a bit on hunting trips here too. Great stuff. Nothing I've owned or used matches the view I get from my 10x42 SV's though....stunning is a good word.

Thanks!
 
Hi Chuck,

A very nice collection there... I'm quite jealous. One of these days I'll finally get to try the Zeiss Victory HT. I'm setting my sights for a Leica 8x42 UVHD+ model here shortly.

I'm also a Vortex guy and most of their stuff is top-notch. I was quite disappointed with my recent Viper HD 6x32 purchase. That being said, if you really want to give your wife a nice gift then try a pair of the Vortex Razor HD in 8x42 or perhaps 10x50. The 50mm are very lightweight and shouldn't be a problem. I have them both in 8x42 and 12x50 and while the 8x42 is much more compact, I still find myself reaching for the 12x50 when I want the "best" view from any binocular that I currently own. They are very high resolution and have a very high build quality.

The Zeiss Terra ED 8x32 are my 'in-the-truck' binocular and while they're super comfortable to use they definitely lack the resolution of the Viper HD.


Cheers,
-Nick

Hi Nick! Thanks!

I've LOOKED at the Razor HDs…the Talon HDs too! I like them both. Would probably buy the Talon HD 8X42…like the FOV…but have a feeling they would be too much like the Viper HDs I all really have. Now the Razor HDs…I'm sure would probably be a good step up. I'm probably going to get some 50mm(or larger) at some point.

Terra EDs… You know…they seem to get good reviews. I may have to check them out!

Thanks again for the comments!

Chuck
 
Great lineup of glass there, and I enjoyed reading your report very much. I was hoping you'd say more about the 8x32 Zeiss and how it compares to the other two? I had the 8x32 Viper HD, but the kidney bean/blackouts killed the deal for me. I guess it was an eye relief issue, as I don't wear glasses. I also felt the build quality was just average. I do own and use, alot, the 8x32 Euro HD. I beefed up the eyecups a bit, and have taken them to Africa 3 times on hunting safari, and use them quite a bit on hunting trips here too. Great stuff. Nothing I've owned or used matches the view I get from my 10x42 SV's though....stunning is a good word.

Thanks!

Hi!

Zeiss FL 8X32s… I like them… I DO plan on more of a comparison between the the FLs, Viper HDs and the Euro HDs. The FIRST goal was to actually come to a conclusion on the better between the Vortex and Euro…then move to the Zeiss vs. XXX comparison. I may even add a fourth binocular…

I agree the 10X42 SVs are hard to beat!
 
I had the 8x32 Viper HD, but the kidney bean/blackouts killed the deal for me. I guess it was an eye relief issue, as I don't wear glasses.

Interesting I had this problem with the Viper HD 6x32. If I try to jam the eyecups into my eye sockets with my Razor HD 8x42 then I'll get the blackouts but if I rest them on my nose they're fine. With my Razor HD 12x50 they're perfect. I can get them as close as I want. The Viper HD 6x32 was really bad. I had to hold them a good 1/4 of an inch away from the eyecups. The eyecups just weren't long enough.
 
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