Winged eyecups (1 Viewer)

Hi!

I'm a big fan of winged eyecups, and I'm looking for some aftermarket ones to fit to my Zeiss Victory SF 8x42, Nikon Monarch 7 8x42 and Swarovski 8x32 SV.

I've seen the Swarovski winged eyecup + rainguard set and the Avian/Field Optics Research ones.

Are there any others I should consider?

Cheers,
HN

P.S: Do the Swarovski ones work for both 8x42 and 8x32 bins? Are they all the same diameter?

The "Horned" eye cups that came with my 10x32 EDG I and EDG II will fit on my Zeiss 7x42 FL Victory. I don't know if they will work on the SF binocular's eye cups. They simply stretch and slide over the eye cups and the lip on them fits under the bottom edge of the eye cups. Very easy to use. They have to be used with the eye cups in the closed position. Eye relief remains unchanged.

Bob

HighNorth said:

Hi!

I'm a big fan of winged eyecups, and I'm looking for some aftermarket ones to fit to my Zeiss Victory SF 8x42, Nikon Monarch 7 8x42 and Swarovski 8x32 SV.

I've seen the Swarovski winged eyecup + rainguard set and the Avian/Field Optics Research ones.

Are there any others I should consider?

Cheers,
HN

P.S: Do the Swarovski ones work for both 8x42 and 8x32 bins? Are they all the same diameter?

Click to expand...

I use the Swarovski winged eye cups on both the Swarovski 8x32 and the 8.5x42. The fit on both is perfect.

I also use them on various other binos as they are firm yet elastic. The covers that accompany them fit very well.

Cheers

Edit: they and their covers will add a cm or two to the length of the bino when cased. I have a leather case I can't use with the winged system in place.

HighNorth said:

Hi!

I'm a big fan of winged eyecups, and I'm looking for some aftermarket ones to fit to my Zeiss Victory SF 8x42, Nikon Monarch 7 8x42 and Swarovski 8x32 SV.

I've seen the Swarovski winged eyecup + rainguard set and the Avian/Field Optics Research ones.

Are there any others I should consider?

Cheers,
HN

P.S: Do the Swarovski ones work for both 8x42 and 8x32 bins? Are they all the same diameter?

Click to expand...

I have tried and tried winged eyecups and I just never liked them. The concept seems good but in actual practice they seem uncomfortable to me and they fog your eyepiece up faster.

[email protected] said:

I have tried and tried winged eyecups and I just never liked them. The concept seems good but in actual practice they seem uncomfortable to me and they fog your eyepiece up faster.

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Yes I agree with some of what you say, but the Swarovski cups are so compact and rubbery that you can just shove them separately (without their covers) into the bino bag or case and whip them on your binos for those times when the sun is smashing into the side of your face.

Rathaus said:

Yes I agree with some of what you say, but the Swarovski cups are so compact and rubbery that you can just shove them separately (without their covers) into the bino bag or case and whip them on your binos for those times when the sun is smashing into the side of your face.

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Doesn't your face sweat more around your eyes where the eyecups seal?

[email protected] said:

Doesn't your face sweat more around your eyes where the eyecups seal?

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This is probably going to be one of those head shaped things...I never feel the Swarovski eye cups completely seal me in like some seem to do. I don't actually use them very often, but a few weeks back I was collecting somebody from the airport and I did a bit of plane (landing) watching from a designated outdoor area Which is pretty close...but the lowish sun about 30-45deg to the left of the aircraft made it virtually impossible...so I whipped the winged eye cups onto the little Habicht - now my left eye went from being in a sun beaten state to pitch black block out, and so stunning and overwhelming was the view of a close approaching 777 that (like a drunk oaf) i spun out, lost my bearings, and stumbled backwards flailing for about five metres and nearly fell. I have never seen anything magnified so sharply and 3D like with that ultra contrast that the winged cups let me Benefit from. For a second I thought that plane was going to hit me in the face.

I've only used the shades once or twice since then, but they're at the ready.
Cheers

Rathaus said:

This is probably going to be one of those head shaped things...I never feel the Swarovski eye cups completely seal me in like some seem to do. I don't actually use them very often, but a few weeks back I was collecting somebody from the airport and I did a bit of plane (landing) watching from a designated outdoor area Which is pretty close...but the lowish sun about 30-45deg to the left of the aircraft made it virtually impossible...so I whipped the winged eye cups onto the little Habicht - now my left eye went from being in a sun beaten state to pitch black block out, and so stunning and overwhelming was the view of a close approaching 777 that (like a drunk oaf) i spun out, lost my bearings, and stumbled backwards flailing for about five metres and nearly fell. I have never seen anything magnified so sharply and 3D like with that ultra contrast that the winged cups let me Benefit from. For a second I thought that plane was going to hit me in the face.

I've only used the shades once or twice since then, but they're at the ready.
Cheers

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The winged eyecups do work good on a Habicht. Helps with the ER.

Hi All!

Thanks for your input! I went for the winged eyecups from Avian/Field Optics Research. Should arrive in 1-2 weeks.

I been using the Field Optics Research eyecups on my 8x56 FL for a couple of years. I'm not tempted to remove them because they have such a good effect on transparency and brightness under many adverse lighting conditions. I've had no problem with steam or sweat since they don't form a complete seal, but if that should happen they easily flip down out of way (see photo).

henry link said:

I been using the Field Optics Research eyecups on my 8x56 FL for a couple of years. I'm not tempted to remove them because they have such a good effect on transparency and brightness under many adverse lighting conditions. I've had no problem with steam or sweat since they don't form a complete seal, but if that should happen they easily flip down out of way (see photo).

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Great! Looks like you could easily fit a rainguard on top of that too!

HN

henry link said:

I been using the Field Optics Research eyecups on my 8x56 FL for a couple of years. I'm not tempted to remove them because they have such a good effect on transparency and brightness under many adverse lighting conditions. I've had no problem with steam or sweat since they don't form a complete seal, but if that should happen they easily flip down out of way (see photo).

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Henry,

I think that the Nikon EDG Horned Eyecups will also fit your binocular. They work on my 7x42 FL and slip on and off very easily.

Bob

ceasar said:

Henry,

I think that the Nikon EDG Horned Eyecups will also fit your binocular. They work on my 7x42 FL and slip on and off very easily.

Bob

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Bob;

Do you know, offhand, if they will fit Swarovski EL SV? (10X42)

Thanks
Richard

Maljunulo said:

Bob;

Do you know, offhand, if they will fit Swarovski EL SV? (10X42)

Thanks
Richard

Click to expand...

Richard,

I've never used a Swarovision but I have a 7x42 SLC B. Based on my experience with it I don't think the Nikon horned eye cups will fit well enough to be used for extended periods of time.

The rubber portion of the Swaro eye cup is shorter than the Nikons so the horned eye cups will fit over the ones on the 7x42 but it is a slightly loose fit. (On my 7x42 Victory FL the rubber portions of the eye cups are just about the same length as the Nikons and they fit well.)

Also, if, like me you don't wear glasses, the Nikon horned eye cups are designed to be used with the regular eye cups in the down position and the FOV will remain unchanged for you. But when I put them on the 7x42 SLC the FOV became a little smaller.

Bob

Bob:

Thanks much.

R

Maljunulo said:

Bob;

Do you know, offhand, if they will fit Swarovski EL SV? (10X42)

Thanks
Richard

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Richard:

Get the winged eyecups from Swarovski SV, they fit well and
mine are on most all of the time. They also come with the
winged ocular covers, they are better than the hard standard
ones also.

Jerry

NDhunter said:

Richard:

Get the winged eyecups from Swarovski SV, they fit well and
mine are on most all of the time. They also come with the
winged ocular covers, they are better than the hard standard
ones also.
Jerry

Click to expand...

Thanks.
R

NDhunter said:

Richard:

Get the winged eyecups from Swarovski SV, they fit well and
mine are on most all of the time. They also come with the
winged ocular covers, they are better than the hard standard
ones also.

Jerry

Click to expand...

Jerry,

I just checked out the 2 videos on Swarovski's website on how to put these winged eye cups on the binocular. It is simple enough but the reason they needed 2 videos to do it was because the binoculars have two different types of lugs to hold the strap. There are the standard lugs we are all acquainted with and then there is another kind that screws into the side of the objective tube just below the eye cups.

http://www.swarovskioptik.com/nature/winged-eyecup-set-c21040104/winged-eyecup-set-p5006108

Look at the far right video to see the ones I am talking about.

I have never seen lugs that screw into the objective tubes before. Do you know what models have them?

Bob

ceasar said:

Jerry,

I just checked out the 2 videos on Swarovski's website on how to put these winged eye cups on the binocular. It is simple enough but the reason they needed 2 videos to do it was because the binoculars have two different types of lugs to hold the strap. There are the standard lugs we are all acquainted with and then there is another kind that screws into the side of the objective tube just below the eye cups.

http://www.swarovskioptik.com/nature/winged-eyecup-set-c21040104/winged-eyecup-set-p5006108

Look at the far right video to see the ones I am talking about.

I have never seen lugs that screw into the objective tubes before. Do you know what models have them?

Bob

Click to expand...

The video on the right shows the specialised hunting 'EL Range' with the laser range finder and a few other differences from the garden variety EL SV. Nothing to worry about. Same winged eye cups etc.

My Swarovski winged eye cups fit just about any bino I have...some tighter than others....except for the Fujinons...which have those huge eyepieces.

I had a little play with winged eyecups yesterday - Avian/Field Optics Research pair for compact bins, and very interesting it was too....
I was using the Nikon M7 8x30 and this was the first chance i'd had to get out with the combination.
Firstly, you have the choice of positioning the ring of the eyecup either below the eyepiece (if you use them extended beyond the second stop) or on the lip of the eyepiece itself. If you do extend them (and don't wear glasses) it is best to pull them out first. If you put the eyecup on in the fully-down position, by the time you've rotated them out, they're likely to be in completely the wrong place. (Or you could mark the right place on the edge if you have the patience)
At first (with the ring on the edge) there was a degree of difficulty with eye position, and i got some vignetting; this was just a matter of a bit of practice though, and a slight re-positioning. I suspect alignment with the exit pupil becomes more critical, particularly on smaller bins.
Once i'd got used to it, i held a view and tried them with flaps up, and flaps down as this is easy to achieve with the rubbery Field Optics model.
I was hoping to test for stray light into the ocular, but conditions didn't favour this.
The overall advantage that i perceived was the immersive view with the flaps up, and hadn't realised to this point how aware i was of the light around the binocular. I can't say i noticed any significant change to the light within the binocular view itself (so stray light was not affecting performance), but the enclosing of that view certainly concentrated the eye on optics themselves - and very enjoyable it was too!
Using them with the ring lower down on the barrel neither did anything for side light or the view, so i discounted that; perhaps on larger bins or in other light conditions it might be worth it, but i couldn't perceive any advantage on the M7s as the wings flare out - with them lower, they were just too far away from the edge of the eyepiece.
The only issue is - with the eyecup ring in the 'proper' position - is that the rainguard can't be used, even with the flaps down. The probable solution to this would be to use a rainguard designed for larger binoculars, as most of the time it just has to rest over the oculars.
I can't say i'd use them all the time, but i stuffed them in the cleaning cloth bag and would say that in brightly lit situations with small binoculars, you may appreciate the difference.