16x and steady views. Sig Zulu6 16x42 (1 Viewer)

[tx2ad]

The 5 year guarantee is for the stabilizer.

Andreas

Interesting... W/out the electronics, they are still usable, but not as intended.

What's typical for other IS brands?

 

[Conndomat]

Interesting... W/out the electronics, they are still usable, but not as intended.

What's typical for other IS brands?

Yes, the stabilizer makes the difference, especially at higher magnifications.

A 5 year guarantee on the IS is a lot, here in Germany you only get a 2 year guarantee on the IS, it varies from country to country, North America has better conditions here IMO.
I don't know whether Sig also offers a 5-year guarantee here in Germany, according to legislation for electronics they only have to give a 2-year guarantee.
But the manufacturer is practically unknown here, especially when it comes to binoculars. I think Sig is primarily aimed at the North American market.

Andreas

 

[tx2ad]

I would like to hear from anyone that has used this for a spot of astronomy please.

My 16x just showed up this evening. I immediately went outside to look at Jupiter.

It was awesome - all 4 moons easily seen, crisp discs from all 5 objects. With the IS off, I could make out the moons even though the view was a tad jumpy (to be expected). It was easier to make out the moons than any of the other bins I had to hand (NL 8x32; Kowa 6.5; UV 10x25; VP 8x25); in scan mode - things tamed down quite a bit and there was only the gentlest bit of sway in the view; in target mode there was no movement at all as if they were mounted to a tripod.

Here's the configuration I observed (not the actual image):

For my eyes, the 2nd best view of Jupiter and its moons tonight was in the UV 10x25 - they tamp down on stray light in my urban environment and their small exit pupil eliminate astigmatism issues and I get perfect discs of all the lights in the night sky. The VP is next up - the view is brighter, but that really means I see more light pollution so the sky appears brighter and thus the moons sort of blend a bit more into the sky itself - but I can still make out and see all 4 of them. With the NL 8x32 - I couldn't make out Io - its too close to the planet and my (apparent) astigmatism doesn't allow me to see them as separate/distinct objects, so I'm just not able to "see" Io in this configuration. The Kowa view is worse than the NL.

The moon and most of the planets are not visible tonight as Earth or buildings are currently obstructing my view. I missed Saturn but saw Neptune (it just looked like a bright orangish star).

I live very close to DFW airport and Love Field isn't far away either so there are a LOT of airplanes flying around in view and it was very interesting to watch them tonight in comparison to my other bins. The lights on each plane were super clear - red on one wing, green on the opposite, and blinking white in the middle. Normally, its hard to see the lights as separate and clearly distinct sources (likely due to lack of magnification or astigmatism).

I'm looking forward to using them in the day!

 

[Elpha8888]

My 16x just showed up this evening. I immediately went outside to look at Jupiter.

It was awesome - all 4 moons easily seen, crisp discs from all 5 objects. With the IS off, I could make out the moons even though the view was a tad jumpy (to be expected). It was easier to make out the moons than any of the other bins I had to hand (NL 8x32; Kowa 6.5; UV 10x25; VP 8x25); in scan mode - things tamed down quite a bit and there was only the gentlest bit of sway in the view; in target mode there was no movement at all as if they were mounted to a tripod.

Here's the configuration I observed (not the actual image):
View attachment 1547053
For my eyes, the 2nd best view of Jupiter and its moons tonight was in the UV 10x25 - they tamp down on stray light in my urban environment and their small exit pupil eliminate astigmatism issues and I get perfect discs of all the lights in the night sky. The VP is next up - the view is brighter, but that really means I see more light pollution so the sky appears brighter and thus the moons sort of blend a bit more into the sky itself - but I can still make out and see all 4 of them. With the NL 8x32 - I couldn't make out Io - its too close to the planet and my (apparent) astigmatism doesn't allow me to see them as separate/distinct objects, so I'm just not able to "see" Io in this configuration. The Kowa view is worse than the NL.

The moon and most of the planets are not visible tonight as Earth or buildings are currently obstructing my view. I missed Saturn but saw Neptune (it just looked like a bright orangish star).

I live very close to DFW airport and Love Field isn't far away either so there are a LOT of airplanes flying around in view and it was very interesting to watch them tonight in comparison to my other bins. The lights on each plane were super clear - red on one wing, green on the opposite, and blinking white in the middle. Normally, its hard to see the lights as separate and clearly distinct sources (likely due to lack of magnification or astigmatism).

I'm looking forward to using them in the day!

Thanks tx that's a great report, seems like they could be ideal. I'm wanting to try these mainly for astronomy, although they should be awesome for daytime too.
Dennis rates these very highly! Trouble is finding a pair here in the UK is a little tricky.
Would love to see Neptune

 

[tx2ad]

Just back from first morning out with the 16x.

These are fantastic for observing ducks. The difference in magnification is extremely noticeable and therefore the details on the ducks are striking in comparison to lower magnification (for me at least).

Take the seemingly simple Bufflehead. Normally, while a very striking bird, it looks basically simple black and white. Though, I'm always amazed at just how pure of a white the duck manages to look while living outdoors all its life. Today, between the magnification, IS, and the play of light against the ducks movements - the head revealed hues of both purple and green - the first time I've noticed that.

The color patterns on a Green Winged Teal were similarly impressive. The green eye stripe against the red head was a brilliant sight.

The normally slightly drab Gadwall was easy to pick out. The female easily differentiated from female Mallards due to the clear differences on the wing above the leg - the blue/white patch of the Mallard being conspicuously obvious or absent.

 

[Eya]

Just back from first morning out with the 16x.

These are fantastic for observing ducks. The difference in magnification is extremely noticeable and therefore the details on the ducks are striking in comparison to lower magnification (for me at least).

Take the seemingly simple Bufflehead. Normally, while a very striking bird, it looks basically simple black and white. Though, I'm always amazed at just how pure of a white the duck manages to look while living outdoors all its life. Today, between the magnification, IS, and the play of light against the ducks movements - the head revealed hues of both purple and green - the first time I've noticed that.

The color patterns on a Green Winged Teal were similarly impressive. The green eye stripe against the red head was a brilliant sight.

The normally slightly drab Gadwall was easy to pick out. The female easily differentiated from female Mallards due to the clear differences on the wing above the leg - the blue/white patch of the Mallard being conspicuously obvious or absent.

Have you tried them at dusk ? I'm wondering about performance low light conditions (for wildlife spotting, on woods edge), and found someone compaining on Amazon (" Also you cant see anything in low light. Its cheap glass wrapped in a poorly executed good idea.")

 

[Eya]

I got Zulu 6 HDX 16x42 a week ago and here are my findings after using it for couple of days.
PROs:

• low volume, slim profile, extremely lightweight for 16x (only 21.9oz or 621g), awesome futuristic design
• best-in-class Image Stabilization (3° Correction angle vs. 2° for Kite APC vs. 0.9° for Canon IS) without artifacts
• IS is totally silent (good for hunting, birding, surveillance), 1 AA battery lasts 30h vs 3-8h for Canon IS
• best glass in its price-class with ED & HT glass and no observed CA at 16x
• 61° AFOV, 2.65mm exit pupil, 4m close focus (I measured 3m) are sufficient for most applications
• totally waterproof IPX7, non-slippery surface, scratch resistant lens coatings, love FDE color
• infinite guarantee (repairs and replacements at no charge), 5 year warranty on electronic components vs. 3 years for Canon
• zero eye fatigue after prolonged use, beats all non-stabilized alpha bins in terms of resolution handheld vs. handheld
• perfect for hunting, travel, cruises, general nature, surveillance, bird watching, plane spotting, handheld astronomy, sport fishing, etc.
• can be easily used with one hand only

CONs:

• no proper lens caps, carrying case could be of better quality, better fit & matching color
• new "Target Mode" is really rock-steady but image gets a little bit less sharp compared to "Scan Mode"
• metal rings on the neck strap may produce loud sound when hitting sides of binocular

Show less

Thanks for the information. Did you notice any difference between the Zulu6 and the APC42 in optical quality (brightness, contrast, color reproduction, color fringing, low light performance) and overall build quality ?

 

[Eya]

Have you tried them at dusk ? I'm wondering about performance low light conditions (for wildlife spotting, on woods edge), and found someone compaining on Amazon (" Also you cant see anything in low light. Its cheap glass wrapped in a poorly executed good idea.")

I also found a complaint on Sig Sauer product page ("Glass is terrible in poor light conditions. Great binos in good light. If you have the extra money to spend, good buy for an extra set of binos. They don’t replace my swaros"). However, I'm unsure the Kite Optics APC42, that I'm also considering, perform any better.

 

[rdnzl]

A 16x42 is not going to be an optimal low light performer. It's simple science. As far as the Swaro comparison, are they 16x42? And can you hand hold them?

 

[tx2ad]

Have you tried them at dusk ? I'm wondering about performance low light conditions (for wildlife spotting, on woods edge), and found someone compaining on Amazon (" Also you cant see anything in low light. Its cheap glass wrapped in a poorly executed good idea.")

I do not do much observing at dusk, but they seem just fine to me when I ise them that time of day.
Complainers abound on the interwebs, its the nature of the beast. I like them and am glad that I have them.

 

[rdnzl]

I love mine. I use them a lot. Everyone I let look through them are amazed. My Canons are sitting in a drawer.

 

[fazalmajid]

Thanks tx that's a great report, seems like they could be ideal. I'm wanting to try these mainly for astronomy, although they should be awesome for daytime too.
Dennis rates these very highly! Trouble is finding a pair here in the UK is a little tricky.
Would love to see Neptune

I got my 20x42 from Amazon UK. Very straightforward.

 

[Swedpat]

I tried Zeiss 20x60 IS binos ~30 years ago. It was awesome to completely get rid of all micro shakings. I think I have tried another IS device after that but don't remember which one.
I think IS more than any other usage is an advantage in astronomy. Even with 8x it feels more shaky than at daytime use. I understand how superior IS is even at 8x, and even more if I can use twice the magnification.
The wondering I have is: do I dare getting IS bino? Is there a risk I don't want to use normal binos at all again after that? 🤔

 

[etudiant]

I tried Zeiss 20x60 IS binos ~30 years ago. It was awesome to completely get rid of all micro shakings. I think I have tried another IS device after that but don't remember which one.
I think IS more than any other usage is an advantage in astronomy. Even with 8x it feels more shaky than at daytime use. I understand how superior IS is even at 8x, and even more if I can use twice the magnification.
The wondering I have is: do I dare getting IS bino? Is there a risk I don't want to use normal binos at all again after that? 🤔

The IS is a real help when observing small birds in treetops, especially in windy conditions.
It filters out the microshakes generated by hand holding, so one can focus on the actual bird. Ditto for birds in flight or a long ways away.
Reverting back to regular binoculars is no problem, but you will find muscle memory has you stabbing the non existent IS button.

 

[kabsetz]

Swedpat,

There is definitely that risk in getting an IS bino, especially if it is a good one. A risk worth taking, though.

 

[Elpha8888]

I got my 20x42 from Amazon UK. Very straightforward.

Thanks, will take a look 😃