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

HT, Conquest HD, Terra (1 Viewer)

CSG said:
Oh, I understand; I've been there. ;)

I did find out today that I qualify for a 25% discount on the HT bins based on my work (promotive.com). Still, my total cost would be about $1950. That's a pretty hard nut to swallow good as the HT's are.
Click to expand...

Dead right CSG.

I am lucky to have a pair of HT 8x42s and am presently on the Isle of North Uist off the west coast of Scotland. This is pur 21st visit here and it's where my bins get the hardest work-out.

It's the first visit by the HTs and although I took them to France earlier this year, there is nothing like visiting familiar places in familiar weather/light to reveal the performance of bins.

I have been bringing a pair of FL 8x42s here for 8years so have a good yardstick to measure the HTs against.

I am truly gob-smacked (= amazed/stunned) at their sheer transparency. Subtle colours glow with intensity and tiny details are revealed.

The optics are just stunning and they handle so beautifully (the FLs were just OK) that I prefer not to wear gloves (lots of cool wind here) so that I can enjoy just the feel of them.

And by the way, I have had them since last December, so I am not in the full flush of delerium of having recently bought them.

Not saying you should buy a HT, but I am saying that if you do, you will be thanking yourself for a long, long, long time.

Lee
 
Lee, did you compare them to the 10x version? I'd noticed in the Conquest HD's that the 8x with its 18mm ER caused blackouts for me (no glasses) but the 10x with its 17mm was a little better. The HT 8x and 10x both share 16mm ER. I've looked through the 10x locally and they were perfect ergonomically (meaning no blackouts whatsoever) but I want 8x, not 10x and wonder if I'd get the same perfect fit with the 8x HT?

I'm trying desperately to justify why I should get a pair of the 8x42 HT's. ;)
 
brocknroller said:
DING! DING! DING! DING! :clap:

Alex: Thaaaat's correct, and you answered in the form of a question! Don Pardo, what prize do we have for James?

Don: We have looooonger eyecups for his Zeiss HT so he can avoid image blackouts!

Not sure if you get "JEOPARDY" on TV in Canada although Alex Trebeck is a canuck, so you probably do.

I think Ed prefers the term "spherical aberration IN the exit pupil" or some such subtle distinction, but I don't think this is the issue with the Zeiss Conquest HD, because people don't seem to be bothered by it in the 10x42 model, which has lower ER.

Scroll 3/4 the way down the page for technical explanation of SAEP

<B>
Click to expand...

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbarch.../view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1#Post185561
 
CSG said:
Lee, did you compare them to the 10x version? I'd noticed in the Conquest HD's that the 8x with its 18mm ER caused blackouts for me (no glasses) but the 10x with its 17mm was a little better. The HT 8x and 10x both share 16mm ER. I've looked through the 10x locally and they were perfect ergonomically (meaning no blackouts whatsoever) but I want 8x, not 10x and wonder if I'd get the same perfect fit with the 8x HT?

I'm trying desperately to justify why I should get a pair of the 8x42 HT's. ;)
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CSG

Yes I have tried the 10x42 and as with the 8x I didn't get blackouts. However since I am not into 10x any more and prefer 8x I didn't spend much time with the 10.

I have had my HT 8x42s for 9 months now. No blackouts!

What are you waiting for?????? :t:

Lee
 
What am I waiting for? A rich uncle... ;)

Regardless of the small discount I can wangle, it's still almost $2k and there are a number of bins for a quarter of the price that will deliver better than 90-95% of the performance. I keep thinking of audio gear when I consider this.
 
CSG said:
What am I waiting for? A rich uncle... ;)

Regardless of the small discount I can wangle, it's still almost $2k and there are a number of bins for a quarter of the price that will deliver better than 90-95% of the performance. I keep thinking of audio gear when I consider this.
Click to expand...

Of course you are right, but when you said you were desperately trying to justify buying an HT I thought I would give you some support.

The audio parallel is not without substance but with one proviso here: I have owned both FL 8x42 and HT 8x42 at the same time and as fine as the FL was and still is, comparing both side-by-side the HT is clearly and unambiguously better. Not in 'blink and you will miss the difference way' like with some audio gear, but absolutley impossible to miss.

But it seems you are still wavering.

If I was wavering I would certainly go for the Conquest HD 8x32, which I know you have not managed to try yet. It's a killer especially at its price.
I have tried several examples now and have had no issues at all with blackouts or focus feel. It is a really fine instrument and I would love one myself.

Lee
 
No, I *have* tried the 8x42 Conquest as well as the 10x42 Conquest and had more issues with blackouts on the 8x with its 18mm of ER vs. the 10x's 17mm. I can get the Conquest HD for just under $800 from promotive.com.

I'm going back to the local sporting goods store later to see how the 8x42 HD would work with my glasses on. I prefer a bin that can work well for me both ways. I can correct the nearsightedness but not the left eye astigmatism. While it's fairly minor, I like to wear glasses for astronomy (I'm a big fan of using bins for casual astronomy). If the 8x HD's work well *with* glasses, I will reconsider them.
 
CSG said:
No, I *have* tried the 8x42 Conquest as well as the 10x42 Conquest and had more issues with blackouts on the 8x with its 18mm of ER vs. the 10x's 17mm. I can get the Conquest HD for just under $800 from promotive.com.

I'm going back to the local sporting goods store later to see how the 8x42 HD would work with my glasses on. I prefer a bin that can work well for me both ways. I can correct the nearsightedness but not the left eye astigmatism. While it's fairly minor, I like to wear glasses for astronomy (I'm a big fan of using bins for casual astronomy). If the 8x HD's work well *with* glasses, I will reconsider them.
Click to expand...

Actually I was referring to the 8x32 HD, but perhaps these will not do for astronomy.

Lee
 
Had a chance to revisit the 8x42 HD's and they're fine with glasses. I compared them to some 8x42 Monarch 7's, Vortex Vipers and Talons, and Leupold McKinley. The Conquest was noticeably better than all of them.

But what may win me over completely was fitting them with a pair of winged eyeshields from Field Optics. Not only do these block the stray light completely, they reposition the HD's so that I can comfortably hold them a little farther from my face (the eyecups are too short otherwise) and be immersed in another world of vision. The FO winged eyeshields are an amazing improvement IMO. I bought some after trying them on my 8x32 Nikon SE's. It completely transforms those bins too solving all the ergonomic issues I had with them.

I think I'm going to go with a pair of the Conquest 8x42 HD's to round out my little collection. The HT's are noticeably better still but I just can't justify twice the cost. The Conquests are really, really good, especially with the added eyeshields.

I'll be very curious to see what fix for these Zeiss comes up with. I suspect all they need to do is replace the eyecups with some a couple mm deeper.
 
CSG said:
Had a chance to revisit the 8x42 HD's and they're fine with glasses. I compared them to some 8x42 Monarch 7's, Vortex Vipers and Talons, and Leupold McKinley. The Conquest was noticeably better than all of them.

But what may win me over completely was fitting them with a pair of winged eyeshields from Field Optics. Not only do these block the stray light completely, they reposition the HD's so that I can comfortably hold them a little farther from my face (the eyecups are too short otherwise) and be immersed in another world of vision. The FO winged eyeshields are an amazing improvement IMO. I bought some after trying them on my 8x32 Nikon SE's. It completely transforms those bins too solving all the ergonomic issues I had with them.

I think I'm going to go with a pair of the Conquest 8x42 HD's to round out my little collection. The HT's are noticeably better still but I just can't justify twice the cost. The Conquests are really, really good, especially with the added eyeshields.

I'll be very curious to see what fix for these Zeiss comes up with. I suspect all they need to do is replace the eyecups with some a couple mm deeper.
Click to expand...

CSG,
My experiences and impressions of the 8x32 Conquest HD are much the same. 1 more mm of eyecup length and the fit (to me) becomes noticeably improved. An amazing bin. I think it will soon be realized as a standout in its class.
CG
 
Pileatus said:
I had a look at three Zeiss models in a side-by-side comparison.

10X42 HT (~ $2200)
8X42 Conquest HD (~ $1000)
8X42 Terra ED( ~ $350)

I did not care for the Terra but then I don't see many bins in this price range.
The 10X42 (8X42 was not available) was sharp, free of CA and had good edges.

The big surprise was the 8X42 Conquest HD. This is the second sample I've seen and I could not get over how good it was. I repeatedly compared the HT to the Conquest thinking the HT was also an 8X42. When I found out the HT was a 10X42, I was lost for words. I wondered why the Conquest HD image appeared a bit smaller and now I knew...8X versus 10X. Regardless, the Conquest HD image was as sharp, as CA free and more pleasing to my eye than the HT. I even stabilized the 10X to eliminate any handshake effect.

Buy whatever pleases you but, if you're budget tops out at $1000, you better take a close look at the 8X42 Conquest HD. It's quite an achievement for Zeiss.
Click to expand...

In spite of the blackout issues I have with the Conquest HD 8x42, I ordered a pair from Eagle today. I'd looked at a pair locally again yesterday but this time we added the Field Optics winged eyeshields (in the standard size) and they made a significant improvement re: blackouts. Optically, these are simply amazing bins. I'm not sure I'll end up keeping them but I need to spend a few days with them at home.

FWIW, Zeiss is aware of the blackout issues, probably due to the length of the eyecups relative to the eye relief. Carol, in Zeiss CS told me they are working on a fix for these.
 
Although I can't add much to the technical discussions above I have to say that the 8x42HD are the best pair of bins that I've ever had. For £700 they seem like remarkably good value. The extra 5% improvement for an alpha doesn't justify a doubling in price, not on my budget anyway.

The quality of the image and light transmission knocks my (not so) old Opticrons into a cocked hat. The clarity is such that I feel quite comfortable using them without spectacles. Bearing that in mind I will be taking them along to the optician when I choose my new specs.

It's been interesting to read that I'm not the only one who has had issues with the eye relief. As I only bought them a few weeks ago I wonder if I could blag some new eyecups when they become available :)

P.S. what does MOLCET stand for?
 
northernloon said:
Although I can't add much to the technical discussions above I have to say that the 8x42HD are the best pair of bins that I've ever had. For £700 they seem like remarkably good value. The extra 5% improvement for an alpha doesn't justify a doubling in price, not on my budget anyway.

The quality of the image and light transmission knocks my (not so) old Opticrons into a cocked hat. The clarity is such that I feel quite comfortable using them without spectacles. Bearing that in mind I will be taking them along to the optician when I choose my new specs.

It's been interesting to read that I'm not the only one who has had issues with the eye relief. As I only bought them a few weeks ago I wonder if I could blag some new eyecups when they become available :)

P.S. what does MOLCET stand for?
Click to expand...
MooreOrLessCeasarsEyebrowTechnique.

Named by Brock to describe the technique Steve Moore (mooreorless) and yours truly use in holding the Nikon SEs up to our eyes in order to avoid the Kidney Beaning blackouts they are notorious for. Some people do not see these blackouts so the technique is not needed for them.

One puts the top of the eye cups firmly up and just under ones eyebrow on the brow ridge and tilts the binocular very, very slightly upward. It takes a little bit of practice to find the right positioning but it works and after that it is instinctive. I use it with all binoculars because it keeps them steady.:t: Steve and I originated it independently. I discovered it many years ago when I had the same problem with a Leitz 7 x 42 Trinovid BA binocular I owned.

Bob
 
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On the so-called "MOLCET" technique, I've done that for years with the Nikon SE's. Additionally, I usually try to wear a ball cap when I'm using binoculars because I can use the brim of my hat to help steady them. I use my index fingers and sometimes middle fingers on top of the bill and sort of compress it to the binoculars. This works particularly well with bins like the Nikon SE's (and Conquest HD 8x42's) which are best held for some of us with the technique Bob describes.

The hat trick really steadies the bins extremely well. Very close to Canon IS bins.
 
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CSG said:
On the so-called "MOLCET" technique, I've done that for years with the Nikon SE's. Additionally, I usually try to wear a ball cap when I'm using binoculars because I can use the brim of my hat to help steady them. I use my index fingers and sometimes middle fingers on top of the bill and sort of compress it to the binoculars. This works particularly well with bins like the Nikon SE's (and Conquest HD 8x42's) which are best held for some of us with the technique Bob describes.

The hat trick really steadies the bins extremely well. Very close to Canon IS bins.
Click to expand...

I guess this means that Brock will have to rename the acronym.

I can't wait to see this one!:eek!:

Bob
 
I'm quite sure I'm not the only one who figured out this technique before others started posting about it and giving it a name.

On the hat trick, I remember telling a hunter about it and he told me he did the same when in the field. Nothing new under the sun.

Well, except acronyms... ;)
 
The hat trick has been written about here before. I've tried it and it works best using the old Swarovski 8 x 30 SLC and the Nikon 10 x 25 Premier with their focusers on the far end of the hinge. On most other binoculars I have to turn the focus wheel from the bottom with my thumb if I use the hat trick.

Bob
 
Well if you wear a hat you don't have to walk around holding your hand up to block out the skyline/Sun in the daytime. As far as the "technique" it is just a common sense sort of thing. CSGHT
 
I ended up exchanging my HD's after the eye cups actually broke on two different units. I was able to upgrade to the 8x42 HT's and I am a VERY happy binoboy. I don't care what anyone says about these but I have never used a finer binocular than the HT's. It's my opinion the HT's are at the top of the alpha class these days and Leica and Swaro are going to have their work cut out for them to come up with a binocular that can beat the HT's. The optics and ergos of the HT's are simply sublime and make them the best of the best.

All IMO, of course.
 
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