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

Better View Desired website changes (1 Viewer)

Alexis Powell

Alexis Powell

Natural history enthusiast
United States
In response to a request for info about the Swift Audubon 827 roof in the Swift subforum, I went to the BVD website to get the link to Steve Ingraham's review in the June 1996 issue but found that the website has been reorganized (and is now sponsored by Christophers/Astronomics). I searched about for the 827 review in vain--it seems that many of the older BVD issues are no longer being made available! I hope this is a temporary state of affairs, because if not, this would be a sad loss of archival info (as an aside, one of things that most irritates me about the web is how quickly older product info disappears unless there is a fan site devoted to it). I'd like to see the older issues restored. I know the organization was different from the single-product reviews, but perhaps they could be reorganized. Or, they could be provided in their original form (as on the previous incarnation of the BVD site) but with a product index (issue and page number).

--AP
 
AP,

It is funny you bring this issue up. I was just wondering when BVD was going to be updated. I did not think that they were going to do away with the older info but rather just add on to the existing format. I am sorry to see some of the older stuff go because I, too, referenced it quite often.

However, I do look forward to someone taking up the reigns and reviewing some of the newer bins. There are so many worthwhile new models out there in all of the price ranges that it just begs for someone competent to review, and compare, them.
 
Gents,

You'll find this interesting:

An Established Birding Site Joins the CN Family.
#1736128 - 07/24/07 09:20 AM

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1736128


The most respected Birding Review site has joined the Cloudy Nights family. www.betterviewdesired.com
We are looking for reviewer to write for the site in articles similar to the CN Reports. If you have any interest feel free to contact me at mike 'at' astronomics.com with Better View Desired in the heading. Thanks for looking and for using and supporting Cloudy Nights and Better View Desired.

Mike/astronomics


And a slightly earlier thread http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1660438
which included contact with Mike Loffland at BVD who made visible earlier BVD reviews some thought lost.

--Bob
 
Well you guys need to convince Henry and then he must contact Mike at Astronomics to discuss becoming a BVD reviewer.

--Bob
 
Thanks for the vote of confidence guys, but a regular reviewing gig sounds a bit too much like real work. Besides, I don't think the folks at Astronomics are really looking for a new reviewer. I thnk they just want to add some input from birders in the form of capsule reviews and field impressions. The kind of thing you can read here every day.

Henry
 
FrankD said:
My vote goes for Henry....;)
Click to expand...

Yes, mine too! Henry's reviews always remain logical and based of detailed factual information, not personal preferences. I believe that Henry's obvious leaning towards large Zeiss binoculars is because he's tried everything out properly and then chosen the best. It would be good for us all if manufacturers and potential buyers read his and other's reviews on Birdforum first, and not the personal opinions on Better View Desired. In my humble opinion BVD was pivotally responsible for Swarovski's disasterous attempt to re-gear the focus mechanism of the EL binocular range. One writer can have too much influence, and the BVD article that said they needed 'faster' focussing in order to become the 'best roof in the world' seems to have influenced the manufacturer. The model is now degraded with less accurate focussing as a result, and the bridge has a hole cut in it to accommodate the fast gearing modification that leaks water. Maybe if they'd read Birdforum's educated (and often heated) discussions first, they might have given less weight to one high-profile individual's views.
Paul
 
Paul Godolphin said:
Yes, mine too! Henry's reviews always remain logical and based of detailed factual information, not personal preferences. I believe that Henry's obvious leaning towards large Zeiss binoculars is because he's tried everything out properly and then chosen the best. It would be good for us all if manufacturers and potential buyers read his and other's reviews on Birdforum first, and not the personal opinions on Better View Desired. In my humble opinion BVD was pivotally responsible for Swarovski's disasterous attempt to re-gear the focus mechanism of the EL binocular range. One writer can have too much influence, and the BVD article that said they needed 'faster' focussing in order to become the 'best roof in the world' seems to have influenced the manufacturer. The model is now degraded with less accurate focussing as a result, and the bridge has a hole cut in it to accommodate the fast gearing modification that leaks water. Maybe if they'd read Birdforum's educated (and often heated) discussions first, they might have given less weight to one high-profile individual's views.
Paul
Click to expand...

LOTS of people complained or commented on the original focusing ratio of the 8.5x42 EL, not just Steve Ingraham. Why? Because it was ridiculously slow to focus between 7 and 30 feet.

I own the original 8.5x42 EL and it has the "hole" you've written about, it's just a little narrower of a slot than on the 8x32 EL. Not that I like the hole--just don't attribute it to the new focus ratio. I've not heard that the new focus is inaccurate. The new EL focus is still on the slow side of average when compared to other well regarded contemporary models.

--AP
 
mooreorless said:
It is funny what one person doesn't like another likes...
Click to expand...

Sometimes this occurs because of difference in fit or personal taste among users who are using a product in the same way (e.g. a particular eyecup design may work well for some users but not with others), but it can also come about when a product is used in different ways by different users. It's not clear which sense you intend with your comment

mooreorless said:
the original focuser of the EL is something I liked.
Click to expand...

Are you saying that you like the way this focuser works for your purposes, or that you actually like the amount it must be turned to focus between 7 and ~30 feet. I haven't met anyone (yet) who actually likes the performance of the EL focus ratio in that range. I suspect that folks who like or are not bothered by the old EL ratio rarely use their binos for demanding close range viewing. I find focusing these binos at near distances to be so slow and cumbersome that they are impractical to use for butterflying or for stalking nearby sparrows in the grass/brush. For other types of birding (a majority of situations), I like the slow EL focus just fine, but that's because focusing closer than 20 ft is rarely done in most birding circumstances.

--AP
 
Gents,

You'll find this interesting:

An Established Birding Site Joins the CN Family.
#1736128 - 07/24/07 09:20 AM
Click to expand...

I was wondering why BVD would join an astro site and not BF, or are we not respected enough in the birding world? I remember S Ingraham telling me how Good Bf was.

Just Curious ?
 
Steve said:
I was wondering why BVD would join an astro site and not BF, or are we not respected enough in the birding world? I remember S Ingraham telling me how Good Bf was.

Just Curious ?
Click to expand...

Perhaps to do with location, N America vs UK? Also, even though we have highly technical reviews here, the astro guys are nuts about measurable things.
 
I think it is more of a business transaction than anything else. If Birdforum offers to merge BVD, it could swing this way too. :)
 
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