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Sightron "Blue Sky" II 8x32 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter FrankD
- Start date
perterra
Well-known member
brocknroller
porromaniac
Frank,
Now that you have been named Sightron Special Ambassador, you could be sent to the Philippines for a "meet and greet" goodwill tour of Sigtron's factory. So you will need to know a few things about the country.
First, the Philippines is spelled with one "l," not two, that's because it was named after King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. During the expedition of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos to the native islands, Spanish sailor Franco de la Torre Dickman named them Las Islas Filipinas in Philip's honor.
Second, ambassadors need to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the language of the country they are assigned to serve, so they can greet their Filipino counterparts in their native tongue and ask, "Where's the best bar in Manila, and do they serve Yuengling?"
This will help:
Rosetta Stone-How to tag a long with Tagalog
Last edited:
FrankD
Well-known member
I would agree. I certainly enjoy the pictures that he posts regularly.
The locals mostly speak Cebuano a dialect of Visayan and you don't want to upset them. Ferdinand Magellan made that mistake. :-O
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapu-Lapu
David
Hi all--
Thought I'd make my contribution (at this late date) to the thread that refuses to die, having recently joined the legions of Sightron buyers. FWIW, below is the review I posted at OpticsPlanet.
I'm pretty picky about optics, having pursued astronomical observing avidly for about 15 years now. Recently I've taken up birding and find it a very engaging hobby, one that doesn't require a clear dark sky for its pursuit. I generally prefer a 10x binocular, since most of my birding is done at distance, but when walking down my lane I like to have something wider for looking up into the tree canopy, and I don't want it to weigh too much. So, while I'm contemplating spending a bundle on something special in a 10x42, I also wanted a serviceable 8x32 that wouldn't break the bank.
The Sightron SII Bluesky 8x32 has lived up to its reviews. I find it to be more or less free of chromatic aberration, to which I am fairly sensitive. For example, I see quite a bit of CA in my Eagle Optics 10x42 Rangers, enough to be off-putting. I don't see any CA on axis in the Sightron, and just a bit near the edge of the field. The sweet spot extends over roughly 80% of the diameter of the field; there is some astigmatism and a small amount of distortion in the last 10%. The field appears to be a true 7.5 degrees—plenty for following birds in flight—giving the eyepieces an apparent field of 60 degrees. Eye relief is excellent for eyeglass wearers, myself included. Close focus (with my glasses on) is about 8 feet. The focuser is smooth and relatively fast, taking about 1 full turn from infinity to close focus. The focuser rotates far enough past infinity that I can use the binocular without my glasses on—accommodating about 5 diopters of myopia in my left eye. (However, I generally use the binocular with glasses on.) The right diopter adjustment takes a bit of work, but once set holds its position well. The binocular weighs in at just 17 ounces on my postal scale, and just over 18 ounces including rainguard and neck strap.
Accessories are a bit cheap (strap, lens covers) but acceptable; the rainguard is a single piece of plastic that covers the eyepieces at any IPD; the objective covers are a one-piece bikini arrangement that snap into the objective ends of the binocular quite firmly—but I don't use them; the neck strap is a thin material, not quite 1 inch wide. Down the road I might pick up a better neck strap, but for now the binocular is light enough that I don't miss the comfy neoprene strap of my other binocular.
However, where it counts, the binocular delivers: it offers very crisp views with good depth of field and natural colors. In short, it does the job well, offering nothing objectionable, and I feel no lack of quality urging me on to something better in this class.
Thought I'd make my contribution (at this late date) to the thread that refuses to die, having recently joined the legions of Sightron buyers. FWIW, below is the review I posted at OpticsPlanet.
I'm pretty picky about optics, having pursued astronomical observing avidly for about 15 years now. Recently I've taken up birding and find it a very engaging hobby, one that doesn't require a clear dark sky for its pursuit. I generally prefer a 10x binocular, since most of my birding is done at distance, but when walking down my lane I like to have something wider for looking up into the tree canopy, and I don't want it to weigh too much. So, while I'm contemplating spending a bundle on something special in a 10x42, I also wanted a serviceable 8x32 that wouldn't break the bank.
The Sightron SII Bluesky 8x32 has lived up to its reviews. I find it to be more or less free of chromatic aberration, to which I am fairly sensitive. For example, I see quite a bit of CA in my Eagle Optics 10x42 Rangers, enough to be off-putting. I don't see any CA on axis in the Sightron, and just a bit near the edge of the field. The sweet spot extends over roughly 80% of the diameter of the field; there is some astigmatism and a small amount of distortion in the last 10%. The field appears to be a true 7.5 degrees—plenty for following birds in flight—giving the eyepieces an apparent field of 60 degrees. Eye relief is excellent for eyeglass wearers, myself included. Close focus (with my glasses on) is about 8 feet. The focuser is smooth and relatively fast, taking about 1 full turn from infinity to close focus. The focuser rotates far enough past infinity that I can use the binocular without my glasses on—accommodating about 5 diopters of myopia in my left eye. (However, I generally use the binocular with glasses on.) The right diopter adjustment takes a bit of work, but once set holds its position well. The binocular weighs in at just 17 ounces on my postal scale, and just over 18 ounces including rainguard and neck strap.
Accessories are a bit cheap (strap, lens covers) but acceptable; the rainguard is a single piece of plastic that covers the eyepieces at any IPD; the objective covers are a one-piece bikini arrangement that snap into the objective ends of the binocular quite firmly—but I don't use them; the neck strap is a thin material, not quite 1 inch wide. Down the road I might pick up a better neck strap, but for now the binocular is light enough that I don't miss the comfy neoprene strap of my other binocular.
However, where it counts, the binocular delivers: it offers very crisp views with good depth of field and natural colors. In short, it does the job well, offering nothing objectionable, and I feel no lack of quality urging me on to something better in this class.
Thanks Frank. I should add, I'm also happy with how the binocular handles low-angle glare from the Sun--it's not perfect, but it's quite a bit better than a number of other binoculars I have had.
Thanks also for your initial review, which got me interested in this unit.
-George
Thanks also for your initial review, which got me interested in this unit.
-George
Tom Bombadil
Tender of Forests
I too have joined the legions of Sightron SII Blue Sky 8x32 owners. When Optics Planet ran their $157 inc shipping special a few days ago, I could no longer resist. I've only had them for a couple of days, both overcast, so no thorough testing as yet. However my initial impressions are very positive.
Ergonomics are quite good. Comfortable in my hands, eyecups, while being on the inexpensive side, are also comfortable into my eye sockets and have several settings. I am finding that I can hold it steadier than two other 8X binos in my possession. Eye relief is good, both for use with eyeglasses and naked eye - long enough to accommodate my glasses and yet not too long to where I cannot rest the eyecups against my brow when not using glasses.
My IPD is 74 mm and thus outside of the usable range of many binoculars. But no problems using the Sightron, there isn't much play left, the bridge is open about 1 mm. Right diopter adjustment feels inexpensive, no nice click stops or locks, but it is sufficiently stiff so to hold the setting in use.
While I've read reports of it having a stiff motion in its focusing knob, that is absolutely not the case for mine. Very smooth focuser, with just the right amount of resistance. I wish all of my binos had the feel and motion.
In limited use (hopefully the sun will emerge from the clouds soon), the views have been very good. Sharp images, good color, and reasonably deep DOF. Viewing objects against overcast skies, across snow covered fields and under street lights have yielded crisp, clear images.
Along with the 74mm IPD, I am also cursed with high sensitivity to CA. I've seen CA in every pair of binos I've ever used, and could never use high-index plasic or polycarbonate eyeglasses due to the CA being extremely annoying. When looking at tree branches against a bright, overcast sky, I do see a bit of color fringing (again, I've seen this in every bino I've ever used), but it is well controlled. I pulled out my Nikon Premier LX to compare, the Nikon has less CA, in fact very little. Then I pulled out an old classic, Bausch & Lomb 10x40 Custom. Going back and from between the Sightron and B&L it was very close, but I feel that the Sightron was ever so slightly better.
More testing to go, so far I've been impressed.
Ergonomics are quite good. Comfortable in my hands, eyecups, while being on the inexpensive side, are also comfortable into my eye sockets and have several settings. I am finding that I can hold it steadier than two other 8X binos in my possession. Eye relief is good, both for use with eyeglasses and naked eye - long enough to accommodate my glasses and yet not too long to where I cannot rest the eyecups against my brow when not using glasses.
My IPD is 74 mm and thus outside of the usable range of many binoculars. But no problems using the Sightron, there isn't much play left, the bridge is open about 1 mm. Right diopter adjustment feels inexpensive, no nice click stops or locks, but it is sufficiently stiff so to hold the setting in use.
While I've read reports of it having a stiff motion in its focusing knob, that is absolutely not the case for mine. Very smooth focuser, with just the right amount of resistance. I wish all of my binos had the feel and motion.
In limited use (hopefully the sun will emerge from the clouds soon), the views have been very good. Sharp images, good color, and reasonably deep DOF. Viewing objects against overcast skies, across snow covered fields and under street lights have yielded crisp, clear images.
Along with the 74mm IPD, I am also cursed with high sensitivity to CA. I've seen CA in every pair of binos I've ever used, and could never use high-index plasic or polycarbonate eyeglasses due to the CA being extremely annoying. When looking at tree branches against a bright, overcast sky, I do see a bit of color fringing (again, I've seen this in every bino I've ever used), but it is well controlled. I pulled out my Nikon Premier LX to compare, the Nikon has less CA, in fact very little. Then I pulled out an old classic, Bausch & Lomb 10x40 Custom. Going back and from between the Sightron and B&L it was very close, but I feel that the Sightron was ever so slightly better.
More testing to go, so far I've been impressed.
Tom Bombadil
Tender of Forests
The sun came out this afternoon and I was able to get out for some more observations of the Sightron. Very bright conditions, with the sun up about 20 degrees from the horizon, some high clouds, and lots of snow. I had a pair of REI XR 8x32 binos with me for comparison. Not exactly an alpha but a decent little bino which I've previously compared to a Nikon Travellite and an older Vortex Typhoon and came away liking the REI better than either. The REI sells for $129, so less inexpensive than the Sightron, but not terribly less than the SII's normal price of $174. The REI bino is also sold under the Kruger label as the Kruger BackCountry 8x32, for $146 by Optics Planet.
I did most of my observations into difficult seeing conditions. Watching birds on the snow with the sun behind them, birds in trees into a very bright sky, with the sun behind them just out of the FOV. Observing cars in a parking lot with bright reflections off of their chrome and windows.
Overall I found that the CA was well controlled, present but minimal. I could see good detail on the birds, colors were good, contrast was good. Not superb like the best alphas, but very good for a sub-$200 binocular. And, frankly, I would find it satisfyingly good if I had paid $350 to $400. Glare was also minimal, with the contrast on the colors of the birds and the cars holding up well, despite significant harsh reflections in the FOV. Internal reflections were present when bringing the sun into the FOV, but otherwise no problems.
Vs the REI/Kruger, the Sightron was brighter, had better contrast, a wider FOV, deeper DOF, more natural color and I found it easier to bring into focus. In short, the view through the Sightron was significantly better.
I did most of my observations into difficult seeing conditions. Watching birds on the snow with the sun behind them, birds in trees into a very bright sky, with the sun behind them just out of the FOV. Observing cars in a parking lot with bright reflections off of their chrome and windows.
Overall I found that the CA was well controlled, present but minimal. I could see good detail on the birds, colors were good, contrast was good. Not superb like the best alphas, but very good for a sub-$200 binocular. And, frankly, I would find it satisfyingly good if I had paid $350 to $400. Glare was also minimal, with the contrast on the colors of the birds and the cars holding up well, despite significant harsh reflections in the FOV. Internal reflections were present when bringing the sun into the FOV, but otherwise no problems.
Vs the REI/Kruger, the Sightron was brighter, had better contrast, a wider FOV, deeper DOF, more natural color and I found it easier to bring into focus. In short, the view through the Sightron was significantly better.
FrankD
Well-known member
ads,
I don't think it really is that simple. They are "different flavors" but I wouldn't necessarily rate one higher than the other "overall". If you prefer certain optical performance characteristics then one may lend itself to your preferences more so than the other.
I don't think it really is that simple. They are "different flavors" but I wouldn't necessarily rate one higher than the other "overall". If you prefer certain optical performance characteristics then one may lend itself to your preferences more so than the other.
chartwell99
Well-known member
brocknroller
porromaniac
OH, NO! THERE ARE LEGIONS OF THEM NOW. RUN FOR THE HILLS! IT'S A SIGHTRON ZOMBIE APOCALYPYSE. :eek!:
Attachments
Kammerdiner
Well-known member
Tom Bombadil
Tender of Forests
I am very glad that I jumped on the deal and picked one up. I will be putting it to good use. In terms of bang for the buck, it may be my best binocular.
