Is the SF better than the SV (1 Viewer)

[Torview]

Hi Lee, I was`nt astounded by the fov on the 10x, I need to try the 8, I was expecting better though considering the build up, and both myself and the proprietor at SWO remarked on the strong blue fringe at the edge.

Personally no fov astounds me now I`m used to an EII, which at 154m is still king of the eights.

John.

 

[Troubador]

Hi Lee, I was`nt astounded by the fov on the 10x, I need to try the 8, I was expecting better though considering the build up, and both myself and the proprietor at SWO remarked on the strong blue fringe at the edge.

Personally no fov astounds me now I`m used to an EII, which at 154m is still king of the eights.

John.

Hi John

You are well spoiled for FOV with your EII of course but I was pointing out that the SF's much wider FOV should be considered when assessing edge sharpness.

Lee

 

[perterra]

No doubt about that, but it is an interesting topic. Anyone thinking of buying an SF would be out of their mind if they don't directly compare them to the SV, and I am interested in those comparisons. So far it sounds like the SV holds its own, but if I get a chance to see the SF and like it better, I might change. My eyes are always my guide, not numbers or words. .

I think I said that about the Conquest and you said I must be blind. :-O

 

[james holdsworth]

This forum is full of threads where people ask questions they already know the answer to - at least in their own mind - and hope for affirmation from others.

Bins are personal - full stop.

BTW - why, on earth would anyone care about the last 5% of the FOV? Who is using this to look at anything?

 

[AndyRB]

We have both and in my quite inexperienced view the Swarovski has slightly more colour saturation, but then I haven't had much time to compare them as the SFs only arrived this morning. What was wrong was that the protective lens caps that were in the box were completely the wrong size and for a much larger binocular and there is stiction when extending the eyepiece which sounds and feels very, very cheap and plasticky and instead of the two intermediate positions stated in the handbook there is only one. The eyecups issue is a significant error for an top-end binocular and leaves a question over quality control.

 

[AndyRB]

Just to add to my first post, my comparison is between the 10x42 sizes

 

[Torview]

Lee, I accept the fov is large, but the marketing blurb claimed sharp to the edge, and the one and only example I looked through was`nt.

I did get chastised on these pages a good while back for asking if members really expected the SF to blow the Sv away, apparently they did, so far I`m a little underwhelmed overall.

Hope to try an 8 at Cleyspy next month, and with any luck the updated Ultravid.

 

[perterra]

This forum is full of threads where people ask questions they already know the answer to - at least in their own mind - and hope for affirmation from others.

Bins are personal - full stop.

BTW - why, on earth would anyone care about the last 5% of the FOV? Who is using this to look at anything?

Like people who look for 2% higher light transmission. They fixate on numbers. Sitting here now, I couldnt tell you the specs on any binoculars I own other than what power they are.

 

[[email protected]]

Bruce, I'm pretty sure that you've got the title of this thread wrong ..... :eat:

It should be called -- "Why the 10x42 SV is the greatest binocular of all time" :king:

You should then reply to every post -- don't worry if your reply is not logical or even related to the post, just keep on replying ...... pump, pump, pump ! If the thread goes a bit cold then just quote yourself -- again -- no need to make sense ! 3

Then quietly list your obsolete SV's on Zebay and keep pump, pump, pumping the thread ..... Pump, pump, pump !!

Hopefully you talk the price of your obsolete bins up so that the upgrade to the SF doesn't cause your hip pocket tooooo much pain :eek!:

Then to ensure the retained value of your new toy -- continually tell everyone they are blind if they can't see that they are the greatest !! :loveme:

8-P :cat:


Chosun :gh:

" pump, pump, pumping the thread ..... Pump, pump, pump !! "

Leave that to me.

 

[[email protected]]

I tried both in 10x format yesterday, the sv felt "posher"' had sharp edges (the sf was not sharp to the edge), and more saturated colours.

Splitting hairs as to which was better, the bigger question for me given the sf I tried did not have sharpness right at the edge was, was it worth £600 more than the ht ?

"the sf was not sharp to the edge"

I guess I keep my SV's.

 

[Hermann]

"the sf was not sharp to the edge"

I guess I keep my SV's.

It's sharp to about 95% of the image.

And if you look at your SV critically (try putting it on a tripod), you'll find it also isn't absolutely sharp to the edge.

Hermann

 

[Torview]

"the sf was not sharp to the edge"

I guess I keep my SV's.

There`s been a long drawn out build up to the SF, promising a class leading fov that was indeed sharp right to the edge, I`v only tried the one but it did`nt live up to that claim, for anybody with an SV (who`s happy with them) I can think of no good reason to buy an SF.

 

[David in NC]

Welcome to the forum AndyRB :t:

 

[BruceH]

........... and there is stiction when extending the eyepiece which sounds and feels very, very cheap and plasticky and instead of the two intermediate positions stated in the handbook there is only one. ..........

Andy, another welcome.

A couple of other members posted having the same experience of only finding one position but found that the eye cups are very stiff the first few times they are rotated. Once fully rotated, their SF units did have all of the intermediate stops. That may be the same for your unit.

Here is the thread. Please read posts #1632 (Steve260), #1633 (Jan), #1635 (Steve260) and #!637 (Jan).

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=284346&page=66

Let us know what you find out.

Now I am probably in trouble with Jan because he said not to tell anybody else. :eek!: (Just kidding, of course.)

 

[Troubador]

There`s been a long drawn out build up to the SF, promising a class leading fov that was indeed sharp right to the edge, I`v only tried the one but it did`nt live up to that claim, for anybody with an SV (who`s happy with them) I can think of no good reason to buy an SF.

FOV! :t:

Unless that is of no importance to you of course :smoke:

Lee

 

[AndyRB]

No, I'm afraid there's only one stop and the whole mechanism feels cheap, creaky and nasty. Our 10x42 Swarovski's eye cups on the other hand feel and sound just as you'd expect for this level of optic. I like everything else about the SFs but my wife and I feel this is a significant let down for something of this price; clearly despite the quality signature that came with them there is an issue here as they shouldn't have been signed off - not least the fact that mine were boxed with grossly oversized lens caps from some other Zeiss product.

 

[AndyRB]

Sorry, I meant my above reply to fit with BruceH's response to my post.

 

[ceasar]

We have both and in my quite inexperienced view the Swarovski has slightly more colour saturation, but then I haven't had much time to compare them as the SFs only arrived this morning. What was wrong was that the protective lens caps that were in the box were completely the wrong size and for a much larger binocular and there is stiction when extending the eyepiece which sounds and feels very, very cheap and plasticky and instead of the two intermediate positions stated in the handbook there is only one. The eyecups issue is a significant error for an top-end binocular and leaves a question over quality control.

Andy,

The eyecups work the same as the ones on the old Zeiss Victory FLs.

When you open the eyecups the first time do it slowly to get the feel of how they work. Start from the closed position. Open it slowly till it stops. Then gently nudge it a bit and you will feel a click where it locks into position at the 1st level. Then slowly move it up to the 2nd level and click it into the lock position. Then slowly open it fully and click it into place.

You can do this very fast and run right past the intermediate positions without noticing them.

Bob

 

[bh46118]

How do I know the answer if I haven't seen an SF. I would like to know if a new binocular that is claimed to be the best ever made is better than the one I recently paid a lot of money for. If the consensus is in favor of the SF, I might just go to the trouble of driving some distance to see one and then possibly make the decision to purchase it . If the consensus is either a wash, or is in favor of the SV, I won't waste my time. Does that make any sense to you, it does to me. Don't assume to know what others are thinking. You're not a mind reader.

This forum is full of threads where people ask questions they already know the answer to - at least in their own mind - and hope for affirmation from others.

 

[james holdsworth]

How do I know the answer if I haven't seen an SF. I would like to know if a new binocular that is claimed to be the best ever made is better than the one I recently paid a lot of money for. If the consensus is in favor of the SF, I might just go to the trouble of driving some distance to see one and then possibly make the decision to purchase it . If the consensus is either a wash, or is in favor of the SV, I won't waste my time. Does that make any sense to you, it does to me. Don't assume to know what others are thinking. You're not a mind reader.

Some have said it is great, some have been underwhelmed. Same goes for the SV. You still need to try one before knowing much of anything.

Not reading minds but you will get opinions all over the map when the only opinion you need will be with your own two eyes.

I have an HT, and opinions vary - some of which seemed to think it was a bit of an upgrade from the FL. I'm glad I didn't take those to heart as my eyes find the HT to be a big step up from anything previous, even the vaunted / revered / deified SV series. Of course, you may not see it that way........and that's the point. I don't think you will ever get consensus - the SF will have the greater FOV, the SV sharper to the edge.....the rest will be personal preference, ergo's, brand cachet etc., all things that are entirely individual.

I have given up on commenting much here, as it has all boiled down to brand loyalty [for some...maybe me to some extent, making me a less than neutral observer] and personal preference of attributes. To some sharp edges are meaningless - to others they are the holy grail. One binocular will never be the final, ultimate answer when wants and needs are so personal and variable.