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

8x20 Conquest, opinions? (1 Viewer)

Kevin Conville

Kevin Conville

yardbirder
Anyone using these? Why did you buy them? How do you like them? What other 8x20s did you compare before buying them?

I recently bought a pair of Pentax 8x25 DCF-SW and they had a defective focus
and so were returned. It was just as well as I didn't like the layout much and are actually larger than I'd like for a pocket bin. The Zeiss Conquests, while much more expensive, sure look like an ideal pocket bin but... looks (and specs) can be misleading.

Your thoughts are appreciated.
 
I don't like them. The strap is not good, the hang is poor, and strap attachment doesn't allow for easy replacement or a better strap. Optically, they're fine--not as good as the top of line stuff but they are good enough to be useable (which I wouldn't say of many other pocket roofs).

Personally, I'd save my money and get a Zeiss Victory or Nikon Venturer LX instead. They cost more, but if you search around you might find them for $430 or so. I like the Leica Ultravid best, but the price is quite high these days.

--AP
 
Alexis Powell said:
Personally, I'd save my money and get a Zeiss Victory or Nikon Venturer LX instead. They cost more, but if you search around you might find them for $430 or so. I like the Leica Ultravid best, but the price is quite high these days.
Click to expand...

Nikon Venturer LX or a Nikon LX-L 8x20. The latter is current.

Was that a slip or do you have a preference for the Venturer LX rather than the LX-L?
 
Thanks for that Alexis. I went by a Scope City today and looked at some pocket bins including the LX-Ls and Swaros. The Nikons are quite nice indeed but, and though it was very smooth, the pinky focus well... I'd prefer not to have. The hinges are a bit looser than I like also but I noticed the Swaros were about the same. Maybe the thinking these days is to have them easy to fold, open, and adjust over being able to hold the IPD. I prefer the latter.

I just hate the cheaper pocket bins generally and refuse to go there again. I tried another pair of Pentax DCF-SW 8x25s at the store and while the focus was a bit better than the ones I returned, they were still horrible.

They didn't have Zeiss to look at but I don't think the Victorys are quite what I'm looking for with their asymmetrical hinge and therefore odd folded shape. They didn't carry the small Conquests at all and, reading between the lines, got the impression there was a good reason.

I may have to throw in the towel on this unless I have some unexpected windfall and buy the Ultravids. That'd be pretty nutty, for me. ;)
 
I have the Zeiss Conquest 8x20 as well as Leica Trinovid 8x20 and Ultravid 8x20. (Yes I'm a binocoholic). The Zeiss is certainly the most pocketable/smallest of the 3. It folds into a small bundle that goes into any pants pocket. Optically, I subjectively cant tell the difference between it and the Trinovid. It does have a bit of a long close focus and rollover rubber eyecups but I see full field with my glasses on and the cups rolled down. My favorite is the Ultravid as it has close focus and great ergonomics for its size but it doesnt fold up as small as the Zeiss. I would hate to lose it or have it damaged - so the Zeiss can go anyplace with me and if something happened its $299 gone vs almost $700 for my precious Ultravid.
Jim
 
Lots of people don't consider it because it is no longer "state of the art," but the Leica 8 x 20 Trinovid is still available. If you are just looking for a small pocket binocular with 1st rate optics to carry around these will fill the bill. I am quite pleased with mine. You should be able to find them for under $500.00.
Bob
 
Kevin Conville said:
.....

They didn't have Zeiss to look at but I don't think the Victorys are quite what I'm looking for with their asymmetrical hinge and therefore odd folded shape. ....
Click to expand...

The problem with the pocket victories is that the focussing knob is ridiculously small. Due to the water proofing the focusser is very stiff. In combination with its minute size it makes the system practically unusable. If it gets slippery because of wet weather you'll have a "fixed focus" instrument.
Time to rethink the design, Mr. Engineer!

Tom
 
ThoLa said:
The problem with the pocket victories is that the focussing knob is ridiculously small. Due to the water proofing the focusser is very stiff. In combination with its minute size it makes the system practically unusable. If it gets slippery because of wet weather you'll have a "fixed focus" instrument.
Time to rethink the design, Mr. Engineer!

Tom
Click to expand...

I've seen this very issue pop up in other pocket bins. It's unacceptable to me as well. The Pentax I recently tried had this issue in spades, with play added in for spice. MOST minis and virtually all pocket bins leave me wondering if the designers EVER use them. To it's credit the Nikon LX-Ls I used today had excellent focus action despite their tiny wheel, though the wheel's in the wrong place. |8||
 
Thanks for the feedback Jim. I'll try to get my hands on the Conquests to try. Despite the shortcomings that Alexis refers to, they may be acceptable if other things work for me.

Bob, I wouldn't mind picking up used 8x20 Trinovids of a late vintage but I'm not inclined to spend $500. for a new pair, though that may change with my level of frustration.
 
Kevin Conville said:
I.... MOST minis and virtually all pocket bins leave me wondering if the designers EVER use them. .....|8||
Click to expand...

If they did, wouldn't they be called Users ? ;)


Kevin Conville said:
....To it's credit the Nikon LX-Ls I used today had excellent focus action despite their tiny wheel, though the wheel's in the wrong place. |8||
Click to expand...

Agree. The Nikon and the Swarovski have the best focussing. The focusser on the Nikons protrudes more above the surface, so it's even easier to reach and turn.
But this problem can be alleviated by using the thumb :t: and focus from the "belly side" of the instrument.

Tom
 
ThoLa said:
If they did, wouldn't they be called Users ? ;)
Click to expand...
Yes! Users, and thorough product designers.


ThoLa said:
Agree. The Nikon and the Swarovski have the best focussing. The focusser on the Nikons protrudes more above the surface, so it's even easier to reach and turn.
But this problem can be alleviated by using the thumb :t: and focus from the "belly side" of the instrument.

Tom
Click to expand...

Interesting but I use my thumbs to block stray light at the eyepiece, so they're not available for focus duty.


It just dawned on me while reading my pissing and moaning post above that I'm looking for a pocket bin that can do birding. Duh! You might say but consider that many (most) buyers of these things may be using them at concerts, games, theater where the subject is easy to find and re-focusing isn't an issue. The field of these bins, that can bird, I'm finding is pretty small.
 
Kevin Conville said:
It just dawned on me while reading my pissing and moaning post above that I'm looking for a pocket bin that can do birding. Duh! You might say but consider that many (most) buyers of these things may be using them at concerts, games, theater where the subject is easy to find and re-focusing isn't an issue. The field of these bins, that can bird, I'm finding is pretty small.
[/I]
Click to expand...

But they are perfect for bird-watching in a natural history museum. ;)
 
ThoLa said:
But they are perfect for bird-watching in a natural history museum. ;)
Click to expand...

Slightly off topic but I find the Paillio's to tbe the best museum birding bins. Very handy for a close look at something even when you can get quite close to it ;)

I have the Victories and the focus knob is rather small. OK, tiny. But not too stiff but not a free as a bigger bin. It's small and light and suprisingly is easy to use (not nearly as fiddly with the exit pupil as I would have expected from an 8x20). I's also a bit easier to set IPD correctly with only one hinge to worry about (easier than when I use the "one hinge to the stop and adjust the IPD with the other hinge" trick with double hinge bins). So take a look if you can find one the "odd shape" isn't that odd.

I think you have to define the birding you plan to do to with these. For me this is a easy to carry on a belt or in the pocket and quick to use so you can see an interesting bird so I use it with those compromises in mind.

Until they make a 4oz full size inflatable alpha bin you may not be happy with the compromises of a compact ;)

Oh, my my Pentax SW is OK. The best of the cheaper roofs.
 
Last edited:
Kevin Purcell said:
I have the Victories and the focus knob is rather small. OK, tiny. But not too stiff but not a free as a bigger bin. It's small and light and suprisingly is easy to use (not nearly as fiddly with the exit pupil as I would have expected from an 8x20). I's also a bit easier to set IPD correctly with only one hinge to worry about (easier than when I use the "one hinge to the stop and adjust the IPD with the other hinge" trick with double hinge bins). So take a look if you can find one the "odd shape" isn't that odd.
Click to expand...

Of course I'll look at the Victorys (simple s for plural of a noun?) I just don't expect much, so maybe I'll be surprised.

Kevin Purcell said:
Until they make a 4oz full size inflatable alpha bin you may not be happy with the compromises of a compact ;)

Oh, my my Pentax SW is OK. The best of the cheaper roofs.
Click to expand...

You may be right about the compromises of a compact though I think I'd like the Leicas fine. I had 10x25 Leitz Trinovids for a lot of years and know the basic design well. It's OK.

I know you like your Pentax from previous posts but I'm now 2 for 2 finding their focus amazingly bad. Maybe something has changed.

Regarding the "type" of birding I want to do (smiling here), I just want a pocket bin for the usual reasons but especially when walking my dog. I really just want to be able to get on a bird at any range quickly and be able to follow it. With the least amount of fuss.
 
Kevin Conville said:
Regarding the "type" of birding I want to do (smiling here), I just want a pocket bin for the usual reasons but especially when walking my dog. I really just want to be able to get on a bird at any range quickly and be able to follow it. With the least amount of fuss.
Click to expand...

The Victory/Victorys work for me in this role.
 
Kevin Purcell said:
Nikon Venturer LX or a Nikon LX-L 8x20. The latter is current.
Was that a slip or do you have a preference for the Venturer LX rather than the LX-L?
Click to expand...

That was a slip on my part. As far as I know, there was no substantive change between these models.

As for the Zeiss Victory, my unit has a very smooth focus, so although I wouldn't mind the knob being larger, it works fine for me while birding. Also, despite its "odd" folded shape, it is still very small. If carried in its cordura case, it is at least as small as my Leica Ultravid 8x20 in its leather clamshell, actually I think a bit smaller.

--AP
 
I always had a preference for either the Nikon 8x20 or the Zeiss Victory 8x20. To my eyes they was not much to separate the two optically but the ergonomics (double hinge vs. single hinge and pinky vs. index finger focusing) sure made them feel like two different models.
 
Would second the thoughts of Jimtrader11. The Conquest is a lovely little package, fits into any pocket, is waterproof, robust and optically excellent. As a go anywhere glass, it is unsurpassed. It is smaller than the other 8x20s discussed above and much cheaper. These virtues imo outweigh its comparative deficiencies.
 
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