Grey 8x42 SF Should I or not (1 Viewer)

[z-ben]

I have the chance of a pair of early edition Zeiss sf 8x42 "in good condition" and was going to take a look but they are not local and after all I have read on here about the early ones being inferior to the later black ones I am wondering if it is worth the hassle I dont think they have had much use but even then if the armour is going to come loose down the line or the focus wheel is going to develop problems is it a worthwhile purchase? £1100 seems too good to resist.
I have always liked zeiss and hankered after a pair after viewing a pair of 7x42 loutec coated years ago and the light weight is a bonus.
If anyone reading this has a grey sf I would love to here your views.

 

[Brummie]

I had a grey 10x42 and thought they were excellent. Focuser had a drier, less hydraulic feel than some binoculars, but did its job and never caused me any problems. No issues with the armor - I liked having something that wasn’t just black. Didn’t see any difference between them and later versions in terms of color tone, but then I’m not very sensitive to those things.

Only issue I had was that there was a little debris in the barrels (something that seemed to happen a lot in Zeiss bins around the mid-2010s). Sent them in to Zeiss who sorted that out and replaced the eyepieces (not sure why they thought that necessary, and I think they meant the assembly and eyecups, rather than replacing the lenses).

 

[Brummie]

Also looks like there’s lots of past threads on this topic, so I would look at the info already out there.

 

[z-ben]

Also looks like there’s lots of past threads on this topic, so I would look at the info already out there.

Theres an awful lot to wade through some people on here should have taken up poetry or pontification.

 

[Swissboy]

I have the chance of a pair of early edition Zeiss sf 8x42 "in good condition" and was going to take a look but they are not local and after all I have read on here about the early ones being inferior to the later black ones I am wondering if it is worth the hassle I dont think they have had much use but even then if the armour is going to come loose down the line or the focus wheel is going to develop problems is it a worthwhile purchase? £1100 seems too good to resist.
I have always liked zeiss and hankered after a pair after viewing a pair of 7x42 loutec coated years ago and the light weight is a bonus.
If anyone reading this has a grey sf I would love to here your views.

If weight is an issue, and you don't need the satisfaction to finally have an SF, I suggest checking the new SFLs. They should be around as demos at least. Price would probably be in the range of the used SF you are considering, or not much more, but with warranty.

 

[Brummie]

If weight is an issue, and you don't need the satisfaction to finally have an SF, I suggest checking the new SFLs. They should be around as demos at least. Price would probably be in the range of the used SF you are considering, or not much more, but with warranty.

The SFL 8x40 will cost GBP 1500 new. Not a huge difference in the FOV with the SF 8x42, but the SFL will have a little more CA, if you're sensitive to that. If it were me, I'd probably go for the 2nd-hand SF, if they're really in good condition (and then end up getting a SFL 8/10x30 to complement them later).

 

[Scott98]

I like the 8x42's SF very much, from what I've read, if you encounter problems with the gray ones, you send them to Zeiss and they upgrade them to the same parts as the current black ones. So that would probably be my gameplan, buy them and plan to have them serviced if anything crops up

Maybe tell the seller you're worried about problems and offer £1000

 

[z-ben]

I like the 8x42's SF very much, from what I've read, if you encounter problems with the gray ones, you send them to Zeiss and they upgrade them to the same parts as the current black ones. So that would probably be my gameplan, buy them and plan to have them serviced if anything crops up

Maybe tell the seller you're worried about problems and offer £1000

I may just take your advice I dont think they would ask me to travel so far if it was a duff pair with loose armour.

 

[z-ben]

I did get these and they are in mint condition and seem to suit very well .The strap on the case is of surprisingly poor quality which came as a big shock but then again it won't make a jot of difference.

 

[Scott98]

sounds good! I was not a fan of the original case either, I bought a Swaro XL field bag for them, it's a perfect fit.

 

[z-ben]

sounds good! I was not a fan of the original case either, I bought a Swaro XL field bag for them, it's a perfect fit.

Thanks I will check that case out thare is a Swaro dealer quite close
I am awaiting delivery of objective covers at the moment they are the only thing that was missing but someone on here was looking fo an alternative to the Zeiss ones so I just hope they fit.

 

[Rg548]

I did get these and they are in mint condition and seem to suit very well .The strap on the case is of surprisingly poor quality which came as a big shock but then again it won't make a jot of difference.

You will be hard pushed to beat Zeiss Conquest cases. They are superb. I use them for all mine, Meopta, Leica, Zeiss.... all go in the relevant sized Conquest case, and they are only about £28, and you will be 'staying on brand'

 

[z-ben]

You will be hard pushed to beat Zeiss Conquest cases. They are superb. I use them for all mine, Meopta, Leica, Zeiss.... all go in the relevant sized Conquest case, and they are only about £28, and you will be 'staying on brand'

Will try to find one thanks.

 

[z-ben]

I found too much play in the focus wheel on these SFs and sent them to zeiss UK for adjustment !!
They sent them back to Germany I only found this out by ringing them for a progress report as I got no replies to email.
These are now back with me and are no longer grey the armour has been changed to black the hinge has been tightened up what else they may have done I don't know as I never got a list but it did take a long time February through to May so if anyone out there has the same problem with the slack focus you know what to do BUT be prepared to wait 3 months or so with no progress report this work was all covered by the warranty and the focus is now great.

 

[Mike Crawley]

One of my close friends has a pair of 8x42 SF in the original grey.
He had a problem with the focus mechanism within about a year.
Zeiss fully refurbished them, including installing the "new" focus mechanism (as seen in the black SF binoculars).
Good Luck

 

[z-ben]

One of my close friends has a pair of 8x42 SF in the original grey.
He had a problem with the focus mechanism within about a year.
Zeiss fully refurbished them, including installing the "new" focus mechanism (as seen in the black SF binoculars).
Good Luck

What I do not understand is why they changed the colour of the armour but it may be that they had to remove it to work on the focus mechanism they are great bins but how things can go wrong so quickly at this price point is bewildering and the case is awful once the strap is attached.
I am trying to get a Carson binowrap modified at the moment as this negates the need for lens covers completely and provides a bit more protection and a certain amount of camouflage by covering the users face . Pity they do not do a larger size.

 

[Troubador]

Whatever niggles some folks have, the Grey SF still provide fine views of the natural world. Don't get mired in the differences between black and grey SFs.
Go for it!!!

 

[z-ben]

Whatever niggles some folks have, the Grey SF still provide fine views of the natural world. Don't get mired in the differences between black and grey SFs.
Go for it!!!

Sorry but you may have missed post 14 I went for it and the only problem was the play in the focus which I did not pick up on before I paid the £900 .

 

[Troubador]

Sorry but you may have missed post 14 I went for it and the only problem was the play in the focus which I did not pick up on before I paid the £900 .

Sorry to hear this. I would regard your bino as faulty goods and return it to the dealer and ask for a replacement that does not have this fault.

 

[z-ben]

Sorry to hear this. I would regard your bino as faulty goods and return it to the dealer and ask for a replacement that does not have this fault.

It has no faults now and for £900 is quite a bargain great bins very sad case though.