• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

which Zeiss victory 8x20: old cloth case version or new version but demo (1 Viewer)

Y

yo5454

Member
Hi,
I was initially determined to buy an old version Leica Trinovid BCA around $400~, but after searching the reviews, I kind of switch to the Zeiss Victory 8x20.

The question I have is I don't really care the leather case much, but care about the optical performance more. From the posts here, I notice the old Zeiss 8x20(with cloth pouch) may use older silver coating, instead of the new Dielectric coating. Is this true ?

I'm planning to buy the 8x20 from CameralandNY.com, they have leather in demo and old style new, any one bought the old version from them has the same coating as the new style? Or the other way around?

If there's optical difference from the old and new, I have to think about buying their demo new style (I can't afford brand new for new version :( )

Thanks and have a good weekend!
Eric
 
It's true that older 8x20 Victory were silver, not delectric coated, but I'm sure that the change to the leather case occurred sometime after the switch to dielectric. Newer units also have different rubber armoring, with the Victory name molded in, but I'm not sure if that change coincided with the switch to dielectric. I think the only safe way to identify is by finding out from Zeiss when the switch happened in the serial number sequence.

--AP
 
I got one of the "older" I guess, 8 x 20 Victory's last year from Cameraland for $359.00. Great price! It came with the inexpensive case. I could have got it with the Leather Case but it would have cost about $120.00 more! Case Closed! Pun intended.:king:

Bob
 
yo5454 said:
Hi,
I was initially determined to buy an old version Leica Trinovid BCA around $400~, but after searching the reviews, I kind of switch to the Zeiss Victory 8x20.

The question I have is I don't really care the leather case much, but care about the optical performance more. From the posts here, I notice the old Zeiss 8x20(with cloth pouch) may use older silver coating, instead of the new Dielectric coating. Is this true ?

I'm planning to buy the 8x20 from CameralandNY.com, they have leather in demo and old style new, any one bought the old version from them has the same coating as the new style? Or the other way around?

If there's optical difference from the old and new, I have to think about buying their demo new style (I can't afford brand new for new version :( )

Thanks and have a good weekend!
Eric
Click to expand...

I bought the cloth pouched model from Doug at CameralandNY and he assured me it had the latest coatings and it must because it is extremely bright. Brighter than the Ultravid IMO.
 
Hello, I wrote Zeiss Germany to ask about their compact binoculars serial number and they reply me :

Models with these order numbers have all the newest coating inclusive dielectric coatings:

Conquest 8x20: number 50 20 73
Conquest 10x25: number 50 20 74
Victory 8x20: number 50 20 78 and 50 20 75
Victory 10x25: number 50 20 79 and 50 20 79

The models Victory 50 20 75 and 50 20 79 have in addition the new LotuTec coating.

You have to check the order no. which you can see on the product sticker on the box and expressed guarantee.
 
Last edited:
I presume that first 50 20 79 should be something else

Victory 10x25: number 50 20 79 and 50 20 79

Hmm, my cloth cased Victory 8x20 but "Victory Compact" lettered in relief are 52 20 35 with serial 27478xx

Hmmm.
 
I bought the cloth model 8x20 and it has one of the most beautiful images I've ever seen, it's amazing. It literally feels like a science fiction toy. You can't believe this thing you can barely feel in your hands is giving you such a crisp high contrast image .

So far the only 2 reactions I've gotten out of anyone I handed them too are "Wow" and Holy Shit!"

I'm pretty sure if there were an optical difference they would have told me. They know me well there for the optics junkie I am.
 
Last edited:
Yes, Kevin, who wrote me had a mistake.
I´ve searched in Zeiss.de and I´ve found several catalogs.

Watch at the page 13 at 2007/2008 catalog :

http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A800347580/EmbedTitelIntern/Katalog_Fernglaeser_2007_EN/$File/Katalog_Fernglaeser_2007_EN.pdf


Watch at the page 24 at 2008/2009 catalog :

http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A800347580/EmbedTitelIntern/Naturkatalog2008_2009_GB/$File/1680-765_Zeiss_Naturkat_2008_GB_WEB.pdf


Watch at the page 64 at 2009/2010 catalog :

http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A800347580/EmbedTitelIntern/ZEISS_Hunting_CAT-EN_2009-03/$File/ZEISS_Hunting_CAT-EN_2009-03.pdf


There you can see the binocular range at a glance, as well as their order numbers.
 
Last edited:
The Victory 8x20 is the only bins I have so far that have made me want to purchase a second pair so I can let another family member enjoy them as much as I do, w/o sharing. Usually if someone purchases another bin in the same size and configuration they opt to try something else/new. The Victory 8x20 are the exception, they fit the hand like a glove and the clarity and brightness still has the wow factor.
 
Thanks for those PDF links, Alberto.

I always find it curious that Zeiss never mentions technical upgrades (from silver to dielectric mirror coating) in their manuals.

Plenty of nice shots of Simon King too ... before they dropped him and he started to camoflauge his bins and wore a string strap on his 8x32FL. I see he's back to using a regular Zeiss strap in Christmas Springwatch Special.
 
I'm confused. Thanks for the pdf pages, but my Victory 10x25 has order no. 52 20 79 on the box, which also has a 'lotutec' sticker on it. The Zeiss 2009/2010 catalogue has no. 52 20 76, as does the 2008/2009, whereas the 2007 has 52 20 36. Does this mean that mine must be later than any of those shown in the catalogues (which all have a "-" for lotutec)? But, according to other information I've seen, if a binocular has 'lotutec' it has a curved line over the '10x25' on the body, which mine does not. My 10x25 has Victory Compact raised letters in the rubber body, and leather case (nicer than the cordura). I don't suppose all this matters very much, but it would be nice to have verification...
 
I called Zeiss and they said all the bins with the leather case have the dialectic coatings. I also called EO today and they said that the Loutec started on the Victory series about two years ago but the compacts got it last. It is confusing. Look on the web and I think some vendors are selling the older models at the higher prices based on the pics that do not show the Victory embossed/ raised lettering on the rubber. Or they are using a stock photo. I would be very careful to make sure you know what you are getting, even many of the sales staff do not seem to know. So the information AlbertoJ provided is very useful and appreciated.
 
The Leather case is quite expensive compared to the Cordura case. This cost must be factored into the overall price. See my post in thread #3 above,
Bob
.
 
statestat said:
Look on the web and I think some vendors are selling the older models at the higher prices based on the pics that do not show the Victory embossed/ raised lettering on the rubber. Or they are using a stock photo.
Click to expand...

Some times vendors don't have much clue about the stock photos they use (especially when they get them wrong). Clearly they need a bin geek on staff.

I suspect James is fine with his LT/dielectric set. I suspect that it is a later number and all LT models are dielectric.

I'm still not sure the Victory embossed/raised lettering means anything. I have a CameraLand "demo" cloth cased model (product number above but comparing to the catalogs it was a 2007 model) that I suspect doesn't have dielectric coating but I'm not sure as I seem to like the neutral view. It doesn't seem "warm" like say the Zeiss Conquest 8x30 I have. But then again I have Meopta Meostar 8x32 that is silver coated and doesn't look warm either (something that quite impressed me ... a neutral color bias).

I guess I should just enjoy the bin and not worry about it!
 
I haven´t still received response of Zeiss.de about mistaken message they sent to me.
But I think their order numbers could be :


Victory 8x20 T*
-Silver coating : 52 20 35
-Dielectric coating : 52 20 75
-Dielectric coating Lotu Tec : 52 20 78

Victory 10x25 T*
-Silver coating : 52 20 36
-Dielectric coating : 52 20 76
-Dielectric coating Lotu Tec : 52 20 79

I think Lotu Tec is too new to appear in 2009/2010 catalog. I suppose it´ll be in 2010/2011 catalog.
 
AlbertoJ
Just wondering why you changed the number for the 8x20 Victory with LouTec from '52 20 75 w/o LouTec' to '52 20 78 w/LouTec', since a previous post you mentioned that the '50 20 75' had the LouTec. I have ordered a pair and was told by the sales staff that the numbers were '52 20 75' and that they have LouTec and the Dielectric prism coatings. The sales person said the store received them 4 months ago.
 
Man who wrote me from Zeiss.de replied me again and corrected his mistake, but he told me something different of catalog.
I wrote Zeiss´s dealer in Spain, and he told me something different of catalog too.

The only sure thing is :

Victory 8x20 T*
-Old version (I don´t know about its coating) : 52 20 35
-Dielectric coating : 52 20 75

Victory 10x25 T*
-Old version (I don´t know about its coating) : 52 20 36
-Dielectric coating : 52 20 76

But I don´t know if Lotu Tec binoculars are :
-52 20 75 or 52 20 78 for 8x20 T*
-52 20 76 or 52 20 79 for 10x25 T*
 
Last edited:
Hi AlbertoJ,
Just received my Zeiss Victory 8x20 case number 522075 with the leather case and dielectric prism coating but does not appear to have the Lotec, so your numbering system seems to correct. I determined if it had Loutec by dabbing a cotton ball(organic no less) with Zeiss cleaning fluid on the objective and it did not seem to bead-up. Amazing to me is that my other 6 year old Zeiss Victory 8x20 cloth case which is going to my son is 522031 w/o dielectric prism coating and the brightness is only very marginally better, very slight but noticeable.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 14 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

Saxatilis
Zeiss Victory 7x42 FL internal check after 15 years of use?
Replies
15
Views
1K
Rg548
R
C
Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 ages?
2
Replies
34
Views
3K
mgp13
mgp13
J
Brief reviews about Zeiss victory SFL 8/10 x40
2 3
Replies
41
Views
5K
Declan Joseph Deasy
D
mgp13
Zeiss Victory SF - damaged or is this normal?
Replies
4
Views
1K
Troubador
Troubador
mgp13
Zeiss SFL 8x40 versus Victory SF 8x42?
2 3
Replies
54
Views
7K
Troubador
Troubador

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top