henry link
Well-known member
kabsetz said:... I did a simple tripod-mounted test where I viewed a resolution target at ten meters through one eyepiece only (to avoid parallax-induced effects). I focused the binocular to maximum resolution at dead center, and then without touching the focus or the binocular, moved the target 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 centimeters off to the side and recorded what I could resolve WITHOUT MOVING MY HEAD, ONLY MY EYE.
Overall, and in case this has not become clear yet, I consider the Victory FL's to be great binoculars. It is nice that Zeiss had the courage to do things differently and that they have succeeded this well.
Kimmo
Kimmo,
Thanks for the kind words about my review. I'm looking foward to reading the Alula report.
I set up a similar test to try to measure the fall-off in sharpness of the bins I tested. I used a 4' ruler at 30'; focused on the center of the ruler with one eye; noted how far to the right and left of center I could read numbers on the ruler, then converted that distance to degrees of apparent field. In the end I got interested and wound up testing about a dozen pairs, from a c.1930 Leitz Binuxit to a Nikon Prostar (which held it's central sharpness over a larger area than any other). I tested only two bins with a smaller "sweet spot" than the Zeiss FL; a Kern Swiss Army 8X30 and an old Swarovski 8X30 porro, both of which had tiny sweet spots about half the width of the Zeiss. I agree with you that the FL is a great binocular, the best in several important performance categories, with IMO only one significant weakness.
I suppose I need to join with others and affirm that I really am a "true birder" who actually prefers looking at birds to numbers on rulers or Dollar bills tacked to trees, and I'm not an employee of an optics firm. Not that I wouldn't know how to behave discreetly if a reasonable offer came along for my "endorsement services", mind you . Right now, for instance I believe I could write some very nice things about the optics of the new 8X32 Ultravid, especially a pair with the leather covering.
Henry
Last edited: